Keeping Up With the Favorites: Blixa Bargeld & Einstürzende Neubauten

Back in 1998, the Korner interviewed unconventional singer/composer Blixa Bargeld (Einstürzende Neubauten, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) around the time the album Ende Neu was released. He was in a terrible mood having learned that a representative handling the travel at Nothing Records didn't put him in a better class than coach class on a flight from Los Angeles to Germany. However, Blixa was quite accommodating for the interview and didn't let that upset be a distraction. Nothing Records was licensing Ende Neu for domestic release, but the album originally was released by Mute Records in 1996.

There is not much in book form exclusively about Einstürzende Neubauten, but back in 2011, this book by Jennifer Shyrane, Blixa Bargeld and Einstürzende Neubauten: German Experimental Music: 'Evading do-re-mi' was published and it is one of those well-written academically in-depth ebooks and print rarities. Find it if you can. Blixa provides the Preface to the book. You may only find portions of it on Google.

Fast forward to 2017, let's look at what is happening with the band Einstürzende Neubauten. They were the opening band on January 21, 2017 at the new concert hall, Elbphilharmonie, in Hamburg, Germany. See the video below:


As of this weekend, Blixa was spotted by V. Vale of RE/Search on a plane from Berlin to Copenhagen. Einstürzende Neubauten are performing live in Europe what they call their "greatest hits" from the last 37 years. Here is a review from the May 12 show (if using Chrome, you can translate it). They opened with "The Garden" from Ende Neu.

The formation of the band is covered in this MetalKult interview with Blixa Bargeld about the formation of Einstürzende Neubauten.

Dangerous Minds interviewed Blixa in 2012 about his art show, "Life Patterns."

And just this past April, Blixa was interviewed by Profil.At in which he states he has no relationship with a record label or the music industry, "I have so little to do with industry that it does not concern me personally. Other people take care of my business, and after I do not have a record deal, I'm not guilty of any business. In this respect I can do what I want." Of course, one of those non-music things he does do is cook risotto.


Just in today, photos from their O2 Forum show in Kentish Town, London on May 4, 2017.