Neubauten: A Brief Introduction

I know this isn't Nick, but dammit, Blixa is Nick-related (and I can post what I want)! It took me until this past year to finally become an Einsturzende Neubauten fan. I thought they were just WHITE NOISE before, and now they're one of my favorite bands EVER.

I am putting several Neubauten songs here that I think are less abrasive, more accessible, and helped warp me into become a full-fledged Neubautenite. I tried to go with non-live performances because they tend to be, shall I say, more experimental and harder to get into at first.

I dedicate this post to Laura.

---

01. "Weil Weil Weil," from Alles Wieder Offen, is the first song of EN's that clicked with me. I don't want your first listen of it to be some crappy live performance, so here's just the song.


02. "Yu-Gung (Futter Mein Ego)," from Halber Mensch. Second song of theirs I really loved, and the video is nature at its weirdest and most disturbingly beautiful.


03. "Stella Maris," from Ende Neu, with Meret Becker, is a gorgeous song, gorgeous video, AND has enough behatted Blixa for all you hat fetishists out there.


04. "Alles Wieder Offen," from Alles Wieder Offen. I could not even tell you why, other than it's just a great song, but I listen to this ALL. THE. TIME. When I walk particularly...and you should see me walking up or down steps to it. It's like some weird German Michael Jackson thing with a little Roger Rabbit thrown in.


05. "Prolog" and "Feurio!" from Haus der Luge. Haus der Luge, along with Alles Wieder Offen, is a great place to start. Alles is the least abrasive and is what made me a fan, and Haus is trademark Neubauten, but way easier on the ears than some of their stuff. A word of caution: DO NOT DO WHAT I DID AND START WITH KOLLAPS. You will hate it. Anyway...Even if you have no bloody clue what he's saying (EN's albums do come with English translations), you have to admit, this sounds fucking fantastic. And "Feurio!" is just...GAAAAAAAAH, SUCCUMB TO IT, MY MINIONS! Also, fear the Bargeld trying-not-to-be-a-mullet-but-ohhhhh-it-is-one-anyway!


06. "MoDiMiDoFrSaSo" from Fuenf Auf Der Nach Oben.... In case you forget your days of the week, or just want to hear a great song. Let it assail your ears, drive you insane, and make you looooove it.


07. "Z.N.S.," from Halber Mensch. Okay, now...this might fucking terrify you (it did me), but part of what made me succumb and become an EN fan was the following video. It's weird as hell...but mostly, I admit...it was The Beauty That Is Snapping Blixa Bargeld. I had NO IDEA what he used to look like, but until I saw this, he was permanently weird hat-wearing, "fluffy" Blixa. So...I was intrigued...


08. "Haus der Luge" from Haus der Luge. Seriously, this is a great album to start with, and just a fabulous album in general. Plus, the cover has a drawing of an ejaculating horse on it, so...hey. Freak out the folks!


BONUS: The song that made Laura a fan:


If you don't like Neubauten, I do understand. I never thought I would, but the above, along with the influence of Laura and my other friend, Colin, really made me appreciate the Blixster.

If nothing else, here is one of the songs from Blixa's other project, ANBB, in which he meows like a demonically possessed cat in heat. You're welcome.