FEHLFARBEN - Monarchie & Alltag 1980

One more essential record is the debut by Fehlfarben on Welt-Rekord/EMI, formed 1979 by members of Mittagspause and other musicians in Düsseldorf. A bit wiki info: Fehlfarben settled into a sound perhaps most comparable to their English contemporaries Gang Of Four. Signing a contract with the German subsidiary of EMI lost them their status as an underground band, but in 1980 they released their debut, Monarchie und Alltag (Monarchy and everyday life), an album recognized then and now as one of the most important German-language rock records. Despite its cultural impact, Monarchie & Alltag did not reach gold status in Germany until 2000. The single Ein Jahr (Es Geht Voran), which would be their only hit single, was in fact disliked by the band members themselves, who had initially produced its slick disco groove more in jest than seriousness. Shortly after having released their debut album, Fehlfarben suffered the departure of lead singer Peter Hein owing to his frustration at the follow-up tour's being lengthened from three to six weeks on short notice. He went back to his day job at Xerox, where he worked until 2003. The band released two more albums without Hein during the 1980s, 33 Tage In Ketten and Glut & Asche, with only the latter making it onto the German charts. After struggles with their label, they disbanded at the end of 1984. They come back with all original members 1990s and two more albums were made but their sound is far away from the old goodies. Anyway, this record is fantastic in all respects.

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FEHLFARBEN - 33 Tage In Ketten 1981

Second album by Fehlfarben on Welt-Rekord, which in my opinion was wrongly given little attention and had a difficult time after the departure of singer Peter Hein. Guitarist Thomas now took over the vocals and I have to say he gives the very good lyrics the necessary expression, his own charm and style and 33 days in chains has the same emotionally oppressive density as the debut. Dynamic interplay of bass and drums, fast beats combined with unique guitar playing. I won't say it's better than the debut, but the fine production plus the fantastic lyrics make this record still worth listening today. I put it out after a long time and immediately transported on my phone. You will find two bonus tracks from the CD version in this file and anyone who likes the music of the Fehlfarben will definitely not be disappointed. Well, times aren't very pleasant right now and I've experienced once again how sneaky people can be, but that doesn't belong here and I need to clear my head. Enjoy Life and good music and trust no one!

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ARAM & DIE SCHAFFNER - Zieh Nur Alleine 7'' 1984

This rare record was released at Sneaky Pete Records and is the only output from Aram & Die Schaffner. The band were founded 1981 in Düsseldorf, a few members played later in Die Toten Hosen and Aram was kind of a rag-tag combo to make music at all and gigs they had not much, of course they did not long exist. But this little piece of vinyl is nowadays on top in the lists of the sought-after plates, and certainly pressed in a small edition. Musically we have two solid punk tracks with a typical touch of the Düsseldorf sound like Mittagspause, KFC, ZK or Fehlfarben. Peter Hein, singer of Fehlfarben, founded Sneaky Pete Records 1984 in his hometown of Düsseldorf after he left the band. Features of the publications was that Peter used the phone number of his friends as catalog numbers of his publications and most bands on his label come from the Düsseldorf scene around the Ratinger Hof. In the late 80's Peter closed the label. So this two mid-tempo rockers are delicious and they had the potential for more.... Mörder!!!! Mörder!!!!!!

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ÖSTRO 430 - Durch Dick & Dünn 1981

Östro 430 were the first all female Punkband & founded December 1979 in Düsseldorf by Martina (vocals/sax), Bettina (keyboards), Marita (drums) and Monika (bass). Just three weeks before the first appearance, Monika got out and was replaced by Olivia. On May 3, 1980, their first appearance took place in the Okie Dokie in Neuss @ a festival organized by the punk fanzine "Schmier". They were noticed by Fehlfarben, which they hired as opener for their Germany tour. In 1980 three songs (Sexueller Notstand, Triebtäter & Too Cool) were released on the Schallmauer compilation and one year later the first mini 12'' Durch Dick & Dünn followed with eight songs. A few months after the slab was out, Marita and Olivia left, Gisela & Birgit came in. In 1983 the full length Weiber Wie Wir was released and at the end of 1983 came Ralf as guitarist and completed the line-up but no further releases came after the collapse of Schallmauer-Records. Östro 430 gave their farewell concert @ the Garath Freizeitstätte in Düsseldorf on May 25, 1984 and disbanded. On 28 May 1999 they play one reunion gig @ the Tor 3.

Martina sang on records from Family 5, Prollhead and die Ärzte in the early 1990s. Bettina became a gynecologist, Olivia joined Fehlfarben at the beginning of 1982 and took part in background vocals and bass on some pieces. After the big three-month tour through Germany/Austria/Holland, shortly before the Rockpalast performance, she left the band and moved to Italy. Since 1989 she lives again in Düsseldorf.

Style: Despite the unusual instrumentation (no guitar, electric piano instead of synthesizer), the music of the four students was often counted as punk, mainly because of its clear and angry lyrics. The titles Sexueller Notstand & Triebtäter are examples of the main themes of sex, outdated views about women and philistine. The band characterized their style as “simple but rough”.

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V/A - Tanz Mit Dem Herzen 1982

One request now and another one from my former Blog. It seems NDW music is still popular and this record from EMI is a premium blend of this time. Usually only well-known bands on it with their classics and the mixture of synth-pop and 'punk' is acceptable. Those were carefree times, I was young, went to school and first approximations to the Girls and trouble with parents. Today, life is the challenge. Well, the sound is still alive and keeps me fit. A bit of nostalgia for all end 60s. Take care!

1.Dreiklangsdimensionen - RHEINGOLD

2.Eisbär - GRAUZONE

3.Die Wilde 13 - FEHLFARBEN

4.Berühren - PROFIL

5.Taschenrechner - KRAFTWERK

6.Alltag - BERNWARD BÜKER BANDE

7.Das Model - KRAFTWERK

8.Film 2 - GRAUZONE

9.Skandal Im Sperrbezirk - SPIDER MURPHY GANG

10.Ein Jahr (Es Geht Voran) - FEHLFARBEN

11.So Kühl - PROFIL

12.Fluss - RHEINGOLD

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MITTAGSPAUSE - s/t CD 2004

Before Fehlfarben was Mittagspause. The glory of Mittagspause is bigger than their song repertoire. Three singles appeared during the life of the band, as well as contributions to two samplers. Musically, the band had swum early from the traditional punk and the stylistic device of the irony discovered for itself. Their fame is based mainly on the sovereign and non-pathetic handling of their singer Peter Hein with the german language. Mittagspause came in 1978 from the early Düsseldorf punk band Charley's Girls and persisted from Peter Hein, Franz Bielmeier on bass & guitar, as well as founder of the Rondo label, the drummer and later painter Marcus Oehlen, as well as former S.Y.P.H. guitarist Thomas Schwebel. The first cast also included the later DAF singer Gabi Delgado-Lopez. Already in 1980 the band disintegrated, their last studio recordings remained unpublished for more than ten years. Hein + Schwebel devoted himselfs to the Fehlfarben, Oehlen of art and art music (Vielleichtors/Red Krayola) and Bielmeier next to his label Rondo the drugs. Fortunately, they have tried a reunion so far, but a retrospective with unpublished Material in preparation, and also Mr. Bielmeier lets under the pseudonym "Sister Ray" again hear music...

Captain Trip Records from Tokyo has finally packed all studio recordings of the band on a CD in 2004. All shots are from 1979. The five previously unreleased live recordings, including a cover version of Trios "Da Da Da" date from 1983 & the CD was mastered in the Atatak Studios by Pyrolator.

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STILLE HOFFNUNG - Falsch & Umsonst 1982

Stille Hoffnung were from Cologne and existed from 1979-1982/83? This is their only release on Paradoxx Records and we have here a nice wave/punk mix, but for me it's more punkrock. Somehow it seems this band had goin' down but I think the music is perfectly acceptable and even their very personally lyrics shows that the boys knew how to combine them with melodious music & their songs are strong. Again one of the bands that I think is completely undervalued. Reminds me little bit of Düsseldorf's Fehlfarben and lyrics like "problems which concern the world, don't touch me" shows in which direction Stille Hoffnung goes. I can only say this is a fantastic album with eleven flowers in thirty minutes, the fast-paced subculture slams around your ears.

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V/A - Nur So 2016

Nineteen goodies to describe my current feelings...no more, no less - thus it looks. Thx to Sonja for inspiration.

1.Der Kaffee Ist Fertig (Live) - PETER CONELIUS & WERNER SCHMIDBAUER

2.Astradyne - ULTRAVOX

3.Killing An Arab - THE CURE

4.Blister In The Sun - VIOLENT FEMMES

5.Kein Stück - LOVE A

6.The Rain - MORE SONGS ABOUT SEX

7.Zweifel - EA80

8.An Der Bordsteinkante - MUFF POTTER

9.Schwarzer Planet I - KLOTZS

10.Drug Me - DEAD KENNEDYS

11.Spring - RAMMSTEIN

12.Bella Ciao - ANITA LANE

13.Traum Von D. - KARIES

14.Can't Stop Feeling - FRANZ FERDINAND

15.Good Times - PINK TURNS BLUE

16.Ausspucken - BEN RACKEN

17.Eisenmann - TURBOSTAAT

18.Das Sind Geschichten - FEHLFARBEN

19.Nur So - ELEMENT OF CRIME

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DIE RADIERER - Eisbären & Zitronen 1981

Die Radierer are a post-punk/new wave combo from Limburg/Lahn and their debut album was released by Hamburgs independant label ZickZack Records, their first tapes recorded in 1980 and they found in the stylistically already open german underground scene their own style of playing, to which they move between serious classical guitar punkrock and electronic music and they are truly fun musicians. Their debut EP Angriff auf's Schlaraffenland is a classic record and nowadays their famous one on earth. The band consisted of Christian B. Bodenstein (vocals), Jürgen Beuth (guitars), Peter Lack (drums), Walter Holthaus (bass) and Bernd Pulch (saxophones) and begun as Terry & The Rorists. Die Radierer, the small town boys played no backwoods proles punk, but oblique avant-garde music full-dadaist subversive humor. After three albums - in a negative change German music scene - the band took in the mid 80's a very long break and create a new infrastucture between Frankfurt and England. In the recent years some of their old material was partially re-released with, so far available, only on cassette recordings in small runs on CD. Saw them @ a gig here with Fehlfarben and they played them on the wall (ohne Scheiß) and they're still active.

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CHARLEY'S GIRLS - Fuck 2x7'' 1993

Now an absolutely rare gem that was released by Incognito Records as part of their 333 x Up & Down series. Charley's Girls, a short living combo which were founded 1977 and the band consisted of Peter (vocals), Franz (guitar), Muscha (guitar), Sabrina (drums) and Peter (bass) and they performed in the center of Düsseldorf between 1977 and 1979 at the legendary Ratinger Hof. They never made any record and in 1978 they formed other pioneering bands like Mittagspause and Fehlfarben. This murderous, lousy quality cocktail was recorded on 3 March 1978, at a masquerade ball under the motto "Punk", at the New Orleans, Düsseldorf but these ten rebellious songs document the ravages of that time and many questioned the system's obedience and lockstep and wanted to do their own thing. Sometimes I miss that spirit nowadays, all has become easier and more commercial and a lot of shit is coming out, here and there cool stuff too but I'm not a real friend of this. Well, no matter... it is important that it pleases.

In Der Tat/Testbild/No Fun/X-9200/Achtundsiebzig/Innenstadtfront/Marmorstein/Schaust Gut Aus/3 x Nordpol/Neue Musikwelle

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ISOLIERBAND - Keine Gnade 7'' 1982

Another completely unknown band are Isolierband and there is absolutly very less info about them in the net (auch scheißegal), so I can't really say much about these guys. I think that this record is their only release and the band came probably original from Düsseldorf. Musically, the two songs are a pleasant mix of catchy punk/wave sound and is comparable with previous Fehlfarben (Monarchie & Alltag). Goes fast in the ear, have charm and gets not bored, appeared at I.D.L. Records and is probably their only label release. Maybe you know more???

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