Stephan Lill

Birthday:
November 30th 1968 in Eitorf, Germany.

Guitars:
TTM Supershop Devastator
Gibson Les Paul Studio (winered, VP, tuning: Eb)
Gibson Les Paul Custom (black, VP, tuning:Eb)
Epiphone Les Paul Custom (white, Theatre, tuning: 440 hz)
Peavey Vandenberg Quilt Top (winered, VP, tuning: Eb)
Peavey V-Type Custom (purple, VP, tuning: Eb)
Ibanez Custom USA (petrol, Theatre, tuning: 443 hz)
Ibanez RG 570 (yellow, Theatre, tuning: 440 hz)
Ibanez RG 550 (red, Theatre, tuning: 443 hz)
Yamaha Pacifica USA Custom 2 (natural, VP, tuning: 440 hz)
Yamaha Pacifia 812 D (natural, VP, tuning: Eb)
Yamaha Pacifia 812 D (natural, VP, tuning: D)
Yamaha Drop 6 (black, VP, tuning: Bb)
Yamaha APX 10 A (Western, natural, VP, tuning: Eb)
Yamaha DW 4 (Western, natural, VP, tuning: Eb)
Yamaha GC-31 (Acoustic, natural, VP, tuning: Eb)

Amps, cabinets and effects:
Engl Special Edition Preamp E 570
Engl Tube Poweramp E 840/50
Engl Cabinet 4x12" Pro Cabinet E 412 VS
Peavey 4x12 stereo Box
Korg Multieffect AM 8000 R
Sennheiser Wireless

Favourite bands:
Blue Murder, Christina Aguilera, In Flames, (early) Metallica, Dream Theater, Slipknot, Ill Nino

Favourite Vanden Plas song:
Postcard To God

When did you learn to play guitar, and do you have any other hidden talents?
I started to play guitar when I was 13 years old. In the beginning I took some lessons, but I´ve never had a real teacher. I learned a lot by listening to LPs (those were the times !), looking videos (George Lynch, Vinnie Moore,...) and reading books.

What was your first band?
My first band was ..... Vanden Plas. I joined them when I was 16 years old.

What was the first song you learned to play?
As far as I can remember it was "TNT" from AC/DC.

Have you been in any other bands?
In 1997 me and my brother founded a band called "Headsox" together two other musicians from the K-town area. But this was just for fun. We were just covering songs in the crossover-style from bands like Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Clawfinger, Rage Against The Machine etc.

What side projects if any have you done?
Since 1992 the whole band is involved in several theater productions like "Jesus Christ Superstar", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Little Shop of Horrors", "Evita", "Nostradamus" and "Abydos". Besides that I played in a band called "Consortium Project", the side project of the Elegy vocalist Ian Parry. I was also involved in the songwriting for a rock musical called "Missa Mercuria".

What do you like to do when you get time away from Vanden Plas?
Vanden Plas and the engagements at the theater take a lot of time. So besides that, I try to practise guitar.

What other bands influenced you?
The bands I listened to when I was young: Iron Maiden, Dokken, Whitesnake, House Of Lords, Queensryche, Judas Priest and AC/DC.

What bands would you like to tour with in the future?
I would like to tour with Blue Murder/Thin Lizzy because I´m a big fan of John Sykes.

What bands or artists would you like to do side projects with in the future?
Hard to say, because there are so many great musicians I really like.

Are there any bands you would like to see reunite?
A real reunion? No. But I wish Whitesnake would record "Slip of the Tongue" again with John Sykes on guitars.