The Galan Pixs
| The Galan Pixs | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| origin | Leipzig , Germany |
| Genre (s) | Pop , rock , electronic music |
| founding | 1993 |
| resolution | 2008 |
| Website | www.thegalanpixs.de |
| Founding members | |
| Stefan Kopielski | |
Keyboard |
Timo Lurgenstein |
| Last occupation | |
Vocals, keyboard |
Stefan Kopielski |
Keyboard |
Timo Lurgenstein |
| Henrik Fehse (since 1997) | |
| Dirk Feckenstedt (since 1999) | |
guitar |
Tobias Fiedler (since 2001) |
| former members | |
Keyboard |
Brit Gusinde (1990-1992) |
guitar |
Stefan Riedel (1997) |
bass |
Martin Heilmann (1998-2002) |
The Galan Pixs was a Leipzig pop band that existed from 1993 to 2008. In the 15 years of its existence, the band has developed from an electronic duo to a guitar pop band, which is one of the few Leipzig groups that has received international attention in a subcultural context.
history
1990s
The beginnings of the group go back to the year 1990, when the two school friends Timo Lurgenstein ( keyboard ) and Stefan Kopielski ( vocals , keyboard) invested their first self-earned money in musical instruments and got ready to produce their own recordings. The Cure , New Order , AG Geige and especially Depeche Mode , whose overall concept had a lasting influence on Lurgenstein and Kopielski, were given as musical models of this time . This period lasted about three years, different line-ups and project names were tried and discarded until the duo released their first tape, which contained at least twelve songs, under the title Trial in autumn 1993 , initially self-distributed and a little later also as a limited CD version .
In 1994 the two put together three of the songs from this early work for their first maxi-single Holocaust in Toyland , which they released on their label Subsdance Music, which was born out of necessity (which still exists today). In the course of this year the band was able to give their first major live concerts in the opening act of u. a. Oomph! Play , In the Nursery , Plastic Noise Experience .
In 1996, Anche Lucifero Era Un Angelo (Subsdance) was released, a sound carrier that was originally conceived as the band's second album, but with only eight tracks it can pass as an EP . More aggressive, EBM- influenced sounds are increasingly found on this record . First contacts to distributors are made, so that this album was available nationwide in mail order distributions typical of the scene.
1997 Lurgenstein and Kopielski coupled with Anuschka Corazon a stylistically rather untypical piece as a maxi single. Musically and in terms of content, this song looked strongly into the metal / electro direction, which bands such as B. Rammstein had just celebrated international success, and even for The Galan Pixs this concession paid off to the current trend. The piece developed into one of their most famous songs and is still one of the most popular club tracks worldwide. Tours and concerts with Blind Passengers , Anne Clark and SPOCK followed , and an engagement in Holland led the band to their first concert abroad. Henrik Fehse joined the band as guitarist, who was immediately integrated into the line-up and stayed with the band until the breakup.
These first successes aroused the interest of Stefan Alt, who at that time was running the internationally highly recognized industrial label Ant-Zen . The Galan Pixs didn't actually fit into the previous concept, so Alt without further ado founded the Flatline label to give them and related bands a platform.
In 1999, Pink Film Edition, a kind of best of the trio, included tried and tested hits like Anuschka Corazon and Herz , as well as new, more dance-oriented pieces like Use the Flashlight and Otaku . The scene reacted enthusiastically to this album, in almost all magazines it was named record of the month and climbed to number 2 in the German Alternative Charts , where it was only thwarted by Depeche Mode's singles collection. Lurgenstein, Kopielski and Fehse no longer wanted to contest the more frequent live engagements as a stiff electronics project, with Martin Heilmann (bass) and Dirk Feckenstedt (drums) strengthening The Galan Pixs as a “real” live band. This reputation should even earn them their first 10-day tour of Great Britain the following year.
2000s
Encouraged by the consistently positive experiences with their fellow musicians, the three original members decided to accept Heilmann and Feckenstedt as full band members with a musical say. Together, the band decided to shed the electro-wave corset , which had become too tight, and to break new ground. On the Crackerjack ep , recorded especially for the England tour, the quintet experimented with drum and bass , techno , house and big beat sounds. And the concept still worked, the entire circulation went over the counter during the tour and encouraged the band to push ahead with the change. In the same year, Use the Slimelight - The Remixes was released, a compilation with completely revised versions of their most successful pieces to date.
2001
In contrast, the recording process for a new studio album turned out to be difficult. The band reached its limits, especially in technical terms. The meeting with the Leipzig JAM -DJ and techno / house producer Jens Maiwald and his partner Tobias Fiedler should change this. The cooperation worked so well that Fiedler finally replaced Martin Heilmann, who was meanwhile interested in new, different projects, as guitarist.
With Acid Anger Again , a first maxi single was released as “Testballon” not on Flatline (which they had since broken up), but on the more dance-oriented label Novatekk. Here The Galan Pixs gave free rein to their weakness for remixes, but unsettled their old fans and especially the genre-bound music journalists. Especially the undisguised pop appeal of the title song caused consternation.
But the band had found their direction. This assumption was confirmed by the serious offer from Island / Mercury, one of the most renowned record companies of the time, to release the band's next album. The following months were characterized by intensive studio work. It was during this time that we began working with video director Markus Wustmann , who was responsible for almost all of the band's video clips until the end of the band and who had a major impact on the visual appearance of the band. When John Fryer - producer and sound engineer of pioneering bands like Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails - was finally won over for parts of the production, The Galan Pixs were no longer considered an insider tip. But things turned out differently. Two weeks before the planned completion of the studio recordings for the album Boredom International , the management of Island / Mercury decided to take drastic cost-cutting measures and laid off all employees in their German branch, including those who were responsible for the publication of the Galan Pixs.
2003
Legal successor Motor Music (as part of the Universal group at the time) took over the manufacture and distribution of the album, but in terms of promotion, the band was on its own.
The stylistic diversity of the album, which oscillated between the poles of synth rock and dance pop astonished fans and critics alike, with this The Galan Pixs almost completely broke with their wave past, but at the same time earned respect from musically more open audiences.
In addition to their own shows in Germany and Great Britain, The Galan Pixs played support gigs for Apoptygma Berzerk , Mesh , HIM , Phillip Boa and Briskeby .
The songs of the two singles Komakino (especially in the remix vinyl version) and Another Country Another Name became quite successful on the radio and motivated the band to keep working on songs. This took more time than in previous productions, because the band members reoriented themselves professionally and founded families.
2007
In May of this year, Introducing the Band, the band 's last and, in the band's opinion, perhaps the most successful studio album, was released on the label of the star drummer Christoph Leich, Materie Records.
Received very differently by the critics, it was, according to the band, their musical climax, which wanted to say goodbye to their audience in this way. At the end of 2007, the musicians agreed to end the chapter The Galan Pixs. As a farewell, The Galan Pixs published all remix versions of their career online for free download.
Discography
- 1993: Trial (CD / MC)
- 1994: Holocaust In Toyland (MCD)
- 1996: Anche Lucifero Era Un Angelo (CD)
- 1997: Anuschka Corazon (MCD)
- 1999: Pink Film Edition (CD)
- 2000: Crackerjack EP (CD)
- 2000: Use the Slimelight - The Remixes (CD)
- 2001: Acid Anger Again (MCD)
- 2003: Boredom International (CD)
- 2003: Komakino - The Remixes (12 ″ Vinyl)
- 2003: Komakino (MCD)
- 2004: Another County - Another Name (MCD)
- 2007: Clubtech , The Galan Pixs Vs. Christian Fischer "Lights Go Down In Germany" Remix (12 "Vinyl)
- 2007: Introducing the Band (CD)
- 2008: The Remixes (digital)
Special editions / promotion items
- Anche Lucifero Era Un Angelo, BoxSet (CD, Photo Set, T-Shirt)
- Pink Film Edition, SpecialBag (CD, Bonus CD-R "Orange Mix")
- Crackerjack, 4 Track Blue Cleartray
- Crackerjack (Club Mix by John Fryer), Island Promo
- The Videos, VHS
- Boredom International Excerpts, 4Track Snippet
- Selection Of Boredom and Introducing, Pinion Promo
- Everything At All, RadioEdit / 4 Track Single, Revolver Promo
- SUB14: The Remixes, Excerpts from www.thegalanpixs.com
Videos
- 1994: Holocaust in Toyland (self-directed)
- 1997: Anuschka Corazon (self-directed)
- 2001: Acid Anger Again (Director: Markus Wustmann)
- 2002: Komakino (Director: Markus Wustmann)
- 2002: Hey Little Girl (Director: Markus Wustmann)
- 2003: Leipzig Is Calling You feat. Sui (Director: Markus Wustmann)
- 2006: Major League Whores (Director: Markus Wustmann)
- 2007: Killing Zoe (Director: Henrik Fehse)
- 2007: Off the Shore (Director: Markus Wustmann)
- 2007: Everything at All (Director: Jana Kermes)
- 2007: Lights Go Down in Germany (Director: Jana Kermes)
Web links
- Official website
- Galan Pixs at Discogs (English)
- The Galan Pixs ( Memento from February 10, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) at alternativmusik.de
- The Galan Pixs at motor.de