Grave Digger were one of the bands which turned me on heavy metal. I was 14 and listened to various music trying to figure out what suits me better. I was already into Maiden and Helloween and then I heard "Tunes of War". Remember that demonic roar in the beginning of "Scotland United"? I literally shitted my pants and thoight, "Wow! That IS my music!" I became a life-long fan and of course I loved "Heavy Metal Breakdown", "Witch Hunter", even "War Games" and "Stronger Than Ever"! For years and years I asked myself: "Where is Peter Masson, the guy who wrote or co-wrote all those anthems from the early albums?" The search was over in 2021 and Peter agreed to answer my questions about his past life with Grave Digger and other projects he's been playing with. His colleague and band mate Chris F. Brank also contributed to the interview!
Peter, tell me about your music background. When and how did you start playing guitar?
I started playing guitar at the age of thirteen with studying classical Guitar. In this time I was a big fan of Hendrix, Alvin Lee, Jonny Winter, Uli Roth and all these phenomenal guitarists. But I had to play these Bach etudes. I hated this, but nowadays, I´m happy that I’d learned this.
You and Chris Boltendahl started Grave Digger in 1980. How did you meet Chris and other musicians of the original line-up?
I first met Chris Boltendahl during a public jam session at the youth center in Gladbeck, there we met Lutz, too . During this time Chris played with different guitarist in a rehearsal room in a location not far away from the youth center.
You found the name Grave Digger in a dictionary. Do you remember other names which you had before Grave Digger?
If I remember right, the name of the band from Chris was Destroyer. Chris and I always played under the name Grave Digger.
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We wrote all the riffs and hook lines together. The first years and demos I was singing and playing the guitar, Chris played the bass.
Do you remember where were the demos recorded? Did it take long to lay down all the tracks in the studios?
The first demos were recorded in a small 8-track studio. We did it in two days, including the mix. We didn´t have more money to stay longer. I think, the name of the studio was Beppo`s Tonstudioi.
Chris re-recorded songs like “Ride On” and “House of Horror” in the 90’s. What do you think about it? Did you get royalties as a co-writer of these songs?
I was not interested in what Chris did with these old songs and no, I didn`t get any money or royalties.
Did people understand your music back then? Piet Sielk told me that when he was in pre-Helloween bands like Second Hell and Gentry people wanted to hear covers and not speed metal. Was it the same with Grave Digger?
The people always expected that we play cover songs. We never did that, except “Two thousand light years from home” and later “School`s Out”.
Is it true that the band was close to break-up when Noise Records offered you a deal? Why did Lutz Schmelzer and Philip Siebel quit the band?
Yes that`s the truth, Chris joined a band called Challenger and I established a band with Martin Gerlitzky. Lutz had to leave the band, because he had trouble at school and his mother didn`t allowed him to go to the rehearsals. Phillip replaced Lutz, we met him at a gig in Gladbeck and he offered us to play in the band. Phillip left the band because he had serious drug problems.
Do you remember anything about the deal with Noise? How many albums they asked for and how much did they pay in advance?
Chris and I got an exclusive contract for 4 albums and they paid nothing in advance. Karl Walterbach just pre-financed the recording sessions and the cover costs which were incurred with the copies that we sold.
Tell me about Gerd Hanke, the manager. What kind a person was/is he? I heard he helped a lot to sort out issues with Noise Records and wrote the majority of the lyrics…
Oh yes, Gerd was a very important person for us and he is still one of my best friends and it`s right that he wrote most of the lyrics.
As far as I know, you worked as a carpenter in the 80’s. How did your colleagues react on your image: long hairs, metal t-shirt etc.? Was it easy to get vacations from your job or did your boss scream “Masson, I’ve had enough of your stupid band!”?
That was no problem, my boss was understanding. My colleagues always said, that I have to go to the hairdresser and cut my hairs but they came to all of our gigs.
The album “Heavy Metal Breakdown” was basically a collection of the old songs from the demos with addition of “Headbanging Man”, “Tyrant”, “Heart Attack” and “Yesterday”. Why did you decide to go with the old stuff?
During this time we had changed the line-up. Willi and Albert joined the band. We had just a little time for rehearsals before the recording session. So we decided to mix our new songs with the older songs.
Is it true that you recorded “Heart Attack” without proper lyrics and Chris just screamed some sort of a mere collection of words?
Yes, this is the truth. It was a live studio session and a funny improvisation.
The song “Yesterday” was written by Challenger’s keyboard player with who Chris used to play. So how come that you recorded this song? Didn’t it cause troubles between the bands?
No, Challenger were good friends of us, we know them for a long time. As we were young teens we always went to their shows and they were idols for me. We asked Beate if we could record the song and she allowed us to do this. She liked our version very much.
“Heavy Metal Breakdown” was re-released with a lot of rare tracks. When and how were written “Don’t Kill the Children” and “Girls of Rock’n’Roll”?
“Don’t Kill the Children” was recorded during the “Witch Hunter” sessions and “Girls of Rock’n’Roll” during the “War Games” sessions.
Why did Willie leave the band after “Heavy Metal Breakdown”?
We have musical differences. Willi preferred the older style of Hard Rock, like Uriah Heep or Deep Purple. Chris B. and I preferred the rougher sound like Motörhead, Judas Priest, etc. On the way to the recording sessions of “Shoot Her Down” we asked him if it would be possible to change his bass playing style. But he wouldn`t do this. So we split with Willi.
Unfortunately Willie died in 2013. Do you know what happened to him? Did he play in other bands after Grave Digger?
As far as I know, Willi stopped making music after our separation. He was very angry with us. Today I understand him, we were evil little bastards.
Was it easy to come up with the new songs for the second album? Did you feel any pressure or were you excited? Do you have any significant memories about writing such hits like “Witch Hunter”, “Night Drifter” etc.?
The second album comes too soon for my taste. After the success “Heavy Metal Breakdown” we had to play many shows and Chris B., Albert and I had a full time jobs. We wrote the songs after work drinking some bottles of beer and we had a lot of fun during the rehearsals. On the other side, this was quite exhausting.
On the first album you covered The Rolling Stones and on the second you did “School’s Out”. Who chose those tracks? Did you consider other covers which you probably played during life shows?
The Rolling Stones cover was an idea of Mick Hannes, the guitarist of Franz K, who produced one of our first demos. “School’s Out” was the idea of Rene T- Bone who wanted to play this song. This was one of the two tracks which Rene played on the “Witch Hunter” album. As I said before, we were no friends of cover songs and I think, we never played one of them live.
Rene T. Bone stepped in to replace Willie but he recorded bass guitar only for two songs. Tell me about this guy. Why didn’t he stay in the band longer? How come that you and Chris recorded bass guitar for “Witch Hunter”?
When we were in Berlin to record “Witch Hunter”, in the studio was the time of truth for Rene. We needed three days just to record the bass for the two tracks. So we decided to send Rene to the party zone and we played the bass of the other songs on our own. We didn`t have the time and patience for recording with Rene. After returning to our home city we fired Rene.
Could you tell me about working with Harris Jones? Were there differences between recording the first album and the second?
It was always a pleasure to record with Harris. There was always a relaxed atmosphere. When we recorded “Witch Hunter”, we had a little more time and the recording session was separated from the mixing procedure.
Who was Roy Brown who helped you with the lyrics on “Witch Hunter”?
In this time we got a record deal with Megaforce Records in the USA and Karl Ulrich Walterbach, who licensed our music to Megaforce, wanted to check our lyrics for correct English language. So he sent Roy to control us in the studio.
So here Chris F. Brank enters the stage. Chris, tell me about your music experience before you joined Grave Digger. What bass player were your main influences? Did you play in other bands before GD and how did you get in touch with this band?
I came to GD through an advertisement and as the only applicant I didn't have to do much. (Laughs) Before that I played in various nameless bands. Grave Digger was then a new great experience. Bass player Joey Di Mayo and Steve Harris were great role models.
Grave Digger toured with Helloween in support of “Witch Hunter”. So how was that? Could you share some funny stories from that tour?
Sorry, but this tour was so abstract and crazy that I don't even know where to start. Also, I think these stories should stay within the bands.
“War Games” sounded a bit different to the first two albums. How did that happen? Did Chris write more songs for it or did he require that you should write more commercial songs?
There is only one song of mine on “War Game”s.
In 1986 you went on New Heavy Metal Generation Tour with Helloween and Celtic Frost. I read in Metal Hammer that at some shows you were a bit drunk on stage. Was it really like that?
Could be, but I'd better ask who wasn't often drunk on stage. It was just a wild, great time.
In 1986 you also played in London. What are your memories about that show? Did you have time to see the city and visit some places, bars etc.?
Unfortunately not. We went in the tour bus to London, did the soundcheck, went to the hotel, played the show and returned to hotel, that's it. And of course a few drinks in between. (Laughs)
Peter, why did you leave the band? Have you ever regretted about leaving Grave Digger? Did you try to get in touch with Chris Boltendahl once again and get back into the band in the 90’s?
During the recordings of “War Games” Chris B. and the rest of the band wanted to switch to a more commercial, radio friendly kind of music. That was not my thing. I could never imagine that the voice of Chris B. would fit to a heavy- pop- song. I preferred the harder stuff like Exodus or Slayer who came up during that time. So I decided to leave the band. This was a hard decision for me, but I ran out of steam to struggle with the whole band, except Gerd Hanke.
Peter, do you know that the song “Spy of Mas’on” from the album “The Reaper” is about you?
Of course I know. There were a lot of spies, they informed me. I knew everything!!! (Laughs) Seriously, I didn`t react to this childish behavior.
Oh yes, but the implementation of the songs, the sound and the entire production were crap. The best of the album was the cover art!
How did the band find Uwe Lullis? Was it him who wrote the songs on “Stronger than Ever”?
I got to know Lullis privately and jammed a bit with him. Later he was on tour as a Peter’s guitar roady.
Now let’s speak about the band Dry. How did you get in touch with Peter Hader?
Peter Hader was the tour manager of the S.A.D.O. tour where Chris Brank and Matti Kaebs played during this time. Chris, Matti and me composed some tracks and we were searching for a shouter. Peter H. listened to the first demos and decided to join the band.
Were the songs from “Rest in Pieces” supposed for Grave Digger and refused by Chris Boltendahl or did you write them especially for Peter Hader’s voice?
This were all new songs especially written for this project
Where was recorded this demo and who produced/engineered it?
The songs were recorded by Andy Scholle in his recording studio.
Did you read Grave Digger’s biography written by Chris Boltendahl? If yes, what do you think about it?
Yes, I red the bio. What shall I say, it`s the opinion of Mr. Boltendahl.
Are you in touch with Albert Eckardt? Does he still play the drums?
Unfortunately, after leaving GD, I never met him again. I don`t know what he`s doing.
Have you ever thought about forming your own version of Grave Digger with Chris F. Brank, Albert Eckardt and some singer and play all those songs from the first three albums? Or reunite with Chris Boltendahl for a few special shows?
Chris Boltendahl asked Chris and me for a reunion in the 90s. But we were not interested in that. After leaving GD, I never played a single GD song and I think I will not play one in the future. But who knows?
Could you both tell me about your musical career after Dry? What have you done musically over the past years?
Oh God. After GD I formed a band called Usurper with Martin Gerlitzki an Diether Dolibois. Then we played with Dry, I played with a band called Verdun, after this Chris and me formed a band called United Assholes with Sascha Manojlovic on the drums, followed by Vladimir Maximov (he was born in St. Petersburg, Russia) than we formed a band called Bambula Bruciata later called Keine Ahnung. Since 2008 Chris and I play in a band called Moshtec, with Jürgen Elflein on the drums. At the moment we are working on our third CD in our studio.
And what about your other activities? What kind of jobs do you have? Do you have hobbies, families etc.?
We are working as building developers and constructors. We have our own little recording studio and sometimes I mix and record other bands. Our hobbies are soccer and of course music, Chris is married, I`m not and we have no children (as far as we know).
Visit Moshtec FB page.
That was very interesting, thanks for sharing.
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