Florian Opahle Interview

Where were you born?

I was born in Gladbeck, NRW, in Germany.

What is your age?

I am 22 years old.

Where do you live now?

At the moment I live in Rosenheim (near Munich) in Germany.

Are you married?

No.

Any children?

At the moment, I hope not.

How old were you when you started playing?

I started playing at the age of 5.

When did you realize that you would become a professional?

I think this was in the days when I started to play with my first own band. I was 16 then.

Who were your musical influences?

Gary Moore, Steve Lukather, Al di Meola, Santana

How did you get your first professional gig?

The first proper gig I had was in a local Blues/Jazz Club. My band and I sat there for hours to drink some beers, hoping to get less self-conscious. Finally we were brave enough to hand out demotape and thank god we got the job. That was a great feeling.

Do you play any other instruments?

Apart from electric guitar and classical guitar I play a bit of piano, drums and mouth organ.

What do you do in your spare time?

I will think about this question in my spare time :).

What drives you?

The passion and love for good music.

What are your future goals; where do you see yourself in five years?

I hope in 5 years I am a well-known guitar player and songwriter and playing somewhere in the world on tour.

What is one thing about you that would really surprise our readers?

One of my big hobbies was Alpine snowboarding in the breathtaking central Alps. High speed under blue sky and the bright white of the snow. But I decided to stop this (with tears in my eyes) because it was too dangerous for me as a musician.

Do you have a "most memorable moment" with the GL band so far?

It is hard to answer this question. I think the whole working together and the first UK tour are quite memorable to me. I really enjoyed it and I am very much looking forward to our future as a band.

What about this experience has surprised you the most?

Great music, great people, great friends.

What do you like best about working with Greg Lake?

He is a great personality and a fantastic musician who has written some of the biggest songs in the history of music. So for me it is a big honour to contribute to the band and play with Greg and the guys onstage. It is great that I can bring in my ideas and musicality when I am working with Greg. I never had the feeling of being left outside alone a bit because of my young age or the fact that I can not yet look back on a very long career in terms of decades.

What is your impression of the music industry today?

I think the times have changed. The industry is harder, the medium of music is changing from hard copies to downloading and has become a very fast-changing business.

What can be done to improve the industry?

No response.

Are you writing any new material?

Yes, I am. I do have a writing room at home where I work on new tunes and songs.

If you could have one "musical wish," what would it be?

I would like to meet Gary and Luke [Steve Lukather] one day.

What musicians, alive or deceased, would be in your "ultimate band?"

In the last 40 years there have been so many great musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Queen, John Lennon, Kurt Kobain, Bon Jovi, Dream Theater and many, many more that inspired, touched and formed my personal feeling for music. So this "ultimate band" would be more the size of an orchestra than a band.

Do you ever get stage fright? If so, how do you overcome it?

Not in a going up the wall way. It is more a good tension or concentration that makes your brain work and gets your body ready for the show. But to be honest from time to time I have a day where I am a bit more nervous but never shaking knees or fingers.

What would you most like to say to the fans?

Thank you very much for your support and all the great and positive reactions you brought us. I am looking forward to see you at the upcoming gigs.

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