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
Nook
The Notwist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because words not there
Because all things could be mine
As long as you decide
And I came back
And I came back
I came back to ruin you declare
Because words not there
To kill you
You say
To kill you
Because nothing in this world can make me so sad
To kill you
You say
To kill you
Because nothing in this world can make me
so sad
The lyrics of The Notwist's "Nook" have a hauntingly beautiful quality to them. It seems to be a song about the feelings of revenge and the desire to hurt someone who has hurt the singer. The opening lines, "I came back to ruin you declare, because words not there," suggest that the singer has no words to express the intense emotions they are feeling. Perhaps they have been hurt so badly that language has become inadequate to describe their pain and anger. The next lines, "Because all things could be mine, as long as you decide," indicate that the singer's feelings are tied to this other person's power over them. As long as the other person has a hold over them, they will continue to feel this intense need for revenge.
The repetition of the lines "And I came back" and "I came back to ruin you declare, because words not there" serve to emphasize the singer's determination and desperation. They have come back to hurt this person, and nothing is going to stop them. The second half of the song takes on a more violent tone, with the singer repeating the phrase "To kill you" over and over. It's unclear whether this is a literal desire or a metaphorical one, but it's clear that the singer is consumed with thoughts of hurting this person.
Overall, "Nook" is a dark and intense song that captures the feelings of revenge and desperation in a way that is both beautiful and unsettling.
Line by Line Meaning
I came back to ruin you declare
I returned to harm you intentionally and I am making it known through my words.
Because words not there
I don't have the words to express my emotions and so I'm acting out instead.
Because all things could be mine
I believe that I am entitled to everything and anything I desire, as long as you agree to it.
As long as you decide
I need your permission or approval in order to feel justified in my actions.
And I came back
I returned to the situation or person being discussed.
And I came back
I returned to the situation or person being discussed.
I came back to ruin you declare
I returned to harm you intentionally and I am making it known through my words.
Because words not there
I don't have the words to express my emotions and so I'm acting out instead.
To kill you
I want to cause you death or physical harm.
You say
You are expressing what I am allegedly saying or doing.
To kill you
I want to cause you death or physical harm.
Because nothing in this world can make me so sad
I am feeling extremely depressed and no external circumstance will alleviate it.
To kill you
I want to cause you death or physical harm.
You say
You are expressing what I am allegedly saying or doing.
To kill you
I want to cause you death or physical harm.
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.