Scherben - Music, Politics, and Impact of the Tone Steine Scherben Book (by Wolfgang Seidel)

New edition for the band's anniversary

In 1970, "Macht kaputt, was euch kaputt macht" (Destroy what destroys you) was released, the first single by Ton Steine Scherben, and the chorus quickly became the rallying cry of an extra-parliamentary left deeply influenced by the US musical underground. For the first time, rock with German lyrics didn't sound alien and embarrassing, but authentic in the best sense of the word.

Wolfgang Seidel, a founding member of Scherben and still an active musician today, wants to make a small correction to the transfiguration of the band on the occasion of the Scherben's jubilee celebrations, which even made a Rio-Reiser-Platz in Berlin-Kreuzberg possible. He has gathered contemporary witnesses, political activists of the 1970s and friends of the band, whose memories bring the past back to life.

Now available again with a new foreword by the editor, this book is much more than just a band history. It provides an overview of the mentality of the West German left in the 1970s and 1980s and extends into the present day.

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Table of Contents

Editorial

Wolfgang Seidel:
Another anniversary…

Thorwald Proll:
Yesterday's Scherben

Ted Gaier:
The thing about earlier. Or: How can one actually talk about freedom?

Wolfgang Seidel:
Berlin and the Left in the 1960s. The emergence of Ton Steine Scherben.

Andre Greiner-Pol (Freygang):
How the Scherben came to the East

Detlef Krenz:
The Zodiac on Hallesches Ufer

Wolfgang Seidel:
Scherben ...

Achim Müller:
Iron educates

Wolfgang Seidel and Martina Groß in conversation with Werner Schretzmeier:
The fight for their own youth center

Lutz Neitzert:
Watermen and Moon Calves

Tine Plesch in conversation with Britta Neander:
Carambolage

Wolfgang Seidel in conversation with Françoise Cactus:
"They always did these psychedelic experiments."

Volker Hauptvogel & Dietmar Kirves:
Refusers

Egon Bunne / Oliver Held:
The scent of fresh hay

Jimmy Boyle:
Critique of consumer criticism

Hartwig Vens:
"Our songs are simple so many can sing along." On the language of the Scherben.

Ralf Fischer:
Left and right are not to be confused. Clarification of a widespread error.

Robert Kneschke:
Slave traders in the call center. Why the Scherben still inspire young people and why websites are even created.

Antonio Xavier Merchan Casado:
The sound of the hour. Naunyn Ritze revisited.

Thies Marsen:
Fresenhagen revisited