Today it’s been 35 years since Electronic Body Music ensemble NITZER EBB released their equal legendary debut album That Total Age (11 May 1987) on Mute Records. It was produced by Phil Harding. That Total Age was preceded by the singles Murderous (November 1986) and Let Your Body Learn (April 1987) while the third and final single to be taken from this album, Join in the Chant, followed in August the same year. The latter single would probably become one of the band's most known musical anthems and reached position 9 on the US Dance Charts of 1987.

That Total Age is considered to be one of the most important and influential Industrial / Electro / Electronic Body Music albums until this day.

The symbols on the cover of the album stand for "Force is Machine", "Visions of Order", and "Muscle and Hate".

That Total Age was released in many various versions like single 12” LP, double 12”, cassette album and CD.

That Total Age (LP) Mute Stumm 45 (UK)

1. "Fitness to Purpose" 5:00
2. "Warsaw Ghetto" 3:47
3. "Violent Playground" 3:46
4. "Murderous" 5:40
5. "Smear Body" 5:40
6. "Join in the Chant" 6:05
7. "Alarm" 3:41
8. "Let Your Body Learn" 2:48
9. "Let Beauty Loose" 2:24
10. "Into the Large Air" 4:13

That Total Age (CD) Mute Stumm 45

1. "Fitness to Purpose" 5:03
2. "Violent Playground" 3:49
3. "Murderous" 5:43
4. "Smear Body" 5:49
5. "Join in the Chant" 6:05
6. "Alarm" 3:41
7. "Let Your Body Learn" 2:48
8. "Let Beauty Loose" 2:24
9. "Into the Large Air" 4:13
10. "Join in the Chant" (Metal Mix) 5:16
11. "Fitness to Purpose" (Mix Two) 4:56
12. "Murderous" (Instrumental) 5:04

DISCOGS

42 years ago, producer/fan/friend Ric Ocasek (The Cars) brought SUICIDE: ALAN VEGA · MARTIN REV to ZE Records to record "The Second Album" (May 1980).

Suicide was always about life:

Nightlife decadence with “Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne”… “Mr. Ray” who was the arresting officer - Detective Inspector Ray - when Alan & Marty got caught up in a raid on The Clash & Suicide's hotel in Blackburn on that infamous Clash On Parole Tour (1978)… street drama in “Harlem” and a sweet sexy lady “Shadazz” that came from outta the skies.

During the recording January 1980 at Power Station Studios, NYC, Alan Vega and Martin Rev received a surprise visit by Bruce Springsteen. A quarter of a century later The Boss would cover “Dream Baby Dream”, the single Suicide recorded with Ric Ocasek a year prior to the album’s release.

Listen for yourself why SUICIDE: ALAN VEGA · MARTIN REV is no “Fast Money Music” and just as essential as its predecessor. “Dance”-Dance-Dance. All night long.

Martin Rev and Alan Vega of Suicide working with Ric Ocasek of The Cars on their second record at the Power Station in New York City on January 12th, 1980. (Photo by Ebet Roberts)

The 1999 re-issue on Blast First/Mute contains The Second Album plus 3 bonus tracks: “Super Subway Comedian” and the “Dream Baby Dream”/“Radiation” single. Also included is a bonus disc with The First Rehearsal Tapes, recorded by Suicide at Museum - Project for Living Artists, NYC 1975.

Martin Rev and Alan Vega - Suicide (Original tracklist)

Side A
01. Diamonds, Fur Coat, Chanpagne
02. Mr Ray (to howard t.)
03. Sweetheart
04. Fast Money Music
05. Touch Me

Side B
01. Harlem
02. Be Bop Kid
03. Las Vegas Man
04. Shadazz
05. Dance

DISCOGS

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Alan Vega and Martin Rev / Suicide performing 'Harlem' from their Second Album on 1 August 1980, at Dancetaria, New York City, US. Filmed by Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong as part of their weekly Nightclubbing program. (https://www.gonightclubbing.com/)

Suicide - Mr. Ray (Fan video)

Suicide - Shadazz (Fan video)

This month it’s been 44 years since Kraftwerk released Die Roboter (The Robots), the first single which was taken from their iconic album Die Mensch-Machine (The Man-Machine) album (May 1978).

The original 7” single releases contained Die Roboter (The Robots) on at the A-side and Spacelab on the B-side. Both were shorter (radio) edits as they would appear on the album. The single was released with German sung version of Die Roboter, as well as an English sung version on the A-side. Both featured the English sung Spacelab on the B-side.

The lyrics reference to the at that time revolutionary technique of programming robots and how they can act as slaves for the human race.

The Russian words "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoy slugá, " mean “I am your servant") and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoy rabótnik, "I am your worker”).

When the song is performed live, the band is nowhere to be seen onstage but is replaced by legless robotic copies bearing recabling faces of all members.

In 1991, a re-recorded and re-arranged version of the song was issued as a single from the band's album The Mix.

Die Roboter - 7”
A. Die Roboter 4:20
B. Spacelab 3:34

Die Roboter - Lyrics

Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Jetzt sind wir voller Energie
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir funktionieren automatik
Jetzt wollen wir tanzen mechanik
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Wir sind auf alles programmiert
Und was du willst wird ausgeführt
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir laden unsere Batterie
Jetzt sind wir voller Energie
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter

Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik

Wir sind auf alles programmiert
Und was du willst wird ausgeführt
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir funktionieren automatik
Jetzt wollen wir tanzen mechanik
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter

Songwriters: Ralf Hütter / Florian Schneider-Esleben / Karl Bartos
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Chart peak postions (1978)
18 German Singles Chart
39 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play

DISCOGS

Soon it's the annual Gothic Scene high mass: the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig. Annual? Well, since 1991, but of course with the exception of the past two pandemic years.

A little while ago, doubts have been raised about the use of the Agra Halle, which is arguably the largest site on which the festival takes place. For those who don't know the festival: the WGT takes place in many different locations all over Leipzig, but the Agra Halle - which is located well outside the city centre - is the beating heart with the largest concert hall, the campsite and a gigantic "black" market.

The city of Leipzig originally planned to host Ukrainian refugees on the Agra area, but has now confirmed that the refugees will not be accommodated on the site until after the festival. This means the festival can go ahead without any problems.

So the WGT will take place again this year. There are currently 133 artists confirmed to perform at the festival, with more to follow in the coming weeks. The WGT will take place from Thursday 3 to Monday 6 June.

Hereby the already confirmed artists:

13th Chime (UK) - A Split Second (B) - Accessory (D) - Aeronautica (D) - Aesthetic Perfection (USA) - Alex Henry Foster (CDN) - And Also The Trees (UK) - Astari Nite (USA) - Basszilla (F/D) - Bedless Bones (EST) - Beyond Obsession (D) - Blacklist (USA) - Blitz Union (CZ) - Boytronic (D) - Brandenburg (RUS) - By The Spirits (PL) - Cabaret Nocturne (B) - Centhron (D) - Cesair (NL) - Children On Stun (UK) - Choir Boy (USA) - Clan Of Xymox (NL) - Collection D'Arnell-Andrea (F) - Combichrist (N/USA) - Corvus Corax (D) - Culk (AT) - Cultural Underground Neo Terror (D) - Cut Hands (GB) - Dark (D) Live-Premiere - Dawn Of Ashes (USA) - De Ambassade (NL) - Dead Lights (UK/NL) Bühnenpremiere - Death In Rome (AQ) - Deathsomnia (UK) - Decembre Noir (D) - Devil-M (D) - Die Arbeit (D) - Diodati (D) - Eisfabrik (D) - Enter Tragedy (D) - Erdling (D) - ESA (GB) - Faderhead (D) - Fejd (S) - Feuerdorn (D) - Fiddler's Green (D) - Finsterforst (D) - Fïx8:Sëd8 (D) - Flint Glass (F) - Forndom (S) - Frankenstein (USA) - Funhouse (S) - Future Lied To Us (D) - Garmarna (S) - Girls Under Glass (D) - Grendel (NL) - Grundeis (D) - Haggefugg (D) - Hellgreaser (D) - Horskh (F) - Hørd (F) - I'm Your Stalker (D) - IAMX (UK) - Jadu (D) - Jihad (USA) - Joanna Gemma Auguri (D) - Kaizer (D) - Kite (S) - Kontrast (CH) - Kontrolle (D) - Korine (USA) - L'Âme Imortelle (A) - Lacrimas Profundere (D) - Lacrimosa (CH) - Letzte Instanz (D) - Liebknecht (D) - Lights Of Euphoria (D) - Linea Aspera (AUS/GB) - Lizette Lizette (S) - Loell Duinn (HR) - Louise Lemón (S) - Lucy Kruger And The Lost Boys (ZA) - Messer (D) - Metallspürhunde (CH) - Minuit Machine (F) - Mister Misery (S) - Nachtblut (D) - Neuroticfish (D) - New Days Delay (D) - Night Nail (USA) - NightNight (USA) - Nim Vind (CDN) - NNHMN (D) - Noisuf-X (D) - Nosferatu (GB) - Nullvektor (D) - Of The Wand And The Moon (DK) - Orange Sector (D) - Painbastard (D) - Paralyzzer (D) - Patty Gurdy's Circle (D) - Proyecto Mirage (E) - Pyogenesis (D) - Rabia Sorda (MEX/D) - Ragnaröek (D) - Regard Extrême (F) - Reichsfeind (D) - Rezurex (USA) - Riki (USA) - Ritual Howls (USA) - Rue Oberkampf (D) - S.P.O.C.K (S) - Schneewittchen (D) - Schöngeist (D) - Seelennacht (D) - Shad Shadows (I) - She Owl (IT) - Shireen (NL) - Sigue Sigue Sputnik (UK) - Sjöblom (S) - Soft Kill (USA) - Soko Friedhof (D) - Solar Fake (D) - SRSQ (USA) - Stahlmann (D) - Storm Seeker (D) - Sulpher (UK) - Superikone (D) - SYZYGYX (USA) - Tanzwut (D) - Terrorfrequenz (D) - The 69 Eyes (FIN) - The Devil & The Universe (A) - The Exploding Boy (S) - The Fright (D) - The Names (B) - This Morn Omina (B) - Tobias Bernstrup (S) - Totenwald (D) - TR/ST (CDN) - Trobar De Morte (E) - Twisted Nerve (SCO) - Unzucht (D) - Varg (D) - VNV Nation (GB/IRL) - VV & The Void (AU) - Waldkauz (D) - Warfield (She Wants Revenge) (USA) - Warm Graves (D) - Whispering Sons (B) - Whispers In The Shadow (A) 25. Jubiläum (+1) - Winterkälte (D) 30 Jahre Jubiläumskonzert - Xotox (D)
(XK)

Here you can find some pictures of the 2019 performances @ WGT.

www.Wave-Gotik-Treffen.de

French darkwave project, Distance H has just unveiled their debut single, "Bitch 16". The track is made in collaboration with Ophelia from Saigon Blue Rain and will appear on Distance H's forthcoming EP, Intimacy.

"Bitch 16" is in some ways opposed to Sweet 16 and its form of happy, carefree transition. When sweetness gives way to brutality; when detachment gives way to obsession, when desire gives way to disgust.

It is a frontal and direct title, that a more distant , disconnected and almost salutary passage does not manage to soothe.

"Bitch 16" is available NOW on all digital platforms.

www.facebook.com/DistanceH