"Krone" interview

5/8erl in Ehr’n: “A conversation is improvisation”

Happily united for 19 years: the Viennese soul collective 5/8erl in Ehr'n around Max Gaier (l.).

(Bild: Kulturforum Amthof Feldkirchen)

They are the somewhat different band from Vienna and have already taken home an Amadeus Award six times. After a long break, the quintet 5/8erl in Ehr'n is now releasing the album "Burn On!", promoting a sense of community and taking a stand against meritocracy. Singer Max Gaier gives us a closer look.

The concept of Viennese soul applied to 5/8erl in Ehr'n is long outdated. Like no other band from Austria, the quintet meanders between soul, jazz, blues, groove and the quaint feeling of the Viennese song without getting lost in stereotypes. For 19 years now, the collective has been inspiring audiences with songs that take up everyday life, oppose toxic neoliberalism and propagate community. It goes without saying that they indulge in the odd pint or two along the way - after all, enjoying the good life is a central element of the band's work. With "Burn On!", the Achterl recently released their seventh studio album - their first in five years. They have not been idle since the more than successful pandemic album "Yeah Yeah Yeah" (2020). There have been countless concerts and an extensive collaboration with the Vorarlberg Jazz Orchestra, which can also be found on the new album.

Valuable ceremony
Around two years ago, they met at guitarist Miki Liebermann's home on the Schafberg for a barbecue and started the songwriting process for the new album. "It was like a ceremony," recalls singer Max Gaier in an interview with Krone, "we need ceremonies like that when we finish something or start something new. It gives the whole thing an official character." There may not have been a Dropbox folder almost 20 years ago, but nothing has changed in the way the musicians work over the years. "The best things are created when we stand in a room together and jam. We work on the songs together and use the new production possibilities to make recording easier. But the important thing is that we meet and play together as real people who make music and see each other."

The real and tactile aspects of life are particularly important to the Achterl, and this is also loosely reflected in the songs on "Burn On!". The album title can be interpreted on two different levels. "On the one hand, burn on is a term used in occupational psychology that means you almost never burn out. You are constantly at the limit and always have the feeling that you can still take the next step. This is the neoliberal idea in which we all exploit ourselves. On the other hand, "Burn On!" also serves as a positive example. That you burn for something and, in the best case, these are things that are good for us and serve the community. Being good to each other, looking out for each other and giving others space. As a band, we burn for the music and for having a good time and a lot of fun together. But there are definitely both readings in the album."

Aligning systems correctly
The song titles are programmatic and set the direction in terms of content. "Ruhe macht Panik", "Arbeit 2.0" or "Am Ende des Tages" are not least about the stress of everyday life, the constant drive by the power of capital and the illusion of somehow being able to escape this world. "We humans are always chasing after the carrot dangling on a stick in front of us without ever reaching it. We would have to create a system where the system works for the people and not the people for the system." Gaier also sees an evil in the digital world. Social media platforms and smartphones fuel vanity and narcissism. "Everyone wants to be a superstar. It started with Michael Jackson and is still going strong today. When you see others on Instagram, you are subject to a certain dictate. There used to be things like religion or music. Higher invocations that we invoked. Today, it's technology and capital. These forms of communication make us believe that we are all incredibly politically and socially engaged, but a rainbow emoji doesn't change the state of the world."

On "Burn On!", 5/8erl in Ehr'n certainly pose the big questions of life; the record is all about self-awareness and collective togetherness. "'Burn On' was a working title that lasted until the end," recalls Gaier, "we wrote a lot of songs that didn't turn out at all. There will certainly be a few more releases in the next two years, because not everything fit into the flow of the album. Our job as musicians is to do justice to each song. We are a stylistically extremely open band that has to limit itself at some point. That usually happens intuitively and out of an inner need." With their elusive and handmade music, the Achterl are far removed from lavish sales figures. "But that's also the reason why we still have so much fun with it after such a long time and are passionate about making music. We don't think in terms of sales strategies, but celebrate diversity. We have different paths, but we all know where the light switch is."

Everything for mindfulness
The band doesn't just promote mindfulness on the outside, it also takes it to heart on the inside. "You have to look after yourself and each other a little better." The song "Let's talk briefly" clearly addresses the benefits of direct interaction. "People write to each other more than they talk. Nowadays, people send each other voice messages and take a long time to think about how to reply. But a real, good conversation works like an improvisation. We like to fight for these things not to be lost." With "Burn On!", 5/8erl in Ehr'n are following their chosen path without copying themselves and remaining static. "Next year we'll celebrate our 20th anniversary and then we'll see. I'm very grateful that we've all had such a wonderful and musically fruitful time together."

Live throughout Austria
With the album "Burn On!", 5/8erl in Ehr'n are now also going on tour in Austria. They will be playing in Linz, Mattersburg, St. Pölten, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Dornbirn, Graz, Spital an der Drau and the Vienna Globe up to and including mid-April. You can find all dates, information and concert tickets at www.5achterl.at.