Cult group Knöppel The hottest band in Switzerland is back
Knöppel conquered hearts with faecal lyrics ranging from masturbation to depression. Recently, the band has come under fire from moralists. Did this affect their album "Sex. Jazz. Scheisse."? blue News listens in.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Knöppel have released "Sex. Jazz. Scheisse.", a new album.
- The trio hit the headlines because clubs found the "bawling mass of men" in the Knöppel audience unpleasant.
- The St. Gallen Grabenhalle therefore decided not to stage concerts with the band.
- The new album shows the punk band as brutal as ever.
The new single was a real shock for Knöppel fans.
"Mindfulness and harmony", what the hell is that crap? Especially as singer Midi sings about a beautifully shining raindrop, about pausing, about earthworms and about turning inwards to the calm sounds of the song.
So have the headlines from the summer, when the band was confronted with accusations of sexism and banned from performing by the St. Gallen Grabenhalle, left their mark after all?
No shit.
The guitar rumbles, the bass limps - and a few bars later, "Achtsamkeit und Harmonie" becomes a genuine Knöppel anthem: "Wixe! Wixe! Wixe!" roars the chorus, which is guaranteed to soon be heard from many thousands of throats in Swiss clubs.
Knöppel sing about sex, masturbation and demographics
Knöppel (band motto: "Ehr Wichser") are back to their old strength. And that's a good thing.
Because while the world threatens to lose itself in an increasingly confusing race for political correctness and a beautiful Instagram appearance, the trio from Eastern Switzerland offers a welcome and perhaps even necessary contrasting program.
Knöppel are not beautiful, Knöppel feel sh... lecht, Knöppel can't get women, Knöppel have no money.
But they have punk rock anthems that speak to their fans from the soul. "Prada", their hit from their debut, was voted the best Swiss rock song of all time by SRF3 listeners in 2018.
Because it perfectly sums up the attitude to life of young people (and a few older ones too).
On the third Knöppel album "Sex. Jazz. Scheisse." (available for a few days now), the trio remains true to itself.
There are songs about altruism ("Nocher figged's di eh"), capitalism ("Wa wenn's am Glied liit") or demographic density stress ("Ii mo bis auf Wil").
And of course: about sex, jazz and shit ("Sex", "Jazz", "Scheisse"). The former in particular ("Sex isch grussig, Sex isch wääh, Sex isch figge") has the makings of a new megahit.
Anyone who doesn't recognize Knöppel's irony has only themselves to blame
Will moralists be bothered by the new Knöppel songs? Guaranteed.
Even the wide-legged mackery in the predominantly male concert audience, which the employees of the Grabenhalle, for example, found unpleasant, is unlikely to subside with the new songs.
Whether the band should be blamed for this is another question. After all, there are rednecks in every audience; and if you don't recognize the irony in Knöppel, it's your own fault.
As singer Midi says so beautifully on the Knöppel website: "Our wanker gospel says that those from the Grabenhalle, just like our fans and ourselves, are all wankers anyway, and that's probably the explanation for everything."