The Making of ... REFLECTIONS with Christian Geller

The man Christian Geller

Musician, producer and author.
He's one of the minds behind "REFLECTIONS",
the new Sandra's CD album.
An exclusive interview for EnigmaFanclub.com


	1. First of all, how did you get in touch with Sandra? Did you know her music?

Of course did I know Sandra. Today I am 31 years old, thus I´m a child of the 1980s, as which you inevitably come up against Sandra and Michael Cretu. The contact to Sandra was made by the record company Virgin Music.


	2. What can we expect from your cover of famous hits like "Stop for a Minute", "Hi! Hi! Hi!", "Heaven Can Wait", "Everlasting Love" and "Secret Land"?

I didn´t produce cover versions but complete new versions of the songs. As I experienced Sandra in the 1980s as a young fan, i have understood quite well what Michael meant and what was musically important. This, I have transported into nowadays and arranged accordingly. "Everlasting Love" became a complete new song due to my production, a ballad being very intimate and expressive. This title I recorded anew with Sandra on Ibiza.


	3. Generally, and also for Sandra's album "Reflections", what is your style? Pop, techno, ambient or a mix of genres?

I am a producer who isn´t specified to a ganre. I am doing pop music in the broadest sense. That can turn out to be dancy, but doesn´t need to. I think it is a mix of different genres. By the way, I find that as long the music is well done, the genre doesn´t matter. The only thing I disapprove of is ill-made music. For example, there is great produced "Schlager", but also very ill-made ambient tracks.


	4. Did Sandra sing the songs again or you used the old acapella demos?

In "Stop For A Minute", "Hi Hi Hi", "Heaven Can Wait" and "Secret Land" I used the original vocals. As for "Everlasting Love" we recorded the vocals anew, because the original vocals were at that time sung upon an uptempo playback. This then didn´t go with my newly arranged playback, which is, being a ballad, calm and sparingly instrumented.


	5. Are you afraid of Michael Cretu's judgement? And of course, the judgement of Sandra's fans?

Michael has heard all songs and assessed them as good. But I weren´t afraid of his judgement, as I know my skills. Nobody would have assigned me to produce Sandra, if I hadn´t the ability. Regarding the judgement of the fans it´s a little more complicated: when you love a song as a fan for 20 years the way it is, you probably have trouble to get used to something new. But as I myself am a fan of Michael Cretu´s music to this day, and as I like my new productions very much, I´m a little tranquilized.


	6. How would you describe Sandra and the approach you used with her?

Sandra is a very lovely, natural and especially kooperative artist. When you explain to her during the recording session what you need as producer, she is very fast and very good in her interpretation. I got to know her as a very amiable person and highly professional artist.


	7. In the credits of "Reflections", it is written "All instrumentation by Christian Geller". What kind of instruments did you play?

I played different synth lines, I programmed the drums and added several acoustic guitars. Thus it sounds very modern.


	8. As an artist, you have won several awards. What important awards can you tell us about?

Awards are always very important for artists and producer. I received already a lot of gold and platinum awards for my compositions and productions, such as for "Modern Talking", "No Angels" or "Banaroo", but somehow the latest is always the most important. Nothing is so old in the music business like the hit of yesterday. That keeps me quick and always on the chase for the next hit!


	9. You worked with so many artists. Who is your favorite?

The production I enjoyed the most up to today is indeed Sandra. But that is surely due to fact that she a heroin of my childhood. I found my work for a-ha awesome, too, probably out of the same reason.


	10. Your company, Chartswards, www.chartwards.com, collaborates with the most important labels, and of course you are the Creative Head. Is it solitary work or have you any collaborators?

Once in a while I´m working together with other producers and songwriters, but that is mostly project-oriented then. Most of the time I work alone, to let out my creativity best possible.


	11. What genre do you think music is oriented now? Everyone says: rap, hip-hop or hard rock, but these are American styles and Europe doesn't accept them at all.

Music is broader then ever today. When you take a look at the charts, there´s something for everybody. I believe that if you have a good idea it will always work. There are no rules or given musical flows.


	12. What is your musical background, your first steps and experiences?

My musical background is commercial pop music in the broadest sense. I was "discovered" by Thomas Anders, former front man of "Modern Talking". As we lived in the same town, in Koblenz/Germany, he was my connector to the professional music business. He recognized my talent, so we founded a company together. I wrote and produced, he sold my songs with his through "Modern Talking"at that time good contacts. That is more than 4 years ago now. In the meantime I live and work with my company Chartswards in Berlin.


	13. Any suggestions for young musicians?

I can only advise young musicians to keep on trying. It is a tough business and it took me almost 10 years, too, to be taken seriously. They should write songs, record and offer them. That will someday be their capital.


	14. Is your work totally free or are you commissioned by the companies?

It depends if I´m doing an assigned production or if I´m working on an own idea. Working assigned I certainly have to fulfill requirements. Working on my own idea not, of course. But one should convert own ideas as commercial as possible, for one not only wants to make great music but also earn money with it.


	15. Is there an artist with whom you would like to collaborate with?

I already said, I enjoy most of all working with my former heros. So here I say: Pet Shop Boys!!!


	Thanks for the interview, Christian. The best for all!! With the kind collaboration of >>> SANDRANET - www.sandranet.com SANDRAWEB - www.sandraweb.net ENIGMAMUSICA - www.enigmamusica.com SANDRACRETU FRANCE - www.sandracretu.fr SANDRACRETU POLAND - www.sandra.cretu.prv.pl Thanks: Chris from the irc SANDRANET chat #SANDRA, for helped me with German translations - Alonso of "EnigmaMusica.com" for the Spanish version - Jim of "SandraCretu France" and Cathy of "SandraCretu Poland".