HW: Trouser Press and Xmal Deutschland

[Paul G Ward]

>Anyway, one of the groups in the book is the German band Xmal
>Deutschland.  They compare them twice to Hawkwind: "... vocalist Anja
>Huwe bellows and shrieks with dark drama while the band drones and
>pounds out an unbelievably heavy track behind her, a horror movie
>cross between Siouxsie and the Banshees and Hawkwind." and "They're
>still loud as hell and sound in spots like Hawkwind but, at this
>point, they're also at a nexus with Joy Division, using bleak noise to
>convey a variety of moods."
>
>So, has anyone heard / heard of these guys?  They sound pretty
>interesting.


I have, but nothing recent I must admit. I had never made any connection in
the past b/w HW and XD, so I threw some of their vinyl on the Turntable for
another listen. I've only got the _Jahr Um Jahr_/_Autumn_ 7" from 1985 and the
_Tocsin_ LP from 1984, and no very little about the band except for what I can
glean from the cover.

They are a Hamburg/London based 5-piece consisting of Anja Huwe (Vocals),
Manuela Rickers (Guitar), Fiona Sangster (Keyboards), Wolfgang Ellerbrock (Bass)
and Peter Bellendir (Drums). They (at least what I've got) sound nothing at all
like Hawkwind. The vocals (and to some extent the music) reminds me of Siouxsie
and the Banshees more than any other band. They are interesting (allthough this
LP hasn't been on my turntable for years), but don't expect anything
Hawkwind-ish (unless their other releases are different)

Paul

ObXmalDeutschlandTrack: "XMASs in Australia"
ObCd: DarXtar _DayBreak_
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