Michael “Mike” Heß and Shannon Heß (Germany) (Tales of Mike) interview

Let me tell you a story about how I met Mike Heß (pronounced “Hess”) on social media: almost one year ago, I received a message in German asking me if I could write a review of the new song by Tales of Mike. As I was curious, I listened to the song, and… of course, I wrote the review in Blessed Altar Zine. And I also interviewed Mike a short time after (you can read that first interview here . Well, the rest is a love story between me and the music by Tales of Mike. A special mix of epicness, strong rhythms, dark tunes, touching lyrics, and musically amazing. Mike is a skilled musician and he counts on great collaborators in his songs: Gonzalo Civita doing vocals, and Henrik Schaller playing guitar solos. The fact that Shannon, Mike’s daughter, is the writer of the lyrics, made me curious about a lot of things. Well… Let’s know a bit more about Tales of Mike and their upcoming album, “Human”, with this interview!

Tales of Mike interview by Sílvia

Hi Mike, thank you for doing this interview. How are you, now that your album is finished and waiting for its release? Do you already have a date for that?

Mike: Hi Silvia, I’m delighted that we’re meeting again for an interview. I’m feeling great, knowing that the album will be released soon. It’s been a long and exciting journey – another piece of the puzzle in my life, expressed through music. The album will be released on October 31st, 2025.

How long have you been working on this full-length album? And how has the process been? Everytime I see a one-man band or project, I’m overwhelmed just thinking of the enormous work it must be, doing everything by oneself and combining music creation with job, family… Well, I guess you don’t have a lot of spare time!

Mike: I’ve been working almost non-stop on Tales of Mike since it began in 2022 — either recording music or, when I injured my shoulder, focusing entirely on promotion because I couldn’t play guitar for a while.

By the time the EP was released, I was already writing new material. At first, I suggested doing another EP, and everyone was on board. But I kept getting questions about whether there would ever be a full-length album. That really got me thinking — honestly, I hadn’t expected such a reaction. After talking with Gonzalo and Henrik, Shannon, and our producer Matias Takaya, we decided to give it a go.

Even though Tales of Mike officially looks like a one-man project, I’m working with fantastic people who enrich the music with their talent. They’re all an important part of this journey.

In my free time, I spend time with my family, go for long walks in nature and of course, work on Tales of Mike. Music has always been a big part of my life. I’ve been in contact with musicians from all over the world for years, even before Tales of Mike.

For more than 20 years, I mostly played just for myself and rarely recorded ideas. That has changed now. Even though it wasn’t planned, Tales of Mike has become an important part of my life.

I’ve read in your bio that Tales of Mike is “a personal journey shaped by epic Heavy Metal”. Would you say that channeling your emotions through your music has had a healing effect on you?

Mike: Yes, the tribute EP helped me process my childhood experiences better – although I only realized that after the EP was finished, because everything was so exciting at that time.

I consciously channel my emotions into the music, and when I look back someday, I want to be able to say that every riff and every lyric was 100% me. No façade, no pretending to be something I’m not.

As long as I feel there’s still something burning in my soul, I’ll keep working on songs. But I also know that maybe one day everything that needs to be said will have been said – and that’s okay. It has to feel right for me.

And, how do you think people are receiving your music? Do you see positive feedback about the two singles of your new album released until now? And what about your previous EP?

Mike: So far, the feedback has been almost entirely positive, even though the two singles are quite different. But that’s exactly what Tales of Mike is about for me – every song tells its own story. Gonzalo once told me that this is something he really likes about it, and I’m lucky that he can truly sing anything.

When it comes to the EP, a few people reached out and said that our music helped them through tough times. That really touched me, because back when I recorded the EP, I honestly never thought about how others might take it or whether it could help anyone. For me, it was simply about leaving a tribute to my brother.

Besides counting on two amazing musicians in your songs: Gonzalo Civita (vocals), and Henrik Schaller (guitar solos), there’s your daughter Shannon who wrote the lyrics for your songs. How does it feel working in your music with a person so close to you?

Mike: I’m lucky to be surrounded by incredibly talented people on this journey – and my daughter Shannon holds a very special place in it. She knows me so well that she understands exactly what I want to express with my music and turns my ideas into lyrics that also tell her own story. Working with her is something truly special.

The cover art of “Human”, your new album, has been made by Joss Miranda, an artist from Argentina, who’s responsible for the artwork of your last two singles too. Let me tell you, it’s an impressive and powerful image that conveys so many emotions and thoughts! How happy are you with it? Did he have freedom to create that cover, or you asked for that image specifically? Do you want to share your thoughts about it with our readers?

Mike: I’m really happy with the artwork — the collaboration with Joss worked really well. I told him I wanted symbols from the song titles included in the design, and he turned that idea into something amazing.
It captures the songs perfectly — I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

By the way, all three artworks tell a story. If you look closely, you’ll notice the stardust in the single covers — that was important to me, too.

“Human” will be released by Fetzner Death Records, an underground German label established in 2023. How important is it for you to have found the suitable label for your music?

Mike: I’ve known Alex Fetzner for quite a while now, and right from the start, I felt that Tales of Mike truly mattered to him. So for me, it was never an option to ask someone else first about the physical releases. We stayed in touch throughout the whole album process.
He does great work and treats you as an equal – I think that’s a big reason why he’s earned such a great reputation in the underground scene so quickly.

In which physical formats will your album be released?

Mike: The CD will be released through Fetzner Death Records and Schattenpfade Support Circle. The tape will be distributed exclusively by Fetzner Death Records.

I’m hoping for a vinyl version. We’ll see if and how that can be made possible. First, the album has to be heard, and then we’ll take it from there.

The intro “Nomen est Omen”, is the voicecut by Bernhard ”Doomchild” Tischler, from Seeds of Doom radio, introducing the song “RIP (Landscape of Sorrow)” when it was first broadcast. How did you feel when you listened to your song on the radio for the first time?

Mike: Yes, Bernhard reached out to me and asked if he could play the single “RIP (Landscape of Sorrow)” on his show. That was our first time on the radio – I could hardly believe it! I was completely overwhelmed, because Bernhard found such touching words.

After the Landscape of Sorrow EP was released in 2023, I asked him to see if I could use parts of his show for an intro. He agreed, and it turned out great. For me, it’s the perfect transition from the Tribute EP to the album. That’s why Tales of Mike exists – because of this song.

Of course, I have some questions for Shannon too. Welcome to our zine, Shannon, and thank you for agreeing to this interview. How has it been writing lyrics for your dad’s musical project?

Shannon: Hey Sílvia, thank you for having me here! I think it’s fair to say that writing the lyrics is just as special as my dad’s project. My father’s music tells stories about his life and the way he thinks about certain things. And of course, I’m his daughter, a part of this life and thus, I also express parts of my own life in his music and that is honestly an honor for me. I’d say great minds think alike!

Your lyrics are like dark poetry in some way. Talking about grief, human weakness, the unavoidable death, superficial friends… How do you come up with these deep topics, and how do you develop your ideas?

Shannon: First and foremost, my lyrics are based on my father’s ideas. He kind of delivers me the blueprints and I write the lyrics based on that. But on the other hand, those topics are something we both think about. Let it be death, weakness, superficial friends and the disappointment that comes along with them – we share our thoughts, our opinions and our experiences. And then I try to bundle all that into lyrics. So I’d say that every single line in any song describes what we think about a certain topic and what we experienced. This is what makes Tales of Mike’s music honest.

Did you write some lyrics, poems… before doing it for Tales of Mike?

Shannon: Yes, I wrote poems frequently. I personally think that poetry is something extremely powerful. Poems are able to express feelings way more accurate and truly than an essay or a podcast ever could. You turn your feelings and thoughts into art, into something beautiful and somehow intimate, no matter how bright or how dark the topic is. And some people can relate to it, other people’s interpretation is maybe entirely different. But that’s what makes it art – it’s diverse, it’s personal but it’s honest in the first place.

Which was the first song in Tales of Mike you wrote the lyrics? And, how was that first experience for you?

Shannon: The first song was “RIP (Landscape of Sorrow)”. It was a highly emotional matter because yes, my father wanted to make a song about his brother, but he was also my uncle. So it was pretty complex to bundle all the feelings and write lyrics which represent Markus, the person he was, the fight with his illness and the feelings of the people who were left behind. I’d say my first Tales of Mike lyrics were also my most emotional lyrics.

Do you have musical training, maybe you play any instrument?

Shannon: No, not really. I learned to play some basic notes on the guitar in elementary school and Dad tried to teach me one or two things on his e-guitar, but I’ve (sadly) forgotten most of it.

Which kind of music do you listen to? Can you tell us which is/are your favorite artist/s?

Shannon: I listen to everything. Absolutely everything, but I’d say that 80s Rock/Metal, NDW (New German Wave) and 70s Disco music are my favorite genres. My favorite artists are Falco and Lady Gaga. And if you’re talking about Metal, it’s definitely Black Sabbath.

Please, want to share with our readers a song that’s special to you, with a deep and emotional meaning?

Shannon: Difficult question. Probably “The Logical Song” by Supertramp. Apart from the fact that the lyrics are a piece of art, I can also relate to this song. And this doesn’t happen a lot when I listen to music. It’s mainly the fact that when you’re growing up, you start to see things entirely different, especially in the negative way (for me personally). And this song sums it up pretty well and reflects my emotions pretty well.

With some of your songs talking about how fake and greedy some people can be, how do you see society nowadays? Do you think this world is a nice place to live in, or maybe it needs a wash up?

Shannon: Not once have I blended myself with the illusion that this world is a nice place. I have a very specific view on this topic, but that would be too much for this interview. Long story short, I don’t think our society is “good” because you’d have to define the term “good”. And that’s where it gets difficult because, depending on your view, a lot of bad things can be good.

I don’t think that this world needs a wash up. We are humans and we behave like humans and nothing is able to change that. It’s not in our nature to be good and nice. It’s in our nature to survive, and I think that’s why people are greedy and fake from time to time.

But that’s nothing that we can change – we simply have to learn to live with such attitudes.

Do you have more lyrics in your head that haven’t been matched with music in this album?

Shannon: Yes, absolutely. I’ve got a lot to say about society, dark and difficult topics but also hopeful stuff. I don’t want to give too many spoilers away right now, but maybe I’ll get the chance to write and match them with my dad’s music one day.

Returning to Tales of Mike… What is done first: the music composition, or the lyrics? What inspires you to compose your music, Mike? Do you think of any lyrics theme before Shannon writes them, or does she have total freedom about it?

Mike: I usually discuss the overall theme and my ideas with Shannon beforehand, like I did for the album. But the music always comes first. What really drives me is the mood I’m feeling at the moment. From that mood, I come up with a song title, and then Shannon begins writing the lyrics.. That’s why, for me, the feel of the songs always matches the lyrics perfectly.

Shannon then tells her own story in the lyrics, and I think she’s comfortable with that. That’s been true for all the songs so far, except for “RIP (Landscape of Sorrow)”, which is based on a real experience and had to be told exactly like that.

This one is for you, Mike. Did you think about releasing your own music before doing it under the name of Tales of Mike? I mean, maybe as a youngster you were composing your music and thinking about having your band?

Mike: I always had a lot of ideas, but I only ever recorded a riff here and there or played something to my brother. I never really thought about writing full songs or releasing anything.

At some point, my brother asked if I wanted to join his band Inui as a rhythm guitarist — he said I had good technique. That was the biggest compliment he could’ve given me. Sadly, he later got sick — that damn cancer.

It was really the melody for “RIP” that flipped a switch in my head. That’s when I started writing songs, with the goal of leaving something behind for him. I think, musically, things had to happen exactly the way they did for us to be where we are now.

If it’s true that years give us perspective, what are the things you value most nowadays?

Mike: What I value most today is having a great family and being able to live a normal life. And that I’m not a dreamer — I can look at things realistically because I know where I come from. If I was still young, who knows how I might’ve handled certain situations.

Thank you for your time doing this, and best wishes to you two. Last words are yours, Mike and Shannon, is there anything you want to add or say to our readers?

Mike: First of all, I want to thank you, Sílvia, for your amazing support. Not just for Tales of Mike, but for so many bands – that’s something you really don’t see every day. It means a lot.
And a big thank you to everyone reading this on Blessed Altar Zine and supporting us.
Stay tuned for the album – it’s going to hit hard!

Shannon: Thank you, Sílvia, for this interview and the amazing questions. It was an honor!
And for all the readers, thank you for your interest and don’t miss our next album “Human”. I’m pretty sure that you will recognize a lot of topics and can, hopefully, relate to our work of art.

Interview by Sílvia

Don’t miss the new album by Tales of Mike, “Human”, to be released on 31st October 2025 via Fetzner Death Records.

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