Mittageisen (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Bruno W |
| Headquarters | Switzerland |
| Products | Dark wave music |
mittageisen is a Swiss band specializing in dark wave music, originating in the early 1980s.
Their name is inspired by the track "Mittageisen" by Siouxsie and the Banshees, which features cover art created from a photomontage by John Heartfield. Heartfield (1891–1968), a pioneer of the Dada movement, first published this image in the 1935 issue of the "Arbeiter-Illustrierte-Zeitung". The piece, entitled 'Hurrah, die Butter ist Alle!', delivers a critique of militarism, depicting a family consuming metal, and was motivated by a speech from Hermann Göring.
History
The band was established in 1981 by Bruno W (handling synthesizer, rhythm, vocals, and lyrics) following his involvement in influential punk projects, including producing Switzerland’s inaugural punk LP. The original lineup featured Daniel S and Markus Sch on guitars. Soon after, Ursula S joined as bassist to finalize the group for their demo recording; however, she departed prior to the sessions for their debut album in late 1982.
mittageisen cultivated a unique post-punk sound and became among the first bands within the Darkwave and electro Goth scenes. Their recordings from 1982 to 1985 merged inspirations from Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and The Cure with electronic rhythms reminiscent of Kraftwerk. Their choice to perform with German lyrics set them apart from peers and contributed to an ominous, cinematic ambiance often likened to soundtracks of dystopian German science fiction films. Songs such as "automaten" highlighted a lively electro influence.
Bruno W’s lyrics, notable for their social commentary, complemented the band’s music and attracted critical acclaim. Sharing stages with groups like Liliput, The Vyllies, and Propaganda, mittageisen rose as a prominent Swiss new wave ensemble with their 1983 debut album. This release garnered positive critiques, earned ‘record of the week’ honors on Swiss Radio, and received airplay across Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
After Markus Sch left and Manuela H joined on synthesizer, mittageisen issued the 12" single "automaten" in January 1985, showcasing an innovative electro style for its time. Unhappy with the initial studio mix, Bruno W reworked it in Cologne alongside Detlev Kühne and Tom Dokoupil. The track was featured on BBC1’s John Peel program and became popular within indie dance circles.
Following their final recordings in 1986, mittageisen disbanded. Subsequently, Bruno W continued releasing music under "mittageisen v2," including the single "geld – arbeit / money – work," collaborating with Marco Repetto from NDW band Grauzone. Presently, Bruno W pursues ongoing music and video projects under the name "mev2".
Influence
In 2016, fashion designer Julia Seemann—who has collaborated previously with Vivienne Westwood and Meadham Kirchhoff—developed the Capsule Collection 2016 as a homage to Mittageisen. This collection was presented at London Fashion Week that same year.
Skateboarding group THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW released a skate video in 2016 timed with the reissue of the 12" single "automaten", incorporating segments from multiple Mittageisen tracks.
In 2014, "automaten" earned recognition as one of the Top 20 songs featured in the 'CH Hall of Fame 80s' during the exhibition 'OH YEAH! - Pop music in Switzerland' held at Bern’s Museum of Communication.
Singles
- 1985 – Automaten / Neues China (available on 7" and 12")
- 2016 – Automaten / Neues China / Automaten (radio edit) (12" format)
Music Cassettes
- 1981 – Im Niemandsland am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts
Albums
- 1983 – Mittageisen (vinyl release)
- 1994 – Alles ist anders … nichts hat sich geändert (CD format)
- 2008 – 1981-1986 remastered (2CD set)
- 2022 – demo-tape 1981 remastered (digital MP3)
- 2024 – 1983 remastered (MP3 release)
Videos
- 1995 – Automaten
- 2016 – Automaten (radio edit from 2015)
- 2023 – Automaten (-6y edit)