The Notwist is a German indie rock band. Formed in 1989 in Weilheim, German… Read Full Bio ↴The Notwist is a German indie rock band. Formed in 1989 in Weilheim, Germany, the band moved through several musical incarnations despite maintaining a relatively stable lineup. While their early records moved through hardcore into dark indie rock, their recent efforts, for which they have received the most attention, have been very strongly influenced by the electronica scene, along with the other groups of Morr Music.

Markus and Michael Acher formed the group together with Martin Messerschmidt in Weilheim, near Munich. In 1990 they recorded their self-titled debut The Notwist, a grunge-metal oriented LP. 1992 saw the release of Nook, which has an indie rock sound, while their 1995 album 12 contains their first flirtation with electronica. Martin Gretschmann (aka Console) joined the group in 1997. Shrink, released in 1998, is a jazz-electro-rock album. The album Neon Golden (released in 2002) put them on the map for American listeners.

In 2003 the band started their own record label Alien Transistor and released a soundtrack for the movie Lichter by Hans-Christian Schmid. On September, 6th 2004 the EP Solo Swim came out, a collaboration between The Notwist, Console and Klimek, which is also the soundtrack for the documentary Kanalschwimmer by Jörg Adolph. Both EPs are only available on vinyl as is the latest EP by Rayon (Markus Acher), released in spring 2006.

Some of The Notwist's songs have been remixed by Four Tet, Manitoba, Console, Loopspool, and others. Singer Markus Acher collaborated with Anticon rapper/producer Alias on the song Unseen Sights.

The Notwist recently formed a supergroup with Themselves named 13 & God, whose eponymous debut was released in 2005. Other acts in which members of The Notwist are participating include Village of Savoonga, Tied & Tickled Trio, Lali Puna, Ms. John Soda, Potawatomi, Alles wie Groß, Ogonjok, Rayon, 3 Shades of Blues, Hometrainer, Bolzplatz Heroes, Alien Ensemble, and Schweisser.

In 2006, Messerschmitt left the band on friendly terms. Markus Acher stated that "it just didn't work anymore".

The Devil, You + Me and was released in Europe in May, 2008. On June 17, 2008 the album was released in North America on Domino Records.

2014 saw the release of Close to the Glass released in the US on Sub-Pop.

http://www.notwist.com

Members

* Markus Acher - guitar, vocals
* Michael Acher - bass
* Mecki Messerschmidt - drums
* Martin Gretschmann (aka Console) - programming

Is It Fear?
The Notwist Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You'll change your name
And certain friends you have
Nothing to say
Or nothing much

I'll burn in vain
To act in God's eyes
I can explain

What's wrong with you (?)

Is it fear?
That makes me act this way. Is it fear?

Is it fear?
That makes you act this way
Is it fear?

I'll ditch my name
And certain friends I have
Nothing to say
Or nothing much

We try in vain
To act in God's eyes
I can explain
What's wrong with you (?)

Is it fear?

That makes me act this way
Is it fear?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Notwist's song "Is It Fear?" seems to explore the themes of change, identity, and fear. The opening lyrics suggest that someone is undergoing a significant change - they are changing their name and ditching certain friends. There is also an acknowledgement that they may not have much to say, implying that this change could be a result of a personal struggle or realization.

The next set of lyrics centers around the idea of acting in God's eyes and trying to explain what's wrong. This may suggest a feeling of guilt or a need for redemption. The repeated refrain "Is it fear?" serves as a questioning of the motives behind these actions. The lyrics seem to suggest that fear could be the driving force behind these changes and actions - fear of judgment, fear of failure, or fear of the unknown.

The chorus also implies that these fears are shared between the two voices in the song, creating a sense of vulnerability and understanding. The song seems to use these themes to explore the complexities of personal change and the emotions that come with it.

Line by Line Meaning

You'll change your name
You plan to change your name

And certain friends you have
And you'll leave behind some friends you have now

Nothing to say
You won't have much to say

Or nothing much
Or really anything important to say

I'll burn in vain
I will try in vain

To act in God's eyes
To live up to some divine standard

I can explain
I can understand or explain

What's wrong with you (?)
What is motivating you to act this way

Is it fear?
Is it fear that causes me to react in this way?

That makes me act this way. Is it fear?
Is it fear that makes me behave this way?

Is it fear?
Is it fear that is driving you to act like this?