Tobias Sammet is the charismatic frontman of the German power metal band EDGUY and the leader of the world-renowned metal opera supergroup AVANTASIA. He is one of the most hard-working people in the heavy metal scene and he sat down with to share some of his thoughts on the most underrated bands, guilty pleasures, and annoying musicians.
Tobias Sammet Live | Source: Wikimedia Commons | Markus Felix
The most underrated and overrated bands?
Tobias: That’s a difficult question. The most underrated band? There are many. These answers are difficult. I could say Thunderhead. German band with an American signer that split up in 1995. They put out six records. The guitar player used to play for Primal Fear later on, Henny Wolter.
The most overrated band? I don’t know. When I turn on the radio in Germany I don’t think there’s such a thing as THE most overrated band. There’s a lot of stuff I don’t understand these days.
Which band would you like to see reunited again?
Tobias: I think most bands that split up did that for a valid reason. I’d like to see AC/DC reunited again, and as far as I think it may happen. Not the original lineup, but some of them will reunite. I hope that will happen. But I would like to see AC/DC with Bon Scott. And Queen!
The band you would like to see perform live, but haven’t had a chance before?
Tobias: Van Halen.
Tobias Sammet Live | Source: Wikimedia Commons | Markus Felix
Your guilty pleasure? Band or an album you are embarrassed to admit you like?
Tobias: I’m not really embarrassed to like anything. Nothing embarrasses me really, nothing. Anything I like I have a valid reason to do so. I have some stuff from David Hasselhoff at home.
The first album you ever bought?
Tobias: Myself, where I was actively in the shop and asked for it was KISS, “Dressed to Kill”.
Ideal album to relax with on a Sunday afternoon?
Tobias: Journey, “Raised on Radio”. No, on a Sunday afternoon it would be Journey, “Trial By Fire”.
Tobias Sammet Live | Source: Wikimedia Commons | Markus Felix
The greatest album of all time?
Tobias: There’s about a thousand, but if we’re talking about THE greatest album of all time it has to be “Holy Diver”.
The most annoying musician?
Tobias: I don’t want to say that. You never know when you might run into them. You say something like Lars Ulrich talks a lot, and then you run into him. There’s a possibility that he is very nice. Or he beats you up! So I won’t say anything. A lot of people say Lars Ulrich, but I can’t say anything. He is a very distinctive drummer, he doesn’t annoy me at all. So I don’t want to say that. The most annoying musician, I don’t know.
A kid asks you what metal or rock is, you recommend them to listen to?
Tobias: Mellow rock? Oh, metal or rock? I would say listen to “Holy Diver”. It’s also the perfect album because I can’t identify if it’s metal or rock. “Holy Diver” has got everything – it’s the quintessence.
