Rammstein is not a subtle band (NSFW)

September 19, 2009 12:58 PM

Rammstein's Pussy(video, really NSFW, SLnYT) gets right to the point. Youtube has taken down uploads. Facebook has taken down links (though not Links). Here's a fan-created censored version (NSFW lyrics).

Contrast Pussy with their earlier work, Keine Lust, in which they parody themselves as old, fat, and sexless (until they rock, of course). Are they intentionally following a route blazed by Spinal Tap?

Pussy is not the band's first controversial video. Their cover of Depeche Mode's Stripped used footage from Leni Riefenstahl's 1936 Olympics documentary, Olympia (including the beautiful diving sequence). When asked whether it was wise to base their video on a film commissioned by Hitler, the band said that they are not Nazis.

posted by zippy (171 comments total)

Somebody took Adult Swim's Metalocalypse waaaaay too seriously.
posted by rokusan at 1:02 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

It's not a bad song musically. It's probably one of the better songs I've heard about sex.

It's also substantially less cocky (no pun intended) than most songs about sex.
posted by LSK at 1:03 PM on September 19

I am shocked by this shock video.
posted by Nelson at 1:06 PM on September 19

As a long-time Rammstein fan, I greatly fear that they might've jumped the shark with this one.
posted by zer0render at 1:08 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

What do you mean that Facebook has taken down links? I first found this video yesterday through a link my cousin shared on Facebook, and that link is still there..

Apparently the band is used to such risqueness, as apparently they got kicked out of a venue they were performing in in Worcester, MA after simulating anal sex on stage. Fun stuff.
posted by The Biggest Dreamer at 1:09 PM on September 19

as apparently they got kicked out of a venue they were performing in in Worcester, MA after simulating anal sex on stage. Fun stuff.

...and I forgot the whole infamous theatrics for Bück Dich. Fun stuff indeed.
posted by zer0render at 1:12 PM on September 19

wow. pussy.
posted by shockingbluamp at 1:14 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Du Hast was a pretty good song.

Paul van Dyk did a pretty good remix of Ich Will.

I dunno about this.. it sounds like a lame retread of 80s goth/industrial. And the shoutout to Germany is pretty lame.
posted by empath at 1:14 PM on September 19

Rammstein's still around? Who knew?
posted by Caduceus at 1:16 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Something for the ladies and 10% of the men.

Rammstein: Mann Gegen Mann (NSFW)
posted by The Whelk at 1:16 PM on September 19

Watched the video; can't figure out what it's about.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 1:18 PM on September 19

Why is Garth from Wayne's World in this video?
posted by jeffmik at 1:20 PM on September 19 [11 favorites has favorites]

Watched the video; can't figure out what it's about.

It's the story of some hacks and their flailing attempts at generating faux controversy to prop up ailing sales.
posted by Burhanistan at 1:22 PM on September 19 [11 favorites has favorites]

Just be thankful it wasn't a German scheisse porn. Or is that only available to members of the Rammstein fanclub?
posted by chillmost at 1:26 PM on September 19

..er könnte was großer sein.
posted by jouke at 1:27 PM on September 19

Anyone can become a self-parody; becoming a self-parody and having sex with porn stars at the same time takes genius. God, it must be so much fun to be in this band.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 1:29 PM on September 19 [24 favorites has favorites]

I've seen pornier.
posted by ersatzkat at 1:32 PM on September 19

And kittens for breakfast (the user, I mean) makes a marvelous point..
posted by ersatzkat at 1:33 PM on September 19

Great band a few years back, way way past it now. Mutter was a cracking album and some of their photoshoots and videos were very clever. This is just crap.
posted by fire&wings at 1:33 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

€
posted by sleslie at 1:33 PM on September 19

I've never liked Rammstein, but this amused me. yes they are hacks but: music video / porn crossover = original idea. No?
posted by yoHighness at 1:34 PM on September 19

He's complaining he can't get laid in Germany? DUDE.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:43 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

DO YOU LIKE SOME MAKING FUCK?
BERZERKER!
posted by Bageena at 1:45 PM on September 19 [50 favorites has favorites]

so that's what they sound like.
posted by fuzzypantalones at 1:46 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

This has been the inevitable outcome of rock ever since all we had was blues and jazz. One hundred years from now people will be amazed it took so long.
posted by idiopath at 1:46 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

The lyrics were funny in the "omg are these really professional musicians?" kind of way. didn't see the full hardcore with money shots ending coming (no pun intendend) but i guess i should have with the warning and all.
posted by djduckie at 1:49 PM on September 19

Well now... Actually a pretty decent song.

I don't get why he can say "quick" just fine, but can't get past the "dick-eh" thing. Weird.

As for shocking... Meh. If I saw it on MTV, it'd surprise me, but as a private release?
posted by pla at 1:50 PM on September 19

Porn videos usually includes nudity, graphic sex, and shitty music. Check, check, and check.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:50 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

Please tell me this is Germany's entry for the next Eurovision Song Contest. That would actually make me watch it.
posted by afx237vi at 1:54 PM on September 19 [21 favorites has favorites]

That was hilarious. I assume it's not meant to be taken seriously.
posted by SansPoint at 1:54 PM on September 19

More curious to me were all the mock-German verses, making me wonder if they were really German after all. Fahrvergnugen and bratwurst and achtung and all that.
posted by fungible at 1:55 PM on September 19

D: Laibach can’t seem to get Wat reviewed without silly comparisons to Rammstein. I’ve seen lots of arguments about Rammstein stealing elements from Laibach in the past, mostly concerning vocal style and even logo design. I’m curious of your reaction to this.

L: Laibach does not believe in originality and we don’t consider ourselves as sole authors and owners of our own ideas. Therefore, Rammstein could not “steal” much from us. They simply let themselves get inspired by our work, which is absolutely a legitimate process. We are glad that they made it. In a way, they have proven once again that a good “copy” can make more money on the market than the “original.” Anyhow, today we share the territory: Rammstein seem to be a kind of Laibach for adolescents and Laibach are Rammstein for “grown-ups.”

--Interview with Laibach
posted by edheil at 1:56 PM on September 19 [21 favorites has favorites]

I remember when I saw rammstein open for kmfdm back in 1997. As an angsty teenager it was cool to see the lead singer come out on fire. They've always been a shock band. I got an email from them for pussy the other day with the band members naked and with breasts and, of course, pussies.
posted by SirOmega at 1:56 PM on September 19

I just watched this video with my parents in the room. That was...... uncomfortable. i guess NSFW is also NSWPITR (not safe with parents in the room).
posted by Pendragon at 1:59 PM on September 19

Did he say "making fuck"?
posted by dr_dank at 1:59 PM on September 19 [4 favorites has favorites]

Unintentionally humorous but otherwise craptacular. I'm not surprised they enjoy only a modicum of fame outside of Euroland. Dodgy dodgy dodgy.
posted by Monkeymoo at 2:03 PM on September 19

Great viral.
Who could think they're still alive?
And today all the world is speaking about them.
Good job.
posted by Incense Man at 2:03 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Certainly not even close to their best.

Du Hast as empath said. As well Engel and perhaps Tier.
posted by storybored at 2:05 PM on September 19

Horrible horrible.

And telling us the names of the male "actors"? What the fuck--no one wants to know that. We want to know the name of the CEO chick.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 2:15 PM on September 19

Monkeymoo: "Unintentionally humorous"

They have always been self parody, it is not their fault if someone accidentally took them seriously along the way.
posted by idiopath at 2:17 PM on September 19 [6 favorites has favorites]

Originally read this as Rammstein's "Puppy" and then wondered why it was NSFW.
posted by HeroZero at 2:20 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

I always figured on Rammstein being a Laibach-lite for the boots-and-eyeliner set. This video was pretty funny in an Electric Six sort of a way though, I kept hoping Handsome Dick Manitoba would wander onto the set and bone some porn stars.

I've heard that people got out of wartorn countries in the 1990s using NSK/Laibach passports. That makes Laibach OK in my book (well, that and their unintentionally hilarious videos- no pussy, but tits in the first ten seconds).
posted by Monsters at 2:25 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

The lyrics were funny in the "omg are these really professional musicians?" kind of way.

It was like watching a Bizarro-world version of Yogi Yorgesson.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 2:32 PM on September 19

The Mann gegen mann video is conspicuously similar to Give me love Cerrone remix video. I guess there's something about naked people crawling under sprinklers that works on screen.
posted by Anything at 2:36 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Originally read this as Rammstein's "Puppy" and then wondered why it was NSFW.

Actually, that would have been a whole lot more NSFW.
posted by gurple at 2:41 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Blink 182 had porn stars in their video. They were also non-horrible musicians.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:55 PM on September 19

Rammstein: Ripping off "Kebabträume" since 1994.
posted by Sys Rq at 3:00 PM on September 19

Somedays I wish that Germans would just stop having sex.
posted by Avenger at 3:00 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

Was a bit too on the nose and tongue in cheek for me.
posted by shino-boy at 3:00 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Also, I haven't watched this video (yet...?), but I'm willing to bet it doesn't hold a candle to Skinny Puppy's Warlock.

Google that if you want nightmares for the rest of your life.
posted by Sys Rq at 3:04 PM on September 19

Wait, here's the thing I'm confused about: did they do some crazy sort of digital manipulation to substitute the band members' faces in on top of porn actors? What's up with the keyboard player wearing a wig and having breasts? Am I asking stupid questions that everyone else in this thread already knew the answer too?

I feel sorta like my mom right now, except my mom probably wouldn't watch this.
posted by dubitable at 3:05 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

Nazi metal finds its apotheosis. Gross.
posted by fourcheesemac at 3:19 PM on September 19

German bands always err on the side of pushing it too far, completely failing to appreciate the power of subletly. Then again, Germans always seem to push a lot of things too far.
posted by Daddy-O at 3:23 PM on September 19

Sys Rq: I'd rather watch the Nine Inch Nails video for "Happiness In Slavery"

Also I'm with Dubitable in my confusion. A former co-worker would listen to, and make me have to listen to Rammstein, and it drove me crazy. There is a lot about this band I don't care to know as I think they are just awful, but is this video "for real"?
posted by rainperimeter at 3:32 PM on September 19

Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who's worked with pretty much everyone from Madonna to Metallica (his most recent video was Lady Gaga's Paparazzi). A lot of his work is pretty edgy, but he usually cuts the moment before things get too explicit.

Wait, here's the thing I'm confused about

High-budget production with high-profile directors probably means "stunt actors" for the explicit parts (cf. pretty much any non-porn movie with explicit scenes).
posted by effbot at 3:32 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

Nazi metal finds its apotheosis. Gross.

Dude, what? That's just too ignorant to even answer seriously.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 3:33 PM on September 19 [5 favorites has favorites]

Then again, Germans always seem to push a lot of things too far.

That's what she said!




Sorry.
posted by brundlefly at 3:35 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

My favorite Rammstein video, by the way.... don't watch if you believe in angels.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 3:35 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Fahrvergnugen? Maybe it's an edgy new Volkswagen commercial.
posted by kirkaracha at 3:38 PM on September 19

I like Voltaire's take on Rammstein and their fans.

This video is funny, the song has a beat. It will go on the sex mix!
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 3:40 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

So, Gunther's into metal now?

Huh.
posted by felix betachat at 3:42 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

fourcheesemac: "Nazi metal finds its apotheosis. Gross."

I find that comment very insulting, since it either implies a tactless equivalence of "German" and "Nazi" (see also: Are Rammstein Nazis?) or that one of the most successful German bands is supposedly free to taint Germany's image by playing "Nazi metal" both within Germany and abroad with support or at least acquiescence from the general populace.
posted by PontifexPrimus at 3:46 PM on September 19 [8 favorites has favorites]

Rammstein is now safely ensconced in my musical hierarchy as Anti-Music, right up there with Insane Clown Posse. I'm really glad I can actually have proper nouns to describe the Worst Music Ever Recorded.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 3:48 PM on September 19

Be offended all you want. Any damn fool can read the symbolism in Rammstein's performances.
posted by fourcheesemac at 3:54 PM on September 19

Unintentionally humorous

One of the most self aware bands around.
posted by fire&wings at 3:56 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

Be offended all you want. Any damn fool can read the symbolism in Rammstein's performances.

Care to enlighten us non-"damn fools"?
posted by Sys Rq at 3:59 PM on September 19

Be offended all you want. Any damn fool can read the symbolism in Rammstein's performances.

Just, as it would seem, that any damn fool can take symbolism at face value and ignore all subtlety and humor.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 4:02 PM on September 19

rammstein is one of my guilty pleasures. some friends of mine talked me into going to a show about 10 years ago and it was FUCKING AWESOME.
posted by rmd1023 at 4:12 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

I think the comparison of Rammstein and Insane Clown Posse is quite clever.

Also, your favourite band sucks.
posted by Nelson at 4:15 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

> Be offended all you want. Any damn fool can read the symbolism in Rammstein's performances.

I don't see it. Example?
posted by cj_ at 4:28 PM on September 19

Certainly not up to the level of anything off of Sehnsucht or Mutter but then again critiquing this song is pretty much like bagging on Spinal Tap's "Sex Farm".
posted by MikeMc at 4:31 PM on September 19

I had a teacher in high school point out that one reason Liberace was so awesome was that he was so over the top - a real showman. Ya gotta take the volume to 11.

Video wasn't bad, I had the music turned way down though - listening to a football game.
posted by Xoebe at 4:32 PM on September 19

If I listen to the sound will this be any better than some cheap and sleazy porno?
posted by caddis at 4:35 PM on September 19

From wikipedia:

Back home in Germany, the band has faced repeated accusations of fascist sympathies because of the dark and sometimes militaristic imagery of their videos and concerts, including the use of excerpts from the film Olympia by Leni Riefenstahl in the video for the Depeche Mode song "Stripped".

Golly, who knew that Depeche Mode were secret Nazis too?
posted by blucevalo at 4:43 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

So basically, being a metal band while German makes you a Nazi.

Glad that's cleared up.
posted by cj_ at 4:49 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Blink 182 had porn stars in their video. They were also non-horrible musicians.

You're half right.

[Laibach's] unintentionally hilarious videos

That video is intentionally hilarious, though some of the hilarity may be lost on those who don't know the original version of the song they're covering.

And while we're trading saucy music videos, allow me to suggest A Screw, by Swans.
posted by DaDaDaDave at 4:49 PM on September 19

Blitzkreig mit dem fleischgehwehr.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
posted by phrontist at 4:51 PM on September 19

Way too similar to Rathergood.com looky-likey (I've no idea if they had anything to do with it, apologies if they didn't) I Like Bukkake (SLnYT NSFW/loud audio) - except ILB made me laugh.
posted by Dub at 4:56 PM on September 19

Directed by Jonas Åkerlund

Well go fucking figure. My stars, I do detest that man. He's just the definition of shock-hack, if that's an epithet. He makes me feel embarassed to be swedish, actually. No talent, no intelligence; all airs and no substance. Ooo, violence, ooo sex, to call him "edgy" is an insult to tables. Dra åt helvete Jonas och ta din jävla kamera med dig.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 4:57 PM on September 19 [13 favorites has favorites]

I agree completely with fourcheesemac. Also: Dixie Chicks are white supremacist KKK wannabe's.
posted by Pendragon at 4:58 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

This was way better than that Beyonce video.
posted by Stylus Happenstance at 5:03 PM on September 19 [22 favorites has favorites]

The audacity alone makes this video delightful.
posted by SocialAbortion at 5:06 PM on September 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

being a metal band while German makes you a Nazi

Well, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Shencker did face crimes-against-humanity charges for Blackout.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:09 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Germans always seem to push a lot of things too far.

Not like us restrained and demure Americans.
posted by edgeways at 5:10 PM on September 19 [7 favorites has favorites]

Herzeleid was a fantastic album, on which Asche zu Asche and Weisses Fleisch are two incredible tracks (the latter making for a ">great live performance in Live aus Berlin, too), even if the first time I heard them I thought it Laibach completely changed their sound. I got even more excited when I heard Heirete Mich on the Lost Highway soundtrack. But when Du hast started to get spammed on the radio it sorta wore me out, and I haven't really been listening to them since. I have to say, though, that I'm glad to see they're still recording. They're a hilarious act, and a real one-and-only. Probably for the better.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:11 PM on September 19

Wow, people getting freaked out by Rammstein. Someone roll me a coner and let's skip science class, because I feel like I'm back in high school....

Considering my mother is in her mid 50s, is fluent in german, and finds their lyrics to be pure comedy, I am fairly certain there's no real "controversy" here...

I've been listening to Rammstein since Herzeleid was released and have bought every album since then; they all have their own distinct edge to them, and their musicianship is first rate. (Seriously, see them live, they are extremely tight as a band and do an excellent stage show.) Best band ever; hardly; but certainly well-above the baseline for whatever they call "heavy" music these days.

Hint: if the subject matter bothers you, it was intentional. Thank you for feeding the monster.

AMERICAAAAAA!!! AMERICA IS WUNDERBAR! *head bangs*
posted by Dark Messiah at 5:12 PM on September 19 [4 favorites has favorites]

Sorry, here's the Weisses Fleisch performance. WARNING: Features rocket-powered boots and megatons of camp.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:13 PM on September 19

Relax, everybody.

(nsfw)
posted by Sys Rq at 5:13 PM on September 19

All the metal bands I like all have the same grand guignol quality to them that Rammstein seems to has. Big loud stupid show. As in spectacle.

That and, potential body-image issues aside, MANN GEGEN MANN is exactly what I would have been listening to if I was a gay loudandfastermusic loving kid in Germany rather than New Jersey. It makes being a gay bodybuilder sound like being a frikken vampire from hell or something, which is, of course, awesome.
posted by The Whelk at 5:13 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Wow.
posted by vibrotronica at 5:13 PM on September 19

Sys Rq, they had to cut that video like 15 times before all the anal sex jokes would fly on TV.


This has been your Stupid 80s Music Video Fact of the day, presented by The Whelk, your guide to the world of stupid facts.
posted by The Whelk at 5:14 PM on September 19

People seem to forget about Engel, from the Sehnsucht album. one of the only two tracks they've done entirely in English as well as German. That, I'd say, is one of my favourites of there entire song history. (Though, to be honest, the English version makes it obvious that the songs were not written in the language, and are better served in the native tongue.)
posted by Dark Messiah at 5:14 PM on September 19

Doghorse and Spongmonkeys aren't related. </aside>
posted by crataegus at 5:16 PM on September 19

Also I'm sure the Frankie Goes To Hollywood video was shot in the Astoria Club in London where I was once off my mind on those horrible little alcolpop-whatevers* and flaying around in a bouncy castle


* Oh alcoholic English boy who ditched me at midnight, what has become of you and your mouth full of smoke and overly sweet intoxicants?
posted by The Whelk at 5:17 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Well, they both started on b3ta, but two different people.
posted by crataegus at 5:17 PM on September 19

About what pla mentioned, how Tiller keeps saying "dick" like [dɨːkɘ], I guess I assumed it was some English-German wordplay, given how German "dicke" means "fat" or "thick."

Too much credit?
posted by adoarns at 5:25 PM on September 19

Might be worth noting that Buster Keaton appears for a few seconds in the midst of the Leni Riefenstahl footage in the "Stripped" video - at about 2:56, he appears as a coxswain. I think the footage is from College?
posted by with hidden noise at 5:32 PM on September 19

What's up with the keyboard player wearing a wig and having breasts?

Just wait and see the promo shot for the single cover (both NSFW, if you haven't guessed that from the thread so far).

Lead singer Till Lindemann is much less masculine than I'd imagine, following stories of on-stage pyrotechnics.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:36 PM on September 19

Nazi metal finds its apotheosis.

Rammstein are not Nazis, despite one reviewer calling their work "music to invade Poland by".

I'm no huge fun but like a few of their tunes. This song (and video) was just silly, which seems to be what they were after.
posted by bwg at 5:38 PM on September 19

"Nazi metal finds its apotheosis. Gross."

Yeah, this is one of the more blinkered ignorant things I've seen in a bit, and I'm not even a huge Rammstein fan. Defaulting 'German' to 'Nazi' is an incredibly offensive thing to say, and if said while in Germany would very likely get your ass kicked in many situations.
posted by FatherDagon at 5:39 PM on September 19

Rammstein finally does something without seeing Laibach do it first.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:45 PM on September 19 [4 favorites has favorites]

"Nazi metal finds its apotheosis. Gross."

Considering it appear about not being a Nazi and instead being accepting of each other, the concept, a member of the band Rammstein being unable to get casual sex in Germany is laughable, obviously this is a deft multi-layered parody

1) Music videos tend to be pornographic without the actual meat of it. This is actually graphic and explicit, rather than the pointless teasing, they went full on. However they obviously CG'd the band members into at lest some of the scenes.

2) The Music and Lyrics are very close to "The Bad Touch", this may be as close to "Funny" as Rammstein gets.

3) The Lyrics are about how it shouldn't matter who you are, we can all get along. Pop Will eat Itself did this with Ich Beine Eine Auslander (spelling?)

4) The Music is a clear Depeche Mode Parody.

They aren't known for subtle, they ARe known for political commentary, this really looks like it.

Also, did anyone else get the vibe that it is kind of an indictment of the "Hey I gotta dick/pussy; so get down" mentality some performers put out there? I dunno though the climax makes me think I have that wrong.

There is always the chance that they are just getting old and like singing songs to/about their dongs.
posted by NiteMayr at 5:53 PM on September 19

I should clarify, given the tone of this thread, that that's a joke and I like both Rammstein and Laibach.

Eins, zwei, drei, vier
Bruederchen, komm tanz mit mir!

posted by Pope Guilty at 5:53 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Can Rammstein please tour with Peaches? Please?
posted by Tesseractive at 5:54 PM on September 19 [10 favorites has favorites]

I guess there are some perks to being a rockstar after all:

"Let's have sex, famous pornstar lady!"

"No."

"How about if we have sex and film it for our band's new video, and make it really graphic so people will feel compelled to watch it when they hear about it."

"Sure, that sounds like fun."
posted by Ghidorah at 5:56 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Monocle Pop
posted by stresstwig at 6:00 PM on September 19 [5 favorites has favorites]

Blink 182 had porn stars in their video. They were also non-horrible musicians. posted by drjimmy11

One of those statements is complete nonsense. The other one contains the phrase "porn stars".
posted by signal at 6:10 PM on September 19 [11 favorites has favorites]

I never noticed before, but playing guitar looks a lot like masturbating.
posted by 0xdeadc0de at 6:21 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

to call him "edgy" is an insult to tables

I don't know if that is original or not. It's the first time I've ever encountered the phrase. But that is some awesome snark and I am totally stealing it. Kudos.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 7:01 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Nazi, schmatzi. What's newsworthy here is that someone finally figured out a way to make the Scorpions look classy.
posted by felix betachat at 7:35 PM on September 19 [6 favorites has favorites]

hat's up with the keyboard player wearing a wig and having breasts? Am I asking stupid questions that everyone else in this thread already knew the answer too?

Here's the wikipedia article on "Flake" the guy with the tits in the video. It doesn't say he's a transvestite, I think they would mention that.

That threw me a bit too.
posted by delmoi at 7:52 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Hooray!
posted by humannaire at 8:11 PM on September 19

crappy band
crappy song
crappy porn
this is not a good metafilter post
posted by caddis at 8:18 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't remember rammstein being that bad, but that was just fucking garbage all around.
posted by dead cousin ted at 8:18 PM on September 19

Oddly enough, I woke up this morning thinking that, hey, I've never actually seen any Rammstein penis and that's a shame. So, you know, mission accomplished!
posted by Justinian at 8:34 PM on September 19

Here's the wikipedia article on "Flake" the guy with the tits in the video. It doesn't say he's a transvestite, I think they would mention that.

That article do explain why he's playing one in the video, though:

In the band's performances and videos, Flake is often cast as the outsider of the group, possibly due to his relatively unusual presence as a keyboard player in a heavy metal group. This varies from playing the part of a scientific genius, aloof from the rest of the group, to playing a gimp role, to being left alone at the end of the "Keine Lust" video, and being bullied by the rest of the band, particularly Lindemann.

I'm still amazed (and amused) by the fact that so many MeFi:tes seem to think that anything in that video has anything to do with reality...

And I was tempted to write something about the Jante-fueled "to hell with you, fellow countryman for being successful without my permission" outrage we saw earlier, but then I realized that MetaFilter is powered by a minor variation of the same thing, so let's not go there today. And the Nazi stuff? WTF, MetaFilter?
posted by effbot at 8:50 PM on September 19

And the Nazi stuff? WTF, MetaFilter?

It was one user, and then a chorus of other users dressing him down for making an erroneous statement. What are you talking about?
posted by Burhanistan at 9:04 PM on September 19

Metafilter: one user, and then a chorus of other uses dressing him down.
posted by shen1138 at 9:10 PM on September 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

Rammstein is not a subtle good band.

Perhaps we should start posting pr0n to the blue now.
posted by caddis at 9:19 PM on September 19

caddis, we heard you the first time.
posted by empath at 9:55 PM on September 19

I only glanced, catching up after a long time away from MeFi

and I misread the original post as Einstein's Pussy.

Ow. My brain.
posted by SaharaRose at 10:20 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Looks like a low-key Genitorturers concert.
posted by Smedleyman at 10:37 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Originally read this as Rammstein's "Puppy" and then wondered why it was NSFW.

I hear this story from my my ex of some years ago, who was in law school at NYU at the time:

They had a guest lecturer from Germany one day, and no one really knew in advance what the topic was going to be. As the lecture began, the visiting professor kept talking about "ze evil puppy" and how "we must eradicate ze puppy".

Eventually the students gathered that the lecture was about heroin exports from Afghanistan, and the professor was really talking about "the poppy". Needless to say, the audience was still putting in great effort to stop themselves from laughing throughout the whole thing every time he said that, with varying degrees of success.
posted by wretched_rhapsody at 10:37 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Er, heard this story. Preview FAIL.
posted by wretched_rhapsody at 10:39 PM on September 19

I don't speak German, so I didn't get it.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:41 PM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Metafilter: Brautwurst in your sauerkraut.
posted by bardic at 11:44 PM on September 19

God damn it! My cable is still broken, my pizza is cold, and I can't get any work done because my boss keeps calling me into his office for meetings. Don't even get me started on the plumbing.
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:02 AM on September 20

And the Nazi stuff? WTF, MetaFilter?

It was one user, and then a chorus of other users dressing him down for making an erroneous statement. What are you talking about?

Perhaps they see it in context as a follow-on from the last puke-inducing "German=Nazi" thread from a few days ago.
posted by rodgerd at 12:07 AM on September 20

You have a Puss-ah,
I have a dick-ah


Pure genius.

How hard do you have to work to come up with a lyric that retarded?? I'm totally serious. Really, if it was so easy, how come like Bob Dylan or the Beatles never came up with it?

Huh...huh...huh??? Riddle me that one wise asses....

Yeah, that's right...
posted by Skygazer at 12:36 AM on September 20 [4 favorites has favorites]

Also: if I ever create a sockpuppet, "Fleischgehwehr" is a serious contender for the user name.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 1:09 AM on September 20

I just want to say that every time I hear or see the word "Twitter" I'm reminded of Zwitter and giggle a bit inside.

Also, yeah, if you're wondering if the bad lyrics are intentional, you need to listen to a complete album. They've been doing the "Here are some well-written songs, and here are some songs with simplistic shock lyrics to get us some play time" since forever. Te Quiero Puta, Rein Raus, Bueck Dich, Mann gegen Mann, and so on. Actually, if you pick a recent album you can get at least 3 completely distinct styles, one of them being the "shock slogan" one that sells albums.

As for the dick-e pronunciation meaning something in German, I was wondering that. Wordplay is a heavy element in their songs, so I bet this one's intentional too.
posted by qvantamon at 1:37 AM on September 20

Also, if you want authentic Faux Nazi music, you don't need to cross the Atlantic. There's Hanzel und Gretyl right here. But seriously, if you're calling any of these guys Nazi you missed Laibach's memo about ridiculing Nazism by being deadpan over-the-top Nazi.

Recapitulating:
Industrial Metal, comes from Germany or sings in German, Laibach cited as main influence - Over-the-top faux-nazi
Black Metal, Scandinavian or East European, likes looking badass and scaring children - Possibly neonazi.
Punk Rock, Britain, "Rock Against Communism" - Probably neonazi
Teen pop, Californian, cutesy twin teenage girls - Definitely nazi
posted by qvantamon at 1:57 AM on September 20 [2 favorites has favorites]

According to the tradepress, this latest stunt from Jonas Åkerlund is so over the top that Universal, Rammstein's music company, deny any involvement with the video and would rather that it hadn't hit the internet at all.
posted by dabitch at 2:11 AM on September 20

Germans using sex in a music video? Germans? Let me be the first to say W - T - F
posted by mattoxic at 3:12 AM on September 20

Life-affirming. Thank you Rammstein!
posted by Gamien Boffenburg at 3:27 AM on September 20

Okay, I have been up all night again, but I watched this anyway. I'm not really a fan but I don't consider them unlistenable, either, they're just not usually my thing.

First thought: Comparing this with a couple of the Korean girl-group videos posted recently? This one didn't end up feeling more exploitative or, well, pornographic, it just felt more *honest*.
posted by larkspur at 5:16 AM on September 20 [3 favorites has favorites]

I agree with larkspur.
posted by NiteMayr at 5:25 AM on September 20

So 1985 ...
posted by a non e mouse at 5:26 AM on September 20

rammstein = nazis*, blink 182 = musicians... two unintentional funnies in one thread!

* Yep! that time I saw Till pretend to fuck the keyboard guy in the arse in an arena full of people, all I could think of was "seig heil!"
posted by vanar sena at 5:31 AM on September 20

a non e mouse: "So 1985 ..."

You didn't finish the video, did you? Because you clearly missed the part where penises were inside mouths and vaginas.
posted by idiopath at 5:56 AM on September 20 [1 favorite has favorites]

Rammstein's now about a step and a half from being GWAR.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 6:25 AM on September 20

Rammstein's now about a step and a half from being GWAR.


What the world needs now, is GWAR, sweet GWAR.
posted by The Whelk at 8:11 AM on September 20 [9 favorites has favorites]

Emperor SnooKloze: "Rammstein's now about a step and a half from being GWAR."

Someone showed me this Rammstein concert video recently where the lead singer whips out a prosthetic dong from his pants and uses it to spray copious amounts of yellow fluid all over the front rows of the audience. Is that another of those steps closer to being GWAR? (I tried to find the video again and could not).
posted by idiopath at 8:31 AM on September 20

You mean this video?
posted by bwg at 8:52 AM on September 20 [1 favorite has favorites]

The truth about Snow White.
posted by homunculus at 10:33 AM on September 20 [1 favorite has favorites]

Lots of lady-doth-protest-too-much hating on fourcheesemac for the Nazi comment.

Get real guys. Rammstein have been making coy, transgressive nods to Nazi aesthetic since they've existed. It's not even subtle. On the other hand, this doesn't make them neo-Nazi, or anti-Semitic, or even assholes. It makes them artists and shock-rockers. (Not that I'm saying they are good artists. Oh, on the contrary.)

You don't have to throw a rock very far into mainstream entertainment to knock out someone else doing the same shit. Epecially into the metal/industrial/goth crowd. But outside of it is common as well. Most recently in Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds; but that's not surprising, Tarantino is mainstream Hollywood's transgressive shock-rocker.

... Oh alright... maybe it does make them assholes.
posted by dgaicun at 10:35 AM on September 20

NEEDS MOAR FLAMETHROWAR

no, seriously, not once did they say fich (or whatever _fuck_ is in German)?? And everybody is so well hung?? oookaaayy. thanks for playing.
posted by djrock3k at 10:48 AM on September 20

Rammstein have been making coy, transgressive nods to Nazi aesthetic since they've existed.

Nobody calls Ministry Nazis though (there was a better video on youtube some time back, where they were pretty clearly doing Nazi salutes on stage but it seems to have been removed).

These Neue Deutsche Haerte bands have been pulling this schtick for twenty years now and some of them may be Nazis, who knows? All I can say is when I see Rammstein in a video or live with their black leather and ambiguous sexuality and S&M and flamethrowers and rubber penises, I don't think Nazis, I think Rob Halford. The only reason others get a free pass and NDH bands don't seems to be because they're German.
posted by vanar sena at 11:06 AM on September 20 [8 favorites has favorites]

Facebook has taken down links

I thought I had evidence for this claim, but now I think I was mistaken. So I'd rather say:

"Youtube has taken down uploads, breaking links (though not Links)."
posted by zippy at 11:18 AM on September 20

Lots of lady-doth-protest-too-much hating on fourcheesemac for the Nazi comment.

Get real guys. Rammstein have been making coy, transgressive nods to Nazi aesthetic since they've existed.

Where I come from we call that "satire" and "parody". The stuff is blatantly over-the-top. Anyone who takes their schtick seriously wants to believe they're Nazis. Laibach used to get hit with the same charge in the 80s. Like vanar sena said, every other band in the world who does this schtick gets a free pass, but Rammstein doesn't, because they're German.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:24 AM on September 20

Well, that was more explicit than I was expecting, but hilarious. It appears to be a testament to how over the top most acts are that this doesn't hit some people as parody. How obvious do the jokes have to be?
Rammstein appears determined to find out.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:37 AM on September 20

Rammstein's now about a step and a half from being GWAR.

Above or below?
posted by zippy at 11:52 AM on September 20 [1 favorite has favorites]

The more I think about this video, the more I like it.

It's the perfect fuck-you to a ridiculous culture that will go to any lengths to protect the children by deciding that nudity must be abolished, but that nobody's really naked as long as you can't see their nipples.

What I love about this video is the way it starts off with all the usual conventions of western video: almost naked (BUT NO NIPPLES!) women fawning over rock stars. And then it just follows it through to its gruesomely logical conclusion.

If all the other music videos that featured lithe, gyrating, mostly-naked women were this honest, they too would end with the band members ejaculating all over the models while fixing the camera with shit-eating grins.
posted by bicyclefish at 2:34 PM on September 20 [8 favorites has favorites]

What bicyclefish said ^ It's great.
posted by anigbrowl at 3:54 PM on September 20

Rammstein's now about a step and a half from being GWAR.

I think they surpassed them a long time ago. Most people know the name of at least one Rammstein song.
posted by Dark Messiah at 4:28 PM on September 20

Thoughts at the chorus: Oh internet, you give and you give and you give. When will it be your turn to take?
posted by Poppa Bear at 4:41 PM on September 20

... every other band in the world who does this schtick gets a free pass, but Rammstein doesn't, because they're German.

Don't mention the war.
posted by bwg at 5:24 PM on September 20

Well, I didn't get all the way through the video, so I musta missed the money shot...but I thought it was a joke...as in they were parodying themselves. Are they not? I dunno, if it were in German, I'd probably listen to it, because I have no idea what any of Rammstein's lyrics are, and I like that whole metal/goth thing...but in English this song just makes me laugh.
posted by dejah420 at 7:49 PM on September 20

Well that confirms it.

1. I never want to go to Germany. EVER.
2. I really, really, REALLY hate the word "pussy". It's like nails on a chalkboard (and so was that song)
posted by stormpooper at 7:53 PM on September 20

The more I think about this video, the more I like it.

It's a terrible song, but a great video.
posted by rodgerd at 8:24 PM on September 20

Seriously with all those quick-cuts near the end I had no idea who was doing what was this directed by Michael Bay or something?
posted by turgid dahlia at 1:22 AM on September 21

I concur with what effbot said regarding Jonas Åkerlund. I once had the misfortune of seeing the Mirrorball compilation of his videos with commentary from himself, all very irritating. I also like the tables remark and will be passing it off as my own at the next opportunity. ; )
posted by asok at 2:24 AM on September 21

turgid dahlia, quick cuts are one of his trade marks. He made a film with the most edits ever called Spun. Some people like it. I have yet to see it as it would mean getting past my overriding annoyance with Åkerlund.
posted by asok at 2:27 AM on September 21

From the IMDB page for Spun:

"Trivia: The turd that appears to drop out of Mena Suvari is actually a softened up Reese's Peanut Butter Cup"

Yeah, sounds like the same director, definitely.
posted by idiopath at 5:18 AM on September 21

I don't get why he can say "quick" just fine, but can't get past the "dick-eh" thing. Weird.

My guess as someone who speaks German is that he's going for the cheap pun. ('dick' in German is 'thick' and not...umm, yeah...as adoarns said above). But what was funniest was kittens for breakfast making my boyfriend show me the video (hey! convenient German speaker in the next room!) and me going "yeah...uh huh....uh huh...looks pretty much like German TV to me."

I think, on that basis alone, I may have caused kittens for breakfast to want to move to Germany.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 7:36 AM on September 21

becoming a self-parody and having sex with porn stars at the same time takes genius.

Paging Ron Jeremy. Paging Mr. Ron Jeremy.
posted by zippy at 8:59 AM on September 21

If all the other music videos that featured lithe, gyrating, mostly-naked women were this honest, they too would end with the band members ejaculating all over the models while fixing the camera with shit-eating grins.

"More Snickers! More Coke!"
posted by FatherDagon at 10:30 AM on September 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm obsessed with video trivia.

I tracked down the paper Till ("The Playboy") is reading - The Bild from 03-06-09. The headline on the front page is "Ampel für Lebensmittel."

It's an article on new color-coded food labeling standards.
posted by zippy at 11:57 AM on September 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oh, and continuity goof. At 0:42 he has the paper, at 0:44 it's gone, then there's a cut and in the same second he has it again.

Yes, I do read it for the articles.
posted by zippy at 12:01 PM on September 21

It gets funnier with each viewing. Also reminds me of Sisters of Mercy and the Stranglers latest sound although early on they were mining this stuff lyrically in a more classy and less obvious manner.

Anyhow, why can't Rammstein get laid in Germany? Why?? WHY?? WHY??? Dammit, I need to know.

maybe if I watch it again it'll become clear.....
posted by Skygazer at 11:23 AM on September 26

Apparently the whole thing is about sex tourism.

Explains the "I CAN'T GET LAID IN GERMANYYY" bit.
posted by Geezum Crowe at 3:37 AM on October 14