Fehlfarben
Encyclopedia
Fehlfarben is a German post-punk
band from Düsseldorf
, Germany
. The band name is from a German printing term referring to erroneous colors in prints: singer Peter Hein was in this line of work at Xerox while in the band. Its founding members were Peter Hein (vocals, former Mittagspause ("lunch break"), Thomas Schwebel (guitar, former Mittagspause, S.Y.P.H.), Michael Kemner (bass, former 20 Colors, Mau Mau, DAF
, YOU), Frank Fenstermacher (saxophone, later Der Plan
), Markus Oehlen
and Uwe Bauer (drums, former Mittagspause, Materialschlacht).
. Signing a contract with the German subsidiary of EMI
lost them their status as an underground band, but in 1980 they released their debut, Monarchie und Alltag
(Monarchy and everyday life), an album recognized then and now as one of the most important German-language rock records. Despite its cultural impact, Monarchie und Alltag did not reach gold status in Germany until 2000.
The single "Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)" ("One Year (It's moving onward)") from Monarchie und Alltag, which would be their only hit single, was in fact disliked by the band members themselves, who had initially produced its slick disco groove more in jest than seriousness.
Shortly after having released their debut album, Fehlfarben suffered the departure of lead singer Peter Hein owing to his frustration at the follow-up tour's being lengthened from three to six weeks on short notice. He went back to his day job at Xerox
, where he worked until 2003. The band released two more albums without Hein during the 1980s, 33 Tage in Ketten (33 days in chains) and Glut und Asche (Blaze and ashes), with only the latter making it onto the German charts. After struggles with their label, they disbanded at the end of 1984.
The first comeback with all the original members took place in 1990s; it saw (to mixed reviews) the release of two LPs: Die Platte des himmlischen Friedens (The record of heavenly peace) and Popmusik und Hundezucht (Pop music and dog breeding).
In 2002 the band launched another comeback behind the album Knietief im Dispo (Knee deep in the overdraft loan). It coincided with a general revival of interest in the early days of German Punk
and New Wave
.
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band from Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, 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...
. The band name is from a German printing term referring to erroneous colors in prints: singer Peter Hein was in this line of work at Xerox while in the band. Its founding members were Peter Hein (vocals, former Mittagspause ("lunch break"), Thomas Schwebel (guitar, former Mittagspause, S.Y.P.H.), Michael Kemner (bass, former 20 Colors, Mau Mau, DAF
Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft or D.A.F. is an influential German electropunk/NDW band from Düsseldorf, formed in 1978 featuring Gabriel "Gabi" Delgado-López , Robert Görl , Kurt "Pyrolator" Dahlke , Michael Kemner and Wolfgang Spelmans...
, YOU), Frank Fenstermacher (saxophone, later Der Plan
Der Plan
Der Plan is a German electronic music group from Düsseldorf, formed in the earlier months of 1979 by Moritz Reichelt , Kai Horn, and Frank Fenstermacher, originally under the name of Weltaufstandsplan ....
), Markus Oehlen
Markus Oehlen
Markus Oehlen is a German artist. He studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf . His is formative participant of the German art movement Neue Wilde...
and Uwe Bauer (drums, former Mittagspause, Materialschlacht).
Band history
Fehlfarben was formed in 1979 out of members of Mittagspause and other musicians from the Düsseldorf punk scene. Initially moving away from the Clash and Wire influenced punk of Mittagspause to experiment with ska, Fehlfarben settled into a sound perhaps most comparable to their English contemporaries Gang of FourGang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
. Signing a contract with the German subsidiary of EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
lost them their status as an underground band, but in 1980 they released their debut, Monarchie und Alltag
Monarchie und Alltag
Monarchie und Alltag was the 1980 debut album of German rock band Fehlfarben, released on the Welt-rekord-label, a subsidiary of EMI. The album was not initially well-received, but developed a following over time, entering the charts seven months after its release and gradually climbing to peak at...
(Monarchy and everyday life), an album recognized then and now as one of the most important German-language rock records. Despite its cultural impact, Monarchie und Alltag did not reach gold status in Germany until 2000.
The single "Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)" ("One Year (It's moving onward)") from Monarchie und Alltag, which would be their only hit single, was in fact disliked by the band members themselves, who had initially produced its slick disco groove more in jest than seriousness.
Shortly after having released their debut album, Fehlfarben suffered the departure of lead singer Peter Hein owing to his frustration at the follow-up tour's being lengthened from three to six weeks on short notice. He went back to his day job at Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
, where he worked until 2003. The band released two more albums without Hein during the 1980s, 33 Tage in Ketten (33 days in chains) and Glut und Asche (Blaze and ashes), with only the latter making it onto the German charts. After struggles with their label, they disbanded at the end of 1984.
The first comeback with all the original members took place in 1990s; it saw (to mixed reviews) the release of two LPs: Die Platte des himmlischen Friedens (The record of heavenly peace) and Popmusik und Hundezucht (Pop music and dog breeding).
In 2002 the band launched another comeback behind the album Knietief im Dispo (Knee deep in the overdraft loan). It coincided with a general revival of interest in the early days of German Punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
.
Studio albums
- Monarchie und AlltagMonarchie und AlltagMonarchie und Alltag was the 1980 debut album of German rock band Fehlfarben, released on the Welt-rekord-label, a subsidiary of EMI. The album was not initially well-received, but developed a following over time, entering the charts seven months after its release and gradually climbing to peak at...
(1980) - 33 Tage in Ketten (1981)
- Glut und Asche (1983)
- Die Platte des Himmlischen Friedens (1991)
- Live (1993)
- Popmusik und Hundezucht (1995, recorded 1984)
- Knietief im Dispo (2002)
- 26½ (2006)
- Handbuch für die Welt (2007)
- Glücksmaschinen (2010)
Compilations
- 2006 - "silver monk time - a tribute to the monks" (29 bands cover the MONKS) label play loud! productions