We all know Rammstein. However, we also know very little as regards Rammstein – especially their prehistory. One thing, though, is that they’ve somehow kept the same six-piece lineup since their inception in 1994. But what came before it? Hammer‘s scoured the depths of the internet to find any band Till Lindemann and co. were in before they became the faces of German metal.
Company
These East Germans were active from 1983 to ’93, during which time future Rammstein guitarist was founding member Paul Landers, while guitarist Richard Kruspe and drummer Christoph Schneider also moved through their ranks. Speak with Metal hammer, Christoph described Die Firma as “a new-wave punk band…with gothic influences.” He also revealed that two one-time members were government spies keeping an eye on East Berlin’s music scene.
feel B
These experimental punks were also active from ’83 to ’93. Paul and keyboardist Christian ‘Flak’ Lorenz have been part of the band for their entire decade-long history, with Christoph joining in 1990. Feeling B released three albums before breaking up, although Rammstein briefly kept their memory alive by performing their song Song of the troubled youth during a Russian tour in 2001.
first ass
Till Lindemann may be Rammstein’s imposing vocalist, but he manned the drums for this art-punk crew he co-founded in 1986. First Arsch (“Arsch” means “Arse”, because it’s Till Lindemann) released one album in 1992, on which Paul and Richard, then Feeling B and Das Elegante Chaos respectively. The trio left in 1993 to focus on Rammstein – not a bad idea in hindsight.
Das Elegant Chaos
This Schwerin-based quartet only lasted for two years, from 1987 to 1989. The fact that their guitarist was Richard Kruspe kept the band and their only release, ’89’s lyrical EP, a posthumous fan base. Like many pre-Rammstein outfits, Das Elegante Chaos was a punk rock band, ranting about hasty guitar chords in German.
Orgasm Death Gimmick
Two years after Das Elegante Chaos broke up in 1989, Richard Orgasm founded Death Gimmick. The foursome sounded much more distinctly like the guitarist’s future band, dealing with monolithic industrial metal. Basically Rammstein’s title track Desire uses the riff of this band’s song cybereven going so far as to earn a songwriting credit.
The Inchtabokatables
Bassist Oliver Riedel played for these folk rockers from 1992 to ’94, although they would last for another eight years after the bassist left to join Rammstein. The Inchtabokatables combined violins with drums and bass to create a half-modern, half-traditional sound, and of course they threw German lyrics on top. The resulting music was dramatic, energetic and, to call a spade a spade, a little damn weird.
Cheeky Sam’s Dice Group, I don’t know
Christoph has the most comprehensive resume of all Rammstein members. Not only was he part of Feeling B and Die Firma; he has also had cups of coffee in bands called Frechheit and Sam’s Dice Group. He also enjoyed a stint in Keine Ahnung in the 1980s. In 1989 the band released 6/8 freedoma raging post-punk effort, though they broke up the same year.