Teacher expresses surprise at ideological divergence at Hamburg school
At the "Mother" pub, we're bringing the Hamburger Schule out of the shadows and into the limelight. It's where legends were born and bands like Blumfeld, Sterne, and Tocotronic emerged. So, which boozers could you find these musicians hanging out at back in the day?
Ebba Durstewitz: It all started at "Casper's Ballroom." For me, it was mostly due to the Lower Saxon faction that was there - I'm from Nordhorn.
Bernd Begemann: I was a regular at "The Pudel," "Heinz Karmers," and "Sorgenbrecher." That place was a wild laboratory! Tapes were big back then: One minute you'd be rocking out to funk, the next you'd hear Manfred Krug with "Wenn ich dich seh'." It was a mishmash, but it didn't feel contradictory.
The Hamburg Schule, right? But it wasn't just a label they embraced - only some bands identified with it.
Durstewitz: Yeah, "As long as it's music!" was Mutter's motto. We never cared about genres, but there was always this judgment: Glockenspiel = "Sesame Street," Banjo = country music, Cello = chamber pop. I hated that stereotyping!
But this scene wasn't all prejudices and shenanigans. There was a sense of community, a shared desire to shake things up. Begemann agrees: "Indie rock represented a shift in power, and you were the antithesis of the norm."
Were JaKȯnigJa the kings of "The Pudel" then? The city's most vital scene hotspot?
Durstewitz: Yeah, for a short two and a half months. But it seemed like people emphasized that a lot. And then the term "Hamburger Schule" came up, but I always felt it was an outsider's label.
Knarf Rellôm: No musician ever called it that. We thought it'd only apply to a part of the bands, as the categories are always too limited.
Begemann: I've never seen "Hamburger Schule" as anything more than a label for the media. Bands that don't fit neatly into a genre face a tougher road in the long run, I think. But, like Knarf said, one shouldn't be afraid to push boundaries.
What united this group of musicians? Was it the same musical style, or something deeper?
Rellöm: For me, it was the connections and exchanges. I remember an anecdote: I used to go to Michael Ruff's record store, and he said to me: "You're one of those, like Tocotronic and so on - you all like each other, right? That's weird, we all hated each other back then."
Ebba Durstewitz: I'd define the Hamburger Schule as a social network. If one person were hurt, we'd help each other. We agreed on how we didn't want to live. For Begemann, it was the focus on the surroundings, not the genre. It was about creating a genre-shifting contemporary pop.
Wasn't this also a form of discourse, and hence, a political stance?
Begemann: Yes, but I mean more an aesthetic stance than a political one. One could argue more about the relationship between music and politics. But, to be honest, I've always believed that music stands above politics, and the best politics serve music.
Rellöm: But you have to engage with the critique!
Begemann: I did. But "bourgeois" is the worst insult. We're all citizens and pay taxes. The criticism was nonsense, and I couldn't fathom why I had to put up with it. Exclusion was part of the scene, too, though. Rellöm: When I arrived, it was like all the bands were gone. Only the memories remained.
Opening discussions with music is a dangerous game. Rellöm disagrees with Begemann's belief that music should transcend politics: "Society's conflicts can produce something special in music." His sentiments echo the the radical political element that was part of many musicians' artistic work during the Hamburg Schule scene.
Durstewitz: For me, the question of equality has improved in the music industry. But we still have a lot to do to overcome discrimination, especially for women. The music world can be cutthroat, and women are often left out or dismissed.
Begemann: There's still a way to go for true equality in the music industry. My teenage daughter also makes music, and I've noticed that the guys in her band are intimidated by her talent.
Do you have future plans? Durstewitz: Not concert plans at this time, but there's a lot of new music in the works. Hopefully, we'll have something to share soon.
Begemann: I'd love to see another concert from Ebba - come on, I'd be there in an instant. What about you, Knarf? Do you have new music on the horizon?
Relloem: It's about time for a new album. I'm just figuring out how to make it happen financially. Concerts are our only source of income, and it's a struggle to pay the bills let alone save up for a new record.
Begemann: The golden days are long gone. We were dispossessed and our records taken. The current generation isn't interested in albums anymore. TikTok has trumpeted the death of music as we know it. But there's still a fire within us - and we'll keep it burning.
- In the enchanting atmosphere of "Casper's Ballroom," music enthusiasts could find various musicians, including those from the Lower Saxon faction, enjoying entertainment that ranged from funk to Manfred Krug's rendition of "Wenn ich dich seh'."
- The Hamburger Schule musicians, despite their differences, shared a common passion for pushing artistic boundaries and creating contemporary pop that defied genre norms, building a sense of community and unity in their creative endeavors.
