The group's earliest incarnation included German drummer En Esch and British vocalist Raymond Watts, the latter of whom left and rejoined the group several times over its history. The trio recorded the band's earliest albums in Germany before Konietzko and Esch moved to the United States, where they found much greater success with seminal industrial record label Wax Trax!. German guitarist Günter Schulz joined in 1990; both he and Esch continued with the band until KMFDM broke up in 1999. Konietzko resurrected KMFDM in 2002 (Esch and Schulz declined to rejoin) on Metropolis Records, and by 2005 he had assembled a consistent line-up that included American singer Lucia Cifarelli, British guitarists Jules Hodgson and Steve White, and British drummer Andy Selway. Konietzko and Cifarelli moved back to Germany in 2007, while the rest of band stayed in the U.S. In addition to these core members, dozens of other musicians have worked with the group across its nineteen studio albums and two dozen singles, with sales totaling in excess of two million records worldwide.
Critics consider KMFDM to be one of the first bands to bring industrial music to mainstream audiences, though Konietzko refers to the band's music as "The Ultra-Heavy Beat". The band incorporates heavy metal guitar riffs, electronic music, samples, and both male and female vocals in its music, which encompasses a variety of styles including industrial rock and electronic body music (EBM). The band is fiercely political, with many of its lyrics taking stands against violence, war, and oppression. KMFDM normally tours at least once after every major release, and band members are known for their accessibility to and interaction with fans, both online and at concerts. Members, singly or working together and with other musicians, have recorded under many other names, primarily Watts' PIG, Konietzko's Excessive Force, and Esch and Schulz's Slick Idiot.
KMFDM (Discogs): https://www.discogs.com/artist/11606-KMFDM
KMFDM (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/officialkmfdm
KMFDM (MySpace): https://myspace.com/officialkmfdm
KMFDM (Official Site): http://www.kmfdm.net
KMFDM (Reddit): https://www.reddit.com/r/kmfdm
KMFDM (SoundCloud): https://soundcloud.com/kmfdm_official
KMFDM (Store): http://kmfdm.fulfillmentmerch.com
KMFDM (Tumblr): https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/kmfdm
KMFDM (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kmfdmofficial
KMFDM (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/user/officialkmfdm
---Current Members---
Sascha Konietzko – vocals, guitar, bass, programming, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion
Lucia Cifarelli – vocals, keyboards
Jules Hodgson – guitar, bass, keyboards
Andy Selway – drums
Steve White – guitar
---Former Members---
En Esch – vocals, drums, guitar, programming
Raymond Watts – vocals, programming
Günter Schulz – guitar, programming
Mark Durante – guitar, steel guitar
Tim Skold – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, programming
Classic KMFDM Discography (1984-1999)
---Studio Albums---
1984 - Opium
1986 - What Do You Know, Deutschland?
1988 - Don't Blow Your Top
1989 - UAIOE
1990 - Naïve
1992 - Money
1993 - Angst
1995 - Nihil
1996 - Xtort
1997 - Symbols
1999 - Adios
---Compilations---
1986 - 84-86 (compilation)
1994 - Naïve/Hell to Go (remix)
1996 - Retro (compilation)
1998 - Agogo (compilation)
---Singles---
1987 - Kickin' Ass
1988 - Don't Blow Your Top
1988 - More & Faster
1989 - Virus
1990 - Godlike
1991 - Naïve + The Days of Swine and Roses (split with My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult)
1991 - Split
1992 - Vogue
1992 - Money
1992 - Help Us/Save Us/Take Us Away
1992 - Sucks
1993 - A Drug Against War
1994 - Light
1994 - Glory
1995 - Juke Joint Jezebel
1995 - Juke Joint Jezebel (The Moroder Mixes)
1995 - Brute
1995 - Trust
1995 - Year of the Pig
1996 - Power
1996 - Rules
1997 - Anarchy
1998 - MDFMK
---Side Projects/Collaborations---
1991 - Excessive Force - Conquer Your House
1992 - Excessive Force - Conquer Your World
1992 - En Esch - Cheesy
1993 - Excessive Force - Blizkrieg
1994 - Excessive Force - Gentle Death
1994 - KMFDM vs. PIG - Sin Sex & Salvation
---Modern KMFDM Discography (2002-present)
---Studio Albums---
2002 - Attak
2003 - WWIII
2005 - Hau Ruck
2007 - Tohuvabohu
2009 - Blitz
2011 - WTF?!
2013 - Kunst
2014 - Our Time Will Come
2017 - Hell Yeah
2019 - Paradise
2022 - HYËNA
2024 - LET GO
---Compilations---
2002 - Strum & Drang Tour Live (live)
2004 - WWIII Live 2003 (live)
2006 - Ruck Zuck (remix)
2008 - Brimborium (remix)
2008 - Extra Vol. 1 (compilation)
2008 - Extra Vol. 2 (compilation)
2008 - Extra Vol. 3 (compilation)
2009 - Krieg (remix)
2010 - Würst (compilation)
2010 - Greatest Shit (compilation)
2014 - We Are KMFDM (live)
---Singles---
2002 - Boots
2010 - Day of Light
2010 - Godlike 2010
2010 - Light 2010
2011 - Krank
2011 - Amnesia
2014 - Salvation
---Side Projects/Collaborations---
2000 - MDFMK - MDFMK
2001 - Schweinstein - Schweinstein
2001 - Slick Idiot - DickNity
2002 - Schweinstein - Son of Schweinstein
2003 - Slick Idiot - ReDickUlous
2004 - Slick Idiot - Screwtinized
2004 - Lucia - From the Land of Volcanoes
2006 - Slick Idiot - xSCREWciating
2006 - KGC - Dirty Bomb
2009 - Slick Idiot - Sucksess
2009 - Skold vs. KMFDM - Skold vs. KMFDM
2011 - OK●ZTEIN●OK - PROLET●KULT
2014 - En Esch - SPÄNK
Virus
KMFDM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Punks and freaks
I'm Talkin' 'bout a virus from the street
Spread that virus
Go for hell
Check out the resistance of your cells
Smoke some dope
Kick your health outta da drain
Fuel-injection makes you high
Ram it up your poop-chute
You know why
You catch it once
Catch it twice
Catch it with your love-device
It's a man-eating god-creator
Collecting lives
Paying later
Rip that thing and do the right stuff
Messing with the girls ain't not enough
You can't lock it in
No walls too high
It's busting out into the sky
This love ain't real it's just a fake
I don't care of what you make
Got a keepsake out of all I'm saying
Watch your style, better start praying
You did wrong my dear but it's too late
It's all destroyed
What a state
You're the victim, he's the master
Beg for mercy
More and faster
I'm a rock'n'roll monster with a bass-guitar
My face is all up
You've gone too far
I've been sleeping for a million years or longer
You woke me up i'm even stronger
Cleaning up the face of earth with my mother
You'll never ever, you'll never have another
Blown to pieces
Drowned in slime
Not worth a tombstone
Sign of the time
Virus gonna kill y'all
Gonna thrill y'all
Gonna rock you out
Makes you high
The lyrics of KMFDM's song "Virus" are a warning about the dangers of drug addiction and promiscuity. The singer addresses "creeps, punks, and freaks" and encourages them to spread a viral illness from the streets, which can take hold of the victim's mind and body. The song portrays addiction as a controlling force and urges listeners to resist harmful habits that have the potential to take everything away.
The lyrics urge listeners to "kick your health outta da drain" and "watch your style, better start praying." The singer suggests that indulging in substance abuse will only lead to destruction and chaos. The use of metaphors such as a "man-eating god-creator" and the description of the virus as a "rock'n'roll monster with a bass-guitar" contribute to the overall message of the song, which is that addiction can be all-consuming and has the power to rock you out and make you high.
Line by Line Meaning
Now here you creeps
I am now addressing the punks and freaks in front of me
Punks and freaks
Referring to a group of individuals with an alternative or rebellious lifestyle
I'm talkin' 'bout a virus from the street
I am about to speak of a virus that is often found in urban areas
Spread that virus
Encouragement to continue the propagation of the virus
Go for hell
Proceed to engage in reckless behavior
Check out the resistance of your cells
Observe how your body reacts to the virus
Smoke some dope
Consume illegal drugs
Waste your brain
Damage your cognitive abilities
Kick your health outta da drain
Engage in actions that are harmful to your physical and mental health
Fuel-injection makes you high
The use of drugs will cause a mental and physical high
Ram it up your poop-chute
Take the drugs rectally for maximum effect
You know why
The reason for taking drugs is understood by the listener
You catch it once
Once you contract the virus
Catch it twice
If you contract the virus more than once
Catch it with your love-device
A sexually transmitted virus
It's a man-eating god-creator
The virus is deadly and powerful
Collecting lives
The virus is causing multiple fatalities
Paying later
The consequences of catching the virus will be felt in the future
Rip that thing and do the right stuff
Dispose of the virus and engage in healthy behavior
Messing with the girls ain't not enough
Engaging in risky sexual behavior is not the only way to live life
You can't lock it in
It is impossible to contain the virus
No walls too high
Even physical barriers cannot contain the virus
It's busting out into the sky
The virus is spreading rapidly everywhere
This love ain't real it's just a fake
Romantic love is not genuine
I don't care of what you make
I do not value what you have or create
Got a keepsake out of all I'm saying
A memorable lesson can be taken from what I am saying
Watch your style, better start praying
Be careful of your behavior and prepare for the worst
You did wrong my dear but it's too late
Your past actions have negative consequences that cannot be undone
It's all destroyed
Everything has been ruined
What a state
This situation is disastrous
You're the victim, he's the master
You are suffering due to the control and power of another person
Beg for mercy, more and faster
Ask for forgiveness and do so quickly
I'm a rock'n'roll monster with a bass-guitar
The artist is a musician with a bass guitar
My face is all up
My facial expression is intense and aggressive
You've gone too far
The situation has escalated beyond reasonable control
I've been sleeping for a million years or longer
The artist has been inactive for an extended period of time
You woke me up, I'm even stronger
The singer has been roused and is now more powerful
Cleaning up the face of earth with my mother
The singer, along with their mother, is destroying all that is corrupted in the world
You'll never ever, you'll never have another
The object of affection is irreplaceable
Blown to pieces, drowned in slime
Any hope or possibility has been destroyed
Not worth a tombstone, sign of the time
This situation is such a catastrophe that a tombstone is not even necessary
Virus gonna kill y'all
The virus will cause fatal consequences
Gonna thrill y'all
The virus will cause a sense of excitement and danger
Gonna rock you out
The virus will cause a physical and mental response
Makes you high
The virus will cause an emotional and physical high
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: SASCH KEGEL KONIETZKO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@evwaldron
It's 2020, I haven't heard this song in probably 20 years, and today for absolutely zero reason it popped into my head. Still amazing.
@MrBurleyfish
Yeah absolutely zero reason 😷
@evwaldron
@MrBurleyfish LOL
@mypronounismaster4450
Same thing happened to me. I reached in my fridge and grabbed a cold Corona and this song popped in my head.
@chrisbendel9112
Me too!
@sassynessas
Still amazing! Very relevant for the times too. Not for the obvious "virus" but for all the other ones mentioned
@torchiest
This is still one of their best songs ever.
@adriansumner1412
20 years + still listening to these giants epic track
@lkjyuiop1987
Adrian Sumner got bass? Www.down4soundshop.com
@RedPillVegan
This beat goes so hard