1. How did you come to the idea of your new album "Shamanic
Healing"? What are the main ideas and concepts of this album?
The main idea came from sitting with Bhikkhu and Waduda from New
Earth and talking about making an album for Healing Music. Initially
aimed to be for Reiki sessions we wanted to include the shamanic
aspect of meditation music.
2. Why did you leave the German label "Meistersinger Music"
and come to the New Earth Music?
I left Meistersinger because they cheated me out of a lot of money.
3. What musical instruments (and technical equipment) are you
using for the creation of your music, and what instruments do
you prefer for performing the music?
I use a whole range of equipment: AKAI MPC3000, EMU e6400, KORG
M1R, Alesis QS8, ROLAND JD990, Korg P-55, Korg Trinity Rack, Roland
JP8000, Roland D70, Alesis D4, Yamaha TX816, Roland VS880, Cubase,
Soundforge, Mackie 32/8/4/2, Lexicon PCM90, Sony R7, Sony HR,
Boss SE-50, t.c.Finalizer.
I play mainly keyboard, bass, acoustic guitar, percussion. I often
use baboo flute, shakuhaji, violin, saxophone played by musicians
that I invite.
4. What are your musical preferences? What musical style do you
like most?
I love world music, funk, pop and avant garde ambient.
5. When and how did you begin composing and performing music?
I started in '85 when MIDI was invented. I played many years live
in Poona for the darshans with OSHO. I am on almost all the CD's
from the world of Osho.
6. In general, what is your education; where did you study?
I studied electronics and music in Duesseldorf, Germany. I worked
as a sound engineer at the state theatre in Bielefeld. Then I
started to make music for Meistersinger.
7. Who has influenced you most in your music and why?
I grew up with a lot of music. Classic from my parents' side,
Jazz from my brother's side. I was a total Beatles fan, then Emerson
Lake and Palmer came, Jazz Rock, Jethro Tull, later Genesis and
Tears for Fears........soooo many! I love music that has strong
melodious and emotional content. Rhythm is a very important part
for me, although often difficult to weave into New Age Music without
making it too intrusive.
8. Could you please tell where are you from; where were you born?
Born 18.April 1956 in Bielefeld, Germany.
9. Could you please tell about your stay in Poona, in the ashram
of Osho.
I took Sannyas in '82 and visited the Ashram almost every year
after it was newly established in Poona 2. I also was on the Ranch,
but it was too expensive to visit and stay long in the US at that
time. Last time I was in Poona was in '91 after Osho's death.
I was playing keyboards in the waiting Buddha hall when his death
was announced. I was the last one to leave the hall to go to the
burning grounds.
Did you see Osho and communicate with him? What practices did
you study and make while being there? Do you have any connections
with Poona ashram now? Do you visit it?
I never talked to Osho "Personally". But I once received
a watch from him in acknowledgment of playing music for him. I
do not visit Ponna at the moment. I have many other things going
and the Ashram is a bit too much politics and money for my taste.
10. How long was your stay in India? What are your impressions
of this country? How many times have you been to India?
I love the vibe in India. I was in Goa and Mahabaleshwa. Beautiful!
Poona is soo dirty. Even in '91 you had to wear a mouth protection
if you wanted to drive into town. It was black after using it
for 15 minutes!! Such pollution.
11. Could you please tell about meetings with other Osho musicians
(such as Deuter, Prem Joshua, Karunesh, Hariprasad Chaurasia and
others) in Poona. Do you maintain friendly relations with any
of the Osho musicians and maybe collaborate with them in some
projects?
I am good friends with Deuter and Joshua and Karunesh. Joshua
played on some of my CD's and we played a lot in Poona and Munich
and Italy together. Deuter I know from the US mostly. I met Hariprasad
a few times and we played in some Satsangs together.
12. Did you write music for the Osho meditations and for which
more precisely?
I made "Into Silence" which is the Nadabrama Meditation.
I wanted to call it Nadabrama and offer it as a new version of
the Meditation. But the Ashram did not want that, so we had to
call it differently.
13. How did you cooperat with Osho when you created this music?
He was just there....2 meters away sitting in his chair...doing
nothing... and the music came by itself!
14. Could you please tell a few words about the idea and work
on your album "Blue Dawn" which is dedicated to Osho.
I did "Blue Dawn" after I spend a lot of time in the
Ashram and played music for Osho every day. It was very much inspired
by the energy of the Darshans in the old Tuang Tzu Auditorium
where Osho was sitting just at arm length away. Very inspiring!!
15. What is your real name?
Martin Engels
16. Did you have any mutual musical projects with Karunesh? Are
you in friendly relations with this musician? Do you collaborate
at present (and how)?
We worked together in Germany in the Nightingale studio. But we
did not produce an album together as a collaboration.
17. What does your music mean for you? What do you want to pass
to your listeners by your music?
I believe that music is essentially emotionally, psychically healing.
Music balances energy in the body and mind and heart. The music
that I create mirrors what needs to balanced and healed in myself.
It resonates strongly with other people who need the same healing
or balancing. I want to create a positive vibe for people, help
them relax and enjoy life.
I want to leave them the choice to either listen to the music
intently or to just have it floating in the background. So I have
to make it just right in the middle: interesting enough to listen
to it, but not too intrusive so that it would demand your attention.
18. What concepts do you express in your creative work?
I don't have any concepts other than explained above. Musician:
Heal thyself!
19. What are your interests in life?
I love the beach and nature. I like to read Science Fiction. I
like to travel. I teach a self developing course called AVATAR.
I have a beautiful amazing wife: Ghata.
20. I have heard that you are traveling a lot. Do you like traveling
(and why)? What places have you visited? What place did you like
most? Where would you like to live?
I like where I live now. It's one of the most beautiful places
in the world. I love the US for their dynamic and buzz and the
nature. I love Germany in spring and autumn. France for it's people
and language and baguette. Italy for the food and the old houses.
21. It would be very interesting for me to know, why did you decide
to live in Australia? In what place in Australia are you living
now?
I live in Byron Bay, the most easterly point of Australia. It
has a wonderful, subtropical climate and one of the most stunning
nature you can imagine. I live about 3 minutes from the beach.
There are always Dolphins cruising close to the beach and often
you can swim with them only being 2-3m away. At the moment we
have the whale season. The whales migrate from the warm northern
waters with their newborn baby whales towards Antarctica. They
come along the bay every year in September. Sometimes you can
hear their sounds and songs just by having your head under water
and you often see them blow and sometimes even jump and breach.
22. Could you please tell us about your touring (concert) activities
in the last years?
I did not do any concerts last year. Only occasional Satsang for
the Sannyas community here in Byron Bay.
23. Where do you prefer to create and record your music?
I have my studio in my house.
24. What are your creative plans for the near future? What are
you working on now?
I am working on a new album for New Earth Records. They will also
release "Mystery Road" in Dec'99
25. What religious and philosophical views are you close to?
Anything that promotes self responsibility, love, and truth.
26. What is your spiritual search?
Who am I?
27. Are you practicing any spiritual exercises (techniques)?
no
28. What long-term goals do you have in your life?
I am in my last 7 year cycle that has the energy directed into
existence. In this time I will consolidate my place in music and
create as much as possible and create a material foundation for
me and my wife. After that.............
29. What is the new age music in your view? How could you define
it?
see 17.
30. What would you like to wish to the readers of our magazine?
When you adopt the viewpoint that there is nothing that exists
that is not part of you, that there is no one who exists who is
not part of you, that any judgment you make is a self-judgment,
that any criticism you level is self-criticism, you will wisely
extend to yourself the unconditional love that will be the light
of your world. (H.Palmer)
with LOVE from Kamal
