En Esch
Encyclopedia
En Esch, a.k.a. Klaus Schandelmaier, is a contemporary musician and has been a member of the bands KMFDM
, Pigface
, and Slick Idiot
.
group, KMFDM
, from 1985 to 1999, during which time he contributed to ten studio albums and more than a dozen singles as musician, composer and producer.
Sascha Konietzko
claims to have given Esch his nickname because the latter felt that his real name was inappropriate for the stage. It is derived from the German pronunciation of the first sounds in his name. Esch lived in Germany until 1992, when he moved to Chicago
to join Konietzko, who had moved there a year earlier.
It was at this time that Esch first worked with Pigface
, whom he also toured with in the early 1990s. He released a solo album, Cheesy, in 1993. A few years after that, Esch moved to New Orleans.
When KMFDM
temporarily broke up in 1999, Esch briefly worked with the band Pizza Whore, which changed its name to Barely Legal, and included Trixie Reiss of The Crystal Method
. The band didn't last, and Esch began traveling to Canada to visit Günter Schulz, the former KMFDM guitarist. They formed Slick Idiot
, and released their first album in 2001. They have released two more albums under that moniker since then.
Esch has since begun working actively with Pigface
again, joining them on tour in 2005.
Esch was rumored to be the replacement lead singer of industrial group Rammstein
, but this turned out to be a hoax.
In 2007, he began collaborating with fellow German musician Mona Mur
. The two released the album 120 Tage
in February 2009, and toured together in support of the release over the next two years. Esch and Mur joined Schulz, Raymond Watts, and Mark Durante
to perform at the Wax Trax! Retrospectacle in Chicago, a charity event celebrating the industrial music label, and performed KMFDM songs from the 1990s. A second album by the duo of Esch and Mur is due for release in 2011. Esch currently resides in Berlin
.
KMFDM
KMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
, Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
, and Slick Idiot
Slick Idiot
Slick Idiot is a German electronic and industrial band.- History :Slick Idiot was formed by former KMFDM members Günter Schulz and En Esch, following the 1999 breakup of KMFDM. Before taking on the name Slick Idiot, En Esch and Günter Schulz contributed a cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Terrible Lie" to...
.
History
En Esch, born near Frankfurt, is a studied orchestra percussionist, drummer, programmer, producer, guitarist and singer. He was a member of the German industrial rockIndustrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
group, KMFDM
KMFDM
KMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
, from 1985 to 1999, during which time he contributed to ten studio albums and more than a dozen singles as musician, composer and producer.
Sascha Konietzko
Sascha Konietzko
Sascha Konietzko , also known as Sascha K and Käpt'n K, is a German musician and producer. He is the founder, frontman, and "anchor" of industrial rock band KMFDM. Konietzko jokingly purports himself to be the father of industrial rock...
claims to have given Esch his nickname because the latter felt that his real name was inappropriate for the stage. It is derived from the German pronunciation of the first sounds in his name. Esch lived in Germany until 1992, when he moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to join Konietzko, who had moved there a year earlier.
It was at this time that Esch first worked with Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
, whom he also toured with in the early 1990s. He released a solo album, Cheesy, in 1993. A few years after that, Esch moved to New Orleans.
When KMFDM
KMFDM
KMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
temporarily broke up in 1999, Esch briefly worked with the band Pizza Whore, which changed its name to Barely Legal, and included Trixie Reiss of The Crystal Method
The Crystal Method
The Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo that was created in Los Angeles, California by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The Crystal Method's music has appeared in numerous TV shows, films, video games, and advertisements. The most prominent is the US television...
. The band didn't last, and Esch began traveling to Canada to visit Günter Schulz, the former KMFDM guitarist. They formed Slick Idiot
Slick Idiot
Slick Idiot is a German electronic and industrial band.- History :Slick Idiot was formed by former KMFDM members Günter Schulz and En Esch, following the 1999 breakup of KMFDM. Before taking on the name Slick Idiot, En Esch and Günter Schulz contributed a cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Terrible Lie" to...
, and released their first album in 2001. They have released two more albums under that moniker since then.
Esch has since begun working actively with Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
again, joining them on tour in 2005.
Esch was rumored to be the replacement lead singer of industrial group Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, but this turned out to be a hoax.
In 2007, he began collaborating with fellow German musician Mona Mur
Mona Mur
Mona Mur is a German vocalist - born Sabine Bredy in Hamburg to Polish parents, 1960.In 1982 she first collaborated with FM Einheit, Marc Chung, and Alex Hacke, all of Einstürzende Neubauten. As "Mona Mur und die Mieter " they recorded the 12" Jeszcze Polska...
. The two released the album 120 Tage
120 Tage
120 Tage is an electro-industrial studio collaboration between German musicians Mona Mur and En Esch , released February 15, 2009 on Pale Music International...
in February 2009, and toured together in support of the release over the next two years. Esch and Mur joined Schulz, Raymond Watts, and Mark Durante
Mark Durante
Mark Durante is a pedal steel guitarist who is currently based in Chicago.Durante began playing guitar in 1968 after being inspired by the fretwork of Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa and Merle Travis. Ten years later, Durante founded a rock combo he named "Public Enemy"...
to perform at the Wax Trax! Retrospectacle in Chicago, a charity event celebrating the industrial music label, and performed KMFDM songs from the 1990s. A second album by the duo of Esch and Mur is due for release in 2011. Esch currently resides in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Slick Idiot
- DickNityDickNityDickNity was the first album released by Slick Idiot. Originally released for on-line sale only, Cleopatra Records re-released DickNity with a bonus remix by Christoph Schneider of Rammstein...
(2001) - ReDickUlousReDickUlousReDickUlous consists of remixes of songs off Slick Idiot's first album, DickNity. Eight of the tracks on the album are remixes performed by fans as part of a remix contest.-Track listing:*Tracks 2–3, 5–6 and 10–13 are all fan remixes....
(2003) - ScrewtinizedScrewtinizedScrewtinized is the second studio album by industrial band Slick Idiot.-Track listing:...
(2004) - S U C K S E S SS U C K S E S SSUCKSESS is the third studio album by Slick Idiot.-Track listing:-Personnel:* En Esch: main vocals, programming* Guenter Schulz: main guitars, programming* Gregg Ziemba: programming, live drums* Erica Dilanjian: vocals, programming, guitar...
(2009)
with Pigface
- GubGubGub is the second release and first LP by Pigface. It is notable for featuring contributions from Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails before Nine Inch Nails achieved mainstream success....
(1990) - Welcome to Mexico... AssholeWelcome to Mexico... Asshole- Personnel :* Martin Atkins* Bill Rieflin* Chris Connelly* Nivek Ogre* Paul Raven* Matt Schultz* William TuckerWith Additional appearances, on various tracks of the following artists:...
(1991) - Fook (album) (1992)
- Washingmachine Mouth (1992)
- Truth Will OutTruth Will Out-Personnel:* Martin Atkins* Genesis Breyer P-Orridge* Boozie* Gooch* Jim Marcus* Flour* En Esch* Barb Ruchoft* Nivek Ogre* Andrew Weiss* Hope Nicholls* Matt Schultz* Fil* William Tucker* Jolly* Theo Van Rock-External links:...
(1993) - Easy Listening...Easy Listening...Easy Listening... is Pigface's 2003 album, their first since 1997's A New High in Low. The album includes contributions from Chris Vrenna, Fallon Bowman, Keith Levene, Edsel Dope, Jared Louche, Jason Miller, Penn Jillette, En Esch, Chris Connelly, Steven Seibold, Michelle Walters and more.-Track...
(2003) - 6 (2009)
with Mona Mur
- 120 Tage - The Fine Art of Beauty and Violence120 Tage120 Tage is an electro-industrial studio collaboration between German musicians Mona Mur and En Esch , released February 15, 2009 on Pale Music International...
(2009) - Do With Me What You Want (2011)