Oberhausen. Howard Carpendale is a guest at the concert in Oberhausen. In the interview, the icon talks about Mallorca hits, acting and Gerburg Jahnke.
Schlager old master Howard Carpendale (78, “Your Traces in the Sand”) is getting going again and is heading to the Rudolf Weber Arena next to the Centro Oberhausen on Sunday, May 26, 2024 for the “Let’s do it again” tour. We spoke to the experienced singer before the big concert (7 p.m., tickets 71 to 111 euros).
Mr. Carpendale, what do you miss when you travel around the country?
Howard Carpendale: I’m currently preparing intensively for my tour. I’m looking forward to being able to focus on my fitness and conditioning again when I’m back in Munich.
You know the Arena Oberhausen well, what memories do you associate with the hall?
Carpendale: It’s just a hall that I particularly like. Even though it’s a big arena, I find the atmosphere very intimate. I really enjoy playing there.
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You also attended some festival dates in Oberhausen. What do you enjoy more: spending the evening alone with the audience or sharing the stage with colleagues?
Carpendale: I have nothing against colleagues. But your own concerts are simply much more creative. Festivals are all about creating a party atmosphere for 25 or 30 minutes. There is simply more to concerts. It’s about different moods that have to fit. I have to tell a lot about it. There is a difference like between sparkling wine and champagne.
What defines fan proximity for you?
Carpendale: It’s about the personal approach at the concerts. But I have a problem with the word “fan.” I prefer to greet people as friends…
Always on the go: Howard Carpendale next to presenter Florian Silbereisen at the Schlager beach party in the Gelsenkirchen Amphitheater. © FUNKE Photo Services | Michael Korte
One of your early hits is called: “I’m giving myself a party” – what should a party look like today?
Carpendale: Honestly. That has little to do with my life today. That was a different time – deepest hit…
How has pop music changed?
Carpendale: Streaming has significantly changed how music is listened to. But in the end, what matters is how long the music survives. At the end of the 1980s there was perhaps a bit of a low point for pop music. But the music was otherwise always popular. I think there is even more acceptance of pop music today.
Do you miss the ZDF hit parade?
Carpendale: The ZDF hit parade attracted 20 million people to the screen. Of course, sometimes you wish you could reach such a large audience in one fell swoop. But it always hurts me a little when hits are reduced to eras. This also includes the hit parade time. Back then, only Udo Jürgens and I played really big concerts of our own. But today there are ten or 15 colleagues who do that. Something has moved.
Can you relate to Mallorca hits?
Carpendale: No, it should stay on Mallorca. (laughs) I don’t want to put anything down at all. Mallorca Schlager is something that suits Mallorca. But music combined with alcohol is not my thing.
On the other hand, you were always interested in acting – you played a leading role in the series “Matchball” for RTL in the 90s. Does something like that still appeal to you?
Carpendale: I don’t know how many roles you’ll get at my age. In “Matchball” I finally played a professional tennis player. I have a lot of respect for acting. Acting is a love that I have been pursuing since taking a course with my son at an acting school in New York. I learned what it means to play. If an offer came, I would take it very seriously. But I don’t expect it.
No, that’s not the real Carpendale: HP Lengkeit is currently portraying “Haui” under the direction of Gerburg Jahnke in Ebertbad’s own production “Spuren im Sand”. © FUNKE Photo Services | Frank Oppitz
Were you active in shot put when you were young?
Carpendale: Yes and also successfully. Sport has always been my passion, in very different areas. I’m not a big football fan. If I can, I’d rather watch rugby on TV. I also really enjoy watching American football. Unfortunately there is only a short season.
Do you still have time to get to know the cities while on tour?
Carpendale: No. Touring is about being focused at 8pm in the evening when the concert starts. After the last encore we usually drive straight to the next city. If you have to spend 400 kilometers on the highway, it’s better to do it around midnight than during the day. Unfortunately I don’t get a chance to take a closer look at the cities.
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Do you have a ritual before you go on stage?
Carpendale: There are no rituals. But I have my own process. I like to mingle with the musicians an hour before the concert. In the last hour before the concert, I don’t want to talk about other topics. I want to be alone at this time. I then go through the entire concert again in my dressing room. After all, there are many announcements that I address to the audience. At my concerts I don’t just play 25 songs one after the other.
In Oberhausen, the cabaret artist Gerburg Jahnke has started a production with “Haui – Traces in the Sand”, which is not just about popular music, but also about her as a person. Do you like being parodied?
Carpendale: I don’t know the play. But I can generally laugh about it. I consider it an honor when people parody you.