Die anderen Bands

Die anderen Bands (German: [diː ˈʔandəʁən ˈbants], "the other bands") is a term combining alternative music bands of 1980s GDR (East Germany). They shared a more or less open criticism of their country's political system, and a high degree of creativity which was lacking from the more established music scene of East Germany. Many members of these bands played significant parts during the time of political change Wende in 1989. The bands came from a broad range of musical genres, especially Punk, Blues, New Wave, Indie and Electronic music.

Radio DJ Lutz Schramm introduced the other bands to a wider audience in his show Parocktikum on East Germany's youth radio station DT 64 (now Sputnik/MDR). In 1988 the East German record label AMIGA released a sampler called "Kleeblatt Nr. 23 - Die anderen Bands". A year later another sampler was released, named after the radio show their music was first aired in: "Parocktikum". Having been limited to self-produced records and (sometimes illegal) gigs, both the radio show and the samplers offered a great opportunity for alternative bands to promote their material. The old system prevented free performances, only bands with an "Einstufung" (rating) were able to have an official approved gig. From 1990 on several samplers with alternative bands from the former GDR were released. Most of the bands are now defunct, but some like Dekadance, Freygang and Herbst in Peking still exist. Other musicians have found fame in new bands such as Rammstein, whose band members have formerly been in Feeling B and First Arsch