Fans of Spinal Tap and Flight of the Conchords, say hello to your new favourite Band. Otto and Astrid (Die Roten Punkte) are Berlin’s Prince and Princess of art rock and Europop. Following sell out shows in New York, Sydney and Edinburgh, the dysfunctional siblings are coming to the Byron Theatre.
Tell me about the inspiration for your latest shows?
Astrid: Otto and I have been inspired by seeing bands live like The B52s’, The Hives, Arcade Fire and The Flaming Lips who put on the most colourful exciting live shows you can imagine. We’ve put together the most fun, rock, electro-pop explosion on stage!
Why do you think people love your dark art rock and europop?
Astrid: I think our audiences love the mix of the darker, moodier rock operas we’ve written about our childhoods and growing up in Berlin and the dance pop and electro clash songs like Ich Bin Nicht Ein Roboter (I am a Lion) and Do You Speak Dance? You get to think, and then dance like an alien!
What is a normal day for Otto and Astrid?
Astrid: It’s hard to have a ‘normal day’ when you tour so much, as you’re always waking up in a different city in a different bed. But for me, I usually get to bed sometime near dawn, I sleep most of the day then if it’s a show day I need to eat two sausages and a cake so I have lots of energy for the evening show. Otto is just happy chatting to his ‘raw food’ friends on line.
What do you like to do on your days off?
Astrid: Days off are special. I usually find some people to party with and disappear into the night for as long as possible.
Unfortunately if I don’t come home for a few days sometimes Otto calls the police and tells them I’m missing. It’s taken a while to teach him that ‘going out’ is not ‘missing’, he still gets confused sometimes.
Has fame and success changed you?
Astrid: No. I just make Otto do more things for me. I write him lists. It’s good to keep Otto busy or else he worries and has time to think about what I’m doing too much.
How do you manage to keep your sibling relationship on good terms…it must get testy?
Astrid: Otto tells everyone we are best friends but I keep telling him just because we’re brother and sister doesn’t mean we have to be friends at all, but sometimes this makes him cry so usually I just pretend that we are and go out for a long time to let off steam. Otto would like us to have family therapy, but I’m not so sure.
What kind of experience do you want to give your audience?
A rock n roll explosion of joy, like you’d just eaten a whole kilo of sherbet and it’s fizzing in your mouth and all over your body!
How did being orphaned in Berlin change your musical trajectory?
On my twelfth birthday we were on the way to the zoo when our parents were killed by a silver fast train.
I think Otto and I would have written quite different songs if this hadn’t happened. Our music can be dark and chilling and then two seconds later we’re playing the catchiest dance track your bendy legs ever moved to.
What is your end goal?
Astrid: For Otto and I to ROCK out and play music for people for the rest of our lives!
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 @ 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm at the Byron Theatre. $26 (Age 15+)
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