Max Goldt
Encyclopedia
Max Goldt (born 23 November 1958) is a German satirical author and musician.
Some hallmarks of Goldt's style are: a fresh ironic perspective on familiar aspects of everyday life; frequent, seemingly tangential changes of topic, triggered by unexpected (yet arguably logical) associations; creative use of language, often combined with a critique of linguistic conventions in journalese
and everyday language; frequent references to pop culture; ambiguity as to whether or not the narrator is relating the first-hand experience, opinions and sentiments of the author. His more recent (post-2000) output has seen a tendency toward a slightly more conventional style as well as more direct, non-humorous criticism of language and society. As expressly mentioned in a few and alluded to in many of his own essays, Goldt is homosexual. In spite of that, he has been married to a woman (Else) for several years, long after his coming out
.
, to working-class parents originally from Silesia
. In 1977, he moved to West Berlin
to avoid conscription. He started training as a photographer, but soon turned to making music full-time, working in various daytime jobs to support himself, including as a tourist guide. It was during this time that he chose the pseudonym Max Goldt.
, with Goldt providing lyrics and vocals. Foyer des Arts was signed by Warner Music's German
branch WEA and enjoyed moderate commercial success against the background of the New German Wave. Their only hit (#36 on the West German singles chart) was Wissenswertes über Erlangen ("Things Worth Knowing About Erlangen
"), a satirical take at Goldt's experience as a tourist guide (1982). Although Foyer des Arts did not formally disband until 1995, they were on hiatus most of the time and Goldt started to home record solo albums with experimental, often instrumental music and as well as Sprechgesang
and spoken word tracks with background music and various effects. Goldt also published much of the (often quite bizarre) lyrics as books.
From 1987, Goldt had a regular column in the Berlin underground magazine Ich und mein Staubsauger ("Me and my vacuum cleaner"), in which he wrote more "straightforward" yet humorous essays with a distinctive style. After the magazine's demise in 1988, Goldt's column began to appear in Titanic
, Germany's premier satirical magazine, on a monthly basis. The change marked the beginning of Goldt's second career as a writer of essays. The column appeared under varying headlines (Aus Onkel Max’ Kulturtagebuch ["From Uncle Max's cultural diary"], Diese Kolumne hat vorübergehend keinen Namen ["This column is temporarily without a name"], Manfred Meyer berichtet aus Stuttgart ["Manfred Meyer reporting from Stuttgart
"] and Informationen für Erwachsene ["Information for adults"]. Regularly reprinted (some in revised form) in book format, these essays established Goldt as a major author. Goldt regularly travels the German-speaking areas reading from his books, often drawing large crowds. Recordings from these performances have been released on a series of compact discs. Apart from that, he continues to record music (in the broadest sense), solo and with Stephan Winkler (as NUUK
).
In 1998, Goldt suspended his regular contributions to Titanic, although one-off articles continued to appear, but eventually resumed them in 2005. Since 1996, Goldt has cooperated with cartoonist Stephan Katz to produce comic strips that have appeared in Titanic, Die Zeit
and in a series of books.
, 10 March 2004
Some hallmarks of Goldt's style are: a fresh ironic perspective on familiar aspects of everyday life; frequent, seemingly tangential changes of topic, triggered by unexpected (yet arguably logical) associations; creative use of language, often combined with a critique of linguistic conventions in journalese
Journalese
Journalese is the artificial or hyperbolic, and sometimes over-abbreviated, language regarded as characteristic of the popular media. Joe Grimm, formerly of the Detroit Free Press, likened journalese to a "stage voice": "We write journalese out of habit, sometimes from misguided training, and to...
and everyday language; frequent references to pop culture; ambiguity as to whether or not the narrator is relating the first-hand experience, opinions and sentiments of the author. His more recent (post-2000) output has seen a tendency toward a slightly more conventional style as well as more direct, non-humorous criticism of language and society. As expressly mentioned in a few and alluded to in many of his own essays, Goldt is homosexual. In spite of that, he has been married to a woman (Else) for several years, long after his coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
.
Early life
Goldt was born in the town of Weende, now GöttingenGöttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, to working-class parents originally from Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. In 1977, he moved to West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
to avoid conscription. He started training as a photographer, but soon turned to making music full-time, working in various daytime jobs to support himself, including as a tourist guide. It was during this time that he chose the pseudonym Max Goldt.
Career
In 1978, Goldt joined Gerd Pasemann to form the core of the underground band Aroma Plus, who released two self-published albums before disbanding. From the ashes of Aroma Plus, in 1981 Goldt and Pasemann formed the duo Foyer des ArtsFoyer des Arts
Foyer des Arts were a German experimental pop duo founded in 1981 consisting of Max Goldt and Gerd Pasemann . They released four original albums between 1981 and 1995, but were on hiatus for most of that time...
, with Goldt providing lyrics and vocals. Foyer des Arts was signed by Warner Music's German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
branch WEA and enjoyed moderate commercial success against the background of the New German Wave. Their only hit (#36 on the West German singles chart) was Wissenswertes über Erlangen ("Things Worth Knowing About Erlangen
Erlangen
Erlangen is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the river Regnitz and its large tributary, the Untere Schwabach.Erlangen has more than 100,000 inhabitants....
"), a satirical take at Goldt's experience as a tourist guide (1982). Although Foyer des Arts did not formally disband until 1995, they were on hiatus most of the time and Goldt started to home record solo albums with experimental, often instrumental music and as well as Sprechgesang
Sprechgesang
Sprechgesang and Sprechstimme are musical terms used to refer to an expressionist vocal technique between singing and speaking. Though sometimes used interchangeably, sprechgesang is a term directly related to the operatic recitative manner of singing , whereas sprechstimme is...
and spoken word tracks with background music and various effects. Goldt also published much of the (often quite bizarre) lyrics as books.
From 1987, Goldt had a regular column in the Berlin underground magazine Ich und mein Staubsauger ("Me and my vacuum cleaner"), in which he wrote more "straightforward" yet humorous essays with a distinctive style. After the magazine's demise in 1988, Goldt's column began to appear in Titanic
Titanic (magazine)
Titanic is a German monthly satirical magazine based in Frankfurt. It has a circulation of approximately 100,000.- History :Titanic was founded in 1979 by former contributors and editors of Pardon, a satirical monthly, which the group had left after conflicts with its publisher...
, Germany's premier satirical magazine, on a monthly basis. The change marked the beginning of Goldt's second career as a writer of essays. The column appeared under varying headlines (Aus Onkel Max’ Kulturtagebuch ["From Uncle Max's cultural diary"], Diese Kolumne hat vorübergehend keinen Namen ["This column is temporarily without a name"], Manfred Meyer berichtet aus Stuttgart ["Manfred Meyer reporting from Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
"] and Informationen für Erwachsene ["Information for adults"]. Regularly reprinted (some in revised form) in book format, these essays established Goldt as a major author. Goldt regularly travels the German-speaking areas reading from his books, often drawing large crowds. Recordings from these performances have been released on a series of compact discs. Apart from that, he continues to record music (in the broadest sense), solo and with Stephan Winkler (as NUUK
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
).
In 1998, Goldt suspended his regular contributions to Titanic, although one-off articles continued to appear, but eventually resumed them in 2005. Since 1996, Goldt has cooperated with cartoonist Stephan Katz to produce comic strips that have appeared in Titanic, Die Zeit
Die Zeit
Die Zeit is a German nationwide weekly newspaper that is highly respected for its quality journalism.With a circulation of 488,036 and an estimated readership of slightly above 2 million, it is the most widely read German weekly newspaper...
and in a series of books.
Music
- Die majestätische Ruhe des Anorganischen, ARO 007, 1984
- Restaurants, Restaurants, Restaurants. Zweiundzwanzig hysterische Miniaturen, TEAM records, 1986
- Die Radiotrinkerin & Die legendäre letzte Zigarette, Fünfundvierzig, 1990
- Nirgendwo Fichtenkreuzschnäbel, überall Fichtenkreuzschnäbel, Fünfundvierzig, 1993
- Musik wird niemals langsam (with Michael Dubach und Nino Sandow), Fünfundvierzig, 1994
- Ende Juli, Anfang August (streng limitiertes Schlauchalbum mit Heimaufnahmen 1982 - 1989), LP, Hidden Records, 1994
- Alte Pilze (Historische Heimaufnahmen 1981 - 1992 Volume II, LP, Hidden Records, 1996
- Legasthenie im Abendwind (Historische Heimaufnahmen 1981 - 1995 Volume III), LP, Hidden Records, 1997
- Nuuk (Stephan Winkler and Max Goldt): Nachts in schwarzer Seilbahn nach Waldpotsdam, Traumton (CD) / Hidden Records (Vinyl), 1998
- Bundesratsufer. Instrumentals, Captain Trip Records, 1999
Spoken word recordings
- Die sonderbare Zwitter-CD (Lese-Live Eins), Fünfundvierzig, 1993
- Die CD mit dem Kaffeeringecover (Lese-Live Zwei), Fünfundvierzig, 1994
- Weihnachten im Bordell (Lese-Live Drei), Fünfundvierzig, 1995
- Objekt mit Souvenircharakter (Lese-Live Vier), Fünfundvierzig, 1996
- Schöne Greatest Lese Live Oldies - Komische Appläuse Motor, 1997
- Das kellerliterarische Riesenrad (mit Ditterich von Euler-Donnersperg), Fünfundvierzig, 1998
- Die Aschenbechergymnastik, Raben Records/Heyne 2000
- Der Krapfen auf dem Sims, Heyne Hörbuch, 2001, ISBN 3-453-19096-3
- Okay Mutter, ich nehme die Mittagsmaschine., Hörbuch München, 2002, ISBN 345316783X
- Wenn man einen weißen Anzug anhat und anderes, Hörbuch Hamburg, 2003, ISBN 3-89903-118-0
- Für Nächte am offenen Fenster. Luxusprosa aus den neunziger Jahren, Hörbuch Hamburg, 2003, ISBN 3-89903-123-7
- Für Nächte am offenen Fenster. Zweite Folge-besser als die erste, Hörbuch Hamburg, 2004, ISBN 3-89903-156-3
- Ein Leben auf der Flucht vor der Koralle , Hörbuch Hamburg, 2005, ISBN 3-89903-186-5
- Vom Zauber des seitlich dran Vorbeigehens, Hörbuch Hamburg, 2005, ISBN 3-89903-187-3
- ne Nonne kauft 'ner Nutte 'nen Duden. Dreizehn Texte 1991-2005 , Hörbuch Hamburg, 2006, ISBN 3-89903-236-5
- QQ - Quiet Quality, Hörbuch Hamburg, 2007, ISBN 978-3-89903-409-7
- Nichts als Punk und Pils und Staatsverdruß, Hörbuch Hamburg, 2008, ISBN 978-3-89903-490-5
Essays and prose
- Mein äußerst schwer erziehbarer schwuler Schwager aus der Schweiz, a-verbal, 1984, ISBN 3-88999-003-7
- Ungeduscht, geduzt und ausgebuht, a-verbal, 1988, ISBN 3-88999-006-1
- Die Radiotrinkerin (Foreword by Robert GernhardtRobert GernhardtRobert Gernhardt was a German writer, painter, caricaturist and poet.-Life:Robert Gernhardt studied Painting and German in Stuttgart and Berlin. He was one of the regular contributors to the satirical magazine Pardon, where he did the section Welt im Spiegel together with F. K. Waechter and F. W...
), Haffmans Verlag, 1991, ISBN 3-251-01112-X - Quitten für die Menschen zwischen Emden und Zittau, Haffmans Verlag, 1993, ISBN 3-251-30008-3
- Schließ einfach die Augen und stell dir vor, ich wäre Heinz KlunckerHeinz KlunckerHeinz Kluncker was president of the German trade union ÖTV from 1964 to 1982....
, Haffmans Verlag, 1994, ISBN 3-251-30044-X - Die Kugeln in unseren Köpfen, Haffmans Verlag, 1995, ISBN 3-251-00275-9
- Der Sommerverächter, Delius & Company, 1996, ISBN 3-931870-10-3 (Literacard Nr. 11)
- Ä, Haffmans Verlag, 1997, ISBN 3-251-30065-2
- Ein gelbes Plastikthermometer in Form eines roten Plastikfisches (Typography by Martin Z. Schröder), Revonnah Verlag, 1998, ISBN 3-927715-87-5
- 'Mind-boggling' - Evening Post. Kolumnen Nr. 96 - 108, some other stuff, acht unpaginierte Farbseiten, etliche s/w-Abbildungen sowie zwei Zeichnungen von Katz und Goldt, Haffmans Verlag, 1998, ISBN 3-251-00405-0
- Erntedankfäscht (zusammen mit Gerhard Henschel), Haffmans Verlag, 1998, ISBN 3-251-00389-5
- (ed.) Der Rabe - Magazin für jede Art von Literatur - Nummer 57, Haffmans Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-251-10057-2
- Der Krapfen auf dem Sims - Betrachtungen, Essays u. a., Alexander Fest Verlag, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-8286-0156-1
- Okay Mutter, ich nehme die Mittagsmaschine - Beste Kolumnen und beste Nicht-Kolumnen in einem Band, Haffmans Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3-251-00458-1
- Wenn man einen weißen Anzug anhat. Ein Tagebuch-Buch, RowohltRowohltRowohlt Verlag is a publishing house based in Reinbek and also Hamburg and Berlin, part of the Georg von Holtzbrinck Group . The company was created in 1908 in Leipzig by Ernst Rowohlt.- Parts of the company :* Kindler Verlag...
, 2002, ISBN 3-498-02493-0 - Für Nächte am offenen Fenster. Die prachtvollsten Texte von 1988 - 2002, Rowohlt, 2003, ISBN 3-498-02496-5
- Ein Leben auf der Flucht vor der Koralle, Rowohlt, 2004, ISBN 3-499-23540-4
- Vom Zauber des seitlich dran Vorbeigehens, Rowohlt, 2005, ISBN 3-498-02497-3
- QQ, Rowohlt Berlin, 2007, ISBN 3-871-34581-4
Comic books
(with Stephan Katz, "Katz und Goldt")- Wenn Adoptierte den Tod ins Haus bringen, Jochen Enterprises, 1997, ISBN 3-930486-30-X
- Koksen um die Mäuse zu vergessen, Jochen Enterprises, 1998
- Ich Ratten, Jochen Enterprises, 1999
- Oh, Schlagsahne! Hier müssen Menschen sein. Carlsen Comics, 2001, ISBN 3-551-75823-9
- Das Salz in der Las Vegas-Eule, Carlsen Comics, 2002, ISBN 3-551-75825-5
- Adieu Sweet Bahnhof, Rowohlt Verlag 2004, ISBN 3-499-23896-9
- Das Malträtieren unvollkommener Automaten, Rowohlt Verlag 2006, ISBN 3-499-24134-X
- Der Globus ist unser Pony, der Kosmos unser richtiges Pferd, Edition Moderne 2007, ISBN 3-03-731015-4
- Wellness rettet den Bindestrich, Edition Moderne 2008, ISBN 978-3037310373
External links
Official Katz+Goldt website Essays from Ich und mein Staubsauger, including all by Max Goldt Es wird zu viel geduzt, interview in FalterFalter
Falter is a weekly magazine published in Vienna, Austria.Founded in 1977, it is published weekly on Wednesdays. Since Spring 2005 a local edition has also been published in Styria. The magazine reports from a broadly left-liberal perspective on politics, media, culture and the life...
, 10 March 2004
- German Joys: A Max Goldt Treasury Unofficial translations of some texts by Max Goldt