Muting The Noise

Almost everyone in the world knows someone who has flown to the German capital in recent years and proudly returned with bizarre stories of previously unimagined highs at endless techno parties at Berghain, Watergate or Tresor. All these stories contain a grain of truth. But many questions remain unanswered: Why is it that thousands of clubbing tourists land at Berlin Schönefeld airport every weekend? Why have clubs like Berghain become the stuff of legend the world over? Why have some of the best-known producers and techno DJs like Richie Hawtin and DJ Hell moved with their labels to this city? These are the kind of questions explored in Lost and Sound by Tobias Rapp, a German music journalist who has been living, working and partying in Berlin since the beginning of the nineties. He has spoken with DJs, clubbers, label bosses, hostel managers and urban planners; he has looked and listened carefully; and most important of all, he has been part of the dance floor himself. Following its publication in Germany in February 2009, Lost and Sound made an impact not seen from a book about popular music for a long time. Originally published by the renowned Suhrkamp Verlag, which also manages the works of Brecht, Adorno and Benjamin, the book almost single-handedly brought techno back into the eyes of the German media. Suddenly everyone wanted to get on board again. In the spring and summer of 2009 all the German daily and weekly papers carried reports on the Berlin party scene. It was around this time that Rapp switched employers. Germany’s best-selling news magazine Der Spiegel appointed him as its new pop music editor a few months ago. As far as music journalism in Germany is concerned, there are few higher rungs on the ladder. Lost and Sound was simply crying out to be translated into English. Aside from the fact that English is the lingua franca of techno culture, the majority of the people that this book is about – producers, DJs, tourists – hardly speak German. But these are the people responsible for the altogether more pleasant associations Berlin now triggers – after ‘Hitler’s city’ and ‘the walled city’ comes ‘the party city’. It is these people who cultivate Berlin’s spirit of excess, along with the other groups which make up the Berlin clubbing demographic: the gay community, the East Germans (known as ‘Ossis’) and the offspring of middle-class West Germans. It is they who roam Berlin’s new club mile, from Schlesisches Tor to Alexanderplatz, turning night into day and day back into night. And it is they who have prompted some local journalists to speak of Berlin as a kind of a metropolitan Ibiza, a party Mecca on constant overdrive on the banks of the Spree. But Ibiza is a wholly inappropriate point of reference. As Rapp shows in Lost and Sound, the mechanisms of commercialisation and displacement which have long-since turned the Spanish island into a tourist nightmare have made little mark on Berlin. Fortunately, it has retained an indomitable spirit of creative cooperation and coexistence. The city still has great pulling power. Anyone who reads Lost and Sound will feel the same compulsion to hop on a plane and join Berlin – as Rapp did – for a week of raving.

The limited hardcover is unfortunately sold out. Please find the new softcover version in our new shop! Almost everyone in the world knows someone who has flown to the German capital in recent years and proudly returned with bizarre stories of previously unimagined highs at endless techno parties at Berghain, Watergate or Tresor. All these stories contain a grain of truth. But many questions remain unanswered: Why is it that thousands of clubbing tourists land at Berlin Schönefeld airport every weekend? Why have clubs like Berghain become the stuff of legend the world over? Why have some of the best-known producers and techno DJs like Richie Hawtin and DJ Hell moved with their labels to this city? These are the kind of questions explored in Lost and Sound by Tobias Rapp, a German music journalist who has been living, working and partying in Berlin since the beginning of the nineties. He has spoken with DJs, clubbers, label bosses, hostel managers and urban planners; he has looked and listened carefully; and most important of all, he has been part of the dance floor himself. Following its publication in Germany in February 2009, Lost and Sound made an impact not seen from a book about popular music for a long time. Originally published by the renowned Suhrkamp Verlag, which also manages the works of Brecht, Adorno and Benjamin, the book almost single-handedly brought techno back into the eyes of the German media. Suddenly everyone wanted to get on board again. In the spring and summer of 2009 all the German daily and weekly papers carried reports on the Berlin party scene. It was around this time that Rapp switched employers. Germany’s best-selling news magazine Der Spiegel appointed him as its new pop music editor a few months ago. As far as music journalism in Germany is concerned, there are few higher rungs on the ladder. Lost and Sound was simply crying out to be translated into English. Aside from the fact that English is the lingua franca of techno culture, the majority of the people that this book is about – producers, DJs, tourists – hardly speak German. But these are the people responsible for the altogether more pleasant associations Berlin now triggers – after ‘Hitler’s city’ and ‘the walled city’ comes ‘the party city’. It is these people who cultivate Berlin’s spirit of excess, along with the other groups which make up the Berlin clubbing demographic: the gay community, the East Germans (known as ‘Ossis’) and the offspring of middle-class West Germans. It is they who roam Berlin’s new club mile, from Schlesisches Tor to Alexanderplatz, turning night into day and day back into night. And it is they who have prompted some local journalists to speak of Berlin as a kind of a metropolitan Ibiza, a party Mecca on constant overdrive on the banks of the Spree. But Ibiza is a wholly inappropriate point of reference. As Rapp shows in Lost and Sound, the mechanisms of commercialisation and displacement which have long-since turned the Spanish island into a tourist nightmare have made little mark on Berlin. Fortunately, it has retained an indomitable spirit of creative cooperation and coexistence. The city still has great pulling power. Anyone who reads Lost and Sound will feel the same compulsion to hop on a plane and join Berlin – as Rapp did – for a week of raving.

This is director Matt Wolf's portrait of the seminal avant-garde composer, singer-songwriter, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell. Before his untimely death from AIDS in 1992, Arthur prolifically created music that spanned both pop and abstract art. Wolf incorporates rare archival footage and commentary from Arthur's family, friends, and collaborators, including Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg, to tell this poignant story. 65 minutes of extras include rare archival footage of two full-length performances, "Soon to be Innocent Fun / Let's See" (1985) and "Calling All Kids" (1989), Allen Ginsberg:A Memorial for Arthur Russel (1992), 1970 recording of an audicassette letter sent from Arthur in San Francisco to this parents, as well as tribute performances of Russell's songs by Jens Lekman, Verity Susman from Electrelane, Joel Gibb from Hidden Cameras, and Arthur's Landing (featuring members of Modern Lovers, Joyce Bowden and Steven Hall).

Ableton, Afterhour, Aktivismus, Amerikaner, Anstehen, Bar 25, Barcelona, Bebauungsplaene, Berghain, Berlin, Billigflieger, Club der Visionaere, Clubmeile, Detroit, digial, DJs, Drogensolidaritaet, Druffis, Easyjetset, Feiern, Friedrichshain, Hardwax, Hedonistische, Internationale, Hostels, House house and More Fucking House, Investoren, Kreuzberg, Labels, Mediaspree, Minimal, Mitte, Netzwerke, Ossis, Ostgut, Plattenlaeden, posteuphorisches High, Panoramabar, Parallelgesellschaft, Ravemutter, Resident Advisor, Restrealitaet, Ricardo Villalobos, Schnaps, Schwule, Senat, Sonar, Spreeufer für alle, Stadtplanung, Techno, temporaer autonome Zone, Touris, Tresor, Türsteher, Vinyl, Wasted German Youth, Watergate, Weekend, Zirkuskinder, Zwischennutzung. DEAR ENGLISH SPEAKING FELLOWS ! PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BOOK IS WRITEN IN GERMAN. If U WANNA READ IT IN ENGLISH U SHOULD CHECK OUR SITE FOR THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION WE PUBLISHED!

Why do we offer a multi media package of the West-Berlin subculture scene from 1978 to 1984 at MTN? Very simple: Because this generation had a major influence on the music scene nowadays. The Super 80 movies oscillate between the Centre Pompidou and Martin Kippenberger's legendary SO 36. In 120 minutes of Super 8-film and on the accompanying CD, the music and art of the anarchists, activists, punks and DIY-artists from the city seperated by the wall is featured (Einstürzende Neubauten, Mona Mur, Malaria …). The DVD is accompanied by a very informative book written in English as well as a CD. A must-have retrospective! DVD (Super 8 movies) 01. Brand & Maschmann: E Dopo? (1981) 02. Christoph Doering: 3302- Taxi Film (1979) 03. Markgraf & Wolkenstein: Hüpfen 82 (1982) 04. Yana Yo: Sax (1983) 05. Maye & Rendschmid: Ohne Liebe gibt es keinen Tod (1980) 06. Stiletto Studio,s: Formel Super VIII (1983) 07. Walter Gramming: Hammer und Sichel (1978) 08. Georg Marioth: Morgengesänge (1984) 09. Hormel/Bühler: Geld (Malaria Clip) (1982) 10. Notorische Reflexe: Fragment Video (1983) 11. Jörg Buttgereit: Mein Papi (1981) 12. Die Tödliche Doris: Berliner Küchenmusik (1982) 13. Butzmann & Kiesel: Spanish Fly (1979) 14. Manfred Jelinski: So war das SO 36 (1984) 15. Klaus Beyer: Die Glatze (1983) 16. Markgraf & Wolkenstein: Craex Apart (1983) 17. Andrea Hillen: Gelbfieber 1982) Special Bonus Clip: Ika Schier: Wedding Night (1982) Total running time 109:29 CD 01. Mona Mur: My Lie (1982) 02. Malaria: Thrash Me (1983) 03. Die Tödliche Doris: Tanz im Quadrat (1981) 04. Christiane F: Wunderbar (1982) 05. P1/E: 49 sec. Romance (1980) 06. Mono/45 UPM: Romantic Adieu (1979) 07. Sprung aus den Wolken : Akcam La (1982) 08. Kosmonautentraum: Stolze Menschen(1981) 09. Valie Export & I. Wiener: Bananen (1980) 10. Alexander v. Borsig (Hacke): Hiroshima (1980) 11. DIN A Testbild: No repeat (1980) 12. Flucht nach Vorn: Nahost (1982) 13. Frieder Butzmann: Schmusewolle (1979) 14. Sentimentale Jugend: Wollt ihr die totale Befriedigung (1980) 15. Einstürzende Neubauten: Tanz Debil (1980) 16. MDK: Berlin (1982)

As the only European shop to stock this DVD, we present you The Delian Mode, a 2009 short experimental documentary nominated for International Documentary Association award, revolving around the life and work of electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire. She is best known for her groundbreaking sound treatment of the Doctor Who theme music. A collage of sound and image created in the spirit of Derbyshire’s unique approach to audio creation and manipulation, this film illuminates such soundscapes onscreen while paying tribute to a woman whose work has influenced electronic musicians for decades. Have a look at a review and preview of this film here. http://thedelianmode.com/trailer Duration: 25 minutes

Airbag Craftworks published a unique volume of collages made by the German artist, graphic designer and musician Dennis Busch (also known as James Din A4 or Made With Hate). He founded Esel Records more than a decade ago, also recently running the label Millions of Brilliant Idiots and a contemporary art gallery called Galerie zum Hochgeklappten Fußnagel. Busch's work featured in "Back To Normal" evoke known memories in us, activating our image-archive and combining contemporary and art historical references in a bunch of vivid pieces. They are wild, colorful, even raw and explosive, using text-lyrics and photography,  through which a painterly composition is created without even using a brush. Busch's describes his intention with the following words: “Art should laugh about itself, I mean laugh to death.”

72 pages, 1st edition, linen-bound hardcover, limited to 250 copies.