photos by Christian Thiele
Germany’s long-running label Exile On Mainstream presents In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit, the new LP by their fellow countryman FRIEDEMANN. This iconic storyteller’s fourth record has been released track-by-track sequentially over the past twelve months and will now be officially issued with a proper release in April. A lighthearted video for a new song, “Le Coiffeur,” has been released today.
With three studio albums and two live albums under his belt, FRIEDEMANN remains one of the most truly independent figures in the German music underground. Just recently called, “the German Ian MacKaye,” by none other than Scott “Wino” Weinrich because of his DIY ethics and no-compromise attitude, FRIEDEMANN has earned merits for being outspoken and a true honest voice of reason in today’s modern chaos and self-centered society.
FRIEDEMANN‘s natural gift for storytelling is revealed in his native language, German, and shines through poetic soulful blues alongside straight and radical statements on this new album, In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit, which translates into, “in the presence of the past.” The narrative reflected in his songwriting is pure honesty and living what he sings about or singing about his life, the perspective is reciprocal. German Rolling Stone Magazine picked up on this story in early 2020 and presented him in an eight-page feature reflecting on his strong appearance and his own DIY approach as between, “hardcore punk stalwart and singer/songwriter, tattoo artist and organic farmer,” drawing a direct line towards his own words, manifested in the song, “Nichts Können Alles Machen” which translates into, “not being skilled in anything but still doing it.” The track itself, which appeared on his first acoustic album in 2014, remains something like a life motto and shines through the new album as well, looking back to these roots. While his recent releases and live shows featured a full band, FRIEDEMANN is now back to the stripped-down folk approach by just being him, on his own, true-to-the-bone self.
Recorded at Chameleon Studios in Hamburg by Eike Freese (Heaven Shall Burn, Deep Purple), In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit was and is released in an unconventional way. Over the past year, each month saw a new song being released with a video and interested fans were offered a subscription to receive a digital download by a fixed date and thus being directly involved in the album shaping up.
With the announcement of In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit, FRIEDEMANN today issues a special new video for a separate non-album song, “Le Coiffeur,” in reaction to current events taking place in Germany. Exile On Mainstream head Andreas Kohl describes, “The current pandemic measures remain subject to discussion on the planet, mostly in light of whether the restrictions to civil rights remain appropriate or not. The public discourse seems to reach stages of unconscious humor increasingly frequent in Western civilizations. Recent events in Germany quite crowned the issue: the German government decided for barber shops and hair stylists to be allowed to open again after nearly three months of closure. The decision is based on two assessments: haircuts remain subject of dignity following a public quote by Bavarian premier minister Horst Seehofer and further if hair stylists won’t be allowed to open again the black-market situation will evolve into a serious harm to Germany’s business practices and state tax income. For the latter drug dealers be like, “WTF?”
Please see FRIEDEMANN’s new song and his take on it illustrating a verbal and visual narrative to get back his dignity. Full of cutting irony and a beautifully cut video, the comment is both, necessary and welcome. “Le Coiffeur” was written and performed by FRIEDEMANN except for beats, synth, and sound snippets by Danco at his Kassettemix studio on Ruegen Island.
Watch FRIEDEMANN’s “Le Coiffeur” video now at THIS LOCATION.
Exile On Mainstream will release In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit on CD, LP, and digital platforms on April 16th. The record is manufactured on 100% recycled vinyl and the manufacturing supports a local afforestation project in a nature park nearby FRIEDEMANN‘s home.
More information on the project can be found HERE and preorders for the album are posted HERE.
Additionally, FRIEDEMANN started his own podcast following the approach to tackle social and political issues by giving people a voice who normally wouldn’t receive public attention but keeping society moving. The main idea behind the project he describes as bringing a counterweight to mostly sensationalist and negative news driving the media. So far seven episodes have been recorded and broadcasted with shedding light onto issues such as mainstream culture, economics, education, concepts of family and living. All episodes can be found HERE.
In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit Track Listing:
1. Das Sammeln Von Licht
2. Wo Wir Ankommen
3. Sonnensucher
4. G-Land
5. Ohne Dich
6. Monster
7. In Der Gegenwart Der Vergangenheit
8. Kein Mensch Ist Eine Insel
9. Bleibt Dem Frohsinn Treu
10. Desillusioniert
11. Kleiner Regen
12. Einsam
http://www.friedemann-ruegen.de
https://friedemann.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/Friedemann.ruegen
https://www.instagram.com/friedemannruegen
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de