Ragazzi (band)
Ragazzi is a band based in Berlin . It was founded in 1999 by Matthias Einhoff, Christoph F. Adam, Nils Esdar, Dirk A. Kretz and Bob Schätzle (both Julia Hummer & Too May Boys, Tuesday Weld). Their music can be described as pop in the broadest sense . They deal with the different manifestations of pop in text, music and appearance.
history
The band got to know each other at joint concerts with their previous bands (Tuesday Weld, Aroma Gold). After both bands had ceased their activities and parts of their members had moved to Berlin, Ragazzi was founded. In contrast to her previous projects ( indie rock ), Ragazzi experimented with electronic sounds and popular stylistic devices. They presented themselves as an indie boy group, taking up the imagery of mainstream boy groups brokenly, and quoted 70s and 80s pop and rock elements in their music.
Jens Alder founded the label Lok-o-motion in 1999 - a sub-label of Lok Musik - especially for the first two recordings that were intended as LPs and released as 2 EPs. 'Soft Operator' appeared here in 2000 and 'Are you dreamy?' In 2001.
The following LP 'Friday', released in 2003, appeared on the label Buback - a Hamburg punk ( Die Goldenen Zitronen ) and hip hop (Beginner, Jan Delay ) label. Musically, the band's range of references was expanded to include contemporary elements (Madonna, R'n'B ). Their appearance was now more based on concept bands like Kraftwerk or Devo . With the single 'Sex and Money' mixed by Mario Thaler, Ragazzi was represented internationally on the radio. The English music label Schnitzel Records licensed 'Friday' and attracted European attention.
Following this release, Ragazzi formed the band 'Ruler of the Wasteland' in 2004. Here they played their pieces as Thrash Metal and Grindcore versions and toured the Balkans and Eastern Europe.
In 2006 they finished their second long player 'Lumber'. Also on the album produced by Christopher 'Krite' Uhe, the band deals with the phenomenon of pop, but works on it in a much more rocky way than on its predecessors. Limited to piano, guitar, bass and drums, there are varieties of boogie rock, power pop and classic borrowings. The record is published by the Berlin label Staatsakt (Die Doors, Glacier , Good Heart Boutique, Till the Morninglight). The visual appearance is now dominated by lumberjack shirts (grunge) and workwear photography. The lyrics by songwriter Matthias Einhoff criticize the living conditions within a society determined by economic interests much more directly. The previously ironically pointed mainstream quotes have given way to laconic descriptions of the situation.
Texts
The texts mostly deal with supposedly big topics of everyday life : work week, weekend, leisure time, vacation, friends, partnership, politics, shopping , money and love.
On the first two publications, these topics are celebrated almost uninterrupted. The grotesque character of the pieces only becomes apparent in the context of the music (shopping malls, physical workout, 2:47 pm).
On the album 'Friday' there are similar pieces (Weekend, The Partner), but also more concrete short stories from everyday life. On the 2007 album 'Lumber', the lyrics are about more direct criticism of existing living conditions (Crystallize, 9.99) and laconic descriptions of situations (The knight, Memory Mate, Not exactely). The idea of commonly accessible - popular - topics and a criticism of neoliberal living conditions marked by humor runs through all publications. Influences: Pulps Jarvis Cocker , Roxy Musics Brian Ferry and Bob Dylan .
style
The well-designed, visual appearance is an essential part of Ragazzi. Current and past elements of mainstream culture are picked up on covers, flyers, posters, videos and photo series and transferred into a Dadaistic context. A large part of the visual appearance was created by the artist group 'Superschool'.
Discography
Albums
- 2000 - Soft Operator (LOK music)
- 2001 - Are You Dreamy (LOK music)
- 2003 - Friday (Buback / Schnitzel)
- 2007 - Lumber (State Act)
Singles
- 2003 - Sex And Money (Buback / Schnitzel)
- 2007 - Not Exactly (State Act)
- 2007 - Memory Mate (State Act)
- 2007 - Boys in Jeans (State Act)