KMFDM

Strum & Drang Tour 2002 (Metropolis)
by Wa

Sturm und Drang – noun. 1. a literary and artistic movement in Germany in the late 18th century characterized by the expression of emotional unrest and strong feeling.

noun. 2. a live album by industrial music giants KMFDM accompanied by collaborator PIG of their 2002 live tour, consisting of 31 grueling performances in the space of 34 days.

Even in today’s climate, wait around long enough and the unexpected turns up. How about a LIVE album from KMFDM? Recorded June 24th-27th, 2002, during the Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago stops of their Sturm & Drang tour, this album provides a glimpse into the performance of an 18-year-old group with 15 albums and 12 tours beneath their belt. What’s most interesting about Sturm & Drang is that it’s not filled wall-to-wall with their most well known hits. There’s no appearance of “Juke Joint Jezebel,” “Anarchy,” or even “Stray Bullet.” What is included is yet another new lineup, the first to tour as KMFDM in the post-En Esch and Guenter Schulz era.

Sturm & Drang is recorded quite well, given the crazy circumstances in which the songs are performed. Bodies fling across the stage among stacks of electronic equipment and row upon row of amplifiers. Vocals compete with relentless drums and pounding guitars. It’s an interesting experience to behold.

Highlights of Sturm & Drang include high energy performances of “Ultra,” “Megalomaniac,” “Flesh,” “Spit Sperm,” and the KMFDM industrialized cover of Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 number one hit, “These Boots Were Made for Walkin'” (with the title shortened simply to “Boots”). This CD was released in advance of a rumored Sturm & Drang live DVD to debut sometime in early 2003. Normally, I’m not one for the purchase of live albums, since I think it’s best to hear the track as it was intended on the album, but this being KMFDM’s first live album, I recommend it for historical reasons.
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