Interview

"MUSIC WAS MY SAVING GRACE"

He plays professional soccer for FC Bayern, was on the National team twice for Germany and formed the rock band Room 77. An interview about the soccer field, physical rehabilitation and rock.

Andi Goerlitz, you don’t often find a professional soccer player for FC Bayern who also forms a rock bank. How did this come about?
It has to do with my injuries. Between 2004 and 2007, I had 5 operations. That means I had to deal with 5 setbacks and undergo physical rehabilitation 5 times. Those were hard times during which I needed something to distract me.
 
Playing the guitar?
(nods) Exactly. My former physical trainer, Oliver Schmidtlein, recommended that I buy myself a guitar. So that’s what I did. And I also got a practice book with CD. Yet, after one or two months, I got bored just sitting on my couch playing the acoustic guitar.
 
What then?
(laughs) I proceeded to go buy myself an electric guitar with an amplifier.
 
Your neighbors must have been excited.
I played in the basement and barricaded the only small window.
 
What do you like most about music?
You don’t need a thing – besides a guitar
 
Nevertheless, you formed a band.
That’s because it is even cooler to play with friends and create something together.
 
In the meantime your first CD has been released.
It just kind of happened. At first we only had one song: Different Views. We told ourselves we needed to have at least 3.

And then?
Well, I had so many other ideas on my laptop. So I said ”let’s record 5 or 6 songs.”

But more accumulated.
(laughs) When we had 6 songs we said to ourselves that it didn’t matter anyway and we should just record 10 songs and make a real CD. And I am really proud of this accomplishment. It is something that can never be taken from you. The CD will still be around in 20 years.
 
You write your own songs. That is quite an accomplishment for somebody who couldn’t even play the guitar 4 years ago. Isn’t that hard?
It’s not that bad. I have learned that 2 things are crucial: time and patience. It’s work to write a song. If you accept that, it works out just fine.
 
Concerts shouldn’t be a problem either. You are used to playing soccer in front of even more people.
It would be nice if that experience would be helpful while performing with Room 77…
 
It doesn’t?
Sadly, no. Naturally, I am also nervous before big games. But that is a nervousness I am familiar with.
Before a concert it is a different ball of wax. I always have sweaty palms before any performance.