Alexander Von Borsig

Though I've posted material featuring today's artist's contributions, I've yet to post his own material, so without any further adieu, today's post features German jack-of-all-trades, Alexander Von Borsig.

Known best for his contributions to Einstürzende Neubauten, P1/E, Crime + the City Solution, and most recently the Tiger Lillies, Alexander Von Borsig (currently active as Alexander Hacke) began making music at the tender age of 13. Under several monikers, he released homemade cassette tape and single recordings of his own material, as well as work with Christiane F. in Sentimentale Jugend. Soon after these tapes were released, he would join as guitarist of experimental act Einstürzende Neubauten (at age 15), and he remains with the band to this day, switching to bass guitar most recently.

I've uploaded three tracks for you folks today, the first a single A-side for the song 'Hiroshima,' and the second, the entire 'Japanisch' single. Enjoy!

download Alexander Von Borsig- 'Hiroshima'
download Alexander Von Borsig- 'Japanisch'
download Alexander Von Borsig- 'Truncheon Rei'

Though there are several clips of Alexander Hacke performing with his other outfits, I can't seem to find anything on his earlier material for web viewing- though Einstürzende Neubauten's Liebeslieder dvd features a live piano performance of 'Hiroshima,' and is available on netflix for any curious parties.

For more on Alexander Von Borsig/Hacke, visit this cleverly designed site:
Hacke dot org

Einstürzende Neubauten & Lydia Lunch

Although neither of these artists need a lengthy formal introduction, today's writeup will feature a two track single, an exciting and stellar collaboration by two great experimental artists.

Einstürzende Neubauten (translation: collapsing new buildings) formed in 1980 in West Berlin, the brainchild of several local avant-garde musicians. Since then, the band has deconstructed the face of popular music, remaining an active, prolific, and powerful force in industrial and experimental music.

Lydia Lunch is an American musician and poet. She was the former frontwoman of influential NYC no-wave act Teenage Jesus & the Jerks until the band disbanded in 1979. She then persued a solo career, offering up several classic records and collaborations, and has since explored film, poetry, and other creative disciplines.

In 1982, as the two were gaining steam and exploring the boundaries of music with their own respective acts, Einstürzende Neubauten would record but two tracks with Lydia Lunch, also featuring contributions from Birthday Party/Crime & the City Solution guitarist Rowland S. Howard. What resulted is a true masterpiece of experimental work, a frightening two track 12'' single entitled Thirsty Animal. Combining the subtleties and talents of both units, these two pieces are among the most powerful and harrowing tracks that either would record.

...and here they are, for your listening 'pleasure:'

download Einstürzende Neubauten & Lydia Lunch- 'Thirsty Animal'
download Einstürzende Neubauten & Lydia Lunch- 'Durstiges Tier'

and for more information on each band's respective discography, some links for you folks:

Einstürzende Neubauten
Lydia Lunch

P1/E

P1/E were an early Neue Deutsche Welle outfit from the heart of Berlin. Though the band has very little recorded output (a handful of songs, a few assorted remixes, and some live recordings at best), the songs they constructed were catchy, influential, and memorable in an emerging synth-scene.

Most well known of the band's contributors is Alexander von Borsig, an avant garde musician most reknowned for his work in avant-industrial act Einsturzende Neubauten under the name Alexander Hacke. Other projects of Borsig's include early solo cassette recordings (which will more than likely be featured here in the future), work with Crime and the City Solution, material recorded under the name Sentimentale Jugend, with famed heroin-addict cum-superstar Christine F, and most recently- a stage production with dark-humored English trio the Tiger Lillies.

P1/E were an ephemeral band...and after disbanding in 1981, many of the other members joined various other outfits, none of which managed to make as much of an impact as P1/E (Hacke excluded, naturally). Despite some deep scouring, I've only been able to track down three songs from this band, being their first single and a remix of their best-known track- '49 Second Romance.' If anyone happens to have their remaining output, most especially the collected bits and bobs lp Second Offender, I'd be tickled pink if you could pass it my way...Otherwise, here are all three tracks I've got, uploaded for your pleasure:

download P1/E- '49 Second Romance'
download P1/E- 'Dependence'
download P1/E- '49 Second Romance (Disco Mix)'

Here's something worth a bit of a laugh...I'm not sure precisely where this comes from (the only information on the video tag claims it was recorded on May 6th...year unknown), but here is a youtube video of a 'reunited' P1/E performing '49 Second Romance/Do the Locomotion' with Alexander Hacke on vocals. Equal parts funny and equal parts enjoyable:



...and for anyone who knows their German, here's a main hub website for the band, featuring an in-depth discography, some press clippings, a few tracks from other post-P1/E projects, and assorted remixes and mashups of '49 Second Romance.'

http://www.p1-e.de/