End Of Green's Sad Sir says There is No Wrong or Right to the Art of Music

It's loud, sad, and doomy, it is a genre without classification needed. End Of Green's newest and ninth album to date "Void Estate", brings forth the past to the present, their sound and style being reminisce to the 90's era. Thus, they have gone on to release a single they titled "Dark Side of the Sun" with more in tow. As of now, guitarist Sad Sir goes into detail about this single, it's accompanying album, and just who the End Of Green is as a band.


1. How did your band form?

Sad Sir: We're young, sucked at football, the girls didn't see us - it the good old country boy-story. And it's true. You find some friends, enjoy the same kind of music, love the power of music and start bands. Some guys stick, other go to university or marry. And you still enjoy music. We all did that in the area of south Germany, near and in Stuttgart.

2. What accomplishments are you most and least proud of as a band?

Sad Sir: I'm proud that we're still around, that's pretty awesome in the first place. Most of the friends we started out playing in youth clubs - they are not around anymore, they split up. And I'm happy to still see bands around like Jack Frost and Undertow. I'm also happy that we managed to stay kind of bullheaded - we sure compromised a lot, but it never felt like that.

3. How has being in a band impacted your life?

Sad Sir: Being in a band for 25 years means for us: We spent more time of our lives with this band, than we did without. This really makes my head ring. And we never ever thought about how long this band would be running.

4. How do you describe your sound to people who ask you what your band sounds like?

Sad Sir: We're playing dark rock music and we like melodies. That's about it. The fun thing: I recently tried to explain our music to a 64 year old lover of classical music and Opera. It took us minutes and he still thinks we sound like Slayer, Motprhead and Black Sabbath - because those those are the only bands he knew (laughs). Compared to that: Dark Rock Music with loads of melodies seems like a good description.

5. Do you have any major goals for your band?

Sad Sir: Staying alive in the first place. After that: I'd like us to record records that are still around when we're long gone. Dead, for example.

6. Who are some of your biggest influences music wise?

Sad Sir: Puh, I hope you got time in end of green we all have various favorite bands the others in the band totally hate. But we can all agree on the music we grew up to, basically because in the 80/90's there was not as much music around as it is now. And even that ranges from The Cure to early Death Metal stuff or the Grunge-Era, early Goth rock, Postpunk and simple Punk rock. As I think about it: I think we all would enjoy ourselves at a Bad Religion show. We were also very much influenced by melodies, really, just melodies. each of us enjoys a good tune.

7. How about when it comes to the song writing, what are your songs about and how is the song writing process laid out?

Sad Sir: The songs always dealt with our little world. I'm saying little because it is we write about the things happening in our lives or friends lives. What moves us and what we ponder over. It may not be the big picture but I bet we're not alone on this. Usually some one comes up with an idea - this time Michelle had loads of them - and we approve we try to improve the ideas together. I can proudly say each of my ideas got way better after the rest of us laid hands on it. Erm, I mean, musical ideas (laughs) in other aspects I'm a genius of course.

8. Why did you want “Dark Side of the Sun” to be made into a single turned video for this album? Will we be seeing anymore songs be put into this treatment?

Sad Sir: We might do a couple more videos, it depends on the ideas we have. "Dark Side Of The Sun" is a great song, we thought. And it definitely paints a couple of pictures - at least in my head.

9. What is the story behind the song that is “Dark Side of the Sun”?

Sad Sir: Ask Lusiffer, ask Hampez, Michelle or Kerker - each one of us would say something completely different. I'm not even sure myself. For me it's about searching for darkness in the light. And probably finding it.

10. This single comes off your new album "Void Estate", can you disclose what this title represents and the accompanying artwork?

Sad Sir: Kerker made the artwork and we all loved it on the spot - there was no second thought about that. Later we came up with the title. And I'm still not sure if we intended any concept at all. Right now I think there's one - almost accidentally. We all have different views on that, it's almost confusing and somehow pretty cool. (Laughs)

11. How would you say that "Void Estate", compares, differs, and is equal to your previous works?

Sad Sir: I think we always developed in a way that made sense - at least to us. Each record we did reflected the time it was made. VOID ESTATE is also like that - it's just us in 2016/2017 - how we felt, how we were. Anything else would not make any sense. I can't even compare the songs to old songs, since they all belong to us, and the history that brought us here. It's not even like looking at old pictures and burst out laughing on how stupid you looked. Not at all. But there are are also certain things we learned in the last 25 years, and one thing is: we can't allow anyone to limit us with their expectations, not even ourselves.VOID ESTATE turned out even different than I expected (laughs).

12. What's your take on "Void Estate" as a whole?

Sad Sir: There is probably no such thing. Even between the five of us there are various interpretations of the title, the artwork and even the songs. I think that's great. We've never been closer to being art (laughs). I also don't want to ruin it for anybody spilling my five cents in. If there's something happening with this record for you - take it. It's yours, and there is no wrong or right.

13. What would be the cinematic equivalent of "Void Estate"?

Sad Sir: I'd go for David Fincher. Something clear a bit shady but really dirty though. I recently had VOID ESTATE playing while I had the TV on mute: there was a documentary about penguins. Even this looked surprisingly good (laughs).

14. Is it important for you to paint visual pictures with the songs off this album?

Sad Sir: It always felt important to us, that songs at least create pictures in your head, that's what great songs do to me - no matter if they're from Springsteen, Nick Cave or Entombed. Sometimes it doesn't even matter if I pay attention to the lyrics - it just happens.

15. Do you feel any aspects of the album were overlooked?

Sad Sir: I don't know: if something might have been overlooked it may be our fault, maybe we didn't make ourselves clear enough. But I think we did.

16. Describe your relationship with your fans in one word?

Sad Sir: It's got to be: "Gratitude".