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Rammstein: Stakes it’s claim in the U.S.A.

By Adrian Gregory Glover
Circus Magazine – July 2001

The German stomp machine known as Rammstein is coming to stake its claim on your eyes and ears. In some ways they are unlike anything that has come before them. In others they are very similar to the ghosts of industrial's past. The topic of the moment is the latest LP Mutter (German translation Mother), which is bringing them to the U.S. for extended tour dates. Dramatic, bottom-heavy and bruising the offering feels like it will complete the German assault machine's controversial visuals to the maximum.
The six-piece ensemble's crafted nearly operatic moments that is easily accessible. Witness the quiet jump-off of " Mein Herz Brennt" and its subsequent consistent power. Overseas, they may just be another heavy band doing their thing, but here they are something of a novelty as kids scramble to decode their German lyrics and find ways to relate to their over-the-top gestures.
Like house mavens Underworld, Rammstein functions on two levels, which both serve to propel them forward. The visual is a fire-breathing monster that landed them a slot (and subsequent arrest) on the Family Values tour back in 1998. The sonic some domestic conservatives feel is so dangerous and influential that it was suggested that it might have played a part in the Columbine tragedy.
History has shown that art can't be held responsible for life but with a new record on the shelves both fans and casual observers once again look at Rammstein and wonder exactly what's up. As they prepare for this latest stage, myself, an interpreter and guitarist Richard Kruspe sorted out some answers to the current questions.

Circus Magazine: In what ways are the songs on the new record different from the tracks that American fans knows and love like " Du Hast?"
Richard:.Everything with Mutter took much more time. Compared to the others everything was more (about) the details, the band was under more pressure. We never expected the success that we were greeted with. We could not understand how in many ways how so many there could accept us so openly. It made us understand that American fans are the most open-minded fans in the world. We love them for what they have shown us. So we made (an) effort to stop and take things apart more and figure out how everything could be the best. We knew that the record had to be great, good was not good enough.
If we wanted to maintain this positive reaction we had to give the listeners more to appreciate. To see so many singing in German a language that many of them don't understand made a great impact on us. They let us remember our own youth. Mutter is a tribute to that spirit.

Circus Magazine: Has it gotten easier over time to deal with the controversy over time?
Richard:America is a great country but (unfortunately) sometimes rock and rollers get treated as the bad guys. That could be why it appeals to so many. (people) get issues and they have to look for someone to blame. These things we have nothing to do with neither did The Rolling Stones (back in their day).

Circus Magazine: More specifically, what did it feel like to be in the middle of all of this momentum here and have your name associated with one of the worst youth crimes of all time? How big of a real toll did it take?
Richard:Things that happen sometimes are very sad. They are not things that we stand for or believe in. It was never part of our intentions to experience these things. We prepare ourselves for anything and we do what we can to be positive. We are here to entertain not to bring our own will against anyone. That is not what we do.

Circus Magazine: How much of the performance element is the key to your success?
Richard:When we perform different aspects all come together. The visual images make for a better performance. If you do not understand the words you have only the music and the visuals to (latch onto). It is the energy that unites the two and makes it comes alive.

Circus Magazine: Do you ever base lyrics or even sonic moods around how they eventually will be presented? Richard:No, no, no. The song must come first and then everything else. After wards we think about how to complement what is already there with the other things.

Circus Magazine:Does this type of thinking allow for you to foresee a day when Rammstein will work with other acts or genres of music? Is it possible to see hip- hop or electronica seeping in? Richard:Yes, we do plan on expanding our sound. We would like to have Ice Cube do a song with Till (Lindemann, vocals) where they are screaming at each other and going back and forth about the differences in their environment. That would be very interesting.
There are many different mentalities in the world and it would good to include as many of them as possible into our sound. Rammstein will grow larger. We would like to develop more ways to bring more modern elements in as well.

Circus Magazine: Is there anyone on the electronica or industrial platform that you enjoy at the moment?
Richard:We really admire Moby. He is very much himself and that is good. He works with different levels and always has a fresh approach. We will get to see that point where we can enjoy a lot of records of (our) own that work like that.

Circus Magazine:What is the most exciting prospect about returning to America in support of the new record?
Richard:Getting to meet the fans again. They are so wonderful. Communicating with them is very good. The last time our faces were not really a big part of the presentation so many a time we would go unrecognised. When we were stopped it was nice and not a bother at all. It was good to feel interaction. That and the performance will be the best things.

Thanks to Angel for the article

© 2005 Sue Lindemann