< Previousby Andrea Leim lexander Gerst is a man of extremes. He went to space twice and for a total of 362 days, and he spent nights in Ant- arctica at temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius. You’ve been to the ISS twice and spent almost an entire year in space. What role does music play in space? Alexander Gerst: A big one! I always had a Bluetooth speaker with me and a tablet containing my entire music collection. No matter where I was working on the space station, I pinned that thing to a surface and listened to music. If you were looking for me on the ISS, all you had to do was follow the music. Alexander Gerst visited Wacken Open Air for the first time and – in front of thousands of metal fans – held a lecture on space Mission “Wacken“, completed: astronaut Alexander Gerst hit the Holy Ground for the first timeOut in space, no sounds are audible due to the vacuum. How about inside the space station? Gerst: (laughs) Very similar to Wacken! The noise level is relatively high, because ventilation has to run at all times since the air inside the station doesn’t just circulate by itself. Warm air doesn’t rise up, because there is no up and no down. So the entire time, it is circulated via small ventilators. But you get used to that. In your downtime, do you like the calm or do you like it noisy? Gerst: A little bit of both! My parents were the fourth generation running a metal construction business. So I grew up around lots of noise and even worked there during vacations since I was 14: I built railings and stairs, I welded, drilled… I can do it all. So technically, you could help construct the stages here… Gerst: Totally. I know my way around tools like these. But back to your questions: I’ve realised that I need a little bit of both. I love going out into nature and going to sleep in a hostile environment at -40 degrees inside the tent. But I also enjoy getting a relaxing beer with my friends. Were you nervous or jittery when the rocket first launched? Gerst: Everyone knows the feeling of fear. That’s no different for astronauts, but that’s exactly why we train for all kinds of scenarios. But I have to admit, the assignment here in Wacken makes me a little bit anxious. It’s daunting standing in front of a bunch of heavy metal fans for an hour while it rains, when they’re really here for the music. And have you ever camped at a proper festival before? Gerst: I’ve been to many festivals, like Dynamo Festival (editor’s note: in the Netherlands, ended 2005). That was cool, really intense, rather muddy, too. And I’ve been to Rock am Ring a couple of times – and always camped there as well. Until my buddies invented tent-surfing. Not the brightest idea, because after that, I was left without a tent. After his lecture, the astronaut took a selfie with some fansby Katharina Metag ince March, Rabea Rogge has heard this question countless times: How does it feel to be the first German woman in space? “Whether that makes me a role model is for others to decide,” says the Berlin native, before adding a phrase she has repeated many times since then: “Success is a mixture of preparation and luck.” Luckily, she met Bitcoin billionaire Chun Wang dur- ing a training expedition to Spitsbergen. He financed the private mission “Fram2,” Ra- bea’s ticket to space. The rest was preparation. She trained for one year before the expe- dition. Ever since she led a satel- lite team during her stud- ies, Rabea Rogge knew she wanted to reach for the stars. But the 29-year-old doctoral student nev- er imagined it would happen this quickly. Her motto: “It’s okay to dream big.” The im- portant thing is not to be afraid of making mistakes, because “you learn from them very quickly.” Once in space, Ra- bea Rogge wanted to learn as much as possible. Especially how the human body be- haves in zero gravity. More than 20 experiments were carried out. The scientist even took the first X-ray in space: “If you get injured up there, your injury has to be properly diagnosed so it can be treated correctly. Muscles atrophy and bones break more easily,” she explains. Rabea Rogge is an electrical engineer, polar explorer and astronaut. She was the first German woman in space. With The Bullhead, she discussed why one whole year of Wacken would be great preparation for space, what it’s like to use the bathroom in the Arctic and which song she was listening to before lift-off „ ’ “ In March, the astronaut took part in mission “Fram2”A funny video on her so- cials documents how the as- tronaut and her coworker flap their arms like chickens to draw blood. Because blood does not simply flow out in zero gravity, they are using centrifugal force. The sam- ples provide vital data for future missions. “We don’t know what questions we hav- en’t asked yet.” : “ ” The extreme curiosity and joy with which the scientist ap- proaches her work is emblem- atic of her entire research mission. “For the most part, I just had fun,” she says. The launch was an absolute roller coast- er ride. “On the way to the launch pad, the last song we listened to was ‘Wherever I May Roam’ by Metallica.” You see, Rabea Rogge’s vis- it to W:O:A is no coincidence: the astronaut is a huge metal fan and prefers progressive metal, like her current fa- vourite band Opeth. “It allows me to let loose or calm down. Works both ways,” says Rog- ge. Music naturally also played a role in the mission. “When changing orbits, you can hear the thrusters burning. We even made a little synth song out of it, which I’m planning to release.” Their group chose Led Zep- pelin’s “Immigrant Song” as their crew anthem. Because the team is international and because it establishes a con- nection to the Nordic region, of course. It also ties in with the name of the mission, which was derived from the Norwegian polar ship Fram. “, ’ ” The 29-year-old, who, by the way, is currently working on her doctorate in Trondheim, has plenty of festival experi- ence. “I went to Tons of Rock in Oslo, where the sun never sets. It’s so beautiful,” she en- thuses. For her Wacken debut, the researcher obviously wanted nothing less than an authentic experience. “If I’m here, I’m going to camp,” says the robotics researcher, who is no stranger to camping in extreme conditions, having spent nights at -25 degrees Celsius in the Arctic. With experiences like that, wading through ankle-deep mud at Wacken is hardly a challenge. “When I look at this mud fest, it’s about a 5 on a 1 to 10 scale of extremes.” The only thing more challenging than the festival Portaloo on the campground is going to the bathroom in the Arc- tic. “You just have to be very quick. If you take too long, things freeze. So you become very efficient.” Vacations in the tradition- al sense, such as staying at a hotel or going to the beach, are not an appealing option for Rabea Rogge. “I typically plan my trips to be very ac- tion-packed. This is what I enjoy the most. When I finish a multi-day bike tour, I feel great.” The 29-year-old’s next big dream seems just as extreme. “I want to cross Greenland on skis in 30 days,” she says, adding, “I hope to be able to pass on my optimism about the future. If we can build an autonomous spacecraft, we can do anything.” Credits: WOA, Space-X At W:O:A, Rabea Rogge is camping: “One year of Wacken would be great preparation for space“ A pro at horns: in her personal life, the scientist is a passionate metalhead On Maschine’s Late Night Show, Rabea Rogge details her researchMore than a smokescreen: the Wasteland Warriors Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner open the Infield The “burning” Infield Bang, boom, beautiful! On Wednesday, the hordes of W:O:A braved the mud to properly celebrate the opening of their favourite festival f course, Wednesday had more in store than just continuous rain and ever-growing pud- dles of mud.The day was all about the opening of the Infield: With bursts of colour and pyrotechnics, the holy gates to the loudest field in the world swung open at ex- actly 3:45pm. Alongside the Wasteland Warriors and their colourful smoke bombs, you metalheads stormed the ground in front of the two main stages, where Wack- en bosses Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner wel- comed you with the support of American cello player Tina Guo. Kicking things off with a giant mosh pit were WindRose. Wearing their dwarf garbs, the Tolkien fans surprised the audience with a visit from Saltatio Mortis’s Alea. At the Landgasthof, the Reimann family set up shop to chat about their lives. Manu, the female half of the beloved German reality TV couple, was especially excited about their visit to Wacken, being a huge Guns N’ Roses and festival fan. Her husband Konny isn’t as into screaming and shouting: “It has to be me- lodic.”Apocalyptica had him covered in the early hours of the evening, while Japanese rising stars Hanabie struck much heavier chords. As an epic end to the first day, Sal- tatio Mor- tis delivered a killer show, with fronter Alea noncha- lantly floating across the stage with the help of wires. He also sailed across the sea of metalheads in a Vi- king boat and per- sonally led a circle pit in the audience. Mudtastic!Lita Ford is rocking harder than ever at 66 years old Wind Rose kicked off the Infield shows on the Faster stage A “Holy Diver” on the Holy Ground Hanabie can’t believe the crowd size A sustainable painting for charity – part of the project: Saltatio Mortis and Bembel With Care Apocalyptica are enjoying the rain Rage’s singer Peavy Wagner chose actor Ralf Richter to read from his biography “Soundchaser” Konny and Manu Reimann are opening up to a packed Landgasthof Alea (Saltatio Mortis) and his Viking ship ride the wave of metalheads The Dogma nuns are rocking up a stormWith this performance by Guns N’ Roses, a decades-long dream has come to fruition for the festival organisers. They are celebrating this evening with their closest friends, family and the fans by Andrea Leim t is 8:15 p.m. when the floodlights around the Faster Stage slowly dim. Michael Schenker has just played his last song and left the stage. The field is cov- ered in dark, thick mud, and fog machines fill the air with white smoke. The audience wades through the slippery terrain and gathers in front of the Harder Stage, seeming- ly in full attendance. Then: a distinctive guitar riff. The first notes of “Welcome To The Jungle“ drift across the grounds – and a dream that has endured for over 30 years becomes reality. For thou- sands of metal fans, but es- pecially for three long-time friends from Wacken. Holger, Gösi, Thomas. To- gether, they are standing on the balcony of the Infield box, looking towards the main stage, watching and listening as their greatest childhood dream comes true. All three of them first heard the hit song “Welcome To The Jungle” in the late 1980s in Gösi’s basement rehearsal room. At their ever-growing festival in their home village, Holg- er and Thomas even named a stage after the US rockers’ song. “I’ve been a fan from the very beginning and have ac- companied the band through all their ups and downs,” says Holger. “In 1992, we chartered a bus with several friends and travelled to Han- over for their first stadium show. A year later, they played in Bremen and we were there again, of course. And we were right there in the front row.” On Thursday evening, the three of them are reunited, watching the stage – not from the front row, “we want to leave that to the festival-go- Axl Rose and his band delivered an awesome show that lasted more than three hours and contained 31 songs Holger, Gösi and Thomas watching the Guns N’ Roses show in Wackeners,” says Holger. However, the two festival directors can’t miss seeing the Gunners from the audience’s perspective. So they set off together and walk to the FOH, where the sound engineers are working. “The sound is incredible here,” says Thomas enthusiastically. He spontaneously decides to venture further into the crowd and stays there for the rest of the concert. Meanwhile, Gösi is watch- ing on fondly from the bal- cony: “I’ve travelled halfway around the world with Holg- er to see shows. We were just in Aarhus together, and now Guns N’ Roses are really here. It’s just awesome.” It was indeed! Axl, Slash, Duff and their band played an unforgettable three-hour concert on the Holy Ground. For thou- sands of metal fans, but especially for three long- time friends from Wacken. Fotos: Guns N’ Roses, Andrea Leim Axl and Duff in front of the massive crowd Slash during one of his incomparable solos Holger and Thomas enjoying the Infieldby Christof Leim years and count- ing: Phil Collen has been with Def Leppard longer than most people hold a job. That’s due in part to the fact that the 67-year- old makes a habit of staying in best shape, both physically and musically. His constant search for new music and new places to discover has led him and his band across the globe. Wherever they are, their friendship and love for the music keep them grounded. Sounds like the per- fect guests for W:O:A! You’ve been with DefLeppard für 43years now. Impressive! Phil Collen: Thank you. Someone told me “Congratulations!” the other day. I asked, “What happened?” They told me, and I went, “What, 43 years?” So, no going back to your day job anymore? Phil Collen: No. I worked at a burglar alarm factory. I would wire burglar alarms, but I’m colour-blind. I got really good at soldering. Then years later, I tried to solder a guitar pickup, and I’d forgotten everything I’d ever learned about soldering. So indeed: no going back. Wait, you’re colour- blind? So now there are a couple of hundred alarms in London from the ‘80s that are probably not functioning? Phil Collen: Absolutely. (laughs) Rock’n’Roll is not exactly known for job stability, so 43 years in the same band is a big feat. What still excites you about playing live, with the same band, no less? “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Photograph”, “Rock Of Ages”: Pretty much every rocker under the sun knows these tunes by Brit hard-rockers Def Leppard. And for good reason – they slap. In 2026, the UK legends will play the Holy Ground for the very first time. To The Bullhead, guitarist Phil Collen reveals how the band keep things interesting after all this time, and how Def Leppard will convert the masses at Wacken A force on his guitar and in life: at 67, Phil Collen remains young at heartPhil Collen: I had no plan B. I didn’t do that great at school, and when I left, I worked in a factory because there was no alternative. I wanted to play guitar. That’s all I’ve ever known or wanted to do. There’s still excitement in that. We also consider ourselves artists rather than musicians. We don’t have to put out new music, but I still record new ideas on my phone every day. Joe (editor’s note: Elliott, lead singer) and I share ideas constantly. It’s the reason we do it. Things also get harder. The landscape changes alongside the industry and the world, and we don’t get any younger. Then there are special moments: We just played in Ottawa, Canada, and we had Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine join us for a jam. It was amazing, we’d never played with him live. And all of these things just keep it special. This drive for artistic expression and doing what you love, has it ever wavered? Phil Collen: Oh, it wavers now and again. Absolutely. But that’s just a bit of complaining, because we do get on really well. We share one dressing room. Other bands come in and ask us why we’re all together, but that’s what we’ve always done. We laugh, we like each other’s company. We’re in a constant state of arrested development, we’re still 12 years old, but in grown men’s bodies. Many others don’t have that. We’re in a really fortunate position. Sounds like a field trip with your mates… Phil Collen: It feels like one. When we did the Mötley Crüe tour, they got into our frame of mind. We had one giant jumbo jet, and all the equipment was in there, both road crews, both bands. It was like being at But we just went on and did our thing. We bring “us” to the masses, whoever the masses happen to be. What was the first festival you went to? Phil Collen: My first festival was when I was 22 or 23. I was in the band Girl and we played Reading Festival in the UK. In fact, Def Leppard played the next night! But I never went to any open airs on my own before that because I was still too young. So you’ve never survived on canned ravioli and beer? Phil Collen: I’ve lived on beer and out of a can, but not at a festival. (laughs) What excites you musically these days? Phil Collen: Without sounding old: I listen to a lot of new music, and I listen to everything. EDM, pop, R’n’B, hip hop, modern stuff. And I’m still waiting to hear what someone like Prince had – just someone who’s on another level. And I’m struggling to find it. I think there was a different motivation for being an artist back in the day. Now, it’s turned into a business agenda. Everything is about likes, YouTube, TikTok. Prince, Led Zeppelin when they first started, Sly & the Family Stone – they were incredible. Now everything sounds sanitised, clean. I’m waiting to hear a rock band that really, really excites me. I hear little snippets here and there, but I want to hear the next Nirvana or the next Zeppelin. Can you do me a favour? If you hear anything that excites you and is different, please send it to me! I’m constantly looking. school, only you’re up in the air. It was so much fun. You’ve basically played everywhere. Is it still exciting to play new cities and new events like Wacken Open Air, where you haven’t been before? Phil Collen: It is. I’m really looking forward to brand new places. I’ve never been to Machu Picchu, which I want to do. There’s Angkor Wat and other temples. You go and do a new festival and experience new energy in a different country, a different place. It’s pretty cool. You will be playing at a metal festival that might have a very heavy act going on before you. What’s the attitude of a melodic hard rock band like DefLeppard towards that? Phil Collen: We are what we are. We’re actually proud of it. So wherever we’re playing, we get out there and do that. Usually, a lot of people relate. We did a festival the other day in the middle of nowhere in Canada. It was all country bands. We thought to ourselves, “Well, this is weird.” “’ , .” Although this picture suggests otherwise, Def Leppard is all about the music – and team spirit 43 years into his time with the band, Phil thinks their live harmonies are tighter than everNext >