The band's frontman, Till Lindemann, annoyed his fans in a Playboy interview in which he slams psychotherapy and claims he has no female friends.
Till lindemann at a 2019 Rammstein concert in FrankfurtImage: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Roessler
Advertisement
There are many reasons to expose yourself to the dangers of nature during a journey. One is out of a thirst for knowledge, like the famous German researcher Alexander von Humboldt, who would have celebrated his 250th birthday on September 9, 2019. Or like German filmmaker Werner Herzog, to make a movie about an eccentric man who wants to build an opera house in the jungle (Fitzcarraldo, 1982).
When musician Till Lindemann, singer of the popular German rock band Rammstein traveled to a remote destination, it was to write new song lyrics — and annoy fans by talking about the trip in an interview afterwards. Lindemann, who is known for his provocative comments and riotous performances, gave a controversial interview to the German Playboy magazine with his friend and travel mate, musician Joey Kelly.
In it, the two tell of a joint paddling trip on the Yukon in Alaska in 2017. They chat about their longstanding friendship, their ideas of masculinity, and what it was like for Lindemann to be trained as a swimmer in former East Germany at the age of eight.
National Gegraphic published photos from Joey Kelly and Till Lindemann's 2017 trip in the illustrated book 'Yukon'Image: Till Lindemann, Joey Kelly/NG Buchverlag
Lindemann considers therapy to be unnecessary
The interview splashes along like the waters of the Yukon until it gets caught in a dangerous vortex. Lindemann says he is no fan of psychotherapy, which he sees as money wasted on "luxury problems." "I have never seen anyone who has felt better because of it. I know people who came back from therapy and I couldn't recognize them, they weren't like I knew them. I find it hard to handle how these people have changed," he said.
Advertisement
The music magazine Rolling Stone then posted an article about the interview with Lindemann and Kelly on Facebook, where it promptly received criticism. "It is always easy for the strong to judge the 'weaker,'" wrote one reader. Another one commented: "People who believe they can be their own therapists are... hmm... narcissists."
Kelly and Lindemann pose for their new book chronicling a trip to the AmazonImage: Thomas Stachelhaus/National Geographic
No threat to his popularity
When it comes to his popularity, Till Lindemann has nothing to worry about. The band's 2019 album Rammstein reached number one on the charts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and ninth place in the USA.
The Rammstein singer also announced that he will play a solo show in front of a large audience at the Wacken Open Air festival, which is set to take place in 2021 — it was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Lindemann will perform on July 28, 2021 on one of the two main stages, along with German bands Clawfinger and Varang Nord and a third group that is still being kept secret. According to the organizers, Wacken Open Air is already sold out. It seems that Lindemann still knows how to make a name for himself.
Another tidbit that had people grinning on social media last week seems almost Freudian. This summer, Kelly and Lindemann took a trip together down a tributary of the Amazon— and supposedly a piranha bit Kelly's genitals.
Rammstein, the dark gods of hard rock
Powerful shows have been the German shock-rockers' trademark for 25 years. They've headlined all the major music festivals, from Moscow to Buenos Aires.
Image: Universal/G. Karp
Music made of nightmares
Knowing no taboos, Rammstein have managed to infuse their performances with humanity's darkest nightmares. It's all about violence and murderous fantasies, cannibalism and various unthinkable acts of horror. They delight in crossing the line, and their provocations are celebrated by a legion of fans. Rammstein is one-of-a-kind — and the band members are worldwide stars.
Image: Universal/G. Karp
Eastern punk heritage
Come from East Berlin and Schwerin, the members first performed in seminal acts within the East German underground punk scene. Guitarist Paul Landers and keyboardist Flake Lorenz played in Feeling B; singer Till Lindemann was with First Arsch, bassist Oliver Riedel with The Inchtabokatables, guitarist Richard Kruspe in Orgasm Death Gimmick, and drummer Christoph Schneider in Die Firma.
Image: Universal
Appearances are deceiving
They actually look like nice guys. This photo was taken in 1995 when the band was one year old. "Herzeleid" (Heartbreak), the first LP, had gruesome texts on issues like child abuse in "Weisses Fleisch" (White Flesh), and necrophilia in "Heirate mich" (Marry Me). All that to harsh guitar riffs, merciless percussion and an edgy electro sound. It reached No. 6 in the German album charts.
Image: Pressefoto
God knows I'm no angel
"Engel" (Angel) in 1997 was the breakthrough. Given much airtime on the MTV and Viva music channels, it was inspired by Quentin Tarantino's film "From Dusk Till Dawn." The second album, "Sehnsucht" (Longing), went platinum both in Germany and in the US. Rammstein's contribution to the soundtrack of David Lynch's film "Lost Highway" kickstarted their career in the US.
Image: Paul Brown
A plea for tolerance in a Hawaiian shirt
Aren't they sweet? The surf boys pose on the Californian beach with pretty bikini-clad girls and sing about the foreigner that is unwelcome. The happy images collide with the hard, rapid industrial beat. When "Mein Land" (My Country, 2011) comes to an end, the candy-colored beach party is over, and it's back to familiar Rammstein imagery with fire and scowling faces.
Image: Universal
Inter-generational collaboration
In a crossover phase, German folk music star Heino covered well-known rock and pop songs, including Rammstein's "Sonne" (Sun). In 2013, the group invited Heino to join them onstage at Wacken Open Air. Facing 75,000 metal fans and flanked by flames and smoke, Heino sang together with Rammstein — looking slightly startled. The periodical "Metal-Hammer" tweeted: "Did Heino know where he'd landed?"
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Heroes onscreen
The film of the Rammstein concert in New York's Madison Square Garden, and the documentary "Rammstein in Amerika," premiered in movie theaters on September 24, 2015. The DVD climbed to No. 1 in the DVD charts in 13 countries. Rammstein has conquered four of the world's five biggest music markets: the US, Great Britain, France and Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/Eventpress
Cultivated pyromaniac
Rammstein lead singer Till Lindemann likes to shock with his outre makeup. But under the wild man exterior, Till's a sensitive, contemplative soul who published a collection of poetry titled "Messer" (Knife) in 2002. Meanwhile, the 56-year-old got his buff physique from high-performance swimming. And what about his love of fire? Lindemann took a course in pyrotechnics in 1996.
Image: Paul Brown
10 years of waiting
Rammstein's 7th studio album (untitled) was released on May 17, 2019. It was an eagerly awaited release, coming 10 years after the previous one. It garnered plenty of media attention ahead of its release, in part due to the music video for the single "Deutschland," which portrayed concentration camp prisoners. It became Germany's best-selling album of 2019.
