The return of the legends - NITZER EBB 2007

Nitzer Ebb actually existed - as is true of so many before and after them - very long before anyone ever heard of them. In 1982, whilst Iron Maggie was busy shipping of soldiers to the Falklands, three school mates; Douglas McCarthy, Vaugn “Bon” Harris and David Gooday formed their band. But few of the hard working bands of the massive grey Thatcher-era in the depressive eighties, which was actually the case for most non-residents of Sloane-ranger territories, had the determination to actually do something about it like Nitzer Ebb.

They played every last den, square and basement in London- and Essex-areas, eagerly hammering on rubble and gobbling down liquor to improve the impression of being some form of electronic rude boys. In -86 Mute finally discovered the boys and the boys signed up with them for Europe and with Geffen for the Americas. They toured as warm-up for Depeche Mode at the MFTM-tour, but were cut off upon the US-gigs. Apparently the ruffians Douglas and Bon were too much for US Immigrations to handle and their merits unsubstantial according to testimonies given by Stefan Albinsson, a reporter at Zero Music Magazine. Seemed to work out in the end though, ‘cause one of them even lives in the US and apparently gained better ratings by the government. They’ve even been working with national treasure Flood (producer of U2 ) and with Al Clay who brought us the Pixies. To the rest of us cunts who don’t give a shit about their benchmarks and care more for the raw-power EBM in the remarkable voice Screaming-Jay Hawkins-alike McCarthy, Dough and Bon’s just heroes, aren’t they?

Most features would be about the music, and obviously one could’ve written analysis of how the use of the Oberheim on Belief pushed the development of the sound in either direction. But you can get that anywhere. What you can’t get in any old fanzine homage contribute to NEP would be fun stories from their actual life. Because these guys are the Mötley Crüe of electro; we’ve got the boys who rarely miss a good bottle of booze or a nice pair of tits or even a good fight.

This was important to the subculture that would embrace them. The clean aggression as opposed to the untidiness of the punk scene would attract new romantics that’d grown tired of the softness from Ultravox and similar acts. In November 1986 Nitzer Ebb signed to Mute and the hardcore "Murderous"(1986) followed by a version of "Let Your Body Learn" (1987). This was instant floor filler and smash hit in New York. It was followed by "Join In The Chant"(1987) that hit the big time in the London Acid Scene with it’s militaristic impressions.

All this was twenty years ago, and obviously Nitzer Ebb continued their musical development throughout the rest of the eighties and the whole of the nineties. The sound varied a lot and the early fans usually have great difficulty in adapting to it, as with the new Nitzer. Even though it’s pretty damned obvious that artists usually gets better at what they are doing, and that is definitely true regarding Douglas McCarthys voice; a mighty Screaming J Hawkinsstyle voice more funk than most of his competitors in that crowd, many oldschool NEP fans abandoned the band.

Fortunately new runners up came along massive and NEP continued for many years until they suddenly split up over a hotel quarrel, NEP-rudeboy style; just like it ought to be with these guys. Today they’ve reconsidered and teamed up again and the last time they honored us with a visit it was on their greatest hits tour. This time they are to introduce us to new material in their old style and frankly I guess that many people are quite curious about how this might sound.

Most importantly the question will be: Does Nitzer still rumble so much that they inspire their audience to rock?

Interview: Morten Solholm

This was a very personal feature for me to write. This scene has never been a choice for me; it’s always been a way out of things. When I in 1988 for the first time visited a synth club in Sweden - I can’t recall the name of the club - at Movies in Boden far up in the north of Sweden, the only songs I could relate to was the cold clear violent voice of Douglas McCarthy chanting “Let your body learn”. For a boy of sixteen who just left the safety of home for a foreign country filled with über-Christians and alcoholics Nitzer Ebb ‘n pals became the way out of the immigrant’s solitude and a lifeline to the past.