When they walked off stage, the mood was buzzing. “We had the perfect breakfast of the year,” they joke. “People were awake, present, and there was positive aggression everywhere.” For guitarist Tim, the local crowd made the moment even sweeter. “Everybody in the city knows me as a club bouncer,” he laughs. “Now they finally find out that I’m a musician. They didn’t expect this from me.” Playing at a metal festival also meant stepping out of their comfort zone. “That’s the advantage here — metal people usually think, ‘that’s a hardcore band, I’m not gonna listen to them,’ but today they might check us out. You reach a new crowd.”

Their setlist was a nod to the band’s history, celebrating their 2 decade anniversary with songs that go back twenty years — but many were still new to some in the audience. “People want to hear the hits,” Hans admits, smiling. But for Whatever It Takes, it’s never been about nostalgia or perfection. It’s about connection. “The main thing is that live vibe — nothing can match it. That’s why we do this, not to record albums.” Hans still loves jumping into the pit, handing the mic to fans. “That’s when I’m happy,” he says. “It’s about that energy, that moment. You need to smell them, taste them a little bit.”

The story of Whatever It Takes started back in 2003 — quite literally as a joke. Formed from members of different local bands, the project began without expectations. “It was just fun. Pure, natural ingredients,” they say. A demo soon landed them a split CD with U.S. band King of Clubs and two European tours. “We started from nothing and it just went up. No plan, just flow.”

Two decades later, that mindset hasn’t changed much. “The main thing was having fun, and it’s still that way,” Hans says. They’ve never taken themselves too seriously, especially when it comes to success. “If you think you’re gonna earn a lot of money playing metal, you must be a DJ,” Tim laughs. “Most metal guys, even the famous ones, come home from tour and go back to a shitty job.” That working-class honesty defines them. “I actually hate rockstars,” Tim admits. “The big names I’ve met through work are normal guys — it’s the new ‘hottest in town’ ones who start acting like stars. And mostly, they suck.”

To them, being in a band is about unity. “You lose it when you start thinking you’re above the crowd. We’re one of them. It’s one family — we give them a good time, they give us a good time.” They play for the everyday people, not the privileged few. “It’s the weekend — have a good time, find some positive energy. Life’s not easy in 2025; everything’s expensive, there’s a lot of shit going on. Everybody needs that outlet.”

That awareness is seeping into their new material. The band is currently working on their next album, recorded under Beatdown Hardware Records (Germany), with plans to release it near the end of the year. “Before, we started the band as a joke,” Tim grins. “Some of the early lyrics I wrote in two hours while high — and now I have to sing them twenty years later. But this new record is different. It’s time to speak up.” Expect sharper, more politically charged lyrics — a return to hardcore punk’s activist roots. “There’s so much going on in the world. Somebody needs to tell them to stop this foolish bullshit. We can’t change everything, but we can speak out.” Despite the frustration, they remain hopeful. “It starts with yourself,” Tim says. “Stick to your roots, respect that, and you’ll have a better world.” For them, music is both therapy and resistance: “You can get someone depressed in fifteen minutes, but you can’t make them happy in fifteen. Music is energy — it helps.”

Though widely labeled as hardcore, Whatever It Takes sees themselves as more than that. “Our drummer only listens to death metal, our bass player runs a hip-hop studio. He brings groove into the band. You have to believe that in every genre there’s quality.” What matters most is sincerity: “As long as it’s made with heart and soul, as long as it’s real, that’s all that counts.”

Looking ahead, the band hopes their festival set opens new doors. “You can reach people who normally wouldn’t come to your show — that’s the coolest thing about it,” they say. And with a grin: “Hopefully some of the metal guys will also appreciate Whatever It Takes.”

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