Egotronic
Encyclopedia
Egotronic is a German Electropunk band from Berlin formed in 2000. It is well-known for its ultra-left political views.
, Egotronic joined the Hamburg record label Audiolith Records
in 2005, whereon their first single Nein nein/Luxus (No no/luxury) got released. The band went on a tour through Russia (accompanied by the artist Plemo) during the same year. In 2006, Egotronic released their first album Die richtige Einstellung (The right attitude). The second album, Lustprinzip (Pleasure principle) followed in 2007, the third one in 2008. Its fourth album, called Ausflug mit Freunden (Excursion with friends), on which almost every song is a cooperation with friends of Egotronic, was released on 30 April 2010.
with elements from Electronic music and Synthpop
. Egotronic closely cooperates with other Audiolith bands, such as Frittenbude or Saalschutz, which also show stylistic similarities. One of Egotronic's characteristics is the extensive use of Commodore 64
and Atari
sounds, which are, however, produced on contemporary computers. Especially sounds that are well-known from classic computer games are often used in the songs; even the music videos are reminiscent of those old computer games.
or Jürgen Möllemann
. In the song Nicht nur Raver (Not just ravers), Egotronic takes a stand in the discussion on the Riot of Rostock-Lichtenhagen
and the Mügeln mob attack
. Egotronic's extreme anti-German attitude is subject of criticism, even within the left scene. Public attention was drawn to the band for its Rave
-style version of the English football song Ten German Bombers
, which got released on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup
in 2006. The leftist nation-wide newspaper taz
reported on the song. In November 2009, a group of left-wing extremists violently prevented a screening of Claude Lanzmann
's documentary Pourquoi Israël
in Hamburg, which caused international media attention. The occasion of the protest had been a pro-Israel statement of Egotronic.
Albums:
Band history
After a couple of projects released through self-publishingSelf-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
, Egotronic joined the Hamburg record label Audiolith Records
Audiolith Records
Audiolith Records is a German Independent record label from Bahrenfeld, Hamburg, which publishes mainly Electronic music and Indie rock. While its musical style varies, the label's focus certainly is on Electropunk, where it has developed significant influence on the German music scene.- History...
in 2005, whereon their first single Nein nein/Luxus (No no/luxury) got released. The band went on a tour through Russia (accompanied by the artist Plemo) during the same year. In 2006, Egotronic released their first album Die richtige Einstellung (The right attitude). The second album, Lustprinzip (Pleasure principle) followed in 2007, the third one in 2008. Its fourth album, called Ausflug mit Freunden (Excursion with friends), on which almost every song is a cooperation with friends of Egotronic, was released on 30 April 2010.
Genre
In their style, the band combines the attitude and the sociocritical pretensions of Punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
with elements from Electronic music and Synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
. Egotronic closely cooperates with other Audiolith bands, such as Frittenbude or Saalschutz, which also show stylistic similarities. One of Egotronic's characteristics is the extensive use of Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
sounds, which are, however, produced on contemporary computers. Especially sounds that are well-known from classic computer games are often used in the songs; even the music videos are reminiscent of those old computer games.
Political Engagement
Egotronic participates in the initiative I Can't Relax in Deutschland, which is an organization of artists, who criticize German patriotism and an increasing nationalization of pop culture. In its lyrics, Egotronic often communicates political messages, for example on the debates on LeitkulturLeitkultur
The German language term Leitkultur is a politically controversial concept, first introduced in 1998 by the German-Arab sociologist Bassam Tibi. It can be translated as 'guiding culture' or 'leading culture', less literally as 'common culture', 'core culture' or 'basic culture'...
or Jürgen Möllemann
Jürgen Möllemann
Jürgen Wilhelm Möllemann was a German politician of the Free Democratic Party. He served as Minister of State at the Foreign Office , as Federal Minister of Education and Research , as Federal Minister of Economics and as Vice Chancellor of Germany in the government of Chancellor Helmut...
. In the song Nicht nur Raver (Not just ravers), Egotronic takes a stand in the discussion on the Riot of Rostock-Lichtenhagen
Riot of Rostock-Lichtenhagen
From August 22–24, 1992 a violent anti-Vietnamese and anti-Roma riot took place in Rostock-Lichtenhagen; it was the worst mob attack against foreigners in postwar Germany. Although there were stones and petrol bombs thrown at an apartment block that housed asylum seekers, no one was killed...
and the Mügeln mob attack
Mügeln
Mügeln is a town in the district Nordsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is located 9 km southwest of Oschatz and 14 km northwest of Döbeln. The town has a population of approximately 4700 people.- Geography :...
. Egotronic's extreme anti-German attitude is subject of criticism, even within the left scene. Public attention was drawn to the band for its Rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
-style version of the English football song Ten German Bombers
Ten German Bombers
Ten German Bombers was originally a song sung by English school children during World War II. It uses the same tune as 'She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain' though its verse and chorus follow the format of the song 'Ten Green Bottles' however since 2000 has been a song commonly sung by football...
, which got released on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in 2006. The leftist nation-wide newspaper taz
Die tageszeitung
die tageszeitung , was founded in 1978 in Berlin. It is a cooperative-owned German daily newspaper which is administrated by a workers' self-management...
reported on the song. In November 2009, a group of left-wing extremists violently prevented a screening of Claude Lanzmann
Claude Lanzmann
Claude Lanzmann is a French filmmaker and professor at European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.-Biography:Lanzmann attended the Lycée Blaise-Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand. He joined the French resistance at the age of 18 and fought in Auvergne...
's documentary Pourquoi Israël
Pourquoi Israel
Pourquoi Israël is Shoah filmmaker Claude Lanzmann's first film. The documentary examines life in Israel twenty-five years after the birth of the state. Lanzmann spends time with, among others, German-Jewish émigrés, intellectuals, dock workers, police, prison inmates, and the newly arrived...
in Hamburg, which caused international media attention. The occasion of the protest had been a pro-Israel statement of Egotronic.
Discography
Singles:- 2005 Nein Nein/Luxus
- 2007 Lustprinzip
- 2008 Kotzen
- 2009 Es muß stets hell für Gottes Auge sein
- 2010 Was soll's
Albums:
- 2006 Die Richtige Einstellung
- 2007 Lustprinzip
- 2008 Egotronic
- 2010 Ausflug mit Freunden
- 2011 Macht Keinen Lärm