FULL NAME: Martin Günter Flüge

BORN: July 2, 1973

BIRTHPLACE: St. Gallen, Switzerland

INSTRUMENTS: Drums, Mallets, Sounds, Piano, some Guitar and Recorder

JOBS PAST AND PRESENT: Now teaching drums and mallets and playing all kinds of concerts. In the past different temporary jobs such as mover, cleaning man or carpenter's assistant. First money received for playing music was in an old people's home at Xmas time (piano and violin): 50 Swiss francs and a hot meal!

MUSICAL TRAINING: Recorder and snare drum while in primary school; drums and piano lessons during college years; studies of classical percussion at the Musikhochschule Winterthur; Drummers Collective New York, post graduate studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.

OTHER BANDS: School bands (1989-93); QUERBEAT (1993-2000); BIRDLAND BIGBAND (1993-2002); DUZZE; various chamber music projects such as cello and percussion duo, percussion duo and quartet; and many more.

MUSICAL INFLUENCES: There are a lot . . . . I'm not sure who or what had the biggest influence on me. Classical music? New music? Jazz or rock? At least that's what I listened to and what I played myself as well. While playing and working with BEYOND THE FIELDS I developed a more powerful way of playing the drums (thanks to A. & M. Bollier!). Rudy, of course! All my teachers, thank you, too!

FIRST AND WORST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE: The first was probably with a recorder ensemble in primary school. The worst I remember was a practice performance on piano. I wanted to play from memory and it was really bad . . . . But there was a harp teacher present and she said, "The good musicians are always nervous . . . ."

FAVOURITE MUSICIANS: Everyone who tries to play with emphasis and emotion . . .

FIRST RECORD BOUGHT: BLUES MAX

FAVOURITE WRITERS/BOOKS: Usually the one I'm currently reading. Changing all the time. Today, October 14, 2003: Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama.

FAVOURITE MEAL: Everything that has no melon in it.

LIKES: Music, being with my family, being with my friends, holidays, . . .

DISLIKES: Stress, unkind and superficial people, melon, . . .

FAVOURITE BEYOND THE FIELDS SONGS: The more I play them the more I love them. At the moment I think The Falcon Lives and The Final Cut are going to be my favourites . . . No, to be honest, it's Just Like a Bird (not only because there are no drums in it) . . . or is it The Last Dance? . . . Don't worry, Martin, you're gonna find out some day . . .

. . . AND:

Keep smiling, people, and don't fight about things like money, land, influence or power!