Ton Steine Scherben – Live At Rockpalast 1982
“Wenn die Nacht am tiefsten ist, ist der Tag am nächsten”, (“When the night is darkest, the day is closest”) – the title song of Ton Steine Scherben’s third LP from 1975 – represents a turning point in the career of the German rock band, both musically and lyrically. Founded in Berlin in 1970, the band was one of the first to play rock music with German lyrics without sounding embarrassing or contrived. But the Scherben are more than just a band: they tried to live what they sang. Shortly after their formation, they recorded their first single in a gloomy ballroom in Neukölln: “Macht kaputt, was euch kaputt macht” (“Destroy what destroys you”) and “Wir streiken” (“We’re on strike”) were raw, radical, and authentic. Their first festival appearance on the island of Fehmarn sparked a fiasco. Within a very short time, the Scherben were considered the left-wing political rock band par excellence and rose to become icons of the left-wing scene. In order to be independent of the industry, they founded their own label in 1971, “David Volksmund Produktion.” After their concerts, houses were squatted and their records could be found in every shared apartment. After the band left West Berlin four years later and founded a rural commune on a dilapidated farm in North Frisia, the Scherben turned away from political/agit rock. With the release of the double LP “Wenn die Nacht am tiefsten …” (“When the Night is Deepest …”), they turned to more melancholic lyrics and more sophisticated musical arrangements, which also incorporated elements of jazz, funk, folk, and ethno rock.
It wasn’t until 1981 that a new album, “IV” (popularly known as “die Schwarze” or “the black one”), was released. Die Scherben returned to the stage. The tour for “Die Schwarze” was a huge show and an artistic success – but it also marked the beginning of the end for the band. They were unable to pay off the debts they incurred during the tour. Even their new manager, Claudia Roth, couldn’t prevent the band’s demise. This makes it all the more gratifying that WDR Rockpalast recorded the concert at the Markthalle in Hamburg (Germany) on February 13, 1982.
Guitarist Marius del Mestre recalls: “You could say we let the songs speak for themselves. That’s what they did, and that’s what they still do today. For a long time, this concert was only available on the internet, and the picture and sound quality were rather mediocre. Now it’s been technically remastered, and you can hear that the Scherben were a truly fantastic rock band back then – no more and no less.”
Ton Steine Scherben broke up in 1985. Rio Reiser went on to enjoy a unique solo career and died in 1996 at the age of only 46. He was followed last year by guitarist R.P.S. Lanrue. But the legend of the Scherben lives on – on records, in books and films, in countless photographs, in contemporary documents and exhibitions. And, of course, in this Rockpalast recording.
The main feature has been restored to the highest possible standard using state-of-the-art technology. Due to the historical nature of the original material, slight flickering in some scenes was unavoidable. The bonus feature, “Tempo 82” and the accompanying concert recordings are of impeccable quality and perfectly complement the overall package.
Tracklist (CD & DVD):
CD1 / DVD:
- Jenseits von Eden 06:02
- Ich will nicht werden was mein Alter ist 03:39
- Durch die Wüste 04:17
- Warum geht es mir so dreckig 03:07
- Raus (aus dem Ghetto) 04:31
- Heute Nacht 06:22
- Halt dich an deiner Liebe fest 04:54
- Ich hab‘ nix 02:25
- Kleine Freuden 05:24
- Der Traum ist aus 05:04
- Ebbe und Flut 02:08
- Heimweh 05:29
- Mein Name ist Mensch 05:18
- Wir müssen hier raus 04:56
CD2 / DVD:
- Rauchhaus-Song 03:47
- Allein machen sie dich ein 03:20
- Keine macht für niemand 03:27
- Der Turm stürzt ein 05:59
- Sklavenhändler 04:19
- Irrenanstalt 05:17
- Wenn die Nacht am tiefsten ist, ist der Tag am nächsten 03:57
encores:
- Morgenlicht 05:39
- Wiedersehn 06:47
bonus only on DVD:
- documentation “Tempo 82“ 44:02
Total: 150:10 min.