According to a recent press release: "French rock/metal crossover group VOLKER recently announced the release of their upcoming melodic assault, Dead Doll, hitting North American retailers on May 26, 2017 via Overpowered Records / AISA/RED distribution. North American pre-orders for Dead Doll are available now via Amazon in digital and CD formats." We get guitarist Ulrich Wegrich from the band to answer our 10 Quick Ones about the upcoming release and more...

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

DEAD DOLL is a mix of dark rock, grunge, rock horror metal and sludge. We are influenced by 90's rock/metal music and old horror movies. VOLKER is not the kind of horror modern neo-metal/deathcore band with paints and costumes, we keep our natural punk metal rock outfit and visual, it's important for us. Nothing hidden in this release.. sorry !

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I was young when Use Your Illusion (GnR) were released... this album marked the first step in my future life.... I became a real GnR fan and addict (and I still). The days I really realized I wanted to be musician is when I heard Decade of Aggression (Slayer), this CD changed my life! A kind of revelation! I composed and played guitar within the extreme metal scene for 15 years... A couple of years ago I felt the time was came for me to come back to my first rock/hardrock loves. At this moment VOLKER was born.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

The persons I really venerate are  Slash (GnR), Jeff Hanneman (Slayer), Dave Muray (Iron Maiden), Matthew Bellamy (Muse), Deborah Harry (Blondie), Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)... they all inspired me for something … for their skills or for their releases.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Hard question... so many … I think I would like to call John Carpenter!!

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

As I said in the first question, VOLKER is a mix of Horror punk/rock and sludge/metal, with female vocals. Even if we are in 2017 we want to keep a kind of garage way. In our music, in our visual, in our prods. If you are searching for some kind of symphonic metal... VOLKER is not for you!

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

One of the bests is when your CD is released... you feel a kind of satisfaction. But for sure THE best thing is when you are on stage... front of the people who came to see and hear you! I can't imagine beeing in a band without playing live.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I think when we are not on stage or on studio we all do anything else than music! I can't really answer... I never noticed this kind of things or asked the question to myself.... For sure next time I will be with the guys (and girl) I will observe what's happening!!

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Astronaut!! ( yes I can answer that!)

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

With an other band, we took a bad decision concerning an album title... it ruined a bit the future of the band and the audience turn its back on the band... I don't really want to talk more about it in fact...

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

THRILLER with M. Jackson... it's not metal, it's not rock....  but this guy was a genius and its music awesome!

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