Rammstein

We like audiences to grapple with our music, and people have become more receptive." (The Times, Jan 29, 2005). Most scorpions, however, are more aggressive and/or have more potent venom. But it serves a purpose. The most common of these is the emperor scorpion, an African species with fairly mild venom. The band's own views of its image are sanguine: "We like being on the fringes of bad taste," according to Paul Landers, while Flake Lorenz comments: "The controversy is fun, like stealing forbidden fruit. A few scorpions are docile enough to be handled and kept as pets. The controversy did nothing to stop (and may even have helped) the single topping the German charts. Residents in endemic areas should adapt the habit of shaking out all shoes, bedding, and clothing before use.

It takes a darkly comic view of the Armin Meiwes cannibalism case, showing musicians of the band being held on a leash by a transvestite and rolling around in mud. Problems are often traced to woodpiles, rocky bare ground, and debris, and these areas can be rectified by cleaning and establishing a dense lawn around the perimeter of the house. In October 2004, the video for "Mein Teil" caused considerable controversy in Germany when it was released. The scorpions glow brightly, and their presence helps determine how well established they are and where they are breeding. A Rammstein concert in Moscow scheduled for July 19, 2002 was cancelled due to fears that it would attract skinheads. Homeowners should then use a fluorescent blacklight outdoors just after dark. Following the tragic conclusion of the Beslan school hostage crisis in Russia in September 2004, the Russian authorities claimed that the hostage-takers had "listened to German hard rock group Rammstein on personal stereos during the siege to keep themselves edgy and fired up." [2] (http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=573206) The claim has not been independently confirmed and the Russian authorities are known to have been concerned that Rammstein was too appealing to "undesirable" elements in Russian society. The house is best treated by meticulously sealing and weatherstripping all cracks, door frames, baseboards, and other points of entry, both inside and outside, and treating for any insects inside the house to eliminate the food chain.

In response, the band issued a terse statement:. Scorpions are hunters, and infested houses are usually the result of a scorpion finding easy routes inside. Rammstein came under heavy criticism from right-wing and Christian groups in the United States, who claimed (amongst other things) that Till Lindemann's rolling Teutonic r's were an imitation of Adolf Hitler's diction. Ice applied to the sting curbs the pain immediately, though some suggest ammonia is a panacea. In April 1999, it emerged that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold - the two boys who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre - were fans of Rammstein and had declared it to be one of their favourite bands. Medical attention is usually necessary only for infants and the elderly, or when there is difficulty breathing. 22, 2001). The victim should stay calm.

If you want to put us in a political category, we're on the left side, and that's the reason we made the song." (The Grand Rapids Press, Jul. Species found in the United States (usually of the genus Centruroides) are relatively safe, and are likened to a wasp sting. According to Kruspe-Bernstein, it means that, "'my heart beats on the left, two, three, four.' It's simple. The north African species Androctonus australis is considered to be among the most dangerous species, and is responsible for a disproportionately high number of debilitating stings and deaths, particularly in Algeria and Tunisia. The song "Links 2 3 4" was written as a riposte to these claims. They often invade living quarters, hiding in clothing and causing injury. Rammstein have denied this vigorously and the members of the band have said that they want nothing to do with politics. Scorpions and humans have shared a troublesome relationship.

Back home in Germany, the band has faced repeated accusations of fascist sympathies due to the dark and sometimes militaristic imagery of their videos and concerts, including the use of extracts from a propaganda film by Leni Riefenstahl in the video for Stripped. A meal usually takes a couple of hours. Their stage act earned them a night in jail in June 1999 after the infamous giant dildo was used in a concert in Worcester, Massachusetts. They then suck up the prey. Rammstein have not been shy of courting controversy and have periodically attracted condemnation from moral campaigners. They then tear off a bit, digest it, and shoot acids out to dissolve the prey. More unusually, the German composer Torsten Rasch has produced a classical opera cycle entitled Mein Herz Brennt, based on the album Mutter. If their prey is strong, they will paralyze it with their stinger.

Rammstein's songs have been covered by a number of others, notably the Pet Shop Boys (who produced a cover of Mein Teil). Scorpions first catch their prey in their claws. The production of the followup album Mutter was an experience fraught with difficulty for the band, which nearly broke up as a result of the strains that resulted, but the differences were resolved by the time Rammstein produced (Reise Reise) (2004). Species of the genus Vaejovis are found from Florida north to Virginia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. While Herzeleid was well-received and is still the favourite album of the Band, Sehnsucht is widely regarded as Rammstein's breakthrough album. The common striped scorpion Centruroides vittatus reaches from northwest Mexico to southern Colorado, Kansas, southern Missouri and Mississippi. Rammstein have so far released four full-length studio albums: Herzeleid (1995), Sehnsucht (1997), Mutter (2001) and Reise, Reise (2004). In the United States, scorpions are most common in southern Arizona and in a swath extending through central Texas and central Oklahoma.

It's a combination of humor, theater and our East German culture, you know?" (The Grand Rapids Press, Jul 22, 1999). In the tropics they aestivate at times of drought; and in the Alps they pass the cold months of the year in a state of hibernation. We take the music and the lyrics seriously. In conformity with their wide dispersal, scorpions have become adapted to diverse conditions of existence, some thriving in rainforests, others on open plains, others in sandy deserts, and a few even at high altitudes where the ground is covered with snow throughout the winter. but we're not Spinal Tap. When they reached Africa, Madagascar was part of that continent; but their arrival in Australia was subsequent to the separation of New Zealand from the Austro-Malayan area to the north of it. Moreover, the occurrence of closely related forms in Australia and South America on the one hand, and in tropical Africa and the northern parts of South America on the other, suggests very forcibly that South America was at an early date connected with Australia by a transpacific bridge and with Africa by a more northern transatlantic tract of land. We do laugh about it; we have fun .. The facts of their distribution are in keeping with the hypothesis that the order originated in the northern hemisphere and migrated southwards into the southern continent at various epochs, their absence from the countries to the north of the above mentioned latitudes being due, no doubt, to the comparatively recent glaciation of those areas.

We do have a sense of humor. Scorpions are almost universally distributed south of 45°N and their geographical distribution shows in many particulars a close and interesting correspondence with that of the mammals, including their entire absence from New Zealand. We like to have a show, we like to play with fire. These Silurian scorpions, of which the best-known genus is Palaeopzonus, were of small size, only two to five centimeters in length. The aim is to get people's attention and have fun at the same time: "You have to understand that 99 percent of the people don't understand the lyrics, so you have to come up with something to keep the drama in the show. We have to do something. At all events no trace of respiratory stigmata has been detected even in well-preserved material. And overdo it!"). Their legs were short, thick, tapering, and ended in a single strong claw, and were well adapted, it seems, like the legs of shore-crabs, for maintaining a secure hold upon rocks or seaweed against the wash of waves. The method of breathing of these ancient types is not certainly known; but probably respiration was effected by means of gills attached to the ventral plates of the body.

According to Kruspe-Bernestein, the on-stage wackiness is entirely deliberate (Rammstein's motto according to Schneider is: "Do your own thing. These Carboniferous scorpions were preceded by others, now occurring in marine Silurian deposits, which evidently lived in the sea and exhibit some anatomical differences marking them off as a group distinct from their Carboniferous and recent descendants and attesting affinity with the still earlier marine Arachnida referred to the group Gigantostraca. During the current "Reise, Reise" tour they have worn lederhosen, corsets and vaguely military uniforms with steel helmets, while during "Mutter" the group kept to the themes of the album artwork and descended onto the stage from a giant uterus, wearing diapers. Their remains are often found in coal deposits of the Carboniferous Period, and no essential structural difference has been discovered between these fossils and existing forms—a fact proving that the group has existed without material structural modification for millions of years. The band's costumes are equally outlandish. Scorpions are of great antiquity. After some unfortunate early accidents the band took to employing professionals to handle the pyrotechnics; Lindemann himself is now a qualified pyrotechnician. Through the split the young scorpion gradually makes its way, leaving the old integument behind.

Rammstein's shows have become increasingly elaborate since the first ones 10 years ago, when their effects were confined to pouring kerosene around the stage and setting it alight. Moulting is effected by means of a split in the integument which takes place just below the edge of the carapace all round, exactly as in kingcrabs, spiders and Pedipalpi. The band's on-stage antics have included:. The young in a general way resemble their parents and undergo no metamorphosis with growth, which is accompanied by periodical casting of the entire skin. The variety of the pyrotechnics can be seen in a recent concert playlist, which includes such items as "Lycopodium Masks", "Glitterburst Truss", "Pyrostrobes", "Comets", "Flash Trays" and "Mortar Hits". The young are born two at a time, and the brood, which consists of a dozen or more individuals, is carried about on its mother's back until the young are large and strong enough to shift for themselves. The heat is so intense that on occasion, people have been carried out of Rammstein concerts suffering from heat exhaustion, and lighting gantries have been seen glowing red-hot from repeated fireball hits. Unlike the majority of Arachnida, scorpions are viviparous.

Rammstein has achieved particular fame (not to mention notoriety) for its hugely over-the-top stage show, using so many pyrotechnics that fans eventually coined the motto "Other bands play, Rammstein burns!". This causes the scorpion to spasm wildly, this spasming may appear as as if the scorpion is stinging itself, hence the derivation of the myth. Rammstein's song videos also tie in quite closely with films as they frequently "quote" from movies, including Tarrantinos classicsReservoir Dogsin "Du hast" and From Dusk Till Dawn in "Engel". The myth derives from the fact that scorpions are ectotherms, when exposed to intense heat their metabolic process's malfunction. Rammstein's movie appearances to date are as follows:. It is nevertheless untrue, since the venom has no effect on the scorpion itself, nor on any member of the same species (unless the venom is injected directly into the scorpion's nerve ganglion). The directors David Lynch and Rob Cohen appear to be particularly strong fans; explaining why he set the first 10 minutes of his thriller xXx in a Rammstein concert in Prague, Cohen said:. The belief that scorpions commit suicide by stinging themselves to death when surrounded by fire is of considerable antiquity and is often prevalent wherever these animals occur.

Within only a few years of starting their career, Rammstein soon caught the attention of Hollywood for their explosive stage performances and energetic music. Many species of scorpions such as Pandinus and Hadogens rarely, if ever, use their venom, instead relying on their strong bulky pedipalps in prey capture. 9, 2005) commented that on the stage "Mr. Lindemann gave off an air of such brute masculinity and barely contained violence that it seemed that he could have reached into the crowd, snatched up a fan, and bitten off his head." That said, Rammstein has also attracted praise for their inventive lyrics (Kurt Cobain is said to have been a fan) and their uncompromising style. It is unknown whether scorpions are venom conservers, however often the venom is not used unless the prey cannot be subdued with the claws. 17, 1999) suggested that Till Lindemann's "booming, sub-sonic voice" would send "the peasants fleeing into their barns and bolting their doors", while the New York Times (Jan. Generally, they will run from danger, or remain very still. Rammstein's style has tended to divide critics, some of whom have responded with memorably dismissive comments: Jam Showbiz (April 2001) described Mutter as "music to invade Poland to", New Zealand's Southland Times (Dec. Unless molested, scorpions are perfectly harmless, and only make use of the sting for the purpose of killing prey.

French might be the language of love, but German is the language of anger." (Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia), October 24, 2004). These scorpions and others in the family Buthidae have been responsible for many deaths, although scorpions are generally unable to deliver enough venom to kill healthy adults; deaths normally occur in the young, elderly or infirm. Explaining why, Oliver Riedel comments: "German language suits heavy metal music. Among the most dangerous are Leiurus quinquestriatus, which has the most potent venom in the family, and members of genus Parabuthus, Tityus and Androctonus whose venom is also strong. The band almost always sings in German. However a few scorpions, mostly in the family Buthidae, can be dangerous to humans. Their songs show some unexpected influences; "Du Hast" is a play on German marriage vows (">>You have<< asked me and I didn't answer" but it can also be understood as "You hate" what would be written "Du Hasst"), while "Dalai Lama" is an adaptation of a famous poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Scorpion venoms are geared towards activity in other arthropods and therefore most scorpions are relatively harmless to humans; stings produce only local effects (such as pain, numbness or swelling).

and in the last lines:. Scorpions use their venom to kill or paralyze their prey so that it can be eaten; in general it is fast acting, allowing for effective prey capture. Similarly, the song Amerika features the tongue-in-cheek lyrics:. It consists of a variety of small proteins as well as sodium and potassium cations, which serve to interfere with neurotransmission in the victim. Zwitter ("Hermaphrodite") is a bizarre take on narcissism:. In general scorpion venom is described as neurotoxic in nature. Rein Raus ([Get] in, [get] out), for example, is clearly tongue-in-cheek. All species of scorpion possess venom.

Despite their brutalist image, they show a sense of humour in their lyrics. It is doubtful as to whether they are used in prey capture. Although it cannot really be said that Rammstein stick to any particular genre of music, they are most often described as an industrial band; they are also often associated with heavy metal and hard rock. The eyes are however very sensitive, some have theorised that they even allow the scorpion to navigate by star light, they are important in regulating the scorpions circadian rhythm. Their first album was released a year later. Scorpion’s eyes are simplistic organs, only able to detect regions of strongly contrasting light intensity, such as horizons. "Flake" Lorenz was the last member; he had played with Landers before in the band Feeling B and was initially reluctant to come on board, but was eventually persuaded to join. There are two more sets of lateral eyes on either side of the front of prosoma, the number varies between species. Some species of cave dwelling scorpions however have no eyes, relying purely on their other senses.

The four entered a contest for new bands and won, attracting the interest of Paul Landers, who knew them all and decided to join the band. Eyes: Scorpions in general have three sets of eyes, one pair located in the top centre of the carapace are called the median eyes. I came back [to Germany] and said, 'It's time to make music that's really authentic.' I was starting a project called Rammstein to really try to make German music." He invited Till Lindemann, a basket weaver and drummer for the band First Arsch, to join the project as a vocalist. The pectines are covered in thousands of chemosensors that allow the scorpion to detect minute chemical signals in their environment, they probably play an important role in social interaction, mating and hunting. As Kruspe-Bernstein put it, "I realized it's really important to make music and make it fit with your language, which I didn't do in the past. They constantly touch the ground and play an important role in the scorpion’s sensory equipment. Riedel, Schneider and Kruspe-Bernstein were the original founders of Rammstein, following an attempt by the latter to compose American-influenced music with a West Berlin band called Orgasm Death Gimmicks. The pectines are located beneath the scorpion attached to the sternum.

They are:. Pectines: These are a pair of feather like sensory organs, consisting of a row of pegs and are unique in scorpions. The band's members all come from the former East Germany, specifically East Berlin and Schwerin. The size of the pedipalps is highly dependant on the species, however a general trend is that the more venemous the scorpion the narrower the pedipalps, as scorpions with less potent venom use their larger pincers to subdue prey. Even though the lyrics are not in English, the band has enjoyed huge success outside of Germany, and with the album "Reise, Reise" (2004), they became the most successful German-language band of all time worldwide. The claw itself consists of the upper fixed finger (tibia) and the lower moveable finger (tarsus). The extra "m" in the band's name means that it translates literally as "ramming stone", or "battering ram", an appropriate name given the in-your-face nature of the band's music. The pedipalps are made of up of 6 segments.

The band's signature song, the eponymous "Rammstein", is a commemoration of the tragedy that took place at the Ramstein Air Base. The claws are used for primarily for prey capture, but also play an important part in the scorpion mating dance. Rammstein takes its name indirectly from the western German town of Ramstein, site of an airshow disaster in 1988. Pedipalps: these are a pair of modified legs that have evolved into claws. The songs are performed almost exclusively in German.
Main Scorpion Physical Features:. Their musical style, which they have dubbed Tanzmetal, or "dance metal", incorporates elements of metal, industrial and electronic music; similar in many ways to that of the band Laibach. Metasoma: The tail of the scorpion, comprised of 5 segments, the last contains the anus of the scorpion and bears the telson (the sting) which comprises of the vesicle which holds a pair of venom glands, and the hypodermic aculeus, the barb used to inject the venom.

Rammstein are a German band formed in 1994. The mesosoma is armoured with chitinous plates, on the upper surface by the tergites and on the lower surface by the sternites. Lichtspielhaus (2003). The 4 pairs of walking legs (a common feature of the arachnids) are attached to this section as well as the pectines (featherlike sensory organs). Live Aus Berlin (1999). Mesosoma: The main body of the scorpion contains its lungs, digestive tract and sexual organs. Keine Lust ("No Desire/Don't Feel Like It"). Prosoma: the “head” of the scorpion comprising the carapace, eyes, chelicera (mouth parts) and pedipalps (claw).

Ohne Dich ("Without You"). The scorpion body is divided into 2 main segments the cephalothroax and the abdomen, the cephalothroax consists of the prosoma and the abdomen of the mesosoma and the metasoma;. Amerika ("America"). A scorpion is an invertebrate animal with eight legs belonging to the order Scorpiones in the class Arachnida. Mein Teil ("My Part"). Feuer Frei! ("Fire At Will!").

Mutter ("Mother"). Ich Will ("I Want" lyrically according to a marriage; can also be translated with "I do"). Links 2-3-4 ("Left 2-3-4"). Sonne ("Sun").

Stripped. Du Riechst so Gut '98 ("You Smell so Good '98"). Du Hast ("You Have/You Hate"). Engel ("Angel").

Rammstein. Seemann ("Sailor"). Du Riechst so Gut ("You Smell so Good"). Keine Lust (2005).

Ohne Dich (2004). Amerika (2004). Mein Teil (2004). Feuer frei! (2002).

Mutter (2002). Ich will (2001). Links 2 3 4 (2001). Sonne (2001).

Single Collection (1998). Stripped (1998). Du riechst so gut '98 (1998). Das Modell (1997).

Du hast (1997). Engel (1997). Engel, Fan-Edition (1997). Seemann (1996).

Du riechst so gut (1995). "Moskau" ("Moscow"). "Keine Lust" ("Not In The Mood"). "Ohne Dich" ("Without You").

"Amerika" ("America"). "Dalai Lama". "Mein Teil" ("My Part"). "Bück Dich" ("Bend Over").

"Feuer Frei" ("Fire At Will"). "Sonne" ("Sun"). "Engel" ("Angel"). "Rammstein".

"Du Hast" ("You Have", also a homophone of "You Hate"). Reise, Reise (2004) (literally "Arise, Arise", from the now largely disused Middle High German verb "risen", to rise). Mutter (2001) ("Mother"). Sehnsucht (1997) ("Longing").

Herzeleid (1995) ("Heartache"). Band members surfing the crowd in a rubber dinghy. Rockets fired along cables strung above the audience;. Flake Lorenz being roasted in a giant cauldron by a flamethrower-wielding Lindemann;.

Exploding drumsticks, drums, microphones and boots;. Simulated sodomy and a giant custard-squirting dildo;. Till Lindemann singing an entire song while on fire (he now uses twin flamethrowers strapped to his arms);. Band members using head-mounted flamethrowers ("Lycopodium Masks") while singing/playing;.

Christian "Flake" Lorenz (Keyboards). Christoph "Doom" Schneider (Drums). Oliver Riedel (Bass). Till Lindemann (Vocals).

Paul Landers (Guitar). Kruspe-Bernstein (Guitar). Richard Z.