tapetopia - GDR Undergroundtapes 1980-1990

29/06/2025

upcoming release in September 25

L’AMBASSADEUR DES OMBRES – STAR OF EVIL
East Berlin 1989
tapetopia 022/ a+w 057

(german below)

The core members of L’AMBASSADEUR DES OMBRES, Joggy Müller and René Glofke, met in the orbit of the East Berlin post-punk scene. Sessions with Taymur Streng initially resulted in the Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester. Glofke, with Mike Sauer (previously of the punk band Sendeschluß) and with Taymur Streng, founded Neuntage Alt. Joggy played in Die Vision, from which Koma Kino emerged.

In 1988, L’Ambassadeur des Ombres appeared from this scene. Two tapes followed: “Strike Me If I Shriek” in 1988, “Star Of Evil” in 1989. Within the aesthetic canon of the 1980s, Neuntage and L’Ambassadeur des Ombres sounded decidedly international. That the songs’ darkness was perceived as politically suspect in the GDR was however very much East German.

Die Kernbesetzung von L’Ambassadeur des Ombres, Joggy Müller und Rene Glofke, begegnete sich im Orbit der Ostberliner Postpunk-Szene. Aus gemeinsamen Sessions mit Taymur Streng ging zunächst das Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester hervor. Glofke gründete mit Mike Sauer (zuvor bei der Punkband Sendeschluß) und mit Taymur Streng Neuntage Alt. Joggy spielte später bei Die Vision, aus Koma Kino hervorgegangen.

1988 entstand aus dieser Szene L’Ambassadeur des Ombres. Zwei Tapes folgten: 1988 "Strike Me If I Shriek“, 1989 „Star Of Evil“. Neuntage und L’Ambassadeur des Ombres klangen innerhalb eines ästhetischen Kanons der 1980er-Jahre durchweg international. Dass die Düsternis der Songs in der DDR als politisch verdächtig galt, war allerdings ostspezifisch.

15/06/2025

Kurzrezension von "Tanz den Kommunismus - Punkrock DDR" im Eclipsed Magazin (03/2025). ... in direkter Nachbarschaft zu ABBA!

Dank an Steffen Schölzel für den Hinweis!

08/06/2025

Im aktuellen OX Fanzine werden 11 tapetopia Releases besprochen:

tt 015/L'Ambassadeur Des Ombres, tt 019/ Aufruhr Zur Liebe, tt 008/ Corp Cruid I, tt 016/ Happy Straps, tt 005/ The Local Moon, tt 012/ Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester, tt 021/ Nontoxic, tt 006/ Neuntage, tt 004/ Neu Rot, tt 023/ Planlos und tt 014/ Rosa Beton.

DANK an Joachim Hiller/ OX!
https://www.ox-fanzine.de/ox-fanzine-180

01/06/2025

Highly recommended:

"Sendung aus dem Gegen-Raum
Mail Art, Plakate und Faltrollos alternativer DDR-Kunstszenen"

An exhibition with testimonies from the legendary Intermedia Show in Coswig 1985, from the gallery eigen+art Leipzig and mail art in the GDR.

Dieselkraftwerk Cottbus/ Brandenburgisches Landesmuseum für moderne Kunst - across two floors, a show of rarely or never-before-seen exhibits: paintings, drawings, photography, and mail art. In general: The Dieselkraftwerk Cottbus is worth a day trip.

https://www.blmk.de/programm/sendung-aus-dem-gegen-raum/

27/05/2025

TANZ DEN KOMMUNISMUS
Punkrock DDR

Jürgen Kuttner & Henryk Gericke
Gespräch, Lesung, Sound

Eröffnung:
Jörg Sundermeier (Verbrecher Verlag)

Roter Salon/ Volksbühne
Mittwoch - 28.5. - 20 Uhr

https://www.volksbuehne.berlin/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKirfhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETB0OG5hMThFdGl0RnF2ckJtAR5Hgam4OXP1xPxjQqcYC7ltYYz5AwdNDq2y3oGHfSj4oDWn9QddPGVoplPb7A_aem_vqkAw5oJZnVM4LBTxV0hKg #/de/veranstaltungen/tanz-den-kommunismus-punkrock-ddr-1980-bis-1989

04/05/2025

OUT NOW
Two new tapetopia - GDR Undergroundtapes 1980-1990 releases:

NEUNTAGE ALT - Waif (TAPE/Digital), tt 0120/ [a+w 055]

L’AMBASSADEUR DES OMBRES - Star Of Evil (TAPE/Digital), tt 022/ [a+w 057]

Neuntage Alt was recruited from the core figures Taymur Streng, René Glofke and Mike Sauer, all graduates of the hard school of early GDR punk. But the roots of Neuntage Alt were more resounding than stereotypical punk patterns could be. To the dystopian industrial of Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire or Din A Testbild (from the near and yet distant West Berlin), Neuntage Alt added the synthetic cool pop of John Foxx or Gary Numan.

The Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester (tt 012) or L'Ambassadeur des Ombres (tt 015) also emerged from the network of noise nerds with a nocturnal inclination, and there were collaborations and connections with Ornament & Verbrechen (tt 001) or AG Geige (tt 009 and tt 018). Tape gems such as “Waif”, “Soldier” from 1989 (tt 006) or “Human Form” from 1990 are now awaiting their late discovery outside their former echo chamber.

https://aufnahmeundwiedergabe.bandcamp.com/album/waif?fbclid=IwY2xjawKEAZBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBCclhIc0FJQ0E2YVJWOWk0AR6fg9LXV4mzR9-KNTwXEjRDQ8rvQ83saAkRBco_qi0Qly2kZtilNu_aC_ze_w_aem_zigvNsuzclZ4ZI4FsMP75Q

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The core members of L’Ambassadeur Des Ombres, Joggy Müller and René Glofke, met in the orbit of the East Berlin post-punk scene. Sessions with Taymur Streng initially resulted in the Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester. Glofke, with Mike Sauer (previously of the punk band Sendeschluß) and with Taymur Streng, founded Neuntage Alt. Joggy played in Die Vision, from which Koma Kino emerged.

In 1988, L’Ambassadeur des Ombres appeared from this scene. Two tapes followed: “Strike Me If I Shriek” in 1988, “Star Of Evil” in 1989. Within the aesthetic canon of the 1980s, Neuntage and L’Ambassadeur des Ombres sounded decidedly international. That the songs’ darkness was perceived as politically suspect in the GDR was however very much East German.

https://aufnahmeundwiedergabe.bandcamp.com/album/star-of-evil?fbclid=IwY2xjawKEAcNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBCclhIc0FJQ0E2YVJWOWk0AR5CmHNEL795CSgXwzFv4nUf3c9nP0_daMdPWwMiXDG6A5LdfFijump7IeqVjg_aem_IPgW5ih52e-b2clki7kGiQ

19/04/2025

Come see GDR electronic pioneer Frank Bretschneider at Galiläakirche (Berlin-Friedrichshain) on May 1. Free entry!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Eig5mZCuK/

Frank Bretschneider worked in a range of projects, including his former label klangFarBe and the legendary band AG Geige. In 1995, Bretschneider co-founded the Rastermusic label, which cooperated with musician Carsten Nicolai’s noton label. Both labels merged in 1999 to form Raster-Noton, an influential label for experimental music in Germany. Bretschneider’s work has appeared on labels such as Mille Plateaux, Quatermass, or Staalplaat.

Tapetopia published two of Frank Bretschneiders projects: Heinz & Franz/ tt 009, and A.F. Moebius/ tt 018.

13/04/2025

Unearthing the Music
Footnotes to Sonic Resistance in Non-democratic Europe (1950-2000)

Unearthing the Music... is the final piece of an international project initiated in Portugal, which has established an online archive for experimental underground and protest sounds. This archive encompasses both the "real socialism" of Eastern Europe and the often-overlooked regimes of Spain, Portugal, and the Greek military dictatorship.

The book presents key aspects of this spectrum: the relationship with the state, the desire for escape, the power of counter-communities, but also the disappointments that followed liberation. It covers topics such as jazz in Poland and the GDR, conceptual post-punk in Yugoslavia, state-run electronic music studios, Roentgenizdat and Magnetizdat productions, women in subcultures, Romanian avant-garde, Iberian punk, and the Ukrainian underground. A journey of discovery, enriched with numerous photos for deeper exploration.

Published by Alexander Pehlemann/Rui Pedro Dâmaso/Lucia Udvardyova.

https://www.spectorbooks.com/book/unearthing-the-music

Schöne Bücher in anderen Häusern: „Unearthing the Music. Footnotes to Sonic Resistance in Non-democratic Europe (1950-2000)“, hg. v. Alexander Pehlemann, OUT.RA – Associação Cultural, Rui Pedro Dâmaso, Lucia Udvardyova (erschienen bei Spector Books).
Mehr: https://spectorbooks.com/book/unearthing-the-music

06/04/2025

upcoming release in September 25

NEUNTAGE ALT - WAIF
(East Berlin 1989)
tapetopia 020/ a+w 055

30/03/2025

NEUNTAGE ALT
„Waif“

First of three Neuntage tapes, of which about ten copies were „published“ in East Berlin, 1989.

To be released as tape with two bonus tracks, as tapetopia number 020, on May 2nd. Vinyl version to follow on September 5th.

Thanks to Alex Pehlemann for the liner notes.

08/03/2025

TANZ DEN KOMMUNISMUS

auf der MS STUBNITZ/ HAMBURG

Gespräch, Lesung, Sound

mit
Henryk Gericke (tapetopia) & Philipp Strobel (aufnahme+wiedergabe)

20. März, 19.30 Uhr

…siehe Text unten.

07/03/2025

Heute Abend: Urban Spree
Jetzt: [aufnahme + wiedergabe] Bandcamp

Links in den Kommentaren.

Es ist wiedermal ein Rock'n'Roll Freitag!

Tonight: TAPETOPIA: Planlos X + Der Expander Des Fortschritts - Release Show! // Urban Spree, Berlin
..and available online now:

Planlos X feat. Die Toten Hosen - Marianne / Überall Wohin's Dich Führt 7" / Digital

Planlos X - Smog & Ruß LP / colored vinyl LP w/ 7" / Tape / Digital

links in comments.

tapetopia - GDR Undergroundtapes 1980-1990 / Edition: Iron Curtain Radio / Major Label