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
Pick Up the Phone
The Notwist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know this gloom?
We've been here before.
When life is a loop,
You're in a room without a door.
Pick up the phone and answer me at last.
Today I will step out of your past.
"Trouble that we've come to know will stay with us",
With every step it slowly grows.
Rub off the rust.
Pick up the phone and answer me at last.
Today I will step out of your past.
The Notwist's Pick Up the Phone is a reflective song that contemplates the cyclical nature of life and how we can move forward from it. The opening lines, "You know this place, You know this gloom? We've been here before," suggest a sense of familiarity and resignation to the fact that life can often feel repetitive and unsatisfying. The next line, "When life is a loop, You're in a room without a door," is a poignant metaphor for feeling trapped and helpless in our circumstances.
The chorus, "Pick up the phone and answer me at last. Today I will step out of your past," is a call to action, a plea for connection and the possibility of change. The repetition of "Pick up the phone" underscores the urgency of the message, and the second line conveys a determination to break free from the past and its patterns.
The verse that follows, "Trouble that we've come to know will stay with us. With every step it slowly grows. Rub off the rust," acknowledges the persistence of our troubles and the need to keep moving forward despite them. The image of "rubbing off the rust" suggests a sense of renewal and starting fresh, even in the face of hardship.
Overall, Pick Up the Phone is a contemplative and introspective song that offers a glimmer of hope amidst the cyclical nature of life. It encourages us to take action, reach out to others, and strive to break free from our past to create a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
You know this place,
You're familiar with this environment.
You know this gloom?
You're familiar with this feeling of sadness.
We've been here before.
We've experienced this before.
When life is a loop,
When life becomes repetitive.
You're in a room without a door.
You feel trapped and there's no way out.
Pick up the phone and answer me at last.
Please respond to my call.
Today I will step out of your past.
I'm moving on from our history.
"Trouble that we've come to know will stay with us",
"We're accustomed to difficulties and they'll remain with us"
With every step it slowly grows.
The more we endure, the worse it becomes.
Rub off the rust.
Get rid of the corrosion.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AARON ROBIN III HALL, GEORGE JR. CLINTON, GLENN LA MONTE GOINS, SEAN KIRK HALL, WILLIAM EARL COLLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xevnoc
This song is awesome. 8 years ago I arrived in Berlin with not a penny to my name. I got a job painting a furniture store... I had a 32mb mp3 player and this is one of the songs that was on it. I remember riding the sbahn every morning listening to this. Crazy blast from the past :) Thanks for the upload.
@RealSaudiExplorer
This is sad and deep. I recently found it on YouTube, and every scene reminded me of the loved ones who no longer reply no matter how much you write and send.
@xxMohamedElBatrawyxx
😔
@ThePsikore
kinda felt the same way first time i saw that on tv.
it's a beautiful bittersweet feeling.
@Creep187SAas
this song just captures so many memories. It's really great. And The Notwist are one of the coolest bands ever, they've evolved so much!
@Lachlant1984
I have Neon Golden on CD and I love it, this song was the reason I bought the CD back in 2002, I listened to this album non stop for months and months, I still listen to it quite often and I still love this song to this day, I always will. 2002 was quite a good year for music.
@cchima9932
My rigntone. Love this long 2023!
@charliecross2
I was on spring break five years ago, in a lovely random beach town. I was going through a lost phase when I went into a record shop and bought this album. Had no idea who the Notwist was, I just liked the cover. This album has so many good memories for me!
@simonbolivartercero7653
Hello random comment from 11 years ago
@charliecross2
@Simon Bolívar Tercero We got lost on the way home of that trip and had no GPS. Thanks for reaching out I'd completely forgotten about it. I put the album on for my 14 mo. old son, while he was eating mandarin oranges. Hope you have a good night or day.