KMFDM was formed by Konietzko and German painter/performance artist Udo Sturm, on February 29, 1984 to perform for the opening of an exhibition of young European artists at the Grand Palais in Paris. The performance consisted of Konietzko on five bass guitars run through five amplifiers placed "in strategically significant areas of the huge turn-of-the-century steel and glass construction," Sturm on a "fragmented Arp-2600 synthesizer in feedback mode," and "four Polish coal miners putting their tools of trade to work on the buildings," he recalls.
Back in Hamburg, Konietzko started anther band called Missing Foundations with "audio-anarchist" Peter Missing, and, in conjunction with that band met percussionist/multi-instrumentalist En Esch. Konietzko, En Esch and Englishman Raymond "Pig" Watts then began to record as "KMFDM."
The first KMFDM album, What Do You Know, Deutschland?, on the local Skysaw label, came out in '86. The band met woodcut artist Brute in '87, who has created their distinctive, brutish cover art ever since.
In '88 the band's next album, Don't Blow Your Top, was licensed by Chicago's industrial-leaning Wax Trax! label, thereby introducing the band to America. Konietzko was becoming a producer.
"On [Don't Blow Your Top] I found myself taking on the role of coaching people into performances, saying 'This was actually pretty good, but I think you can do it better, and don't scream so much.' The engineer was referring to me as 'producer,' and then I was like, 'Oh, so that's producing.'
The band's breakthrough came with the release of two singles, counted among industrial’s greatest hits: "Virus" in '89, and "Godlike" in '90. "Virus" features an enormous guitar riff laid over a chunky hip-hop beat (evocative of the first Beastie Boys album), with distorted vocals comparing the contagiousness of society's ills with that of a virus, disseminated by the reckless pursuit of "more and faster."
A slashing guitar line reminiscent of Slayer opens the medium-tempo chugger "Godlike," a tale of the seductive powers of fascism, keyed to the line, "Get on the right side/And you'll be godlike." Adventuresome dance floors from coast to coast succumbed to the band's (now transplanted to the U.S.) Teutonic powers.
KMFDM has mutated often around central figures Konietzko and En Esch. "It's been a circle of people who find themselves again and again for recording. Everybody from the past always pops up in the future at some point, and it has become this organizational nightmare to keep it all together - to blend everybody's ideas into one product, one outcome. That's the most challenging part about it, and the most fascinating," said Konietzko.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Brady
Great piece on KMFDM!
I've been a fan for over 10 years and good to see they are still at it. Definitely one of the best live performers I've seen.
2 - Eric Olsen
Thanks very much Brady, glad to hear there are some fans out there. I think they're great.
3 - Brett
What, I used to know a guy named Brady that use to stage dive like Super Dave at the Houston KMFDM shows? That wasnt you was it?
Eric, great write up. I dont know where you got all that history, but it was a great read on a band that will always hold a place in my angst ridden teenage reflections. I personally think Naive was the most original and greatest album from KMFDM.
4 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Brett, I got the information from the interview with Sascha himself, and from having most all the records.
5 - Patrick
I am probly one of those assholes who would walk up to sascha and ask for a pic with him but still i find myself to be stupid as fuck, i've been a fan for two years and i'm obsessed when ever i see a band member name or meet someone else who knows kmfdm(they are not very known around were i live)i light up it's just fuckin stupid i don't have high selfesteem hate pity and seem to be obsessed with german shit and kmfdm
6 - Eric Olsen
Patrick, don't be so hard on yourself - it's great to be a fan, but remember they're just people too.
7 - Nick Jones
And I always heard that KMFDM stood for "Kill Mother Fucking Depeche Mode". Thanks for destroying one of my most cherished illusions, Eric.
8 - Misti
I liked your piece,, but it kinda portrays Sascha as this like Elvis/Michael Jackson type fan-hater.. And hes not hes super nice and will take as many pictures and sign as many autographas as you want, but of course it is rude to go up to someone and ask them for that kind of thing when they are in the middle of theyre family time
9 - Misti
I liked your piece,, but it kinda portrays Sascha as this like Elvis/Michael Jackson type fan-hater.. And hes not hes super nice and will take as many pictures and sign as many autographas as you want, but of course it is rude to go up to someone and ask them for that kind of thing when they are in the middle of theyre family time
10 - Dokumentarfilmer
Hey,
In German KMFDM means Kein Mitleid für die Mehrheit.
11 - bikeoff
Hi there, everyone who listens to KMFDM!I knew about this band but have never penetrate to it seriously, and haven't read texts(lyrics).I wrote my own lyrics and poems...but now i understand that i'm not alone with such thoughts!Great!i'm inspired more than ever!Sasha is great!i'm not a fan and i dislike fanatism,but i'm just very, very proude of him!...be yourself!we'll make our band too to rise people up, now it's the only way i know!
12 - bikeoff
great thanx to people who made and hosts this site! thanx!
13 - Douglas Mays
Oh goodie! A post that has a little flavor form this neck of the woods (Seattle, Van BC). Good of them to keep on kickin'
peaceloveguidance
14 - Eric Olsen
why yes, by way of Germany and Chicago
15 - Douglas Mays
Very true. I love the pathway taken by this band. Very modern and global...
peaceloveguidance
16 - Temple Stark
So what are these guys doing now. They were - or still are??? - one of the best of their era?
17 - Victor Plenty
Dude, it hasn't even been two years yet. The man did say it takes them a long time to put a new record together.
18 - Bennett
Fok! Great write up Eric. Love to see it draw in folks from the hinterland and beyond. You are so much more than just an MJ paparazzi!!!
Thanks for the inside view.
19 - Chris Beaumont
I covered a concert of theirs last Halloween:
here
20 - Bennett
Good shit Chris! If they ever hit Montreal (or Burlington, VT) I'll make an effort to check 'em out. Liked the dazed pov of your review. Honest, and powerful! Thanks!
21 - Eric Olsen
thanks Bennett, was anyone under the impression that I'm NOT anything more than a "MJ paparazzi"? I was unaware this was an area of concern for me
22 - Eric Olsen
in addition to Chris B's review, Chris Akin wrote about them here.
23 - Bennett
Heh... Twas a backhanded compliment for sure! Little doubt about it. Sounded funny to me last night, hope it made you chuckle.
Bennett
24 - Monster(‰ö•¨)
How do you do! Hello! He is Japanese KMFDM Hwang! A voyage is made from Japan for seeing the live of KMFDM of Berlin, Prague, and Wien in November! It is uncanny pleasure! Are you allowed to often carry out a blog look?
25 - Jim
Hello! This is my favourite group! KMFDM I love you!!! Thanks a lot for this interview.