We had the chance to sit down with Rammstein guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe during the legendary German band’s Jones Beach, N.Y. tour stop. During our chat, the axeman opened up about Rammstein’s next album, the time the band was told they couldn’t use fire in a Chicago venue, how being in a band is like “a marriage without sex” and more.

It’s been a long eight years since Rammstein released Liebe ist fur alle da, but they’re still selling out arenas and amphitheaters during select shows in North America. Fans have been thirsty for new Rammstein and it looks like a new album is coming sooner than later. “It’s always a big challenge for us to do those records, sometimes we’re afraid we won’t survive those records,” divulged Kruspe. “We decided [to] just try to do five songs. All of a sudden, two years later and at the moment we have 28 ideas.”

Kruspe recently called Rammstein a “marriage without sex,” so we asked him to elaborate on the struggles of being in a band for over two decades. “There were times I felt like I don’t want to do it anymore, but there was always something, a bigger picture I’ve seen that made it worth while,” the guitarist said. “I always figured we can over-step our egos. There’s something more beautiful than fighting for your egos.”

Richard mentioned he thought this upcoming Rammstein album may be the band’s final recording, but when we pressed him on it, he recalled having that feeling in the past. “I always believed when we did a record that it was the last one. Always, since the first record,” Kruspe revealed. “Life is full of surprises that always taught me a different lesson. There’s a saying — If you want to make God smile, tell him his plans.”

Check out our exclusive interview with Rammstein’s Richard Kruspe above! The band’s spectacular new concert film, Rammstein: Paris, can be purchased here.

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