A Chat with Winterland (23.05.25)
Drawing together the natural talents of musicians Stephan Hugo, Markus Pfeffer and Bernd Schreiber, Winterland is a German-based trio bringing the raw passion of rock music to the masses. We speak with frontman Stephan Hugo about their new album Life’s What You Make It, 80s influences, and much more.
OSR: You recently released your album, Life’s What You Make It, and I’ve really enjoyed listening and have my favourite tracks. I’d like to know which track means the most to you?
Hugo: Wow, it’s really hard to limit myself to just one song. I like all of them (LOL)! I would narrow it down to three songs: ‘I Don’t Know’, ‘Life’s What You Make It’, and ‘Missing.’
OSR: I particularly like your track ‘I Don’t Know’. Where did the inspiration for that track come from?
Hugo: Well, you only have to watch the news once. Wherever you look, there are only narcissistic and crazy people in power who are playing a damn dangerous game with our world. Unfortunately, there are far too many people who fall for the simple-minded slogans of these madmen and follow them.
OSR: I was interested to learn about your other work, Stephan. Do you think this has influenced your evolution as a performer?
Hugo: Of course, I never set limits for myself and always enjoy trying out new things. In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in various musicals and rock operas in the theatre. My other projects, including a David Bowie tribute band called Ziggy’s Stardust, and my involvement in the live cast of Jürgen Walzer’s Dispyria have definitely helped me grow and progress further.
OSR: The 80s influence across the record is evident, what else inspired you during production?
Hugo: I’ve always been a fan of big, bombastic choirs like Avantasia, for example. Since we had no time pressure, I was able to really dive into the arrangements of the choirs. We were also certainly inspired by the extraordinary and versatile playing of our third band member, bassist Bernd Schreiber.
OSR: Having known band member Markus Pfeffer for so long, how does this relationship affect your creative process?
Hugo: Because we’ve known each other for so long, our working relationship has been very relaxed, free of any sensitivities or airs and graces. We can really criticise each other without the other person being directly offended (LOL).
OSR: With Life’s What You Make It being in production for five years, it seems to be a real labour of love. How does it feel now it’s being released?
Hugo: That’s true, there’s an incredible amount of love and passion in our album. I believe you can really hear that when you listen to it! We are extremely proud and can hardly wait to share our new songs with you.
OSR: Where did the idea for including the reinterpretations of 80s classics come from?
Hugo: Originally, we wanted to release a double album – one featuring our own songs and the other showcasing Winterland interpretations of well-known 80s classics. However, during the production process, we decided to focus solely on an album of our own songs and include four of the already recorded covers on the physical version as an incentive for fans to purchase it. So, be sure to buy the CD!
OSR: Which was your favourite one to tackle?
Hugo: It’s hard to single out just one track.. Maybe ‘Warriors of the Wasteland’? I really liked both albums by FGTH in the 80s!
OSR: Were there any other 80s acts or tracks you’d like to put your own spin on?
Hugo: In fact, we have already recorded a few other songs (e.g., by Tears for Fears). Who knows, maybe you’ll find them as bonus tracks on the next album!
OSR: Have you got any plans for the rest of 2025 and beyond? Maybe a tour?
Hugo: Well, we are actually already working on new song ideas for the next album – two songs are almost finished. Unfortunately, there won’t be a tour because we would have to hire guest musicians, which would make the whole thing unprofitable. In the end, we would only be adding to our costs.
Many thanks to Stephan Hugo for speaking with us. Find out more about Winterland on their Facebook and Spotify.
