Rammstein guitarist Richard Kruspe has reignited the ‘rock is dead’ debate by saying the current musical climate is driven by hip-hop.
Kiss star Gene Simmons said that rock music was dead back in 2014 – a comment which drew criticism from fans and those within the industry.
In a new interview, Revolver say that Rammstein are still holding the “blowtorch high for theatrical rock and roll” to which Kruspe responds: “We're just doing what we like. But there's just nothing to say so much anymore.
“Rock is dead. It's sad, I know it is. But sometimes you have to make peace with the facts of reality. Every time I'm listening to what's new – it's definitely not rock.”
Kruspe points to the up-and-coming wave of artists and says: “There are always going to be these old dinosaurs that have a certain kind of performance that will survive.
“I’m talking about the new generation rock. What happens at the moment is that kids these days don't have that feeling when they play their favourite rock tracks to annoy the parents.
“Guitars are not annoying anymore so what they're using, especially in Germany, they're using their voice, the lyrics, which basically mostly happens in hip-hop.
“They start to rebel against everything and hip-hop is the soundtrack. It's all about hip-hop at the moment, which is hard for me because hip-hop was always a music that I couldn't relate to.”
Krupse continues: “If I go to a festival and see a hip-hop group play, I'm so bored. That's one advantage rock still has over hip-hop. There's a visual and sonic connection between the band and the audience.”
No release date for Rammstein’s long-awaited new studio album has been revealed, but it’s expected to launch in the spring of 2019.
The band will play 16 shows next summer, kicking off at La Defense Arena in Paris on June 28, and concluding with a set at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel Stadion on August 22.
Rammstein 2019 European tour
Jun 28: Paris La Defense Arena, France
Jul 02: Hannover HDI Arena, Germany
Jul 06: Milton Keynes Stadium, UK
Jul 10: Brussels Stade Roi Baudoiun, Belgium
Jul 13: Frankfurst Commerzbank Arena, Germany
Jul 16: Prague Eden Arena, Czech Republic
Jul 17: Prague Eden Arena, Czech Republic
Jul 20: Luxembourg Roeser Festival Grounds, Luxembourg
Jul 24: Chorzow Stadion Slaski, Czech Republic
Jul 29: Moscow VTB Arena, Russia
Aug 02: St Petersburg Stadium, Russia
Aug 06: Riga Lucavsala, Latvia
Aug 10: Tampere Ratina Stadion, Finland
Aug 14: Stockholm Stadion, Sweden
Aug 18: Oslo Ullevaal Stadion, Norway
Aug 22: Vienna Ernst-Happel Stadion, Austria
