Die Krupps
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| Die Krupps | |
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 Die Krupps at the Mera Luna Festival 2006
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Genre(s) | Electro-Punk Electronic Body Music Industrial Metal |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Associated acts | Dkay.com |
| Members | |
| Jürgen Engler Ralf Dörper Marcel Zürcher Rüdiger Esch Oliver Röhl |
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| Former members | |
| Bernward Malaka Frank Köllges Eva Gössling Tina Schnekenburger Christina Schnekenbuger |
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Die Krupps [di ˈkʀʊps] is a German industrial rock/EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka in Düsseldorf.
Contents |
[edit] Members
- Jürgen Engler – Vocals
- Ralf Dörper – Synth
- Marcel Zürcher – Guitar
- Rüdiger Esch – Bass
- Oliver Röhl – Drums
[edit] Former members
- Bernward Malaka - Bass
- Frank Köllges - Drums
- Eva Gössling - Saxophone
- Tina Schnekenburger - Keyboards
- Christina Schnekenburger - ?
- Walter Jaeger - ?
- Christopher Lietz - Programming, Samples
- Lee Altus - Guitar
- Darren Minter - Drums
- George Lewis - Drums
[edit] History
Their initial sound throughout the 1980s combined synthesizers with metallic percussion. Die Krupps were key in the Europe wide progression of Electronic Body Music culminating with the collaboration in 1989 with British band Nitzer Ebb on a re-release of Wahrer Lohn/Wahre Arbeit. In 1992, they began to utilize guitars and more sounds derived from heavy metal music, with the release of their album I (as in the number One). It was a pioneering move which led to a number of other bands using the electronic/metal combo as a template in keeping with a deeper industrial sound.The band continued in this vein through the 1990s, releasing II (number two, with a cover heavily influenced by Deep Purple's Machine Head). A more experimental and pensive III followed in 1995. After the release of the heavily metal-influenced album Paradise Now in 1997, the band disbanded.
One of their more famous releases is the EP Tribute To Metallica where they recorded covers of Metallica songs in their trademark heavy electronic synthesizer-style.
Jürgen Engler announced later the founding of a new project DKay.com (pronounced as "decay dot kom") and released 2 albums in 2000 and 2002.
Ralf Dörper founded the band Propaganda in 1982 after leaving Die Krupps. In 1989 he returned to Die Krupps.
Die Krupps celebrated their 25th anniversary with appearances on some major European festivals and solo appearances in 2005 and 2006.
The band's name translates as "The Krupps" and comes from the Krupp dynasty, one of pre-war Germany's main industrial families. The band is actively anti-Nazi and may have chosen this name to highlight the role of the Krupps in arming the Nazis during World War II.
In some interviews the band stated that Visconti's movie The Damned - a depiction of the fictitious German industrial dynasty of the Essenbecks - was the main inspiration.
Expected in fall 2007 are 2 releases to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Die Krupps plus and extra release combining both[1]. The reason to make two different best of albums is because the band wanted to separate its electro years from its metal years. As a result we will get "Too Much History - The Electro Years Vol. 1" and "Too Much History - The Metal Years Vol. 2", both in digipak format. Next to these two releases there is also the 2CD set "Too Much History" combining both previous mentioned best of compilations.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Stahlwerksymphonie (1981)
- Volle Kraft Voraus! (1982)
- Entering the Arena (1985)
- I (1992)
- II: The Final Option (1993)
- III: Odyssey of the Mind (1995)
- Paradise Now (1997)
[edit] Singles and EPs
- Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn (1981)
- Goldfinger (1982)
- Machineries of Joy (1989)
- Germaniac (1990)
- Metal Machine Music (1992)
- The Power (1992)
- Tribute to Metallica (1992)
- Fatherland (1993)
- To the Hilt (1994)
- Crossfire (1994)
- Bloodsuckers (1994)
- Isolation (1995)
- Scent (1995)
- Remix Wars Strike 2: Die Krupps vs. Front Line Assembly (1996)
- Fire (1997)
- Rise Up (1997)
- Black Beauty White Heat (1997)
- Paradise now (1997)
- Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn (2005)
- 5 Millionen (2007)
[edit] Anthologies
- Metall Maschinen Musik 91-81 Past Forward (1991)
- Rings of Steel (1995)
- Metalmorphosis of Die Krupps (1997)
- Foundation (1997)
- Too Much History. The Electro Years (Vol. 1) (2007)
- Too Much History. The Metal Years (Vol. 2) (2007)
- Too Much History. Limited edition double CD set (2007)
