The Krupps

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The Krupps
The Krupps at the Amphi Festival 2017
The Krupps at the Amphi Festival 2017
General information
origin Dusseldorf , Germany
Genre (s) Avant-garde , post-industrial , EBM , groove metal
founding 1980
Website www.diekrupps.com
Current occupation
Singing, steel, programming
 Jürgen Engler
Samples
 Ralf Dkörper
guitar
 Marcel Zürcher
guitar
 Nils Finkeisen
Drums
 Paul Keller
Mastering, programming
 Chris Lietz
former members
Bass, steel, vocals
 Bernward Malaka
Drums, steel, vocals
 Frank Koellges
Saxophone, steel
 Eva-Maria Goessling
Keyboard, effects
 Christina Schnekenburger
Walter Hunter
guitar
 René Schütz
guitar
 Frank Thoms
guitar
 Lee Altus
Drums
 Volker Borchert
Drums
 Darren Minter
Drums
 George Lewis
Drums
 Oliver Röhl
Drums
 Achim Färber (2005-2008)
Drums
 Christoph "Nook" Michelfeit (2011)
bass
 Rüdiger Esch (1982-2011)

The Krupps is a German band from Düsseldorf that was founded in 1980. It is named after the industrial family Krupp .

history

First years

Since their founding by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka (both ex- times ) in 1980, the Krupps have had some influence on the German, but also the international electronics / post-industrial scene. Frank Köllges completed the preliminary line-up with which Xaõ Seffcheque recorded the original version of the steel mill symphony. Ralf D Körper and Eva-Maria Gößling (Ex- Mania D and Bläser ) joined the band shortly before the first LP was recorded. With the steel works symphony , the Krupps achieved their breakthrough in the year they were founded.

At the beginning, the Krupp's music was still a mixture of mechanical - drums, bass, sequences - and "free" elements (guitar, saxophone), which emulated everyday work in a steel factory, has dominated since the second long player . the mechanical aspect (synthesizer sequences) in connection with agitatory vocals. This album and especially the single Wahre Arbeit - Truer Lohn influenced the development of Electronic Body Music significantly. After the English-language mini-album Entering the Arena , however, there was radio silence from the mid-80s. Jürgen Engler dedicated himself to his label Atom H, which mainly specialized in Thrash Metal and Crossover. Ralf Dkörper, who was already full speed ahead! left the band, had international chart successes with his pop band Propaganda with hits like Dr. Mabuse or P-Machinery .

In the early days , style-defining for the sound and the stage performance of the Krupps was the use of an instrument built and played by Engler called the Stahlophone ("a cross between a xylophone and a railroad track"), in which iron rods were used to strike steel pipes of different diameters, in order to create penetrating metallic sounds in different pitches.

New beginning from 1989

In 1989 Dkörper initiated the collaboration with the English project Nitzer Ebb and thus the reunion of the Krupps. The Machineries of Joy , a new take on the classic Wahre Arbeit - Truer Lohn , entered the US Billboard DanceCharts as a classic EBM title.

After this successful start, the Krupps increased their activities. At that time, Jürgen Engler and Chris Lietz, who were responsible for all subsequent publications, also established themselves as the producer team. The single Germaniac - a critical reckoning with German reunification - also delighted fans of electronic body music.

Style change: The time from 1992 to 2005

Singer Jürgen Engler at the Nocturnal Culture Night 2018

In 1992 Engler began to make a change in style with the release of album I , on which guitarists from the metal band Accu§er also played. In addition to Oomph! Die Krupps were one of the first bands to cross EBM sequences with groove metal guitars and thus anticipated some of the basic characteristics of the New German Hardness . The Krupps had already paid tribute to the metal band Metallica with a fully electronic EP of cover versions. The title Metal Machine Music probably embodies this fusion best, whereby the original version of the song was still produced in the original EBM style, but only found its way to some compilations as an exclusive version. The following albums also showed the stylistic approach to thrash metal bands like Prong or Exhorder . For the 1994 album The Final Remixes , bands such as Pro-Pain , Biohazard , KMFDM , Paradise Lost and The Sisters of Mercy contributed some remixes.

After the album Paradise Now (1997) the band members Engler, Dbody, Esch seemed to go their separate ways.

Return to the old style from 2005

After a break of several years, Die Krupps gave a few concerts in 2005/2006 with a new line-up, but with original members Engler, Dbody and Esch, for the 25th anniversary of the band. a. in Moscow, Stockholm, Rakvere (Estonia) and Berlin. Both this and subsequent concerts, especially in 2008 and 2011, were shaped by a reflection on the band's early years. In contrast to the years 1992 to 2005, more and more older pieces were played live, which were reworked, but their sound was based strongly on the sound of the early years - which is also reflected in the return of the steel phone and the sometimes complete renunciation of the Use of guitars reflected.

In 2006 a limited single CD was released for the 25-year tour with a remake of Machineries of Joy (with guitars and the original vocals by Nitzer Ebb singer Douglas McCarthy) and with a cover version of the Visage classic Der Amboss , in cooperation with the British band Client . At the end of October 2007 Die Krupps released three best-of albums with Too Much History , all as digipaks, divided into The Electro Years (Vol. 1) and The Metal Years (Vol. 2) and a double CD called Too Much History - Limited Edition that includes both The Electro Years and The Metal Years . All songs are re-recorded, in addition to big hits like To the Hilt , Metal Machine Music and Machineries of Joy, there is also a new song in this collection.

In 2010 the mini-album Als Wären Wir Für Immer was released with 4 new titles, a new recording of the propaganda classic 'Dr.Mabuse' and 2 remixes. In 2012 the single Industriemädchen was released , which continues the path taken from 2005 back to the style of the Krupp's early years, both musically and in terms of content. The 2013 album The Machinists of Joy , with titles such as The Machinist of Joy and Schmutzfabrik , makes a strong musical and content-wise reference to earlier works by the band. The plays Essenbeck and In the Shadow of the Rings also for the first time make direct content-related references to the history of the industrial dynasty Krupp . The successful video clip for Nazis on Speed takes up the subject of drug consumption by fighter pilots in World War II.

The album V - Metal Machine Music , released in 2015, is the continuation of the I, II, III series (where Paradise Now was declared an unofficial IV by Engler), because the guitar as an instrument is again in the foreground. The album contains a re-recording of the last song, The Vampire Strikes Back , released before the temporary band breakup . The limited bonus CD includes demo recordings for the album and remixes by Darkhaus and Faderhead , the latter also producing the promo clips for Kaltes Herz and Road Rage Warrior .

Concept and image

Company logo of the steel group Krupp , from which the band logo was borrowed

The lyrics of the Krupps, but above all their connection with the corresponding cover artwork and the band's live performances, take up elements of industrial culture and, in this context, the heroization of the working class. In this context, the use of the company logo of the steel group Krupp as the logo of the band is to be seen. The "Three rings of steel" are also the subject of the song The Rings of Steel on the album I . The music journalist Chris Bohn (alias Biba Kopf) described the artistic-conceptual idea of ​​the Krupps in 1991 to the effect that they "propagate the worldwide external perception of Germany and at the same time parody it" by satisfying the (presented) international expectations of German pop music by satisfying the Convert clichés of an alleged German passion for “sweat and work” into danceable disco music.

Discography

Studio albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE AT AT CH CH
1993 II - The Final Option DE93 (3 weeks)
DE 		- -
First published: November 1993
1994 Final remixes DE92 (3 weeks)
DE 		- -
First published: November 1994
1995 III - Odyssey of the Mind DE18 (13 weeks)
DE 		AT25 (9 weeks)
AT 		CH41 (4 weeks)
CH
First published: July 1995
1997 Paradise Now DE21 (9 weeks)
DE 		AT26 (5 weeks)
AT 		-
First published: April 1997
2015 V-Metal Machine Music DE49 (1 week)
DE 		- -
First published: August 2015
2019 Vision 2020 vision DE71 (1 week)
DE 		- -
First published: November 15, 2019

more publishments

  • 1981: Steelworks Symphony (LP / CD; Zigzag)
  • 1982: full speed ahead! (LP / CD; WEA Records )
  • 1985: Entering the Arena (LP / CD; Statik Records)
  • 1992: I (LP / CD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records )
  • 1992: A Tribute to Metallica (CD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 2013: The Machinists of Joy (double CD; Synthetic Symphony / SPV)
  • 2016: Stahlwerkrequiem (LP / CD; Bureau B / Wallpaper Records)

Concert albums

Compilations

  • 1991: Metall Maschinen Musik 91-81 Past Forward (2LP / CD; The Gray Area / Our Choice / Rough Trade Records )
  • 1993: Die Krupps (limited box with 3CDs; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records / Energy Rekords)
  • 1996: Metalmorphosis of Die Krupps '81 -'92 (CDR; Cleopatra)
  • 1997: Foundation (CD; Captain Trip Records)
  • 2007: Too Much History - Vol. 1 The Electro Years (CD; AFM Records / Soulfood)
  • 2007: Too Much History - Vol. 2 The Metal Years (CD; AFM Records / Soulfood)
  • 2007: Too Much History - Limited Edition (double CD; AFM Records / Soulfood)
  • 2009: Volle Kraft Null Acht (Remix CD; Synthetic Symphony / SPV )

EPs

  • 2010: As if we were forever (CD; Synthetic Symphony / SPV)

Singles

  • 1981: True work, true wages (LP / CD; zigzag)
  • 1982: True Work, True Pay (7 "vinyl; zigzag)
  • 1982: Goldfinger (7 "/ 12" vinyl; WEA)
  • 1985: Risk (7 "Vinyl; Victoria) Exclusively released in Spain .
  • 1989: Machineries of Joy (feat. Nitzer Ebb ; 7 ″, 12 ″, Remix 12 ″; BCM Records )
  • 1990: Germaniac (12 ″ / MCD; Metal Machine Music / Strange Records)
  • 1991: Germaniac 2001 (12 "/ MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1992: Metal Machine Music (feat. Accuser ; 12 ″ / MCD, Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1992: The Power (12 ″ / MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1993: Fatherland (12 ″ / MCD, Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1993: Enter Sandman / One (12 "; Hollywood Records)
  • 1994: To the Hilt (12 ″ / MCD, Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1994: Crossfire (12 "/ MCD, Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1994: Bloodsuckers (12 ″ / double MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1995: Isolation (12 ″ / MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1995: Scent (MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1997: Fire (feat. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown ; MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1997: Rise Up (12 ″ / MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1997: Black Beauty, White Heat (MCD; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records )
  • 2005: The Krupps 25 (CDR; limited in self-distribution)
  • 2005: The End of Dreams (CDR; SPV)
  • 2005: True Work True Wages (Remix feat. Douglas McCarthy ); MCD)
  • 2011: Join in the Rhythm of Machines ( feat.Nitzer Ebb (MCD; Major Records )
  • 2012: Industrial girl (MP3 / WAV; Synthetic Symphony / SPV)
  • 2013: Risk factor (12 "/ MCD; Synthetic Symphony / SPV)
  • 2014: Robo Sapien (limited 12 "/ MP3; Oblivion / SPV)
  • 2015: Battle Extreme / Fly Martyrs Fly (CD; Oblivion / SPV)
  • 2016: Cold Heart (MP3; Oblivion / SPV)
  • 2016: Alive in a Glass Cage (feat.Caliban; CD; Oblivion / SPV)
  • 2020: Chinese Black (The Neon Judgment-Cover, feat. Jyrki 69 ; CD; Cleopatra Records )

Other publications

  • 1981: 6 Jun 1981 at Krefeld Haus Blumenthal (concert recording of Stahlwerkinfonie ; Vanity Records)
  • 1991: Germaniac / Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn (12 "Vinyl; Rough Trade Records)
  • 1993: Nothing Else Matters / Enter Sandman (promo CD)
  • 1993: Steelworks Symphony & True Work - True Wages (2LP; Our Choice / Rough Trade Records)
  • 1994: Fatherland / To the Hilt (Final Remixes) (12 ″; Cleopatra)
  • 1995: Fatherland / Bloodsuckers (Promo-MCD; Cleopatra)
  • 1995: The Remix Wars: Strike 2 ( Front Line Assembly Vs. Die Krupps; 12 "/ CD; Off Beat / Westcom)

Music videos

In addition to the official music videos listed below, there are also so-called official fan videos, music videos that have been produced by fans of the band and are accepted and advertised by Die Krupps.

  • 1992: The Machineries Of Joy
  • 1993: Crossfire (Director: Joseph Kahn )
  • 1993: Fatherland (Director: Joseph Kahn)
  • 1993: To The Hilt (Direction: Joseph Kahn)
  • 1994: Bloodsuckers (feat.Biohazard; Director: Joseph Kahn)
  • 1995: isolation
  • 1995: Scent
  • 1997: Fire (feat. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown )
  • 2013: Risk Factor (Director: Rogelio Salinas)
  • 2013: Nazis Auf Speed (Director: Philipp Virus)
  • 2014: Robo Sapien (Director: Jay Gilian)
  • 2016: Cold Heart (Director: Sami Yahya )
  • 2016: Road Rage Warrior (Director: Sami Yahya)
  • 2016: Alive In A Glass Cage (feat.Caliban; Director: Sami Yahya)
  • 2019: Welcome To The Blackout
  • 2020: Chinese Black (feat.Jyrki69; Director: Vicente Cordero)

Homage

According to a text by the band Die Ärzte , Ralf Däne has a “sweet body”. Literally it says in the song Meine Ex (plodified girlfriend) :

“She had a sweet body - like the one from the Krupps.
What was his name? - Body. "

(Whereby "Dkörper" is spoken by Ralf Däne himself according to the booklet)

And Jürgen Engler is said to have given a "party" according to a text by the band Die Toten Hosen . Literally in the song Jürgen Engler there is a party :

"Jürgen Engler is giving a party,
and - we can't get in."

In response, Engler's punk band Male released a song called “Die Toten Hosen ihr Party” in 1991 on the EP of the same name, the refrain of which is:

"Die Toten Hosen are having a party,
and - we can't get in."

According to an interview with Jürgen Engler on the Toten Hosen website , the song was written in reference to Engler's reorientation from punk to electronic music. Engler also provides a further explanation: " Campino recently confessed to me that he was probably keen on my (then [author's note]) girlfriend at the time."

literature

Web links

Commons : The Krupps  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Die Krupps: Metall Maschinen Musik - 91–81 Past Forward , audio CD booklet
  2. ↑ Back to the age of steel? - Full power back! , Hanno Reichel on ICRN (Industrialized Culture Research Network), 2006
  3. ↑ Biba head: Nada! , quoted from Die Krupps: Metall Maschinen Musik - 91–81 Past Forward , audio CD booklet
  4. ↑ Chart sources: DE AT CH
  5. ↑ Interview with Jürgen Engler ( Memento of the original from June 20, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.dietotenhosen.de