On the very ground floor of this precipitous cultural structure built on the ruin of the early 20th century's vision of Europe, in the dilapidated warehouses, urban ruins, and null-zone of Potsdamer Platz in proximity to the Berlin Wall, Einstürzende Neubauten were there at Industrial Music's inception, giving its birth a voice, form, and aesthetic. Following in the wake of Punk and early New Wave, Industrial Music culture bore many correspondences to its Postpunk and Gothic Rock siblings, yet defined itself apart for the literal mechanics of its production and aesthetics. Globally a number of epicenters for the sound's earliest formation could be found in Berlin, Chicago, New York, London, and the major coastal cities of California. Most notably and formative for the sound and its culture, the German scene was the initial defining locus. Gathering around the Geniale Dilletanten Festival, and its burgeoning music and performance subculture through efforts largely spearheaded by Wolfgang Müller, the genre's origin immediately expanded outwards to encompass multimedia, performance art, print and literary works. In a span of half a decade, this thriving scene in the margins of the divided city, gave birth to such artists as Die Tödliche Doris, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, F.S.K., Mania D, Palais Schaumburg, Sprung Aus Den Wolken, Abwärts, Malaria!, and Einstürzende Neubauten along with their various side projects and solo iterations. Theirs is a legendary presence that spans decades, and has been documented in numerous expansive articles and interviews, such as The Wire's cover feature, "Einstürzende Neubauten: Annihilating Angels", The Guardian's recount of a 1984 London performance, "How to Destroy the ICA with Drills", and Wired magazine, in "Einstürzende Neubauten has Cooked Mud, Transformed Meat".
Coinciding with Einstürzende Neubauten's 30th anniversary, they have released a fourth anthology of studio improvisations and commercially released recordings, live excerpts, and previously unreleased compositions. "Strategies Against Architecture IV", acts as a perfect summation of their decade of sonic explorations. This futurist anthology runs the gamut of grinding industrial ruin, theatrical poetic digressions, atmospheric meanderings, and propulsive rocking motoric groove. In his review for The Quietus, Tim Burrows states; "Approaching a world tour followed by imminent hiatus, they leave behind this varied yet cohesive record of the last eight years, a period of creativity that belies the band’s three decades. It’s a virile, nuanced alternative to a lot of the flat pop around at the moment, and suggests that there could be a lot more to come." Marking this occasion, this winter they embark on a tour of these explorations into the furthest fringes of experimental rock, lyricism, and collapsing architectural structures. The tour's announcement states that select cities will also play host to a second night wherein they will present a three-part program of films and installations; a short Neubauten live set with “material that has never been played live, hasn’t been played live for a long time or never in this form”; and performances by the band’s individual members “recomposed from city to city.” Update: "Einstürzende Neubauten Cancel US Tour". The band issued the below statement: “While the US Department of Homeland Security did issue approvals for the band’s visas, it was not done in time to secure the appointments at the overseas embassies and consulates that represent the necessary final step in the process. The band members are tremendously disappointed by this turn of events and wish to thank all those fans who purchased tickets for these performances, and for their support."
Link to Einstürzende Neubauten 30th anniversary tour tickets site
Link to official Einstürzende Neubauten site
