Blackmail (band)
Encyclopedia
Blackmail is a German indie rock
band from Koblenz
, Germany
which was started briefly in 1993. Blackmail are singer Mathias Reetz, brothers Kurt Ebelhäuser (lead guitars) and Carlos Ebelhäuser (bass) and drummer Mario Matthias. Their style of music usually varies, but mainly consists of the indie rock
genre which is combined with experimentation of electronic music
, progressive rock
, alternative rock
and dance
. It is also known for its harsh and high-pitched guitar melodies.
, The Who
and Depeche Mode
. The band was initially formed through a local magazine known as "Visions" that had a contact advertisement for new musicians. As a demo recording, they initially recorded a number of songs in an old 8-Track
studio that belonged to Kurt. They sent the demo tape to multiple recording studios.
The response from the studios was quite shakey, but in the end, they were able to engage in the services of recording legend, Stuart Bruce, who had just moved into the area of Koblenz
. Stuart owned a very advanced recording studio in his house. With some luck they were able to record 8 songs in 3 months. After that, they went ahead to search for a recording studio, and this time, responses were much more positive. Their first live performance was in a club located in Bonn
known as Carpe Noctem as a sample for a scout from Virgin Records
who had come there to judge their performance. Due to an "unpredictable incident" that occurred, however, they were not taken into Virgin Records. As Abay explained on the biography section of the site:
, late in 1996. After presenting it to Guido, he decided to release it the fall of 1997. Stuart Bruce, who currently works at Peter Gabriel
's Real World Studios
, produced the bands first demo recordings from this album.
In October 1997, they went on their first ever tour, that was in conjunction with the album release alongside Swedish
rock band B-Thong. Unfortunately the first album release did not go that smoothly. During the tour, however, they played various one-off shows in numerous places, including Austria
.
Two years later, they released their second album Science Fiction
. Surprisingly, reactions were really much better, there were many positive reactions in all directions. So much so that they were asked to participate in festivals like Rock am Ring
and the Bizarre Festival. They were also supported by the Manic Street Preachers
. After Science Fiction, they were approached by many music label companies, finally the band decided to sign a contract with the Warner Music sub-label "Speicherstadt". In 2000, the band released an entirely remixed version of Science Fiction entitled Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?
under this label.
, they started recording Bliss, Please in the summer of 2000. After its release in 2001, songs such as "Same Sane", "A Reptile For The Saint" and "Ken I Die" became exceptionally popular. blackmail also gained recognition worldwide due to this album release. The first single, "Same Sane", came out in February, 2001. It was extremely popular in Germany. Their first music video release, "Same Sane", as well as the other videos from Bliss, Please first aired on VIVA 2 (VIVA Zwei), a subsidiary of popular German music video channel, VIVA. At the end of 2001, they were informed that Speicherstadt was going to close down.
From this point on they signed their further contracts with the mother-label: The Warner/Elektra/Atlantic recording group, now known as the Warner Music Group
. WEA had given them their own studio in 2002, and since Kurt had produced all their work in the previous album, they decided to record their next album, Friend Or Foe?
, in midway 2002. During recording the album, they recorded 28 songs. Out of these, only 11 songs made it into the album. Completing the album in February, 2003, they released it on May 26, 2003. From the album, the first single was "It Could Be Yours". From the album they also released an EP
entitled Foe
in which they packed four other songs.
Following this release, the band went on a tour to Japan
to perform in the Summer Sonic Festival in 2004. They also released an export version of Bliss, Please in Japan in 2005.
During this time, they released a special version of Friend Or Foe? with bonus tracks, as well as an album entitled The Lost Summer (a.k.a. The Ventricular EP). Both albums, which were released exclusively in Japan
, are still available for purchase on Amazon Deutschland
.
and Jessica Schwarz
. In the same year, they signed a contract with City Slang
/Rough Trade
and approached producer Andi Jung to help them mix tracks for their next album. After all the necessary preparations they released their latest album, Aerial View on Friday, January 13, 2006, and are currently on tour in countries such as Austria
and Switzerland
to promote it. One track, Never Forever, which originally appeared on Kammerflimmern's soundtrack was also re-released in Aerial View.
for personal reasons and aborted their tour.
In 2010, Mathias Reetz joined the band and they started recording a new album with the working title Judas Love in March 2010.
In March 2011 the song "Deborah" was released as a free download. The album now titled Anima Now! will be released April 29, 2011 on their own label "45 Records".
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
which was started briefly in 1993. Blackmail are singer Mathias Reetz, brothers Kurt Ebelhäuser (lead guitars) and Carlos Ebelhäuser (bass) and drummer Mario Matthias. Their style of music usually varies, but mainly consists of the indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
genre which is combined with experimentation of electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
and dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. It is also known for its harsh and high-pitched guitar melodies.
Formation (1993-1996)
The band is said to be greatly influenced by sounds of the 60's and the 80's, particularly artists such as The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
. The band was initially formed through a local magazine known as "Visions" that had a contact advertisement for new musicians. As a demo recording, they initially recorded a number of songs in an old 8-Track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
studio that belonged to Kurt. They sent the demo tape to multiple recording studios.
The response from the studios was quite shakey, but in the end, they were able to engage in the services of recording legend, Stuart Bruce, who had just moved into the area of Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
. Stuart owned a very advanced recording studio in his house. With some luck they were able to record 8 songs in 3 months. After that, they went ahead to search for a recording studio, and this time, responses were much more positive. Their first live performance was in a club located in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
known as Carpe Noctem as a sample for a scout from Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
who had come there to judge their performance. Due to an "unpredictable incident" that occurred, however, they were not taken into Virgin Records. As Abay explained on the biography section of the site:
Blackmail and Science Fiction (1997-1999)
Instead they managed to approach Guido Lucas, who had started his own label "bluNoise Records". They recorded their first album, blackmailBlackmail (album)
Blackmail is the debut album by the artist of the same name. The album consisted of tracks that the band was able to record in a high-tech recording studio that was readily lended to them by a German producer legend named Stuart Bruce who was impressed with their demo-recordings. Bruce, as well as...
, late in 1996. After presenting it to Guido, he decided to release it the fall of 1997. Stuart Bruce, who currently works at Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
, produced the bands first demo recordings from this album.
In October 1997, they went on their first ever tour, that was in conjunction with the album release alongside Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
rock band B-Thong. Unfortunately the first album release did not go that smoothly. During the tour, however, they played various one-off shows in numerous places, including Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Two years later, they released their second album Science Fiction
Science Fiction (blackmail album)
Science Fiction is the second album by the German indie rock quartet blackmail. Following up their debut release in 1997, Science Fiction was more openly accepted and liked...
. Surprisingly, reactions were really much better, there were many positive reactions in all directions. So much so that they were asked to participate in festivals like Rock am Ring
Rock am Ring
The Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually in Germany....
and the Bizarre Festival. They were also supported by the Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
. After Science Fiction, they were approached by many music label companies, finally the band decided to sign a contract with the Warner Music sub-label "Speicherstadt". In 2000, the band released an entirely remixed version of Science Fiction entitled Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep? is an album by blackmail which is a remixed version of their 1999 release, Science Fiction. It is similar to Linkin Park's Reanimation. It was released on February 4, 2000. The name of the album is a play on Philip K...
under this label.
Bliss, Please, Friend Or Foe? and Summer Sonic (2001-2004)
Following a continuous tour throughout GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, they started recording Bliss, Please in the summer of 2000. After its release in 2001, songs such as "Same Sane", "A Reptile For The Saint" and "Ken I Die" became exceptionally popular. blackmail also gained recognition worldwide due to this album release. The first single, "Same Sane", came out in February, 2001. It was extremely popular in Germany. Their first music video release, "Same Sane", as well as the other videos from Bliss, Please first aired on VIVA 2 (VIVA Zwei), a subsidiary of popular German music video channel, VIVA. At the end of 2001, they were informed that Speicherstadt was going to close down.
From this point on they signed their further contracts with the mother-label: The Warner/Elektra/Atlantic recording group, now known as the Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
. WEA had given them their own studio in 2002, and since Kurt had produced all their work in the previous album, they decided to record their next album, Friend Or Foe?
Friend or Foe? (album)
Friend or Foe? is the fourth album by blackmail. The album is noted for its lyrics about depressive topics such as grief, loneliness and hatred.- German edition :# "Airdrop" – 3:04# "Evon - 4:50# "It Could Be Yours" – 2:59# "On the Tightrope" - 3:50...
, in midway 2002. During recording the album, they recorded 28 songs. Out of these, only 11 songs made it into the album. Completing the album in February, 2003, they released it on May 26, 2003. From the album, the first single was "It Could Be Yours". From the album they also released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Foe
Foe EP
Foe is an EP by blackmail. The track "Foe" was featured in the Japan release of their album Friend or Foe?. Andy Gill produced this album together with the band in London.- Track listing :# "Foe" – 3:15# "Arcese" – 3:30# "I Dreamt, I Dreamt" – 0:45...
in which they packed four other songs.
Following this release, the band went on a tour to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to perform in the Summer Sonic Festival in 2004. They also released an export version of Bliss, Please in Japan in 2005.
During this time, they released a special version of Friend Or Foe? with bonus tracks, as well as an album entitled The Lost Summer (a.k.a. The Ventricular EP). Both albums, which were released exclusively in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, are still available for purchase on Amazon Deutschland
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
.
Kammerflimmern and Aerial View
In 2005, they met with producer Hendrik Hölzemann and German techno artist, Lee Buddah to compose the soundtrack for the German film "Kammerflimmern" (Off Beat) which starred Matthias SchweighöferMatthias Schweighöfer
Matthias Schweighöfer is a German actor. He is sometimes credited as Matthias Schweighofer.Born in Anklam, East Germany, Schweighöfer attended the renowned acting school Hochschule für Schauspielkunst "Ernst Busch", but dropped out after one year...
and Jessica Schwarz
Jessica Schwarz
-Biography:Schwarz was born and grew up in the small town of Michelstadt, Germany. She won a contest of the German teen magazine Bravo in 1993. Subsequently, she worked as a model and VJ for the music channel VIVA. In 2000 she started her acting career and occasionally hosts events, e.g. the German...
. In the same year, they signed a contract with City Slang
City Slang Records
City Slang is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany. It was created in 1990 by former tour agent Christof Ellinghaus. Its main goal was to provide American, Canadian and German independent artists with a way to distribute their records in the European market, particularly the UK,...
/Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
and approached producer Andi Jung to help them mix tracks for their next album. After all the necessary preparations they released their latest album, Aerial View on Friday, January 13, 2006, and are currently on tour in countries such as Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to promote it. One track, Never Forever, which originally appeared on Kammerflimmern's soundtrack was also re-released in Aerial View.
Tempo Tempo (2008-present)
In 2008, Blackmail released their album Tempo Tempo. On December 11, 2008 Blackmail announced the separation from lead singer Aydo AbayAydo Abay
Aydo Abay is a German singer and songwriter raised in Koblenz, Germany. He is of Turkish descent. Abay is mainly known for being the frontman for the German indie rock quartet blackmail...
for personal reasons and aborted their tour.
In 2010, Mathias Reetz joined the band and they started recording a new album with the working title Judas Love in March 2010.
In March 2011 the song "Deborah" was released as a free download. The album now titled Anima Now! will be released April 29, 2011 on their own label "45 Records".
Band members
- Aydo AbayAydo AbayAydo Abay is a German singer and songwriter raised in Koblenz, Germany. He is of Turkish descent. Abay is mainly known for being the frontman for the German indie rock quartet blackmail...
— vocals, synthesizers, guitars (1997–2008) - Kurt Ebelhäuser — guitars, additional vocals, sampling (1997–present)
- Carlos Ebelhäuser — bass, additional vocals (1997–present)
- Mario Matthias — drums (1997–present)
- Mathias Reetz — vocals, guitars (2010–present)
Studio albums
- blackmailBlackmail (album)Blackmail is the debut album by the artist of the same name. The album consisted of tracks that the band was able to record in a high-tech recording studio that was readily lended to them by a German producer legend named Stuart Bruce who was impressed with their demo-recordings. Bruce, as well as...
(October 10, 1997) bluNoise Records - Science FictionScience Fiction (blackmail album)Science Fiction is the second album by the German indie rock quartet blackmail. Following up their debut release in 1997, Science Fiction was more openly accepted and liked...
(January 29, 1999) bluNoise Records - Bliss, PleaseBliss, PleaseBliss, Please is the third studio album by the German indie rock band blackmail, released in 2001. The album is known for popular singles such as "Same Sane", "Ken I Die" and "A Reptile for the Saint"...
(May 25, 2001) Speicherstadt - Friend or Foe?Friend or Foe? (album)Friend or Foe? is the fourth album by blackmail. The album is noted for its lyrics about depressive topics such as grief, loneliness and hatred.- German edition :# "Airdrop" – 3:04# "Evon - 4:50# "It Could Be Yours" – 2:59# "On the Tightrope" - 3:50...
(May 26, 2003) Warner Music Group - Aerial ViewAerial ViewAerial View is the fourth studio album by the German band Blackmail. The album was released on Friday, January 13, 2006 under City Slang Records. The album is noted for its harsh guitar melodies and mellow vocals. Crediting the album release, the band's website released a promotional e-card with...
(January 13, 2006) City Slang Records - Tempo Tempo (March 28, 2008) City Slang Records
- Anima Now! (April 29, 2011) 45 Records (Soulfood)
Singles and EPs
- "Same Sane" (single from Bliss, Please) - (2001)
- The Light of the Son Is the Son of the LightThe Light of the Son Is the Son of the LightThe Light of the Son is the Son of the Light is an EP by blackmail.- Track listing :# "The Light of the Son is the Son of the Light" – 2:57# "Ann Baxter's Theme" – 3:19# "Ghost" – 2:34...
(EP) - (2002) - It Could Be YoursIt Could Be YoursIt Could Be Yours is an EP by the German band blackmail. It consists of the tracks "It Could Be Yours", in two edited versions, as well "Dare Defender" and "Carmine".- Track listing :# "It Could Be Yours" – 2:58# "Dare Defender" – 2:51...
(EP) - (2003) - Foe EPFoe EPFoe is an EP by blackmail. The track "Foe" was featured in the Japan release of their album Friend or Foe?. Andy Gill produced this album together with the band in London.- Track listing :# "Foe" – 3:15# "Arcese" – 3:30# "I Dreamt, I Dreamt" – 0:45...
(EP) - (2003) - "Soulblind" (single from Aerial View) - (2005)
- The Mad Luv EP - (2008)
- "Night SchoolNight SchoolNight School is a school that holds classes in the evening or at night, and is usually intended for continuing and adult learning and to accommodate people who work during the day.Night School may also refer to:...
" - (2011) - "Bugs" - (2011)
Mix albums
- Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep? is an album by blackmail which is a remixed version of their 1999 release, Science Fiction. It is similar to Linkin Park's Reanimation. It was released on February 4, 2000. The name of the album is a play on Philip K...
(remix of Science FictionScience Fiction (blackmail album)Science Fiction is the second album by the German indie rock quartet blackmail. Following up their debut release in 1997, Science Fiction was more openly accepted and liked...
) - February 4, 2000 (Speicherstadt)
Soundtracks
- Off Beat OST/Kammerflimmern OST (movie soundtrack - music by Lee Buddah and blackmail) - January 31, 2005 (Rough Trade RecordsRough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
)