TurboWitch Interview 06/09/2025
MM: Tell us about your band .. your influences and what took you down this genre
of music
Yes, urr, what genre are we exactly (Merlin scratching his head)?
Both Merlin and the Morrigan grew up with all sorts of music, it is a wild mix, we don’t care
about genres. When Merlin picked up the guitar, this went totally wild: he tried really hard
to get all his influences on board but with Blues today, Black Sabbath tomorrow, and some
Bossa Nova on Friday (while there was Motown, Soul, and Phil Collins blaring out of his
parents’ room), this was easier said than done.
When he had lessons in modern music history, which meant watching videos, in one
interview from back in the 80s, an early producer of Metallica called them a “second Led
Zeppelin” because “they would just take anything they liked from any kind of music and
smack it together into something wild and heavy, which is what Led Zeppelin had done
before.” The producer named this the “Led Zeppelin” principle … and finally Merlin’s
mystical quest was over: put everything together you like, creating something wild, don’t
worry about genres and labels.
Time for some name dropping: he started off with Blues and Rock, then Hard Rock. We
are talking about Hendrix, Led Zep, Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses. Then he got hooked on
Grunge, Goth anyway, both are a must! (RIP Pete Steele, we love you forever). Jerry
Cantrell has become a massive inspiration, recently John 5, too. Also he can’t keep his
fingers off the heavy stuff & the more melodic types of metal, actually any genre as long as
it is melodious. He has always been a sucker for sweet melodies so you will find him
listening to Soul, Motown, or 80s pop, too. This all in addition to his classical training. And
here is where he meets the Morrigan:
she loves theatre, Chanson, melodic & dramatic music, like Japanese bands such as
Galneryus.
Anything goes, music is about freedom, but over the years a rocky post-grunge sound
seems to have become the backbone for Merlin. It's free, it is different, it combines them
all to bring music back together. This is the spellbook of the TurboWitch.
MM: Are there any themes or messages you aim to convey through your music?
There is this priceless moment when music says out loud what your heart feels. There
have been so many moments where this has helped, healed, saved us. And this is the
best we can hope for: our tracks becoming the mouthpiece for your heart. That’s the
theme: emotions. About what? About life. From heartbreak to fear to happy moments to
whatever life throws at us again.
In “Alchemy”, coloured by the pandemic, the topics tend to focus on death, love and
transformation in particular.
MM: What can fans expect from you in the near future—new music, tours,
collaborations?
Yes! We are finishing next tracks and aim at a Winter tour, details to follow.
MM: Are there any dream venues or festivals you’d love to play?
Merlin has recently visited his British fav city: Caerdydd (‘Cardiff’ in English).
There were major acts gigging at Castell Caerdydd (‘Cardiff Castle’). Not just ol’ Tom
Jones again, but also acts like Slayer. Slayer gigging at a castle with a red dragon. Won’t
get better than that!
Performing at Castell Caerdydd would be a dream, definitely. As well as Brixton Academy.
As a Motörheadbanger, Merlin has many fond memories there (all ending with him waking
up injured, but happy). We toured in Japan in 2023 and would love to return to there,
especially the Morrigan who deeply loves Japan.
MM: What’s been your most memorable live performance so far, and why?
Could have been Tachikawa Babel Rock Tower in Tokyo. On our Japan tour, this was our
first gig – and we went straight for a Halloween gig right on the 31 st Oct. TurboWitch
singing about “Follow the Witch” on the 31 st Oct in scary make-up which got ruined by all
the sweating = we had some serious fun, and it was a big accomplishment to pull this off:
performing in 日本.
MM: How do you prepare for a show, both mentally and physically?
Staying fit for the game is a regular thing, just don’t allow yourself to get too rusty. So we
are always 80% ready. Keep in mind, it is something we love, this helps commit to this all
every week.
MM: What emotions do you hope to evoke in fans when they watch your band live
Each track has a meaning, a certain feeling. And there is this divine moment when you
can’t help but sing and dance along, this is a reaction we hope to see. And that the
audience goes home with a smile because they witnessed something different, interesting,
entertaining.
MM: Do you have any favourite pre-show rituals?
As soon as we start dressing for the show, that’s when things get serious, that’s when we
invoke our spirits, that’s our ritual.
MM: How do you handle criticism or comparisons to other bands in the scene?
We are a wild mix of so many genres, we are looking forward to comparisons, because so
far everyone has heard different influences in our music. Some hear the grunge a lot,
others more of goth, some thought we were a joke, others called us post-rock or indie, and
then the name dropping would begin. Those comparisons are always an insight.
Criticism is an essential part of your competence. We are not just making some noise in
my dad’s garage, we take this seriously, we try to be the best musicians we can be,
something impossible when constantly ignoring criticism.
MM: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a band, and how did you
overcome it?
Band members would have to move to different places, this classic “we stay here in this
city and rehearse 2x a week for the next years” did not want to materialise. So we adopted
a flexible, international band structure, our “TurboWitch coven”: some of us might live far
away, but thanks to modern tech, we stay in touch and do song writing and even
recordings from all over the world. When all the wizards and other magical creatures are
need, we blare the horns, perform a ritual, conjure them and we all meet at our coven for
our musical rituals.
MM: Where do you see the band in five years, and what’s the ultimate goal for your
music?
In 5 years, we would love to tour once a year, clubs with 500-people capacities, and to be
recognised musically a bit more, and Merlin is laughing out loud while saying this: seeing
some money for it :D
MM: Last song you listened to?
John 5: Season of the Witch, Merlin is currently learning it!
MM: Tell us why we should check out your band
Our catch phrase is: Are you ready to be enchanted? We send you on an emotional
journey with music which dares sound fresh and original. No more shoe boxes like “This is
genre A, this is old-skool pure category B”. TurboWitch combine it all. From Goth to Rock
to Grunge and beyond, with pushy rhythms and great melodies, something for everyone to
bring people together.
MM: Final Words for your fans our readers
Are you ready to be enchanted!
Please add your social media links!!
Bandcamp: https://turbowitch.bandcamp.com
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/turbowitch/alchemy
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi4VKTz8TGxJSJ6KUTKgN3i5IUWWPTj6P
Website: http://www.turbowitch.com
Instagram: theturbowitch: https://www.instagram.com/theturbowitch/
TikTok: @turbowitch-music: https://www.tiktok.com/@turbowitch
Facebook: TurboWitch: https://www.facebook.com/TurboWitch