Before Rammstein: Feeling B (MP3s)

It might be surprising at first sight, but the roots of Germanic flame-thrower experts Rammstein lie in East German underground punk, with a slightly goofy bend. It all started back in 1983 in East Berlin, when a bunch of punks came together to form a band called Feeling B. After spending years in the musical underground, Feeling B made history in 1989 by releasing the first (and only) official punk album Hea Hoa Hoa Hoa Hea Hoa Hea on the state-run Amiga label, just one year before the German Democratic Republic got absorbed in the newly unified capitalist paradise of Germany.

Built around the core of singer Aljoscha Rompe, guitarist Paul Landers, and keyboarder Christian "Flake" Lorenz, Feeling B released two more albums until Paul, Flake, and drummer Christoph "Doom" Schneider joined Rammstein in 1993. Feeling B continued with a different line-up until the band called it quits in 1999.

The debut album of Feeling B is a high-energy masterpiece of German punk, and here are three selections to prove it: Kim Wilde (MP3, a song about a famous English gardener) | Lied von der unruhevollen Jugend (MP3, also known as Zabota u nas prostaya, or Song of the restless youth; features uncredited vocals by Rammstein singer Till Lindemann) | Tschaka (MP3)

If you want more, check out some Feeling B videos on YouTube: Du wirst den Gipfel nie erreichen (You will never reach the summit) | Ohne Bewusstsein (Without consciousness) | Langeweile (Boredom, about a guy who translates the bible because he is bored) | Trance (trippy and atonal) | Slamersong (weird performance on German TV) | Lied von der unruhevollen Jugend (great live footage)

If you know German, there is an amazing 1994 TV documentary "Flüstern & Schreien II" on YouTube in seven parts: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII. It features lots of live footage and interviews with Rammstein, Feeling B, Santa Clan, Sandow, etc.

Sadly, Aljoscha Rompe died from an asthma attack in 2000, and bassist Christoph Zimmermann died in a plane crash in 1999.

Comments

[marcus]

thanks to clear out the roots of the mighty german rammstein ;-)
Feeling B was one of the important bands, to turn us (my friends and myself) GDR heavy metal kiddies into punkkiddies after the break of east germany (1990 - I was 12 years ;-)).

If you are interested in much earlier german underground music, there came out a nice book:
"Spannung, Leistung, Widerstand" (http://www.amazon.de/Spannung-Leistung-Widerstand-Magnetband-Kultur-1979-1990/dp/3935843763) with an additional CD of lots homerecording stuff of Flake and other avantgarde artists (Ornament und Verbrechen > Lippok brothers (Tarwater,Kreidler,To Roccoco Rot) and so on.

Thanks wfmu to dig out all that holy stuff in music history and spread it to the world!
marcus

[Ticklemouse]

Kim Wilde, whilst being a famous gardener, is also probably more famous for *not* being a gardener - Particularly in the '90's when this song comes from she was possibly best classed only a 'garden enthusiast'.

But I'm sure you knew that already.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Wilde