Krokus frontman rocks Nissan

AutoSprintCH met the likeable rock bard for an interview and asked the Krokus frontman questions about music, his life and - of course - cars.

AutoSprintCH: How does the frontman of a world-famous rock band come to Oberwil near Basel?
Marc Storace: My wife is from Binningen. We have been together for 28 years, 26 of which we have been married. We lead a normal family life with our children Luca (24) and Giuliana (21).

Are they the next generation of Swiss rock stars?
I always said, "Music is beautiful! Keep it as your hobby. Music gives you the perfect balance for learning, at work and in life in general. Later you can decide for yourself what you want to do for a living." I didn't finish my apprenticeship and went into the music business full time at 19. But back then everything was completely different. I had to give up a lot of things, needed and had a lot of luck!

So, did they listen to you?
We realized early on that our children have talent, both can sing. Luca had drum lessons for twelve years and Giuliana learned classical piano. My mother and sister were already certified piano players. My father sang as a tenor in church. So it's in our genes. Nevertheless, I'm the only one who made it to the professional ranks - and it was a rocky road! Today, Luca works in the IT industry, Guliana is a druggist, and both still make music as a hobby. So yes: they listened to me!

What was completely different back then?
As I said, it took a lot of luck! In my home country Malta I got gigs quickly and lived cheaply with parents. Then when I went to England, it became very different and hard. I had to pay for my room and took a day job in return. But fate was on my side. I met a Basel girl one night with connections in the local music industry and the rest is history. "Tea" was my first Swiss band, we made three albums. The drummer at the time later founded "Callaway", with whom I now guest in various live projects, such as the "Rock Circus" in the tent and right now at the Love Ride....

You give the cue: when and where will we see you on the stages this year?
On May 20, Krokus performs in Malta for the first time with the original line-up. On June 15 at Rockfels Festival, Loreley (D), on June 24 at Rock the Ring Festival, Hinwil, on July 14 at Bang Your Head Festival, Balingen (D), on July 22 at Moon and Stars, Locarno and on August 26 in Spiez at Seaside Festival. These are still great opportunities to experience the live energy and great songs of Krokus! All dates and booking can be found on our website: www.krokusonline.com

Besides the festivals, do you also play in concert halls?
We just played the "Rock Monsters Of Switzerland" concerts together with Gotthard and Shakra in sold out halls at the beginning of March. It was awesome! When you are on stage, you are full of adrenaline and young again. We still play hard, accurate and full of joy. We bring the audience to the boil!

The 70s and 80s are considered the wild decades of rock'n'roll. How does the life of a rock star differ today from back then?
We experienced the birth of Rock`n`Roll back then! We grew up with Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the revolutionary Love & Peace culture and later with the distinctive Hard Rock bands like The Who, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin! Their songs and music were the soundtracks of our teenage lives. During that time we developed our own ideas, we wanted to know everything about Sex, Drugs & Rock'n'Roll. It sounds like a cliché today, but we experimented with everything. Today we take better care of our bodies. We enjoy everything much more consciously and it's much more fun for us. You can't rock forever without being fit.

As a musician, you're often on the road for weeks and months at a time. What was and is life like on the tour bus?
In America, we were on the tour bus the longest, sometimes up to nine months at a time. Between one tour and the next, there was maybe a week's rest in a hotel with a pool and spa. That's when we had massages, did some gymnastics, ate well and stretched our legs. We were all younger and could be on the road longer. The tour bus was our home, our temple, our cinema, the party room, social meeting place, place of rest and creativity and place for band meetings. Birthdays were celebrated there - it was simply everything. We were on our last USA tour in 2015 for the most part on the road again with the tour bus, and when we would have to fly the last routes because of the very long distances daily, then we appreciated the value of our tour bus again very much.

What significance does mobility have for you?
Before every first performance after a long break, I drive to Solothurn up to three times a week for rehearsals. I don't take the train for that, it's too complicated for me. I prefer to stand in traffic jams for a while and listen to good music. Otherwise, I use my car almost every day. It's part of my privacy, so to speak.

What was your first car?
This was a gold Hillmann Avenger that I bought in England. It looked similar to an Opel Kadett. That was my first car, but also my first total loss....

What do you look for in a car?
Safety, economy, performance. I find kickdown vital - it once saved my life.

About Crocus
Krokus, a band from Solothurn, began their career back in 1975. Over four decades, the musicians conquered a huge fan base with straightforward hard rock, especially in the USA. Numerous platinum awards and over 15 million records sold worldwide made Krokus the most successful international hard rock band in Switzerland. In 2008, the original formation around singer and frontman Marc Storace, including band founder Chris von Rohr, came together again - and thus back into the charts. In early 2017, Krokus released their new work "Big Rocks," a tribute to some of their idols. Krokus covered and put their own stamp on twelve classics, including "My Generation" or "Wild Thing".