Einstürzende Neubauten Is Almost 42
February 4, 2022 4:51 PM Subscribe
April 1, 2022 will mark 42 years since Einstürzende Neubauten first performed.
Developments since mykescipark’s epic 30th anniversay post: In 2012, Blixa made risotto. In 2014, they released Lament, a recording of “a new performance piece commissioned by the Flemish city of Diksmuide to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War in 1914.” In 2016, they released a Greatest Hits album and toured the year after. In 2018, they rereleased the 2005 limited edition fan-only release Grundstück. And in 2020, they released a new full album Alles in Allem (Q&A with Blixa), and videos for singles Ten Grand Goldie and the title track Alles in Allem. Later in the year they released a followup single La Guillotine de Magritte. Unfortunately the pandemic has forced the postponement of a planned 40th anniversary tour for the album until at least May 2022.
(Previously: TransTrans soundtrack; Blixa documentary; Blixa reading the Hornbach Catalog [links dead, sadly].)
Developments since mykescipark’s epic 30th anniversay post: In 2012, Blixa made risotto. In 2014, they released Lament, a recording of “a new performance piece commissioned by the Flemish city of Diksmuide to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War in 1914.” In 2016, they released a Greatest Hits album and toured the year after. In 2018, they rereleased the 2005 limited edition fan-only release Grundstück. And in 2020, they released a new full album Alles in Allem (Q&A with Blixa), and videos for singles Ten Grand Goldie and the title track Alles in Allem. Later in the year they released a followup single La Guillotine de Magritte. Unfortunately the pandemic has forced the postponement of a planned 40th anniversary tour for the album until at least May 2022.
(Previously: TransTrans soundtrack; Blixa documentary; Blixa reading the Hornbach Catalog [links dead, sadly].)
I saw them live at Myrtle Edwards Park in 1986.
posted by y2karl at 5:17 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by y2karl at 5:17 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Long time fan who has been blessed to see them twice.... so far
posted by djseafood at 5:18 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by djseafood at 5:18 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I saw them play in Portland in 1999 or so. It was amazing.
IIRC, the opening act was some kind of sideshow thing that featured performers tossing flaming batons to each other from across the room… on the floor (not the stage), surrounded by the audience standing way too close. But I was, uh, maybe not in the best shape to remember things, so I could be off base.
posted by liet at 5:26 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
IIRC, the opening act was some kind of sideshow thing that featured performers tossing flaming batons to each other from across the room… on the floor (not the stage), surrounded by the audience standing way too close. But I was, uh, maybe not in the best shape to remember things, so I could be off base.
posted by liet at 5:26 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Lucky enough to have seen them once in Houston in the late '90s. My friend Ralph called them "Ear-splittin' Noise-spoutin'"
posted by Grumpy old geek at 5:42 PM on February 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Grumpy old geek at 5:42 PM on February 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I went on an Einstürzende Neubauten bender last year after Alles in Allem released. I was into them in the Strategies Against Architecture days, when I was a teenager with much more hip music tastes than I have now. Then I sort of lost track of them. Alles in Allem was a revelation, so lyrical and removed from the harsh metal noise of their early works. I also like how the album is a love letter to Berlin, a city I miss being able to visit.
Blixa has aged nicely into a cool queer middle-aged uncle, particularly the Alles in Allem video. He's still got that shriek when he needs it, along with a wailing moan that echoes a string section really well. Unruh has a cool uncle thing going too, check out him jamming with some kids at a percussion installation.
Youtube is a great way to dive deep and broad through their performances, both studio and live. Among other things there's a full copy of Sogo Ishii's film of Halber Mensch (direct link to shriek) which has some really fantastic performances. It was nice to finally sit down and watch it without being stoned out of my mind.
I've always wondered, is one of the band connected to Armenia? Halber Mensch has the first track titled Armenia, there's also Nagorny Karabach which was released long before the recent short war there.
posted by Nelson at 5:43 PM on February 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
Blixa has aged nicely into a cool queer middle-aged uncle, particularly the Alles in Allem video. He's still got that shriek when he needs it, along with a wailing moan that echoes a string section really well. Unruh has a cool uncle thing going too, check out him jamming with some kids at a percussion installation.
Youtube is a great way to dive deep and broad through their performances, both studio and live. Among other things there's a full copy of Sogo Ishii's film of Halber Mensch (direct link to shriek) which has some really fantastic performances. It was nice to finally sit down and watch it without being stoned out of my mind.
I've always wondered, is one of the band connected to Armenia? Halber Mensch has the first track titled Armenia, there's also Nagorny Karabach which was released long before the recent short war there.
posted by Nelson at 5:43 PM on February 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
I introduced my wife to Einsturzende Neubauten by taking her to a concert in East Berlin in 2005. I still get points for that. Utterly amazing show; everyone in the audience was grinning ear to ear the whole time, including my wife.
posted by erniepan at 6:10 PM on February 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by erniepan at 6:10 PM on February 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Wow, i thought they were about 5 years older.
Somewhat related, Bill Burr had an interview with Al Jourgenson a few years back and said something like "ah, and you invented that uhhh.. industrial music, right?"
Al: "yep"
Me: "FUCK YOU AL YOU WERE DOING DISCO LOVE SONGS BEFORE YOU HEARD Einstürzende Neubauten!"
Happy Birthday, you music concrete-ists.
posted by lkc at 6:35 PM on February 4, 2022 [11 favorites]
Somewhat related, Bill Burr had an interview with Al Jourgenson a few years back and said something like "ah, and you invented that uhhh.. industrial music, right?"
Al: "yep"
Me: "FUCK YOU AL YOU WERE DOING DISCO LOVE SONGS BEFORE YOU HEARD Einstürzende Neubauten!"
Happy Birthday, you music concrete-ists.
posted by lkc at 6:35 PM on February 4, 2022 [11 favorites]
I saw them at 688 Club in Atlanta in...it had to be 1986. Maybe 1985. My memories are vague - I saw a lot of live music during that time of my life. However, I do remember the show being so loud that my nose bled. Well, maybe that didn't cause my nose to bleed, but that's how I've always described it. I always say they were the loudest band I've ever seen (Mogwai #2, GY!BE #3).
As I recall, the opening number had Blixa scraping trashcan lids across a sheet of metal. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen, and amazingly cool.
I have a lot of their older stuff on vinyl, but kind of lost track of them at some point. I should catch up again to see what they've been up to.
posted by ralan at 7:00 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
As I recall, the opening number had Blixa scraping trashcan lids across a sheet of metal. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen, and amazingly cool.
I have a lot of their older stuff on vinyl, but kind of lost track of them at some point. I should catch up again to see what they've been up to.
posted by ralan at 7:00 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
This post gives me that homey, cozy warm letherette feelings.
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 7:58 PM on February 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 7:58 PM on February 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
Saw them play a couple of years ago and they're still a great live act. Awesome collection of weird instruments in tow too. Highly recommended.
posted by bigZLiLk at 8:35 PM on February 4, 2022
posted by bigZLiLk at 8:35 PM on February 4, 2022
Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Einstürzende Neubauten on the Blue at once - was I supposed to do a post on the Swans or something and no one told me?
Einstürzende Neubauten's recent attempts at touring the US have been jinxed (between the visa issues that nixed the 30th anniversary tour and the pandemic hitting the Year of the Rat tour, I'm worried about what's going to happen the next time I try to see them.) But they were amazing when I saw them back in 2005-ish on a post-Perpetuum Mobile tour, with instruments straight out of the hardware store like an air compressor and some surprisingly tuneful PVC pipes. Definitely one of those bands that's kept evolving, with music from different eras remaining excellent, even if not always for the same reasons.
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 9:08 PM on February 4, 2022 [7 favorites]
Einstürzende Neubauten's recent attempts at touring the US have been jinxed (between the visa issues that nixed the 30th anniversary tour and the pandemic hitting the Year of the Rat tour, I'm worried about what's going to happen the next time I try to see them.) But they were amazing when I saw them back in 2005-ish on a post-Perpetuum Mobile tour, with instruments straight out of the hardware store like an air compressor and some surprisingly tuneful PVC pipes. Definitely one of those bands that's kept evolving, with music from different eras remaining excellent, even if not always for the same reasons.
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 9:08 PM on February 4, 2022 [7 favorites]
ShouldBeAnAskMeButWe'reHereAnywayFilter: what would people recommend as an entry drug to the band? Keep in mind that I've just started listening to Rammstein this past year. And how do you pronounce the band's name?
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:14 PM on February 4, 2022
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:14 PM on February 4, 2022
My German friend says it like this:
ein-SCHTUR-zen-duh NOY-bough-ten
(bough as in the bough of a tree)
posted by SoberHighland at 10:07 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
ein-SCHTUR-zen-duh NOY-bough-ten
(bough as in the bough of a tree)
posted by SoberHighland at 10:07 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
Halloween Jack -
Tabula Rasa (1993) is a very accessible album. Earlier albums are much more chaotic.
posted by djseafood at 10:14 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Tabula Rasa (1993) is a very accessible album. Earlier albums are much more chaotic.
posted by djseafood at 10:14 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think Halber Mensch is their definitive album. Accessibility is not the point.
posted by Nelson at 10:27 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 10:27 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I would agree on Halber Mensch, it's outstanding.
SoberHighland's pretty much got it on the pronunciation. The Umlaut "ü" in "stürzende" is close to the "y" in "myth".
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:05 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
SoberHighland's pretty much got it on the pronunciation. The Umlaut "ü" in "stürzende" is close to the "y" in "myth".
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:05 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
This Is a little robotic sounding but not bad.
Three vastly different songs...
Feurio!
Stella Maris
Yü gung
I'd say that "Ende Neu" is the most accessible album but it's all amazing. Though I may be biased since I'm one of those guys with the band's logo tattooed on his shoulder.
posted by cirhosis at 11:14 PM on February 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Three vastly different songs...
Feurio!
Stella Maris
Yü gung
I'd say that "Ende Neu" is the most accessible album but it's all amazing. Though I may be biased since I'm one of those guys with the band's logo tattooed on his shoulder.
posted by cirhosis at 11:14 PM on February 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
I got to roadie for them back in 2018 when they played at the Haven festival in Copenhagen. It was kind of amazing to watch them from backstage, even if sadly they ended their set early due to not wanting to be electrocuted by their own hand-made instruments in the rain.
posted by vernondalhart at 11:37 PM on February 4, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by vernondalhart at 11:37 PM on February 4, 2022 [10 favorites]
I saw them before battery powered drills and saws and blowers and grinders were a thing. I wonder what that show would have been like were those at hand. OTOH the sacrificial shopping cart would likely have to be plastic to make it a fair time travel so….
posted by drowsy at 3:07 AM on February 5, 2022
posted by drowsy at 3:07 AM on February 5, 2022
I saw them twice so far, once at the 9:30 club in DC in 1999 and once at the Paradise in Boston in 2004.
For each show, I paid for the ticket of someone who had never heard the band before, and said, "If you don't like it you don't have to pay me back."
In both cases, the person in question handed me my money on the way out of the show (after buying their albums at the merch table).
We were in Europe when they were touring a few years back, and it was our fate to always be one city off from where they were. Someday I will find a way to bring underpetticoatrule to a show.
posted by rednikki at 6:06 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
For each show, I paid for the ticket of someone who had never heard the band before, and said, "If you don't like it you don't have to pay me back."
In both cases, the person in question handed me my money on the way out of the show (after buying their albums at the merch table).
We were in Europe when they were touring a few years back, and it was our fate to always be one city off from where they were. Someday I will find a way to bring underpetticoatrule to a show.
posted by rednikki at 6:06 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Einstürzende Neubauten are really not my cup of tea, but I do love Stella Maris. That is all.
posted by hoyland at 6:47 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hoyland at 6:47 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Neubauten at New Music America/Montreal Musique Actuelles in 1990 was one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed. Not really into the recordings after 'Richterskala', but will always respect what they do. Personal favourite/desert island pick is 'Zeichnungen des Patienten O.T.' - such a sublime mix of tension, beauty, terror, poetry.
posted by remembrancer at 7:56 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by remembrancer at 7:56 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Thanks for picking up the torch, mubba!
Neubauten made their last two albums via Patreon, and it's been extraordinarily fun to watch them writing and producing in real-time. They've canceled or been denied visas for every U.S. tour I've had a chance to catch them on as an adult, so I've had to make do with getting oddball supporter videos at all hours: Blixa sharing recipes and cooking, Hacke making hairy rock-god moves, Unruh finding yet another thing to attach a compressor to ... all the while somehow failing to demystify just how and what it is they do. There is an ineffable quality to Neubauten that arrives so clearly from some other place. I get the raw appeal of the primal screams of their youth, but it has flowered into a musical language that only exists when they're in that space together. I can't express all they've brought to my time on the Penalty Planet. I hope we still get to make this post in another ten years.
posted by mykescipark at 10:40 AM on February 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Neubauten made their last two albums via Patreon, and it's been extraordinarily fun to watch them writing and producing in real-time. They've canceled or been denied visas for every U.S. tour I've had a chance to catch them on as an adult, so I've had to make do with getting oddball supporter videos at all hours: Blixa sharing recipes and cooking, Hacke making hairy rock-god moves, Unruh finding yet another thing to attach a compressor to ... all the while somehow failing to demystify just how and what it is they do. There is an ineffable quality to Neubauten that arrives so clearly from some other place. I get the raw appeal of the primal screams of their youth, but it has flowered into a musical language that only exists when they're in that space together. I can't express all they've brought to my time on the Penalty Planet. I hope we still get to make this post in another ten years.
posted by mykescipark at 10:40 AM on February 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
(Also, if you haven't watched Desolation Center, the amazing documentary about early '80s SoCal desert freakouts, there's priceless footage of the band and a hilarious cameo from Blixa.)
posted by mykescipark at 10:45 AM on February 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by mykescipark at 10:45 AM on February 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
I quite enjoyed their live concert videos. But the one time I saw them in real life on an early tour, they had serious sound problems and Blixa seemed fairly ill. I assumed it was an off night.
They did create my personal favourite and one of the coolest music videos of all time: Blume, which featured Intonarumori props.
posted by ovvl at 11:33 AM on February 5, 2022
They did create my personal favourite and one of the coolest music videos of all time: Blume, which featured Intonarumori props.
posted by ovvl at 11:33 AM on February 5, 2022
I know I've seen them live, though I can't remember where or when (circa Tabula Rasa?), or even which city. I do remember they were absolutely as great as I'd hoped they would be.
posted by Hogshead at 12:14 PM on February 5, 2022
posted by Hogshead at 12:14 PM on February 5, 2022
I saw Einstürzende Neubauten at Club DV8 in San Francisco playing before a SRL show. Looking back probably the best two performances I've seen in one night. I also saw Blixa playing with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds at the I-Beam. I was underage and was able to sneak into both shows. Ah the good old days.
posted by jackmakrl at 1:26 PM on February 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by jackmakrl at 1:26 PM on February 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Ironically, that one time that I saw The Bad Seeds in concert, they also had some stage audio issues. The moral of this story is: don't get Blixa and me in the same room together. No reflection on him, he's a talented artist.
posted by ovvl at 3:36 PM on February 5, 2022
posted by ovvl at 3:36 PM on February 5, 2022
>> ShouldBeAnAskMeButWe'reHereAnywayFilter: what would people recommend as an entry drug to the band? Keep in mind that I've just started listening to Rammstein this past year. And how do you pronounce the band's name?
> I'd say that "Ende Neu" is the most accessible album but it's all amazing. Though I may be biased since I'm one of those guys with the band's logo tattooed on his shoulder.
Yeah, I don't disagree - I think in part it's something of an inflection point between the earlier sublime chaos and their more motorik-inflected work this millennium.
And as for pronouncing the name, some of the vowels don't have great English equivalents, but I'd go for ine-SHTUR-tsen-deh NOY-bow-ten (where "ine" rhymes with "wine", "bow" is the vowel in "bow down" and the vowel in "shtur" is furthest off from the German pronunciation - though I think in American English "myth" (suggested above) is a little off in the other direction, too close to a short I? "Clearly time to learn IPA so that I can be more precise about this shit.")
> (Also, if you haven't watched Desolation Center, the amazing documentary about early '80s SoCal desert freakouts, there's priceless footage of the band and a hilarious cameo from Blixa.)
Oh hey, I hadn't but that is relevant to my interests!
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 4:36 PM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
> I'd say that "Ende Neu" is the most accessible album but it's all amazing. Though I may be biased since I'm one of those guys with the band's logo tattooed on his shoulder.
Yeah, I don't disagree - I think in part it's something of an inflection point between the earlier sublime chaos and their more motorik-inflected work this millennium.
And as for pronouncing the name, some of the vowels don't have great English equivalents, but I'd go for ine-SHTUR-tsen-deh NOY-bow-ten (where "ine" rhymes with "wine", "bow" is the vowel in "bow down" and the vowel in "shtur" is furthest off from the German pronunciation - though I think in American English "myth" (suggested above) is a little off in the other direction, too close to a short I? "Clearly time to learn IPA so that I can be more precise about this shit.")
> (Also, if you haven't watched Desolation Center, the amazing documentary about early '80s SoCal desert freakouts, there's priceless footage of the band and a hilarious cameo from Blixa.)
Oh hey, I hadn't but that is relevant to my interests!
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 4:36 PM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Huge huge fan but I've only seen them once live. San Francisco, don't remember the venue, 1986 or '87? When it came time for an encore, Blixa asked the audience, "Well, what do you want us to play? (someone requests Letzes Biest Am Himmel which is a relatively quiet song compared with the rest of the evening's fare) OK, we play that one, but psst!"
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 5:48 PM on February 5, 2022
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 5:48 PM on February 5, 2022
Liked Tabula Rasa, am considering either Halber Mensch or Ende Neu next.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:02 PM on February 5, 2022
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:02 PM on February 5, 2022
Joining in to say one of my favorite bands, saw them live ~2005 on the Perpetual Mobile tour—was completely shocked that they made it to the US and were performing in a very small club in Boston. Was supposed to see them in 2020 again, paid extra to be on the floor near the stage, and then Covid. Hoping they'll come back in less than the 15-years between those gigs.
And I'd give that album a good listen. Plenty of excellent tracks, the title song is epic, Dead Friends Around the Corner, Youme & MeYou, Selbspotraet mit Kater. Finally, just love this live performance from 2011.
posted by grimley at 1:16 PM on February 6, 2022
And I'd give that album a good listen. Plenty of excellent tracks, the title song is epic, Dead Friends Around the Corner, Youme & MeYou, Selbspotraet mit Kater. Finally, just love this live performance from 2011.
posted by grimley at 1:16 PM on February 6, 2022
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Happy 40th!
posted by Otherwise at 5:12 PM on February 4, 2022 [3 favorites]