Slime (band)
Encyclopedia
Slime is a German
punk rock
band, founded in 1979 and disbanded in 1994. The pre-Slime band was called Screamer, and the post-Slime band is – contrary to the occasional rumors – not Emils (Slime backwards), but Rubberslime, with the member Elf. In 2010, the band reformed to play some concerts for their 30th anniversary.
The band was founded by Michael "Elf" Mayer (guitar
), Eddi Räther (bass
) and Ball (Peter Wodok – drums
). Some months later, Dirk "Dicken" Jora joined as vocalist. Christian Mevs joined the band in 1980 as second guitarist, and Ball left in 1981 and was replaced by Stephan Mahler. For the 2010 concerts Alex Schwers played bass guitar.
Slime were very influential to the German punk
culture and their first album Slime I
was actually the first German punk album banned. They are often considered to be the prototypical German punk or deutschpunk band.
Notable songs are "Deutschland Muss Sterben (...Damit Wir Leben Können)" (Germany must die (... so we can live)) (an allusion to "Deutschland muß leben, auch wenn wir sterben müssen" (Germany must live, even if we have to die), the inscription on the Kriegerdenkmal in Hamburg-Dammtor which is a line of the Soldatenlied by the German poet Heinrich Lersch), "Bullenschweine" (literally cop swines), "Polizei SA/SS" (police SA/SS), comparing police to the SA
and SS and "A.C.A.B." ("All Cops Are Bastards").
They sang song against war (e.g. "We Don't Need the Army"), and they made a punk anthem with the song "Hey Punk". They even produced songs against their government ("They Don't Give a Fuck"), their justice ("Gerechtigkeit" - means fairness), their police and their politicians ("Sand im Getriebe"). The song "Yankees Raus" (Yankees out) is against imperialism
.
The following years, the neo-fascism
in Germany was rising more and more, so they felt dutybound to sing against them.
The song "Der Tod Ist Ein Meister aus Deutschland" (Death is a master from Germany) was inspired by the poem Todesfuge
(lit. "Death Fugue") by Paul Celan
, who was a prisoner in different concentration camps during the Third reich.
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...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band, founded in 1979 and disbanded in 1994. The pre-Slime band was called Screamer, and the post-Slime band is – contrary to the occasional rumors – not Emils (Slime backwards), but Rubberslime, with the member Elf. In 2010, the band reformed to play some concerts for their 30th anniversary.
The band was founded by Michael "Elf" Mayer (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Eddi Räther (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Ball (Peter Wodok – drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Some months later, Dirk "Dicken" Jora joined as vocalist. Christian Mevs joined the band in 1980 as second guitarist, and Ball left in 1981 and was replaced by Stephan Mahler. For the 2010 concerts Alex Schwers played bass guitar.
Slime were very influential to the German punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
culture and their first album Slime I
Slime I
-Track listing:# "We Don't Need The Army"# "Artificial"# "A.C.A.B."# "I Wish I Was"# "They Don't Give A Fuck"# "Robot Age"# "Streetfight"# "Karlsquell"# "Hey Punk"# "D.I.S.C.O."# "D.O.R.F." # "Deutschland"...
was actually the first German punk album banned. They are often considered to be the prototypical German punk or deutschpunk band.
Notable songs are "Deutschland Muss Sterben (...Damit Wir Leben Können)" (Germany must die (... so we can live)) (an allusion to "Deutschland muß leben, auch wenn wir sterben müssen" (Germany must live, even if we have to die), the inscription on the Kriegerdenkmal in Hamburg-Dammtor which is a line of the Soldatenlied by the German poet Heinrich Lersch), "Bullenschweine" (literally cop swines), "Polizei SA/SS" (police SA/SS), comparing police to the SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
and SS and "A.C.A.B." ("All Cops Are Bastards").
They sang song against war (e.g. "We Don't Need the Army"), and they made a punk anthem with the song "Hey Punk". They even produced songs against their government ("They Don't Give a Fuck"), their justice ("Gerechtigkeit" - means fairness), their police and their politicians ("Sand im Getriebe"). The song "Yankees Raus" (Yankees out) is against imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
.
The following years, the neo-fascism
Neo-Fascism
Neo-fascism is a post–World War II ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. The term neo-fascist may apply to groups that express a specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism or any other fascist leader/state...
in Germany was rising more and more, so they felt dutybound to sing against them.
The song "Der Tod Ist Ein Meister aus Deutschland" (Death is a master from Germany) was inspired by the poem Todesfuge
Todesfuge
Todesfuge is a German language poem written by the Romanian poet Paul Celan and first published in 1948. It is Celan's most famous poem.- Composition and Publication :...
(lit. "Death Fugue") by Paul Celan
Paul Celan
Paul Celan was a poet and translator...
, who was a prisoner in different concentration camps during the Third reich.
Discography
- 1981: Slime ISlime I-Track listing:# "We Don't Need The Army"# "Artificial"# "A.C.A.B."# "I Wish I Was"# "They Don't Give A Fuck"# "Robot Age"# "Streetfight"# "Karlsquell"# "Hey Punk"# "D.I.S.C.O."# "D.O.R.F." # "Deutschland"...
(no label, banned) - 1982: Yankees rausYankees rausYankees raus is the second album by Slime.-Track listing:#"Yankees raus" #"Kauf oder stirb" #"Alptraum" #"Pseudo" #"Wieder breit" #"Greensleeves"#"Bundeswehr"...
(AGR) - 1983: Alle gegen AlleAlle gegen AlleAlle gegen alle is the third album by the German Punk rock band Slime, released in 1983.-Track listing:# "Linke Spiesser" – 2:07# "Störtebecker" – 2:12# "Untergang" – 2:31# "Zu kalt" – 2:50...
(AGR) - 1992: Viva la Muerte (AGR/Modern Music)
- 1994: SchweineherbstSchweineherbstSchweineherbst is the last studio-album by German Punk Rock band Slime. In it, they again criticise the politics of Germany.-Track listing:# Schweineherbst # Stillstand # Zweifel # Feuer...
(Indigo)
Live and Compilations
- 1984: Live (AGR)
- 1990: Compilation 81–87 (Bitzcore)
- 1990: Die Letzten (AGR)
- 1995: Live Punk Club (Große Freiheit in Hamburg) (Slime)
Singles
- 1980: "Wir Wollen Keine Bullenschweine" (Moderne Musik)
- 1993: "Der Tod Ist Ein Meister aus Deutschland / Schweineherbst" (Weserlabel/ Indigo)
- 1993: "10 Kleine Nazischweine" (mit Heiter bis Wolkig) 2-Track-EP
Tribute-Sampler
- 2009: Alle gegen Alle - A Tribute to Slime (Toten Hosen, Rasta Knast, Dritte Wahl, etc)