It has always been this way, my mum used to reply too often when I asked her for the reason of things being a child still. I have thought 100.000 times of this phrase and most of the times it made me do things different because different is good.

‘Your interviews are different.’ I have heard this statement at least from nine out ten interviewees and it always meant a compliment. They enjoyed the interview, they have said. They said it was personal, very good, intensive, individual or many other things pointing out they really appreciated my way, and being different.

People that are different are often rejected. Being different causes fear, very often. Being different is just as often considered a reason for aggression and violence. It seems we long for people who are like us but then we spend incredible amounts of money, time and effort in our individual look – in looking different!

What were our lives like if it wasn’t for James Watt (steam engine), Alexander Graham Bell and Philip Reis (telephone), Rudolph Diesel (Diesel motor) or Conrad Suse (computer)? They all were different and did things their way. Doing things different leads to innovation.

“Diversity and freedom – could you tell me in perhaps two sentences what these terms mean to you in regards of society and music?” I ask Thomas Godoj. He replies: “Diversity keeps you alive and flexible in many ways, it affects your culture as well as your mind. The more open you remain for different influences, the freer you can evolve. Diversity and freedom are closely related from my point of view.”

Only last week, the latest single from Thomas Godoj’s recent album “13 Pfeile” was released: “Keine Option” (feat. Ruhrpott Rebellen).

The chorus reads:
„Braun ist und bleibt keine Option [brown has never been and is no option] Zeit, dass die Welt aufschreit, keine Option [time the world cries out: no option] Braun steht für Angst und Neid. [brown is a metaphor for fear, envy] Braun ist der Tod [Brown is death]
(Brown in German is a metaphor for Nazi-.)

“Is there a short tale you could tell illustrating what inspired you to come up with or that – to you – is closely related with “Keine Option”?“ -“That is ever so easy. You only have to see what is happening in Germany and Europe right now. Once you as an artist decide to take a stand with your music, then the topic of the song “Keine Option” is an obvious one. History must not repeat itself! I think we as musicians with a certain range simply have to do all we can to remind people out there, whose brains have been penetrated by right-wing online propaganda, of what is right and what is wrong.”

I couldn’t agree more. I have always been travelling to explore foreign cultures, meet foreign people and learn from foreign perspectives. Foreign is different and exploring the different is the cherry in the cake of travelling. When I was a child in my neighbourhood citizens of all ages and social statuses lived next to families originating from many places all around the world. At my school children from Muslim families were as common as Christian ones. Being different was common back then already. Common meant normal and different in the same moment. We are all common and we are all different as each of is unique. So each of us is different.

“I take “Keine Option” as a joint group (in terms of a community) project and thereby as a demonstration that the community, our society is neither represented by Nazis nor hostility. Your recently released album is also a community project (in my understanding of crowdfunding). Could you please describe your attitude towards ‘community’?” – “I can’t and won’t stop believing that there is still good in the world – otherwise I could just blow my brain to pieces. Being united simply makes you stronger and by deciding to release my music supported by crowdfunding I could free myself from music companies. Thanks to the support from my fans I am an independent artist and can make the music I choose. Unity is important on all levels; I am not a lone wolf, as I know that so much more can be achieved when you join forces with others. This is why I am ever so happy and proud that the guys of the “Ruhrpott-Rebellen” are a part of “Keine Option”. Shooting a video for our collaboration has therefore been a conscious decision!”

#wirsindmehr reads ‘we are more’. We are the majority. The majority is as common as can be. And still each single one of the common majority is unique and thereby different. Common is the sum of different.  #wirsindmehr is a charity concert of very popular bands covering many gernes in Chemnitz against Nazis, violence and hostility. #wirsindmehr attracted a crowd manifold in numbers than in the Nazi and populist demonstration also in Chemnitz during the last days!  We are the majority and brown is simply no option!

Featured image: https://www.facebook.com/ThomasGodoj/photos/a.10150233887016138/10156124889551138/?type=3&theater

O autorovi

"It has always been this way!" - I heard this phrase too often and it became the best reason for me to make it (whatever it is) my own way.

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