Opium 1984, anyone? Awesome album
Opium 1984, anyone? Awesome album
i give every album this band puts out a shot. the fact is, they are nowhere near as enjoyable without some raymond tracks.
Here's what I'd love to see: KMFDM making an album with some big guns of the industrial scene once again. How about a KMFDM "allstars" album with vocal spots from the likes of Manson, Reznor, Jourgensen, Lindemann, Milan Fras, P-Orridge, Alec Empire, and maybe some newer guys like Combichrist's Andy LaPlegua, Aesthetic Perfection's Daniel Graves, or Celldweller's Scott Klayton? I think it could be a riot.
Scene isn't what it used to be. Back then, Wax Trax was open to shell out money for projects, etc. Today isn't like it used to be. Sascha probably can't afford guests like he used to. Guests are definitely a huge gap in the puzzle. Would probably be their saving grace. But when it comes to royalties and such, the band's gotta make a living. I don't see many guests in the future except for people were not really familiar with. They're probably cheap.
Jourgensen doesnt even use an actual drummer on albums. Gotta be a reason for that too.
Last edited by Piko; 02-24-2013 at 11:33 AM.
I've gotten through the album a few times and I like it well enough. Kunst is interesting with using song names as the lyrics, minus the "kill mother fucking Depeche Mode" line, and it's got the synth line from Leid und Elend which I've always loved. The other songs are growing on me a lot except for Next Big Thing, just don't dig that song at all. Same thing happened with WTF, took me a few listens before I started to like it. I will say that I'm not gonna lose any sleep about not going to see them in March, I don't really care about seeing any of these songs live along with what I imagine will be pretty much the same setlist as the last two tours.
The album is average. Nowhere near WTF?! That album was a return to form, kinda. This one, while it has its moments, seems to revert back to what they were doing before. Nothing really new. Like the first half more than the second.
Listened to it once. It was crap.
You see, up until I heard KUNST, I was losing sleep over not being able to see them! You know, them not annoucning any Canadain dates and all. I mean, I was mulling over the idea of going to Portland, even made sure I had that weekend free in the event I made the trip down. My girlfriend and I heavily battled the idea of going back and forth, until it was too late. The flights just shot up to insane prices, and the once moderately prices trip was turning into an outrageously expensive weekend. Thought to myself "is an $800-1000 weekend in Portland to see KMFDM really worth it?" Than I listened to the new album and... BANG That was the punch in the face I needed to decide I was glad I didn't book a trip to go see this show. That was really close... I'm so glad I didn't plan it. Especially now that NIN announced their return to the stage literally a few days after I listened to KUNST and made up my mind not to go.
No I have that extra $800-1000 to put towards seeing NIN for 2 weeks, a much more good use of money!
Sadly enough, you're actually quite right... KMFDM is in my "top 5 all time fav bands" list, and I love them to death, but this album is rubbish. Tried listeneing to it multiple times in hopes it's a grower, but it's not. I just go back and listen to the one track "Ave Maria" and that is all. If they released an EP with the songs "KUNST" "Ave Maria" a remix of each and maybe the "I (heart) Not" song, it would have been a more solid effort than this LP.
Last edited by ManBurning; 02-28-2013 at 02:24 PM.
most of those guys are probably too "big" for kmfdm now.
those would be more possible, i'd love to see more kmfdm / a23 crossover as well, loved the kmfdm mix of "greed".and maybe some newer guys like Combichrist's Andy LaPlegua, Aesthetic Perfection's Daniel Graves, or Celldweller's Scott Klayton? I think it could be a riot.
the "guests" songs are generally pretty neat, kmfdm can be a bit on the formulaic side of things and the like of watts, ogre, skold, connolly et al add some new wrinkles into the miix.
so after listening to this album a few times over, Kunst, Ave Maria, Animal Out and The Mess You Made are pretty good but in comparison to some of the older stuff, are about average. i just didn't seem to be excited about listening to this album. and i found this album to not be very creative in terms of sound. too "metal" sounding for my taste.
and although i don't particularly enjoy this album, i haven't seen KMFDM in about 11 years since they haven't visited south florida since their Strum and Drang tour back in 2002, so I am quite upset that they decided to skip Florida altogether this go around.
I will say one thing, Kunst made me go back and listen to all the other KMFDM albums I have and man does this one sound way worse now. I hadn't really listened to them since the last time I saw them. God damn are the older albums fantastic, forgot how much I love some of those. Symbols, Nihil and Xtort are so god damn good, liked Money a lot more this time as I didn't like it when I bought it when they released the remastered or whatever version. Kunst really does pale in comparison to any album since they came back, including Blitz.
I saw those two with Mona Mur here in Montreal a few years ago. The opening act was some - I shit you not - Spooky Kids ripoff act that was sadly responsible for 3/4 of the terrible audience of 40 or so people in attendance. When they left, their groupies went with them, leaving me and maybe twelve other people in the room. And to their credit, they put on a decent show, though I winced inside hearing En Esch sing "Slick Idiot is a drug against war". Spoke to Guenter afterwards though, and he was really nice, signed my CD.
Haven't heard Kunst yet. Not hearing good things from anyone. Worried.
I wouldn't support En Esch in ANYTHING he does now. He is a total dick. He thinks he is this huge rockstar outside of KMFDM, but he's just a loser. He freaked out at me at the Slick Idiot show here in vancouver for video taping a song. He played a total dive bar here called Funy Winker Beans, it was deep in the Ghetto on Hastings steet near Main street, so Junkie central for anyone that is familuar with East Van. Anyway, the night attracted maybe 20-30 people max, and it was like a Wednesday or a Thursday night. I busted out a handheld camera, nothing professional just a regular camera, and at the end of his song he pointed at me and started yelling to turn it off, I did... and I regret doing so, I wish I caught his tirade to show fans what a true classy man he is. He started saying he was an entertainer and deserved money from his show and people shouldn't be filming it to put on "the youtubes" (and yes he even said "the youtubes"). And then he started swearing and losing his cool, it was an interesting site.
To be honest, given Slick Idiot's success (or lack there of) outside of KMFDM, you figure he would be more lax about me wanting to, *gasp* promote the band by a fan filming a song and sharing it. En Esch needs to learn that sometime's filming a band isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it's basically free exposure for them. He needs to take a page out of Trent's open taping policy or even Sascha from KMFDM, who basically has "fan kam" nights that allow the fans to just film their experience of the show.
I read an article recently done with Sascha over here: http://www.auxiliarymagazine.com/iss...February13.pdf (jump to page 28 for the interview)
and I just want to quote something that was said by him that I think other rockstars need to live by this.
"[Interviewer]: From what I've heard that gets noted and people really appreciate it. Even in the United states people say that, they say you are always very accessible to your fans.
Sascha: That's something i realized very early on. When you behave like a sterotypical rockstar, you're not really making friends. Who would be foolish enough to do this?
Fans are the ones that allow you to exist. It is a symbiotic relationship between musicians and fans, absolutely. If you don't recognize this, you are stupid."
I remember seeing a video with that. But every other video, he seemed completely fine with taping. It is possible that he was having a bad day, and you were the unlucky one... it happens... Not saying hes in the right (he's obviously not), but I'll still say cut the guy some slack. There's plenty others , who we adore also that has had plenty of those moments.
I'd be fine if Esch came back. Guenter will never go back though. It would certainly help the aesthetic aspect of things, which it needs.
When I interviewed En Esch over a decade ago, he said that when KMFDM were planning their return Sasha had offered him to come back - but as an employee. I guess he was full partner before, but afterwards Sasha wanted full control? What's Guenter's story?
Well, in the 90s Esch's output was very scattered. Guitar part here, percussion part there. His creative output was very limited. So, I can't really blame him for not wanting to return. He had no freedom to do really do much of anything in the band.
As for Guenter, that's the bigger issue. According to Sascha, Guenter was the selfish money whore. Cared about no one but himself and refused to work until he got paid. He even goes as far as to make Guenter's name resemble something I bit more "cunty".
If you ask me, Sascha is a bitter control freak. If you go against the grain (the direction he wants), he'll either relegate you (hi hat programming), or simply just work around or without you. He doesn't take criticism very well either. And unlike Esch and Schulz, he's still shit talking them after all these years.
I can understand some of Sascha's bitterness though. He's trying to release albums and make a living with his new band and people mostly want to talk about how much better the classic lineup was compared to the current. It definitely gets under his skin.
But, KMFDM is Sascha's show and he's going to do what he wants. Even if that means taking a shit on someone. East German mentality?
a few yars ago, slick idiot was playing in lexington, the place wasn't even a bar / club it was just a renovated house, there was maybe 13 people there, picture slick idiot rocking out in the living room of a recently abandoned but brightly painted house.
en esch et al seemed to be plenty ok with photos at that venue, maybe they didn't want to piss off the only folks there, but they were really cool, hung out a bit after the show etc. as far as i know nobody was taking video, maybe that is where he draws the line.
Few videos I've seen, Esch seemed perfectly fine with taping. Which is why I find it kinda odd. But yeah, Slick Idiot would be lucky to play a show to 100 people... Retrospectacle was probably their biggest audience... absurdly underrated. They deserve better.
Here is the current setlist of the new tour that just started last night in Portland.
Spoiler:
D.I.Y.
Kunst
Ave Maria
Quake
Tohuvabohu
Son of a Gun
Rebels in Kontrol
Potz Blitz!
Animal Out
Krank
Free Your Hate
Pussy Riot
Pseudocide
Amnesia
Hau Ruck
Encore:
KMFDM Sucks (snippet)
I (Heart) You
Anarchy
WWIII
Encore 2:
Megalomaniac
A Drug Against War
After seeing this, I really regret not going. There are a couple classic tracks that were played that I never thought would ever see the light of day again.
I'll hold out for next year, the band turns 30 next year, I bet Sascha will cash in on it and make a 30th anniversary world tour like he did for the 20th anniversary one.
Hopefully they'll return to Canada for that so I don't have to travel anywhere to see them, heh. Gotta save all my pennies to travel for NIN this fall.
Last edited by ManBurning; 03-10-2013 at 03:48 AM.
Kind of a weak setlist... I don't regret not going. I'm sure they'll tour for their 30th. And maybe then there'll be a set list worth caring about.
Well, Spoiler: Sucks and Spoiler: Anarchy are 2 of my all time fav. KMFDM songs and I never thought they would ever make a live debut ever again. I think that's really the only part of the setlist that I got excited about. That and Spoiler: Son of a Gun
But other than those, yeah there is not much else on the set to really get excited about.
I overlooked Spoiler: Anarchy. Everything else, minus the new stuff, has been played before.
Welp, listened to Kunst and I have to agree; it's terrible. Maybe two memorable tracks on the album. I'm normally pretty open when it comes to new KMFDM material, but this was so....by-the-numbers. Blah.
Fall KMFDM tour dates for you, my friends!
Sun/Oct-20 Vancouver BC Venue
Mon/Oct-21 Boise ID Knitting Factory
Tue/Oct-22 Park City UT Park City Live
Wed/Oct-23 Denver CO The Summit Music Hall
Thu/Oct-24 Omaha NE The Waiting Room
Fri/Oct-25 Chicago IL Bottom Lounge
Sat/Oct-26 Detroit MI The Magic Stick
Sun/Oct-27 Cleveland OH Peabody's Concert Club
... Mon/Oct-28 Toronto ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
Tue/Oct-29 Rochester NY Water Street Music Hall
Wed/Oct-30 Boston MA Paradise Rock Club
Thu/Oct-31 Hartford CT The Webster
Fri/Nov-01 Lancaster PA Chameleon Club
Sat/Nov-02 Baltimore MD Rams Head Live
Sun/Nov-03 Patchogue NY The Emporium
Tue/Nov-05 Atlanta GA Terminal West
Wed/Nov-06 Ybor City FL The Orpheum
Thu/Nov-07 New Orleans LA House of Blues
Fri/Nov-08 Houston TX Scout Bar
Sat/Nov-09 Austin TX Elysium
Mon/Nov-11 Albuquerque NM Sunshine Theater
Tue/Nov-12 Tucson AZ The Rialto Theatre
Wed/Nov-13 Pomona CA The Glass House
Thu/Nov-14 San Francisco CA The Independent
Fri/Nov-15 Portland OR Star Theater
Sat/Nov-16 Seattle WA Showbox at the Market
Rock 'n roll! So cool that they're opening the show in Vancouver for a change rather than ending it. This is gonna be awesome!
Them opening the show here means 3 things for me...
1) I can actually buy a tour shirt in MY SIZE for once! They always sell out of Medium shirts REALLY fuckin' fast.
2) I have NO CHANCE to peek at the setlist before hand, therefore I have NO IDEA what to expect for a setlist as the songs are played!
3) It doesn't conflict with any of the NIN shows I am traveling to see this fall!
So all around win for me.
Last edited by ManBurning; 07-10-2013 at 12:17 PM.
Wow, kmfdm on long island? Might have to check that out.
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Still no Raymond Watts.
*pass*
As im sure some of you have noticed, I have been scan happy as of late, going through the various concert related things and magazine clippings, ive collected over the years. Behold a sweet full page ad for Symbols!