KMFDM

What began in Hamburg, Germany in 1984 as an underground phase called Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid is now a worldwide marvel known as KMFDM. It was inevitable, once Sascha Konietzko, Raymond “Pig” Watts and En Esch joined forces; they took the music world by storm.

In the underground clubs and bars of Germany a cassette-album titled Opium spread its way through the masses, gaining momentum every time it was played. Opium was the first release by KMFDM in 1985, though it was never officially an album.

In 1986, they released their first true album, What Do You Know, Deutschland?, which included songs completed prior to En Esch joining the band. A year later their first single, Kickin’ Ass, off of What Do You Know, Deutschland? was released and licensed to Liverpool-based Skysaw Records. Skysaw then introduced the band to Brute!, an artist who was to redesign the cover of What Do You Know, Deutschland? for their re-release in the United Kingdom. Brute!’s artwork has become synonymous with the KMFDM album covers ever since. During this time period, Sascha also secured an association with producer and engineer Adrian Sherwood.

Sherwood had a heavy influence on their following album in 1988, Don’t Blow Your Top, which was licensed by Skysaw Records to Chicago-based Wax Trax! Records. KMFDM joined Ministry, Front 242 and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult as a part of the American “Industrial” music scene throughout the late ‘80’s. Releasing another album in 1989, titled UAIOE on Wax Trax! Records, KMFDM continued with their European tours. Later in December of the same year, KMFDM finally set foot on United States soil, and spent several months touring with Ministry.

After officially signing on to the Wax Trax! Label with the release of Naïve in 1990, KMFDM returned to Europe to tour with My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. The short-lived tour convinced Sascha the band needed change, so in 1991 he picked up and moved headquarters to Chicago. The band began touring as a headline band in the United States for the first time later that year, and released their fifth album, Money in 1992.

In 1993, after the acquisition of Wax Trax! by New York-based TVT Records, KMFDM released Angst, and followed it with a remixed album of Naïve titled Naïve/Hell To Go in 1994. The same year, the band did the “Angstfest” tour with Sister Machine Gun and Chemlab. They accompanied their 1995 release Nihil by two tours: “BeatByBeat” and “In Your Face.” At this point, KMFDM consisting of Sascha, Günter Schultz, and guests recorded the band’s eighth and ninth albums, Xtort, which was released in 1996 and !@#$% which was released in 1997. The !@#$% album also saw the addition of Tim Skold to the ranks.

KMFDM toured throughout 1997, and released what seemed to be their final album, Adios, in 1999. Citing a break-up due to members having different visions of what the future held, they went their separate ways. Sascha and Tim Skold, who together produced Peter Murphy’s Recall album, formed MDFMK and released their album MDFMK in 2000 on Republic/Universal Records.

In 2002, agro-electronic music fans will finally get what they’ve been waiting three years for: KMFDM is back. With the current line-up of Sascha Konietzko, Tim Skold, Raymond “Pig” Watts, Lucia Cifarelli (Universal Music Group recording artist), Bill Rieflin (Ministry, REVCO) and signature vocal diva KMFDM style mainstay, Dorona Alberti. KMFDM are signed with Metropolis Records and are set to release their comeback titled, ATTAK.

A continuation and clear progression of past KMFDM projects, ATTAK, along with the new single BOOTS (a cover of the Nancy Sinatra classic), exhibits KMFDM at its glorious best while breaking into new dimensions in the process. Cohesive catchy hooks, and contagious beats will captivate minds and make bodies move. Sascha Konietzko has described the new works as “More, faster, better than never ever before!” “The final solution – KMFDM.”