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
Kong
The Notwist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be long
Others are coming in,others are coming in
House will fall,and we'll go on
Might take more to tell
About you're strong
Are you coming,are you coming?
The world was mine,it's ours
Someone's always fond to cold
And the rain,it wouldn't stop
And the rain,the rain,the rain,the rain
The water filled the room and the house got scrapped away
Won't you come to town?
On your strongs
Are you coming,are you coming?
Drop our song in our spot
It's close cause I believe in this
Cause I believe in this
Cause I believe in this
Cause I believe in this
The Notwist's "Kong" is a haunting and enigmatic song that can be interpreted in various ways. At its core, it seems to be a song about change and endurance, about surrendering to the forces of nature and time, and about holding on to something valuable amidst chaos and uncertainty.
The opening lines of the song ("Something more than this, Don't be long, Others are coming in, House will fall, and we'll go on") suggest that the singer is aware that something significant is about to happen, that a shift is imminent, and that they need to prepare themselves for it. The repetition of "Don't be long" underscores the urgency of this message and the need to act quickly. The reference to the "house will fall" can be interpreted literally as the image of a building collapsing, but it can also be seen as a metaphor for the structures that we build in our lives that can be taken away from us in an instant. However, the second part of the line - "and we'll go on" - indicates that even if something falls or crumbles, life will continue, and we need to find the strength to move forward.
The lines "The world was mine, it's ours, Someone's always fond to cold, And the rain, it wouldn't stop, And the rain, the rain, the rain, the rain, The water filled the room and the house got scrapped away" paint a vivid picture of destruction and loss. The singer seems to be reflecting on the past, perhaps on a time when they felt in control or in possession of something that mattered to them. However, the phrase "it's ours" suggests that they have come to realize that nothing truly belongs to anyone, and that what we have today can be gone tomorrow. The reference to "someone's always fond to cold" is a bit mysterious, but it can be seen as a commentary on people's tendency to be attracted to things that are harmful to them - like coldness or detachment. The repetition of "the rain" and the imagery of water filling a room gives the sense of being overwhelmed and out of control, of something creeping up and taking over.
Overall, "Kong" is a song that encourages the listener to let go of attachments, to be resilient, and to believe in something (whatever that may be) even in the face of chaos and uncertainty. It is a song that seems to suggest that while things may fall apart, we can still find meaning and joy in life if we are open to change and willing to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Something more than this
Looking for something beyond what's currently there
Don't be long
Don't wait too much before taking action
Others are coming in,others are coming in
Competition is increasing and others are entering the game
House will fall, and we'll go on
Even if things don't work out, we'll move forward and keep going
Might take more to tell
There are more details that need to be explained
About you're strong
About how strong you are
Are you coming, are you coming?
Asking if the person will join or come along
Left our song, left our song
Our song or story was abandoned/left behind
The world was mine, it's ours
At one time, it felt like everything belonged to me, but now it's shared
Someone's always fond to cold
There will always be someone who is indifferent or unfeeling
And the rain, it wouldn't stop
The difficult circumstances didn't let up
And the rain, the rain, the rain, the rain
Emphasizing the persistence of the challenging situation
The water filled the room and the house got scrapped away
The situation became overwhelming to the point where everything was destroyed
Won't you come to town?
Asking the person to come to the place where things are happening
On your strongs
Relying on the person's strength and abilities
Drop our song in our spot
Put our song or story back where it belongs
It's close cause I believe in this
We are on the verge of a breakthrough because I have faith in what we are doing
Cause I believe in this
Reiterating the importance of believing in the endeavor
Cause I believe in this
Reiterating the importance of believing in the endeavor
Cause I believe in this
Reiterating the importance of believing in the endeavor
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MarfLoog
Really looking forward to see them live today 09.10.2023 in FAUST Hannover.
@AnGoosen
Yes! Notwist tickets dispatched! 27 days to go! They are amazing live, don't miss them.
@qquube
Thank you Sub Pop for supporting such amazing music since 1986!
@theneedledrop
AWWWWWWWWWWW
@diannamunna784
crazy
@JanHrabovsky
Remember those since Neon Golden, always found them kinda boring... nothing changed about that but their name reminded me great time i had around 00's so thanks for that :-)
@senaibmusic
I love this song so much
@powellpressburger5507
Give that opening back to the Wedding Present.
@Shadowsteppa
einfach chillig :)
@dawill141
living in sumerset england, this song is all too easy to relate to.