Andreas: SKINTIGHT was the name of my first band. With this band I recorded my first demo tape. It was a little bit like 3 WISHES because all the band members were good friends. The only difference was that only the guitar player and I wrote the songs.
Brian Rademacher: What did your parents think of you going into the music field?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: Well, my mother was happy about that, but my father hated it. The longer my hair was growing, the more my father got angry. He totally hates rock music. But I didn t care about that, because I was always living my life. And I loved my hair, the music and the rock and roll lifestyle. So I left my parents home to find my own way.
Brian Rademacher: 3 WISHES formed in 1997. How did you all get together?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I knew 3 WISHES long before I joined the band. I had a couple of other bands before and with one of them we had some gigs together. We were friends long before we started to play music together. Holger for example is a friend of mine for 19 years - Michael for 12 years. During that time I was studying singing on the German Vocal Line of popular music in Hamburg I had no band. But after a while I was missing to make real handmade music in a rehearsal room, so I asked Michi if I could sing during their rehearsals when their singer was not in Hamburg. We had great fun and we found out that we can work very well together; After a short time I was the official new singer of 3 WISHES.
Brian Rademacher: Did you ever think that you would actually one day release a CD?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: When we started with 3 WISHES, I was sure that we will release a CD. There is so much spirit and power in this band that it would be a miracle if we hadn t released a CD.
Brian Rademacher: Did you release any demos before your first official CD in 2001 Electric Bullride ?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: There was a demo, yes, but all the songs from that demo are also on the album Electric Bullride .
Brian Rademacher: The band got some good press from some of the top print magazines like Metal Hammer, Rock Hard and Burrn magazine were you contacted by any labels at the time?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: After Electric Bullride had some good press, a small record company had contacted us. We signed a contract for one album there. The success of Shake Well Before Use was okay, so they offered us a contract for the next album, what was & In Your Eyes. But for some reason they had some problems and so they didn t release this CD, After two years we had found a fair solution to quit the contract and released & In Your Eyes by ourselves.
Brian Rademacher: 2003 you released Shake Well Before Use , which had some great tracks. Do you feel that the music has grown from your first CD? Or your music changed?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: In my opinion the music has grown. We are always in a process and having new song ideas. I don t have the feeling that the music has changed, but the sound definitely did.
Brian Rademacher: Was there any label interest after Shake Well Before Use ?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: After we had bad experiences with our last label, we had not asked for another one. What does not mean? Not that we are not interested, but we think it has to be a company that is established in our music style.
Brian Rademacher: You got to tour with some great bands Mike Tramp (ex-WHITE LION), Jeff Scott Soto and BONFIRE. What are some of the things 3 WISHES ask for on their rider?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: We are happy to play with bands like this, so we don t ask for much. We like to have our own sound technician and enough channels on the sound desk.
Brian Rademacher: How did those bands treat you?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: All bands treated us very good. Especially BONFIRE was cool. They gave us some tips and taught us some things. It s a big pleasure to play with them. Also THUNDER was amazing.
Brian Rademacher: You hookup up with Suefish Promotions who have some amazing artists like Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN), Kee Marcello and FIRST CHILD. How did that come about?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: SUEFISH is awesome. We met her on our very first gig in Hamburg. In this time she was writing for some Magazines and websites. She was asking for writing about us and I was asking her for promoting us. She is doing great work and so it s only natural that other acts asking for her. Suefish is our good soul.
Brian Rademacher: Your latest CD came in 2006 called In Your Eyes which is simply put outstanding, with mixtures of sounds from Ted Poley DANGER DANGER, JOURNEY and BON JOVI and yet you are still not signed to a label. What is the problem? All three CD s are fantastic and got great reviews.
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: Thanx for that nice compliment, well sometimes I ask myself the same question. We are very good positioned, because we have three records ready to release or re-release and got the unlimited copyrights of them. Further on we wrote enough songs for the next two albums and a lot of good people in the world like our music. But at the end it is not easy to find a company that fits to us. It s a matter of time.
Brian Rademacher: You recently just played with HOUSE OF LORDS, how was it playing with those guys? Jimi Bell and James Christian are good friends of our site.
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I see your site has nice friends. All of us were very excited to play with one of our favorite bands. The Ballroom was sold out I think and the people were in a good mood. After the show we had a great party together.
Brian Rademacher: How many dates did you play with them?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: With HOUSE OF LORDS we just played one show.
Brian Rademacher: I see that you have the live video for All or Nothing on You Tube . Seems like you guys are having a lot of fun and even though it s live, you can still hear how tight you guys sound. Have you thought about making a video for one of the songs off of In Your Eyes ?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: Yes in deed, we thought about it. But at the moment, it s just a financial thing why we don t do it. If we d make a video, it might be Circle of Life or Two Young Hearts. Life Ain t Easy could be a good one too.
Brian Rademacher: Are you working on new material now, and will there be a new CD coming this year or next?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: During the time when we were waiting for the release to In Your Eyes from 2005 to 2006 we had made some great new songs. It s enough for two new CDs, but we took the best out of them for the next album. The best of all is that we will record this album in our own new studio! That is absolutely amazing, because the next one will sound like we want it to. This CD will be the next step forward.
Brian Rademacher: Tell me your feelings about each member of the band?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: As I told you before, we have been friends for years. Yannis is a good and very humorous guy. I like good characters. Arthur is a quiet guy and I can count on him 150% in every situation. I ve known Holger for 19 years. He is my friend and I trust him. Michael is the most non-aggressive person I ever met in my life. He is a sunny boy in its most powerful sense. I am proud to have friends like those guys.
Brian Rademacher: What is the music scene right now in Germany?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: We have a lot of so-called talent shows, very much of dance music and hip-hop. Rock music in the charts grows slowly, but it grows. Bands like BON JOVI still have their fans.
Brian Rademacher: Has MySpace helped the band at all?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: For bands like us, MySpace is the most important platform in the net. MySpace is a good chance to make good contacts. In the early past, we have been invited to a little tour in Italy and some record shops were asking for our CDs. Also, one of our fans from Oklahoma runs a little fan club where people talk about us and themselves, so if you go out there like to, feel free to join it and tell us about yourself and have some fun with our friends.
Brian Rademacher: What are the goals for the band and yourself?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: At first, we want to make as many good songs as possible and want to have fun for a long time. But we also would like to play some more festivals all over the world. It would be a good thing if we could find a record company. At least a dream would come true for the boys and me if we could live from the money we would earn by making music. But this is just a dream and not the most important thing.
Brian Rademacher: If Andreas Knaak was a millionaire and had a large sum of money to donate, what cause would you donate to?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I would split the money and would give it to different organizations.
I would give it to organizations that help tramps. Also to organizations that fights against corruption, child assault and misuse of power.
Brian Rademacher: If there is anything you can change in you life what would that be?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I am really happy that my life is good like it is, I don t want to change anything.
Brian Rademacher: Who is your favorite band of all time?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: GUNS ´N ROSES! They are geniuses in my eyes.
Brian Rademacher: Tell me what a typical day in the life of Andreas Knaak?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I don t have a typical day, because I am working in the event business as a project manager. That means every day is different, with new challenges in different places. I devote the rest of my life to the music and my daughter Angelina.
Brian Rademacher: Does Andreas Knaak have any hobbies or collect anything?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I m collecting records, CDs, DVD s, computer games and books. I like bungee jumping, diving and parachuting.
Brian Rademacher: I am going to mention some words, tell us your feeling on what that word means to you?
Brian Rademacher: Success
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: Success to me is to be happy and satisfied with what I did.
Brian Rademacher: Women
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I like women. I m a believer in true love but I haven t found it yet. Every time I thought I found it, it was just an illusion. Let s see what the future brings.
Brian Rademacher: 3 WISHES
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: The best that ever happens to me, 3 WISHES makes my life complete and gives me the chance to express myself.
Brian Rademacher: Touring
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: The best periods in life... Little sleep, hard work and long travels. But every minute with the boys is fun. I love back-to-back shows and the feeling of pure life.
Brian Rademacher: Family
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: My roots, family means to me I have a place called home. A place to return to and be just myself& I love my family.
Brian Rademacher: Religion
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: I m a spiritual man. I believe in God but I m not a Christian. Religion is a personal thing that happens inside of me.
Brian Rademacher: War
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: It s totally not understandable for me why humans make war. Violence is no solution never.
Brian Rademacher: Future
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: Future is open. I wish to be healthy for a long, long time.
Brian Rademacher: Andreas it has been a pleasure in speaking with you and I wish the band success in the future and I hope people go to your sites and check the band out and fans support all three of your CD s. You will get to hear some amazing melodic hard rock you have ever heard in 3 WISHES. Would you like to say anything in conclusion?
Andreas Knaak: Andreas: It was a pleasure for me, too, thank you for the nice questions and your support for 3 WISHES. As soon as the fourth album is printed, you will have it in your hands. Keep on rocking all the time, Andi
