Ideal (German band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Annette Humpe, Ernst Ulrich Deuker, Frank Jürgen "Eff Jott" Krüger, Hans-Joachim "Hansi" Behrendt |
| Defunct | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Ideal was a prominent German band associated with the Neue Deutsche Welle movement, widely recognized for hits like "Blaue Augen," "Berlin," and "Monotonie."
History
Established in 1980 by Annette Humpe, Ernst Ulrich Deuker, Frank Jürgen "Eff Jott" Krüger, and Hans-Joachim "Hansi" Behrendt, Ideal debuted with a single released through their own label, Eitel-Imperial, which swiftly sold out. Their exposure skyrocketed after opening for Barclay James Harvest at a major Berlin concert in 1980, performing before an audience of 150,000 and significantly raising their public profile.
Their eponymous first album appeared in November 1980 on Innovative Communication and climbed to number three on the German charts. Notably, it was pressed at 45 rpm to optimize audio fidelity. After successful tours across Switzerland and Austria, Ideal attracted 22,000 spectators at Berlin’s Waldbühne in August 1981, an event broadcast nationwide by SFB.
The band’s sophomore album, Der Ernst des Lebens, released in October 1981 and produced by Conny Plank alongside Dave Hutchins, achieved gold status. This milestone marked the first time an independent label release received gold certification. During their extensive 1981/1982 tour throughout German-speaking regions, Ideal sold out 27 concerts and secured another gold record for the album.
Their third studio effort, Bi Nuu (1982), produced by Micki Meuser, reached number 20 on the charts but did not meet commercial expectations, resulting in the cancellation of a planned tour. In the same year, they composed the soundtrack for Rosa von Praunheim’s film Red Love.
In March 1983, Ideal announced their breakup due to creative disagreements despite a productive three-year collaboration. Their live album Zugabe, released in June 1983, served as a parting gift to their audience.
Post-breakup, members Deuker, Krüger, and Behrendt contributed to Alphaville’s 1989 album The Breathtaking Blue. Frank Jürgen Krüger passed away in April 2007 after a battle with cancer; Hans-Joachim Behrendt died in February 2023 at age 68.
Albums
All albums consist of group-written compositions.
- Ideal (1980)
- Berlin - 3:09
- Irre (Crazy) - 3:54
- Telepathie (Telepathy) - 5:27
- Blaue Augen (Blue Eyes) - 3:27
- Hundsgemein (Rotten) - 2:14
- Luxus (Luxury) - 4:03
- Rote Liebe (Red Love) - 2:36
- Da leg' ich mich doch lieber hin (I'd rather lie down there though!) - 4:28
- Telephon (Telephone) - 3:24
- Roter Rolls Royce (Red Rolls Royce) - 3:15
- Der Ernst des Lebens (The Severity of Life) (1981)
- Eiszeit (Ice Age) - 2:53
- Schwein (Pig) - 3:00
- Sex in der Wüste (Sex in the Desert) - 3:38
- Herrscher (Ruler) - 3:41
- Feuerzeug (Lighter) - 4:19
- Immer frei (Always Free) - 2:27
- Erschießen (Shot down) - 3:40
- Monotonie (Monotony) - 4:44
- Ich kann nicht schlafen (I Can't Sleep) - 3:32
- Spannung (Tension) - 3:00
- Spion (Spy) - 5:00
- Bi Nuu (1982)
- Keine Heimat (No Homeland) - 3:29
- Ask Mark Ve Ölüm - 2:59
- Tränen am Hafen (Tears at the Harbour) - 4:45
- Schöne Frau mit Geld (Pretty Woman With Money) - 3:02
- Die zweite Sonne (The Second Sun) - 3:07
- Wir zerstören unser Glück (We're Destroying Our Own Happiness) - 3:31
- Leiden und Wissenschaft (Suffering and Science) - 3:48
- Ich bin nervös (I'm Nervous) - 2:15
- Ganz in Gummi (All in Rubber) - 2:17
- Müde (Tired) - 5:49
- Zugabe (Encore) (1983)
Compilations
- Eitel Optimal - Das Beste (1992) (Vainly Optimal – The Best)
- Monotonie (2000)
- Eiszeit (2000)
External links
- Ideal at laut.de
- Ideal on ichwillspass.de
- Reviews of Ideal's albums on backagain.de
- Annette & Inga Humpe featured on Europopmusic.eu