Bonfire are one of the enduring bands of the last twenty years. Gaining worldwide recognition on the back of classic albums such as Fireworks (after which out esteemed magazine is named) and Point Blank, Bonfire went on to sell in excess of 3 million albums worldwide and play to well over 8 million fans. With the release of the latest Bonfire album Double X, the boys have gone back to their hard rocking melodic rock roots. Twenty five years on, and with no sign of the band letting up, Kieran Dargan spoke with singer Klaus Lessman to catch up on all things Bonfire....

So Klaus, it’s been twenty five years and you are still around!

"Yes, we have a long tradition and we just get better and better like a good red wine, haha. I think it’s great that we are still around, but it’s not just us, it’s the fans."

Bonfire have still managed to maintain a strong following even through the dark years of the mid-nineties when melodic bands were almost forgotten about with the advent of the Seattle sound, why do you think that is the case?

"We believe in what we do. We just want to do this, make albums and get out on the road and tour and sing. A lot of bands look at the money and success, they don’t look at other things such as the priviledge of playing your songs around the world to new and old fans. It might sound like a cliché but it’s a model for your life. We have been lucky that our fans have stuck by us. These values these days are considered cliché, but if you look at rap, hip-hop or whatever, they are really just a fad too. I mean you have all these talent search bands, they are not true bands, they are just doing it for the money and even in rap they kill their idols."

Did you think when you started the band that you would still be around 25 years later?

"We all dreamt about being rock stars, it’s true. I mean that is all we wanted to do: sing and play guitar for a living and we have been very lucky to be able to do that still."

You have had the big albums, the stadium tours, the girls, the money, the drugs... everything. What is success for Bonfire in 2006?

"That’s a hard one to answer, but I think it’s still the applause from the fans. When we were doing the big stadiums we were also playing clubs on our own. I remember playing a show in Detroit to thirteen people plus the waiters, but it makes no difference because if you pay to come to a show our attitude is if people buy a ticket and travel from wherever to see the show, it’s not their fault the other 500 didn’t show up, so those people that are there deserve to see the best show you can deliver. We have always tried to give people what they want and deserve, no matter how many people are there. As long as we can make a living great, if not maybe I’ll drive a cab. As long as you touch somebody with your songs and play live, that is success to me."

Bonfire in England sort of lost it’s profile during the nineties, and then all of a sudden with 'Strike X' it seemed everybody went, 'Whoa, Bonfire are back on track.' Is it like a new beginning of sorts for the band?

"I hope so because we were not even sure people remembered us. It’s great that people do and it’s always nice to play to people that have not heard us before. The last album 'Free', which was an experiment for Bonfire, I think we got slapped so many times with that album, we woke up and went,'Ooops that didn’t work.' I mean could you imagine what would happen if AC/DC made an album like that? If you like your fish and chips like you have always had, well you should be able to have them the exact same way again next week, you know."

At the time you recorded 'Free' everybody said that’s it, Bonfire are done. But you have come back with one of your strongest albums in years, 'Double X'. Did you really have to think about what you were going to do after 'Free'?

"We knew exactly what we wanted to do, an album that is true to the roots of Fireworks, Point Blank, Fuel to the Flames and Strike X. When we were together in the rehearsal room it was great, it was just like 1988 again, rediscovering Bonfire and rock and roll all over again. It had taken a while because after 'Free' and the acoustic tour we were really keen to get back to our real rock roots."

The general reaction to the new album is it’s a classic Bonfire album, in fact some are rating it very highly indeed saying this album could be the logical follow up to Fireworks. Have you been getting that type of reaction from around the world?

"Yes, very much so. Everybody seems to be very happy with it. Everybody is saying it is hard and melodic and like Bonfire was in the eighties."

Is that something you are happy about? You don’t mind being called a hair band or an eighties band?

"We are an eighties band, but still rocking in 2006. Why should we hide our age? We started over twenty years ago. We love what we do and we have no problem with it .We just keep on going. It’s a real drag that there is no space for melodic hard rock on MTV anymore. It’s a big challenge for all of us, bands, and fans to fight against that. There is no more rock and roll on radio and TV. Our attitude is there should be room for everybody. Why are we forced to listen to rock late at night, why not during the day? There are 24 hours in a day, they should be fair about it. Record companies and radio are now run by people with no love of music, all they are interested in is figures and accounts. The feeling for real music is gone."

So what does the future hold for Bonfire?

"Until I’m six feet under I will be rocking."

Is there anything you would like to add for our English readers? It’s been quite a while since you have been over here.

"We honestly cannot wait to come back. The last time we played in 2001 we got such a big warm welcome it was great. And honestly, weeks later we were still talking about that. Please tell them we can not wait to come back and I’m not just saying that, I have never been more honest in my life. We always had great tours in England and now we have been away so long we would really love to come back, please, I really mean that. And I would also like to thank our English fans for sticking with us over the years, even though we have not played there, there is nothing more that I would love than to play there again."

Thanks Klaus, it’s been a real pleasure and I wish you every success with you new album.

"Thank you very much, it was very nice to finally be able to speak to an English magazine, especially one that takes it’s name from one of our albums. It is a great honour to have the magazine named after Fireworks, everybody in the band is aware of it. Thank you so much."