The band's name comes from the Krupp dynasty - one of pre-war Germany´s main industrial families. This name was apparently chosen for its industrial connotations, as the band is strongly anti-Nazi. In some interviews the band stated that Visconti´s movie "The Damned" - a depiction of the fictitious German industrial dynasty of the Essenbecks - was the main inspiration.
Die Krupps's debut EP, 1981's Stahlwerkssymphony, was in the vein of metal-on-metal industrial acts like Einstürzende Neubauten. Their following album, 1982's Volle Kraft Voraus, combined the industrial sound of their debut with electronic rhythms similar to DAF.
In 1984, the group released their first English-language album, Entering the Arena, which combined grand, orchestral arrangements with their trademark metallic percussion and a more conventional synthpop sound.
Doerper left to join Propaganda, and Die Krupps went on hiatus for a few years. In 1989, they collaborated with Nitzer Ebb -- a band their sound had clearly influenced -- to remake Volle Kraft Voraus's "Wahre Arbeit, Wahrer Lohn" as "The Machineries of Joy." The single was a major club hit,and it resparked interest in the band, who followed in 1990 with the now-classic "Germaniac" single.
However, Engler had become interested in American and European heavy metal, and subsequent Die Krupps releases would gradually de-emphasize the band's industrial/electronic origins. A Tribute to Metallica--an album of Metallica cover versions done with only keyboards and samplers--was something of a novelty hit that got the band signed (briefly) to a US major label.
In 1992, Engler reunited with Doerper and added some American heavy metal musicians to the lineup, and Die Krupps began to utilize guitars and more sounds derived from heavy metal music, with the release of their albums I and II--The Final Option.
During this period, the band had many of their tracks remixed by other artists; singles such as "Fatherland", "Metal Machine Music", "To the Hilt", and "Crossfire" were reworked by artists as diverse as The Sisters of Mercy, Einstürzende Neubauten and Biohazard. These remixes proved more successful than the albums from which they were drawn, as they became staples of mid-90s alternative clubs. Many of these remixes are included on the compilations The Final Remixes and Rings of Steel, as well as their mid-90s singles issued by Cleopatra Records. Particularly notable is a 1996 remix EP they shared with Front Line Assembly, on which each group remixed three songs from the other: while Krupps's remixes of FLA were typical of the band's metallic direction, FLA's Krupps remixes surprisingly highlighted how Die Krupps's sound still recalled the band's early electronic work.
By 1996's III--Odyssey of the Mind, the band had almost entirely ditched electronics for a straight metal sound. Following Doerper's second departure and the release of the even more heavily metal-influenced album "Paradise Now" in 1997, the band disbanded.
The band has been well-served by two compilations that highlight their strongest material and the development of the band's sound: Past Forward 1991-1981, released on Mute's Grey Area imprint, is a worthy precis of the band's work up to and including "Germaniac". Cleopatra's Metalmorphosis of Die Krupps covers some of the same ground, but includes highlights from their post-Metallica output. While both compilations share several tracks, they usually choose different mixes.
Die Krupps played a reunion show at Wave Gothic Treffen festival at 2005 for their 25th anniversary.
Expected in fall 2007 are 2 releases to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Die Krupps plus an extra release combining both. The reason to make two different best of albums is because the band wanted to separate its electro years from its metal years. As a result we will get "Too Much History - The Electro Years Vol. 1" and "Too Much History - The Metal Years Vol. 2", both in digipak format. Next to these two releases there is also the 2CD set "Too Much History" combining both previous mentioned best of compilations.
The German electronic pioneers Die Krupps are re-releasing two classic albums "Volle Kraft Voraus" and "I" by the end of August 2008.
May 21st, 2012 - Industrie-Mädchen reached top of the DAC! (i.e. Deutsche Alternative Charts)
Industrie-Mädchen is the title of the new single, which is a cover version of a song by the German punk band S.Y.P.H., a band Ralf Dörper was member of for a few month in 1979, contributing the vocals to one track of their first EP Viel Feind, viel Ehr.
The single is a spin-off of the forthcoming studio album that is due to be released
The Machineries of Joy
Die Krupps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Work, work, work, true work!
Pain, pain, pain, sweet pain!
Mein Muskeln sich verschoenern
(90%: My muscles are improving)
Sehen sterlen schweiss fuehlen
(70%: See, die, feel sweat)
Schmutzesam drecksam Bauerarbeit (50%: Dirt,some filth, some builder's work)
(20%: Black and all builder's wages)
Join the rhythm of machine
Feel the power while you learn
Join the rhythm of machine
Sweat and pain is all you earn
Ah-aho!
Ah-aho!
Lohn!
(100%: Wages)
Arbeit!
(100%: Work)
The Die Krupps song "The Machineries of Joy" is a powerful anthem about the joy of hard work and the satisfaction it brings to the human spirit. The lyrics are both repetitive and poetic in nature, emphasizing the importance of work and the physical exertion it requires. The first few lines celebrate true work and the sweet pain associated with it, suggesting that hard work is not only rewarding, but also physically and mentally invigorating.
The second part of the song describes the physical benefits of hard work, focusing specifically on the improvement of muscles and the feeling of sweat dripping down one's body. The lines "dirt, some filth, some builder's work" and "black and all builder's wages" suggest that the song may be a tribute to the working class and the manual labor they undertake. The chorus emphasizes the importance of joining the rhythm of the machine, perhaps a reference to the industrial revolution and the transformative power of modern technology.
Overall, "The Machineries of Joy" can be interpreted as a song about the importance of hard work and the pride that comes with earning one's wages through physical labor.
Line by Line Meaning
Work, work, work, true work!
Let's work hard and dedicate ourselves to true labor!
Pain, pain, pain, sweet pain!
Despite the hardship we endure, there's a sense of fulfillment and joy.
Mein Muskeln sich verschoenern
My muscles are improving with exercise.
Sehen sterlen schweiss fuehlen
We witness sweat and tears while we feel the strain.
Schmutzesam drecksam Bauerarbeit
We toil away at dirty and unpleasant manual labor.
Schwarz undd all Bauerlohn
In exchange for our labor, we receive meager wages.
Join the rhythm of machine
Feel the power while you learn
We work in tandem with machines and feel empowered by our productivity.
Join the rhythm of machine
Sweat and pain is all you earn
Our work is demanding and we receive little compensation for our efforts.
Ah-aho!
A chant of motivation and encouragement.
Lohn!
Wages - the reward for our labor.
Arbeit!
Work - the driving force behind our lives.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gregw9289
67 years old from Melbourne!! Even at my age I still want to dance like crazy to this!! BRILLIANT👍👍👍
@donnawoody9724
60 years old and love this
@99222837
Who is listening to it on 2020?
@danielpayne500
it is timeless classic Record that defined the EBM = ELECTRONIC BODY MUSIC MOVEMENT And stands the test of time in my record bag in the box to this day
@BlackMaterial
Why? :)
@isaacchibs7033
We are.
@muchbetter296
THIS IS FOR EVER!!!
@greg_3647
Spam
@apan77
one of the best EBM/Electro songs ever made!
@fredericlaurent7789
That was in 1989 ( i was 17 y. Old ) and 31 years later , it s allways on the top . Thanks for the video . The last time i saw the clip , That was on M.T.V. ( headbangersball , Beavis and Butthead ,... ) Who can make me a remote control to return at this time ? ;)