Interview with Jürgen “Scholli” Scholz of Assassin

Assassin, the legendary thrash metal band from Germany, is celebrating 40 years of existence this year, a journey that has established them as a cornerstone of the underground scene. With music often described as “raw and relentless”, and lyrics that tackle social and political issues, Assassin has made a lasting mark on the metal world, earning the respect of fans across the globe. Today, they remain a band that refuses to rest on their laurels, continuing to create with the same dedication and passion that defined them from the very beginning.

We’re pleased to welcome Assassin at Metalourgio! It’s an honour to have the chance to speak with a band that has played such an influential role in the thrash metal scene. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us—we truly appreciate you sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s dive in!

Assassin has been a part of the thrash metal scene for nearly 40 years—how does it feel to still carry the torch for the genre after all this time?

First of all, thank you very much for the praise. Assassin is certainly one of the first bands of this genre, but we are not the ones who are representative of that long time, because we didn't exist for 13 years and therefore we don't have the level of popularity that many other bands from that time still have. But it's a nice feeling to still be active and therefore to “be there” and we feel honored by that.

Looking back on your early days in Düsseldorf, what was the spark that made you want to form Assassin in the first place?

After my first 2 bands, I was looking for a new band and had put up ads at newsstands and music stores. The drummer Andreas „Danger/Psycho“ Süther read my ad and called me. He told me, that he had got friends who also wanted to make music. So we met together and as we recognized that we all had the same idea of making fast, aggressive heavy metal by our own, Assassin was born.

Assassin emerged during the golden age of German thrash metal, alongside legends like Kreator, Sodom and Destruction. What was it like to be part of this explosive scene in the 80s? Did you feel like you were shaping something groundbreaking at the time?

The scene was really good and enthusiastic. Everyone knew each other and enjoyed going to parties and gigs together and having a good time. It was always a great community, of course with certain failures, but everyone just wanted the same thing : to go out and play music and have fun together. In that community everyone looked at all the other bands what they were doing, who was more successful and why. And also who was making better and, above all, faster songs and who was more likely to release an album, but in the end it was just a little competition that only took place in our heads and was even productive for each band. It was great time ! And it didn't matter what kind of metal it was. It was a cohesive metal scene! At this time we were not shaping doing something groundbreaking. We only play music by our own and had a lot of fun within.

What were you listening to back in 1985 that inspired you to write “Holy Terror”?

I was influenced by a lot of bands of the NWOBHM and also Punk from the end of the 70s. In the early years of Heavy Metal I liked most Venom, Exciter, Tank and Motorhead. To live in the 80s was great because a lot was easy to do and a lot was possible especially in the music scene. So we were in a good mood and full of enthusiasm.

The hiatus from 1989 to 2002 was a long one—what brought the band back together after all those years, and how did it feel to pick things up again after such a big gap?

• Each of us continued to make music over the 13 years. I still had a good relationship with the guitarist Dinko, as well as with the drummer Danger/Psycho. When we met up or spoke on the phone, the subject of Assassin often came up and at some point we wanted to try it again. That was at the end of the 90s. But the attempts with different musicians didn't have the same dynamic and energy. In addition, Danger/Psycho didn't have the confidence to do more than a few sessions just for fun. It wasn't until 2002 that the right line-up was found and since then the old songs felt really good again and we started working on new songs. Of course, the musical influences of the individual musicians of the previous years also became apparent.

What motivated you to release The Club independently? Was it a matter of creative freedom, or were there other factors that made you take that path?

Our second guitarist at the time, Michael Hoffmann, was convinced that a release without a label would be better, would offer more freedom and would also put us in a better financial position. That was his opinion, but not everyone agree with him. In the band we decided democratically and in cause of that we went down this path together, which didn't turn out to be the better one.

Releasing music independently and working with a label are two very different beasts. From your experience, what are the biggest pros and cons of each? And what do you think is the better path for a metal band today?

Sure, an independent release offers more freedom. But a label is much more effective for distribution and promotion. Financially it doesn't really matter any more, because as a small band you don't earn anything from a release anyway.

Assassin has gone through lineup changes over the years, with the most recent being the addition of a new lead guitarist in 2023. How have these changes over time shaped the band’s sound and dynamic?

• I personally don't like the many line-up changes. But apart from Joachim Hopf (bassist in the reunion until shortly before The Club), all the former members left the band for their own personal reasons. If the atmosphere between the musicians is really good, it's the best basis for working together and having a good time. This also has an effect on the songs and productions. At the moment the atmosphere is wonderful and we all hope that it will stay that way as long as possible and we will continue in this formation for a very long time. The atmosphere with Frank Blackfire was also great, but after his departure to Sodom we couldn't continue working properly, so Bestia Immundis was just an album by and with XNUMX musicians, and he could only contribute a few solos.

You remain the sole founding member still active in the band. How crucial is it for you to preserve Assassin’s original essence while adapting and growing with new members?

When there are new members in the band, it's always a change. That's why I'm glad that bassist Joachim Kremer and drummer Björn “Burn” Sondermann have formed the reliable and strong foundation of the band for over 15 years and that Ingo has also been a constant for over 10 years. It is important to make the new members aware of where our roots lie and that we will always remain a speed thrash band, but we are also happy to incorporate suitable elements from other areas and styles.

Your latest release, Skullblast, is an EP rather than a full-length album. What made you decide to go with an EP this time around? Was it a creative choice, or something else entirely? 

The goal from the start was to record an EP, because Assassin had never released an EP in their entire existence. That was the only reason. Not more or less.

The songs on Skullblast have a raw, relentless energy. What was the writing and recording process like for this EP?

The good feeling and mood in the band is reflected in the songs. As always, the ideas for some songs came from individual musicians, but the collaboration was much more intense.

What’s your take on the thrash metal scene today? Do you think it still has the same energy and passion as it did in the ‘80s, or has it changed in ways you didn’t expect? 

Today's musicians and bands certainly bring a lot of passion and energy to their music. But the music scene and the whole environment around it has completely changed, which certainly doesn't make things easier for current bands, unless they have good connections and a well-developed social network.

With Skullblast out now, what’s next for Assassin? Are there plans for a new full-length album, more touring, or something else entirely?

First we will present the new songs from the EP live to our fans and will also celebrate the founding of the band exactly 40 years ago with a few anniversary shows with lots of different old songs, and only then will we slowly devote ourselves to work on new songs.

If you could send a message to both your longtime fans and those just discovering Assassin, what would you want them to know about the band and what you stand for?

Without you guys we will be nothing !! It is great that you all support the band and that gives us the power and energy to survive all the time !!

Thank you once again for taking the time to do this interview with us—it’s been great having you here at Metalourgio. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Keep on banging and stay heavy ! We will be glad to meet you at our shows and have a great time together! It was always a great community, of course with certain failures, but everyone just wanted the same thing : to go out and play music and have fun together.

The interview was conducted by Metalourgio