Günter Werno

Birthday:
September 17th 1965 in Neunkirchen, Germany.

Keyboards:
Korg SGproX Stagepiano, Korg Triton, Korg Trinity V3, Korg Trinity Rack, Yamaha CS1x, Yamaha Motiv Rack ES.

Favourite bands:
Deep Purple, Kansas, Zappa, Pink Floyd, Tori Amos, Dream Theater, Rush, Evergrey, Pink Cream 69.

Favourite Vanden Plas songs:
Silently, Into The Sun.

When did you start to play keyboards?
At the age of 11.

What was your first band?
Juliet - a band in the direction of Survivor etc. with a female singer.

What was the first song you learned to play?
I don't remember, but concerning the music I'm playing now, it was a Beatles song I guess.

What side projects have you done?
DC Cooper solo album, Pink Cream 69, Elegy, Missa Mercuria, Section A, Michael Kiske's "Place Vendome".

What do you like to do when you get time away from Vanden Plas?
I like to play soccer or to read. The rest of my time I spend writing songs and teaching piano lessons at two private music schools. I also work as a sports journalist at a TV station in my region (Saarländischer Rundfunk).

What other bands have influenced you?
Queensryche, Dream Theater, Bon Jovi (in the 80s), Whitesnake, Kansas.

What bands would you like to tour with?
Whitesnake, Dream Theater (again).

What was your function in the rock musical Abydos?
I was musical director and played keyboards. This was the second time as a musical director after the Rocky Horror Picture Show in 2001.

What was your favourite show or tour?
Aziza Mustafa Zadeh in concert, Dream Theater 2005 in Saarbrücken.