Helloween Interview (Kai Hansen)

When Helloween revolutionized the heavy metal landscape in the mid-1980s, Kai Hansen was right at the center of the storm. After departing to forge his own successful path with Gamma Ray, his historic return to the band marked a spectacular new chapter for 'The Pumpkins' worldwide. In this exclusive interview, we catch up with the legendary guitarist and vocalist to dive deep into Helloween's enduring influence, the creative chemistry behind their latest studio work, and what it feels like to still dominate global stages after four decades. Here is our conversation with a true metal icon.

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Helloween

Metallerium: Hello Kai and welcome to Metallerium.com! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today. We are grateful to talk about Helloween along with many other topics related to your music. It’s been one year since your last release, so we’d love to hear how you and the band are doing now with the tours and more.

Helloween: The tour was going great and just wonderful and exciting and sold out, we just finished our festival run in Europe, which is a bit different than headlining but also very cool. And next week we are embarking bringing Helloween to Latin America and we always love to play there. It is the icing on the cake and we are very much looking forward

Metallerium: The Pumpkins United era started as a celebratory tour, but it has transformed into a fully established, permanent lineup. Looking back, what has been the most challenging aspect of maintaining this seven-piece dynamic both in the studio and on the road?

Helloween: I think the most challenging was to see how everyone developed and how Michael and I fit in after all these years.  We thought that maybe the old resentments could be a problem, but the opposite was the case. Everybody is relaxed and full of respect. We all appreciate what we are able to do in this phase of our lives. And we all got older and maybe a bit wiser ? 

Metallerium: When you released the self-titled Helloween album in 2021, the expectations were massive, and the reception was phenomenally positive. How does that success affect your approach and mindset while writing and recording the next album?

Helloween: I can only talk about myself, I have no rituals and I am not bound to anything, I just bundle my ideas over time and eventually start writing. And don’t forget, we have 5 songwriters in the band, there are a lot of fresh ideas

Metallerium: Having three distinct vocalists (Andi, Michael, and Kai) gives the band an incredible sonic palette. How do you decide who sings which part during the songwriting process without losing the cohesive identity of a song?

Helloween: When hearing a song, we kind of know if this is Andi’s or Michi’s song.

Other songs, we try different versions. There is no competition, you have to give the song the right vibe. And if something fits better for me, I am the singer. It is a joint decision

Metallerium: Latin America is a region known for having some of the most passionate metal fans in the world. From your perspective, how has the Latin American crowd influenced the energy and longevity of Helloween over the decades?

Helloween: They are unbelievable fans and supporters. Our biggest crowds are for sure in Latin America and the festivals / shows are huge. Without the support of the media and these fans we wouldn’t be where we are today

Metallerium: The visual aspect of Helloween—from the classic pumpkin mascot to the elaborate stage setups—has always been iconic. How involved is the band today in crafting the visual concepts that accompany your music?

Helloween: Sascha is excellent in creating new things and has the best ideas. The show is breathtaking with the video walls and the background, you’ll see and experience.  Cool gimmicks, brand-new huge LED set – shows 40 years of Helloween. It is just phenomenal.

Metallerium: With three lead guitarists and three vocalists, the stage and the studio must feel crowded sometimes. Have there been moments during the making of the new music where creative egos clashed, and how do you resolve a disagreement when everyone in the room is a metal legend?

Helloween: No competition, as I said before, we give everyone the room needed and deserved, also for Dani our drummer. He needs to get his space as well as he is not able to move. Never a problem for anybody – the song shows who will be in front

Metallerium: Kai, you are widely considered one of the founding fathers of Power Metal. When you look at the modern power metal scene today, do you see your original blueprint, or do you think the genre has evolved into something you never expected?

Helloween: I really don’t know. I see my son with his band and it is a totally different approach and he is not copying. It is good and sure it evolved.  But did I see anything unexpected?

Metallerium: You have balanced your time between Helloween, Gamma Ray, and other projects like Hansen & Friends. How do you mentally separate your creative ideas? How do you know when a riff or a melody is meant for Helloween versus Gamma Ray?

Helloween: Majestic is a good example. It was existing to a degree when I made the Gamma Ray album Majestic and I always wanted to finish that song but couldn’t get any further. I put it aside and eventually stumbled over the old demo, listened to it and felt it was still good and I wanted to finish it. I transformed everything into modern files and it worked and we decided to put it on Giants & Monsters.

Metallerium: Returning to Helloween as a full-time member allowed you to share the stage and studio with Michael Weikath again. How has your personal and musical relationship with him evolved since the early days of the Walls of Jericho and Keeper eras?

Helloween: All problems are behind us. Like I said before, we got older, wiser and no one has to prove anything to anyone from the band anymore. We get along very well, share common ground and the same humor. That is already a big plus.

Metallerium: Your guitar playing and vocal style have inspired countless musicians worldwide. At this point in your legendary career, what keeps you motivated to keep pushing your boundaries as an artist?

Helloween: Simple answer, I am a musician. This is what I Iove doing, the fans are still there and welcoming every new move and I think I am good in what I am doing. This is enough motivation

Metallerium: Kai, your departure from Helloween in 1989 is one of the most famous stories in power metal history. Now that you've been back for years and the dust has completely settled, looking back, do you think leaving back then was a necessary mistake, or do you ever wonder how massive Helloween would have become if you had stayed?

Helloween: I don’t know and I can’t answer this. If I could have read the future then, I could have told you  

Metallerium: When you started Gamma Ray, it was your main creative vehicle and your life's work. Now that Helloween is active at full capacity, Gamma Ray has inevitably taken a back seat. Is it bittersweet for you to put your own "baby" on hold to be part of the larger Helloween machine?

Helloween: Gamma Ray is still existing, we play some festivals and shows here and there but there wasn’t any time for a new Gamma Ray album, although I finished another solo after all these years, Born With A Hammer’ will be released on 18 September

Metallerium: The power metal genre you helped create has faced criticism over the years for becoming too predictable, over-produced, or generic. Do you ever listen to some of the modern bands who claim to be influenced by you and think, "No, this isn't what I intended"

Helloween: I don’t judge, everyone has their own style

Metallerium: At this point in your careers, you have won the awards, played the biggest festivals, and influenced generations of musicians. When the story of Helloween is finally complete, decades from now, what is the single most important thing you want the world to remember about this band?"

Helloween: The great music

Metallerium: You've often said that the energy from the crowd is your fuel. To wrap this up for Metallerium, what is your definitive message to the Latin American fans who have stood by you through every single lineup change, breakup, and reunion over the last forty years?"

Helloween: I also said this before - answering one of your questions. The South American / Latin American fans are simply unbelievable. The crowds are massive, they know every song, they live and breathing metal and they are a big part of mine and Helloween’s musical life.

Metallerium: Thank you so much for your time and for sharing these insights with Metallerium. To finish, do you have any final words or special greetings for your dedicated fans in Latin America and our followers?

Helloween: Gracias, gracias por vuestro apoyo. Gracias por el amor a la música y por recibir siempre a Helloween con todo el corazón.

We are looking very much forward to playing for you and will give more than 100%.

See you soon!!