Schandmaul
Encyclopedia
Schandmaul is a German
medieval folk rock
band from the vicinity of Munich
.
As well as using modern instruments like the bass
or electric guitar
, the band utilizes instruments typically used in Medieval folk songs, such as the bagpipes
, hurdy-gurdy or shawm
, to produce their trademark folk rock
sound.
The name 'Schandmaul' translates roughly to 'malicious tongue' and refers to their mascot of a grinning skeletal jester.
The first concert took place in the bar 'Die Hexe' (lit. 'The Witch') in Gröbenzell
. For this event, the self-deprecating name 'Schandmaul' was chosen, inspired by a jester from a deck of cards. The jester is viewed as a fool, but this indignity gains him the privilege to speak his mind freely, and accordingly, the outdated swearword 'Schandmaul' (lit. 'malicious-tongue') refers to somebody who frequently says things considered rude or outrageous.
The success of the concert awakened the desire to produce a CD, which, after many more shows, appeared as the self-produced album Wahre Helden (lit. True Heroes).
Due to more and more gigs and an abundance of creative energy for more songs, a second album titled Von Spitzbuben und anderen Halunken (lit. Of Rogues and Other Scoundrels) was released in 2000, a mere year later. The same year, the band signed with concert promoter Extratours, who has been responsible for the band's live shows ever since.
In 2001, record label 'F.A.M.E. recordings' took notice of the band, which led to a re-release of Von Spitzbuben und anderen Halunken. Simultaneously, through numerous shows including big festivals like M'era Luna
, Zillo-Festival and Wave-Gotik-Treffen, the first big tour came about. The third CD, Narrenkönig (lit. Jester's King) was recorded in a professional studio and was released in October 2002, reaching #70 on the charts. In September 2002, the band parted ways with bassist Hubsi Widman, and Matthias Richter took his place, debuting with Schandmaul on September 22, 2002 in Meschede
.
In 2003 the first live CD and DVD, Hexenkessel (lit. Witch's Cauldron, also meaning the proverbial 'boiling pot') were released, recorded during a concert in the Munich club New Backstage, at which Michael Rhein from In Extremo
appeared a cameo as guest singer. Hexenkessel reached #52 in the charts.
In early 2004, Wie Pech & Schwefel (lit. Like Pitch and Sulfur, German idiom
with a similar meaning as "thick as thieves") appeared in stores. This first studio album with Matthias Richter reached #13 on the charts. A tour with over 80 concerts and shows throughout German-speaking Europe followed. At the end of 2004, the band organized the first ever Funkenflug festival in Munich. The following year, the biggest project yet in the band's history was created: An acoustic tour, where the electric guitars were replaced by a string quartet and extra percussion, capped off by a huge concert in Munich's Circus Krone Building
, accompanied by the Puchheimer Jugendkammerorchester (a 50 piece orchestra) and helped out by numerous musicians from other bands, such as Castus and Wim from Corvus Corax
on bag pipes and Oliver Sa Tyr from Faun
on the celtic harp (who just previously had teamed up with Birgit to create a folk project called Sava). This huge show was recorded and released as both a CD and DVD under the name "Kunststück" (lit. Feat). The CD reached #12 in the album charts and the DVD made it to #3 on the video charts. A single called "Bin Unterwegs" (lit. "(I) Am on the way") was also produced based on the live recording from Circus Krone. More shows followed, sometimes with the strings but once again including the rock set, and a cooperation with the Deutschen Zentrum für Musiktherapie (German Center for Music Therapy) was created.
In March 2006 another album appeared, titled Mit Leib und Seele (lit. With Body and Soul). This became the first Schandmaul album to broach the top ten of Germany's Media Control charts.
Schandmaul's sixth album Anderswelt (lit. meaning "Other-world") appeared in April 2008. It reached a position of #8 in Media Control's album charts in its first week and remained in their Top 100 for fifteen weeks. This success has since been topped by their 2011 album, Traumtänzer.
In November 2008, Schandmaul celebrated their 10th anniversary with a widely promoted anniversary concert in Munich that was filmed and recorded for the live CD and DVD Sinnfonie.
In early 2009, Schandmaul were nominated for the German music award ECHO.
A club tour that was originally planned for 2010 was cancelled and no concert was played in that year. Instead the band announced a break to take some time for writing a new album.
This album, Traumtänzer, was released on 28 January 2011 and was followed by a short spring tour. Appearances at festivals in the summer of 2011 have been announced. The album reached a position of #4 in the German Media Control album charts, making it their most successful album as of yet.
| style="text-align:center;"|2009
| style="text-align:left;"|Anderswelt
|ECHO
|
The four male band members also play in the rock band Weto with Regicide keyboarder Heiner Jaspers, while Birgit Muggenthaler-Schmack and Anna Kränzlein both cultivate their own side projects, Sava and Anna Katharina respectively.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
medieval folk rock
Medieval folk rock
Medieval folk rock, medieval rock or medieval folk is a musical sub-genre that emerged in the early 1970s in England and Germany which combined elements of early music with rock music. It grew out of the electric folk and progressive folk movements of the later 1960s...
band from the vicinity of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
As well as using modern instruments like the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
or electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, the band utilizes instruments typically used in Medieval folk songs, such as the bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, hurdy-gurdy or shawm
Shawm
The shawm was a medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the 12th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. The body of the shawm was usually turned from a single piece of wood,...
, to produce their trademark folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
sound.
The name 'Schandmaul' translates roughly to 'malicious tongue' and refers to their mascot of a grinning skeletal jester.
History
Schandmaul was founded in the summer of 1998, when six musicians from Munich and the surrounding area, then belonging to different bands, decided to come together for a folk rock concert. Because they weren't content with performing nothing but covers, they decided to write a few songs of their own for the event. The very first song written by the newly-formed band, Teufelsweib (lit. Devil's Woman), already exhibits a sound that, cultivated and developed over the years, is now considered typical for Schandmaul.The first concert took place in the bar 'Die Hexe' (lit. 'The Witch') in Gröbenzell
Gröbenzell
Gröbenzell is a municipality near Munich in the district Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It was founded in 1952, and has a population of 19,202...
. For this event, the self-deprecating name 'Schandmaul' was chosen, inspired by a jester from a deck of cards. The jester is viewed as a fool, but this indignity gains him the privilege to speak his mind freely, and accordingly, the outdated swearword 'Schandmaul' (lit. 'malicious-tongue') refers to somebody who frequently says things considered rude or outrageous.
The success of the concert awakened the desire to produce a CD, which, after many more shows, appeared as the self-produced album Wahre Helden (lit. True Heroes).
Due to more and more gigs and an abundance of creative energy for more songs, a second album titled Von Spitzbuben und anderen Halunken (lit. Of Rogues and Other Scoundrels) was released in 2000, a mere year later. The same year, the band signed with concert promoter Extratours, who has been responsible for the band's live shows ever since.
In 2001, record label 'F.A.M.E. recordings' took notice of the band, which led to a re-release of Von Spitzbuben und anderen Halunken. Simultaneously, through numerous shows including big festivals like M'era Luna
M'era Luna Festival
The M'era Luna is a festival of goth, metal and industrial music. It is held annually on the second weekend of every August, in Hildesheim, Germanyat Flugplatz Hildesheim-Drispenstedt, a former British Army airbase....
, Zillo-Festival and Wave-Gotik-Treffen, the first big tour came about. The third CD, Narrenkönig (lit. Jester's King) was recorded in a professional studio and was released in October 2002, reaching #70 on the charts. In September 2002, the band parted ways with bassist Hubsi Widman, and Matthias Richter took his place, debuting with Schandmaul on September 22, 2002 in Meschede
Meschede
Meschede is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district Hochsauerlandkreis.-Geography:Meschede is situated in the Ruhr valley, near to the Hennesee, south of the nature-park Arnsberger Wald...
.
In 2003 the first live CD and DVD, Hexenkessel (lit. Witch's Cauldron, also meaning the proverbial 'boiling pot') were released, recorded during a concert in the Munich club New Backstage, at which Michael Rhein from In Extremo
In Extremo
In Extremo is a German medieval metal band originating from Berlin. The band's musical style combines metal with medieval traditional songs, blending the sound of the standard rock/metal instruments with historical instruments...
appeared a cameo as guest singer. Hexenkessel reached #52 in the charts.
In early 2004, Wie Pech & Schwefel (lit. Like Pitch and Sulfur, German idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
with a similar meaning as "thick as thieves") appeared in stores. This first studio album with Matthias Richter reached #13 on the charts. A tour with over 80 concerts and shows throughout German-speaking Europe followed. At the end of 2004, the band organized the first ever Funkenflug festival in Munich. The following year, the biggest project yet in the band's history was created: An acoustic tour, where the electric guitars were replaced by a string quartet and extra percussion, capped off by a huge concert in Munich's Circus Krone Building
Circus Krone Building
The Circus Krone Building is the headquarters and main winter venue for Circus Krone in Munich, Germany. It also serves as a major venue for other forms of live entertainment, such as rock concerts....
, accompanied by the Puchheimer Jugendkammerorchester (a 50 piece orchestra) and helped out by numerous musicians from other bands, such as Castus and Wim from Corvus Corax
Corvus Corax (band)
Corvus Corax is a German band known for playing Neo-Medieval music using an abundance of authentic instruments. Their name is the latin name for the Common Raven. The band was formed in 1989 by Castus Rabensang, Wim and Meister Selbfried in East Germany...
on bag pipes and Oliver Sa Tyr from Faun
Faun
The faun is a rustic forest god or place-spirit of Roman mythology often associated with Greek satyrs and the Greek god Pan.-Origins:...
on the celtic harp (who just previously had teamed up with Birgit to create a folk project called Sava). This huge show was recorded and released as both a CD and DVD under the name "Kunststück" (lit. Feat). The CD reached #12 in the album charts and the DVD made it to #3 on the video charts. A single called "Bin Unterwegs" (lit. "(I) Am on the way") was also produced based on the live recording from Circus Krone. More shows followed, sometimes with the strings but once again including the rock set, and a cooperation with the Deutschen Zentrum für Musiktherapie (German Center for Music Therapy) was created.
In March 2006 another album appeared, titled Mit Leib und Seele (lit. With Body and Soul). This became the first Schandmaul album to broach the top ten of Germany's Media Control charts.
Schandmaul's sixth album Anderswelt (lit. meaning "Other-world") appeared in April 2008. It reached a position of #8 in Media Control's album charts in its first week and remained in their Top 100 for fifteen weeks. This success has since been topped by their 2011 album, Traumtänzer.
In November 2008, Schandmaul celebrated their 10th anniversary with a widely promoted anniversary concert in Munich that was filmed and recorded for the live CD and DVD Sinnfonie.
In early 2009, Schandmaul were nominated for the German music award ECHO.
A club tour that was originally planned for 2010 was cancelled and no concert was played in that year. Instead the band announced a break to take some time for writing a new album.
This album, Traumtänzer, was released on 28 January 2011 and was followed by a short spring tour. Appearances at festivals in the summer of 2011 have been announced. The album reached a position of #4 in the German Media Control album charts, making it their most successful album as of yet.
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
||
| 1999 | Wahre Helden (lit. True Heroes) | — | — | — |
| 2000 | Von Spitzbuben und anderen Halunken (lit. Of Rogues and Other Scoundrels) | — | — | — |
| 2002 | Narrenkönig (lit. King of Jesters) | — | 70 | — |
| 2004 | Wie Pech & Schwefel Wie Pech & Schwefel Wie Pech & Schwefel is the fourth album released by Schandmaul on April 26, 2004. It remained in the German Longplay Charts for six weeks, peaking at #13.-Track listing:-Personnel:* Dominik Büll – cello on 4, 6* Oliver Sa Tyr – celtic harp on 7... (lit. Like Pitch & Sulfur, German proverb) |
— | 13 | — |
| 2006 | Mit Leib und Seele Mit Leib und Seele Mit Leib und Seele is the fifth album released by Schandmaul on March 31, 2006. It remained in the German Longplay Charts for ten weeks, peaking at #10.-Reviews:... (lit. With Body and Soul) |
62 | 10 | 99 |
| 2008 | Anderswelt Anderswelt -Personnel:Benni Cellini of Letzte Instanz appears as guest musician on "Krieger", "Königin", "Die Braut", "Augen auf!" and "Prinzessin".... (lit. Other-world) |
43 | 8 | 44 |
| 2011 | Traumtänzer (lit. Dream dancer) | 10 | 4 | 36 |
Live albums
| Year | Title | Peak positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
||||
| 2003 | Hexenkessel (lit. Witch's Cauldron) | 52 | ||
| 2005 | Kunststück (lit. Feat with a double meaning of Piece of art) | 12 | ||
| 2009 | Sinnfonie (word play on the words Sinn, sense, and Sinfonie, symphony) | 12 | ||
EPs
- Bin Unterwegs (lit. (I) Am on My Way, June 2005)
- Kein Weg zu weit (lit. No Way (Is) Too Far, February 24, 2006)
DVDs
- Hexenkessel (2003)
- Kunststück (2005)
- Sinnbilder (2008)
- Sinnfonie (2009)
Awards and nominations
|-| style="text-align:center;"|2009
| style="text-align:left;"|Anderswelt
Anderswelt
-Personnel:Benni Cellini of Letzte Instanz appears as guest musician on "Krieger", "Königin", "Die Braut", "Augen auf!" and "Prinzessin"....
|ECHO
|
Current members
- Thomas Lindner – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist.... - Birgit Muggenthaler-Schmack – flutes, shawmShawmThe shawm was a medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the 12th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. The body of the shawm was usually turned from a single piece of wood,...
s, bagpipe, vocals - Anna KränzleinAnna Katharina KränzleinAnna Katharina Kränzlein, also known as Anna Katharina, is a German violinist. She is most known for her quick and varied technique...
– violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, hurdy gurdyHurdy gurdyThe hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin...
, vocals - Martin "Ducky" Duckstein – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, acoustic guitar, classical guitarClassical guitarThe classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
, vocals - Stefan Brunner – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, vocals - Matthias Richter – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, upright bass (since 2003)
The four male band members also play in the rock band Weto with Regicide keyboarder Heiner Jaspers, while Birgit Muggenthaler-Schmack and Anna Kränzlein both cultivate their own side projects, Sava and Anna Katharina respectively.