What began in Hamburg, Germany in 1984 as an underground phase called "Kein Mehrheit Fur Die Mitleid" is now a worldwide marvel known as KMFDM.It was inevitable - once Sascha Konietzko, Raymond "Pig" Watts and En Esch joined forces, it would only be a matter of time before they would take the music world by storm.
In the underground clubs and bars of Germany a cassette-only album titled "Opium" spread it's way through the masses, gaining momentum every time it was played.
"Opium" was the first release by KMFDM (in 1985), although it was never officially released as an album.
In 1986, they released their first 'official' full-length 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 commissioned to redesign the cover of "What Do You Know, Deutschland?" for a re-release on the Skysaw label in the United Kingdom.
Since that time, Brute!'s artwork has become synonymous with nearly all KMFDM album covers ever since.
During this time period, Sascha also secured an association with producer/engineer Adrian Sherwood.
Sherwood had a heavy influence on the band's 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 growing American Industrial music scene throughout the late 1980's.
Releasing another album in 1989, titled "UAIOE" on Wax Trax! Records, the band continued on with several European tours.
Later in December of that year, KMFDM finally set foot on United States soil, and spent several months touring the country with Ministry.
After officially signing on to the Wax Trax! Label with the release of "Naive" 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 a change, so in 1991 the band picked up and moved their headquarters to Chicago, Illinois.
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 Naive titled "Naive/Hell To Go" in 1994.
That same year, the band did the "Angstfest" tour with Sister Machine Gun and Chemlab.
They accompanied their 1995 release "Nihil" with two tours: "Beat By Beat" and "In Your Face."
At this point, KMFDM - consisting of Sascha, Gunter Schultz, and other guests - recorded the band's eighth and ninth albums, "Xtort" (released in 1996) and "!@#$%" (released in 1997).
The !@#$% album also saw the addition of Tim Skold into the ranks.
KMFDM toured throughout 1997, and released what appeared to be their final album, "Adios", in 1999.
Citing a break-up due to the band 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 the self-titled album "MDFMK" in 2000 on Republic/Universal Records.
In 2002, agro-electronic music fans finally got what they'd been waiting three years for: KMFDM was back.
The latest 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 were signed to Philadelphia, PA-based Metropolis Records, who released the band's comeback album, "ATTAK".
A continuation and clear progression of past KMFDM projects, ATTAK, along with the single 'Boots' - a cover of the Nancy Sinatra classic) - exhibited KMFDM at its glorious best while breaking into new dimensions in the process.
Cohesive catchy hooks, and contagious beats captivated minds and made bodies move.
Sascha Konietzko describes the band's latest work as "More, faster, better than never ever before! The final solution - KMFDM."
The agro-electro messiahs had returned, and what better way to celebrate it than with the grueling "Sturm & Drang" US 2002 Tour.
Thirty-one shows in thirty-four days, KMFDM's "ATTAK" reigned down on North America, further fueled by countless sold out shows...and all of it was caught on tape.
To commemorate the successful return of KMFDM, Metropolis Records recently released the first KMFDM live album and DVD ever, "Sturm & Drang 2002."
The release was recorded live at four stops on the US 2002 Tour, with the tracks compiled by Sascha K. himself.
Sturm&Drang 2002 represents the triumphant return of KMFDM, and - well, just how only they could describe it - "the ultra-heavy beat is going strong, if it feels this good then it can't be wrong."
Copyright 2003-2009 Internet Music Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
