Q: can you tell me how long / since when Fair Warning has been together? Were the bandmembers part of any other known [or recording] bands ?
HE: Most of us played in a band called Zeno before. When the main guy of that band, Zeno Roth, decided to quit, the rest of us wanted to go on and that was how Fair Warning started in 1990. Tommy played in a band called V2 before and Ule was playing with Uli Jon Roth in Electric Sun. There's one record each of Zeno and V2 before Fair Warning. Electric Sun released three records. For the recordings I played on, please check the discography on my web site: www.helges-world.de.

Q: where is the band based out of?
HE: Ule and me as well as our past and present drummers are from Hanover, which is in the north of Germany. Tommy and Andy came from Berlin.

Q: what are your own influences >> bands, songwriters, guitar players ... ??
HE: There's a lot. My favorite bands are, Led Zeppelin, Rainbow, Yes and so on. Concerning songwriters it's basically everyone who wrote a good song. From Bob Dylan to Don Henley, from Queen to David Bowie, from Jimi Hendrix to Jimi Page they're all in my personal hall of fame. Growing up here in Hanover it was inevitable to be heavily influenced by Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker.

Q: I loved Uli in early Scorps day. Not familiar with any of Zeno's stuff. How is the Zeno stuff you were on?
HE: I actually played on the second Zeno album which Zeno Roth and me produced together when I as already in Fair Warning. Style-wise this one is not too far away from Fair Warning or vice versa. All songs are written by Zeno Roth. He is a very good song-writer as well as guitarist.

Q: Got a favorite Scorpions/UFO or MSG album[s] ??
HE: My favorite of the early scorpions records is "Virgin Killer". From the ones without Uli I like "Lovedrive" best. Schenker I seem to like best when he's playing live. So my favorites are "Lights out" and "One night at Budokan".

Q: what can you tell me about each of the other members of Fair Warning [musical tastes, influences, previous recordings, anything...] ? We all have a quite different taste.
HE: There's almost everything in there, maybe excluding jazz.

Q: what can you tell me about the making of the first album? [was anything recorded prior to FW?] any stories or highlights from the sessions?
HE: We recorded our first one in Germany and mixed it in England. For the reason that it was the first Fair Warning record back then everything was quite exiting. The most unusual story might be how we got our first record deal. When we finished our first demos our manager knew that the A+R guy of WEA was in a certain studio in town and he did put the demo-cassette behind the windshield-wiper of his car. No biography, no info, just the music. We were signed immediately. Unfortunately that was one of the very few good things which happened to us with WEA. After our second record, "Rainmaker", we bought ourselves out of WEA and went to Gun/BMG for Europe and Zero records in Japan. While being signed to WEA, Japan was the only country where we were promoted properly. There is more information about Fair Warnings history on my web site.

Q: what tracks are currently being pushed to radio / promotional purposes? what are your own personal favorites? any stories behind any of the songs? ["Heart on The Run" is an instant favorite!]
HE: "Heart on the Run" was the first single. In Japan there is a second single called "Still I believe". My personal favorite on the album is "Forever".

Q: any plans to write more as a band in the future? [collaborate]
HE: Not yet.

Q: how would you classify the band's sound, style, etc... ?
HE: Oops. That's your job. Most likely I'm supposed to say it's the most unique sound you ever heard, just to promote Fair Warning. But seriously I would say that the biggest emphasis in Fair Warning lies on the songs and on strong melodies.

Q: [Ha] How about bands you feel you compare to? :-) {ie classic Journey, a little heavier perhaps!?] A fine line between aor/HR and prog........I could be a bit off. :-))
HE: As far as comparisons are valid, your suggestions are quite good.

Q: How did you get on to Frontiers? what countries is the album released in?
HE: We went to Frontiers because they could offer us a release in every European country and in America.

Q: what sort of touring / gig plans are Fair Warning currently up to? Any plans to come to North America?
HE: Right now we just finished a tour of Germany and Japan. Now we are back to songwriting and there will be some major changes in the line-up. Concerning North America we haven't been invited yet. So touring over there is not depending on our own wishes exclusively.

Q: how has reaction been to the album? any highlights so far?
HE: Reviews on "Four" have been very good so far. In Japan the album entered the overall international charts on rank number two on the day of release. The tour was sold out.

Q: can you give me a Top 10 of favorite all-time albums?
HE: Led Zeppelin Physical graffiti Rainbow - Rising
Jimi Hendrix - Axis bold as love
Journey - Frontiers and escape
The Eagles - Hell freezes over
Peter Gabriel - So
Yes - Going for the one
No running order from here on.
Q: are you familiar with Uriah Heep? [I'm a big fan!] Any favorite albums or recollections there?
HE: Of course I know there major songs. I liked John Lawton as a singer. In 1993 Tommy and me helped out Uli Jon Roth performing his symphonic project with a classical orchestra in Belgium. Singers were Tommy, Peter Goalby, Michael Flexig, John Parr and Jack Bruce.

Q: Lawton's incredible! Was in the old German band Lucifer's Friend in the early 70s. Got a fave Heep LP or song ?? :-)) {heard them in recent years?}
HE: OK now you got me. I haven't heard any of their later recordings. I own some of the old ones on vinyl, but the only one I have as CD is "Demons and Wizards". I have the Lucifers Friend record where Lawton is singing on.

Q: I'm quite curious about this project [with Uli Roth]. Can you tell me more? ie; any stories, thoughts on Goalby, etc... ?
HE: Well as far as I know this is not released as record. But it was recorded by German TV and it was broadcasted several times here on TV. It was a three hour show. Peter is a good singer and a nice man. But I doubt if he would remember me. As I said it was only one concert and rehearsals I took part in where for three days only.

Q: anything you wish to add about the band's history or future plans?
HE: If you can find the time to check my web site, you could find more information about Fair Warning.