Die Queercore/Pop/Indie-Band The Hidden Cameras spielt nach Eigendefinition „gay church folk music“. Mit der neuesten Platte „Bronto“, der ersten seit 2016, entwickelt sich das Projekt von Joel Gibb in eine deutlich elektronischere Richtung. Stark ist vor allem „Brontosaurus Law“ geraten. Bei einigen der Song konnten die Hidden Cameras zudem Vince Clarke (Erasure, Depeche Mode) und die Pet Shop Boys für Remixtätigkeiten verpflichten.
Wenn man so will, kann man hier den Einfluß von Gibbs neuer Wahlheimat Berlin heraushören, denn neben Chilly Gonzales und Peaches ist Joel Gibb nun der nächste kanadische Expat, der hier eine neue Heimat gefunden hat. Nachdem Gibb nun also nach Berlin gezogen ist, bot er sich natürlich für ein German Blind Date – Gespräch an, das sich allerdings schwieriger gestaltete als gedacht, konnte er doch mit meinen ersten Songvorschlägen nichts anfangen. Aber steter Songtropfen hölt den Hidden Cameras Stein und so sind wir doch noch zusammen gekommen:
5 German songs I like and tried singing: I moved to Berlin years ago and took it upon myself to learn more about German music as soon as I arrived. It soon became an intention to learn a song in German and perform it.
1. Zarah Leander – Ich steh im Regen
One of the first artists I got into after arriving in Berlin was Zarah Leander. She has a beautiful way of delivering a language considered harsh sounding. Found out quickly she’s actually Swedish.
When Chilly Gonzales asked me to be his guest at his Kino Babylon Berlin show in 2010 (with Mocky on drums) I suggested singing „Ich steh im Regen“ just because it was slow and the lyrics were relatively simple. Singing „und warte auf dich“ was almost better in German than in English! „Wie die fallenden Tropfen am Ärmel zerstieben“ was a mouthful on the other hand:
2. Ton Steine Scherben – Macht kaputt was euch kaputt macht
Ton Steine Scherben is a band that few know outside of Germany. Was lucky to discover them early on while living in Berlin as well as the solo material from Rio Reiser. I proposed doing the song „Macht kaputt was euch kaputt macht“ with The Hidden Cameras on our Origin:Orphan tour of 2009/2010. We even performed the song in North America! German has a real immediacy when shouted. Makes sense there’s so much shouting in German music and theatre.
There also exists a version of this song recorded with Stereo Total and myself. A completely different version with Brezel on guitar, me on bass and Francoise on drums. Both Francoise and I sing the entire song together. Would love to release this unheard recording at some point in the future.
3. DAF – Kebab Träume
Another German song I adore and tried singing is „Kebab Träume“ by DAF. I much prefer the more obscure original version from 1980 and I was lucky enough to find this version on 7″ at City Music record shop near Bahnhof Zoo (before it closed).
Stereo Total and myself also recorded „Kebab Träume“ together during the same session as „Macht kaputt“ all in one take on 4-track. Francoise and I tried a call-and-response thing. Never sang this song live though.
4. Peter Alexander – Die Kleine Kneipe
This year I reunited with Brezel and formed a Berlin super-group at the Michelberger Hotel with other Berlin-based musicians Marla Hansen, Simon Goff, Jeremy Black and Janne Lounatvuori. We learned „Die Kleine Kneipe“ by Peter Alexander since the song plays on repeat in the hotel’s public toilet. This song is definitely a more difficult song to sing with obscure phrases like „Die Krämersfrau fegt das Trottoir vor dem Laden“ or „Man redet sich heiß und spricht sich von der Seele“.
We did a proper recording of this song and hope to release it soon.
5. Stereo Total – Liebe zu Dritt
During the same show at the Michelberger I also sang a Stereo Total classic „Liebe zu Dritt“ in honour of Francoise who passed away sadly in 2021. This is a fantastic song to learn in German.
Das neue Album der Hidden Cameras ist bereits erschienen:
Auf der Bühne:
06.11. AT-Wien, Chelsea
19.11. Berlin, Berghain Kantine
22.11. AT-Graz, Autumn Leaves
28.11. Hamburg, Molotow
03.02. Köln, Bumann & Sohn
06.02. Nürnberg, Club Stereo
09.02. Stuttgart, Wizemann Studio
10.02. München, AMpere
16.02. Leipzig, Moritzbastei
