Punk, Underground & Avantgarde in Hamburg
Alf Burchardt, Bernd Jonkmanns, Hamburg Calling. Punk, Underground & Avantgarde 1977-1985. Junius Verlag, 2020. Hardcover, 144 pp.
A very good + copy.
Text: German
Hamburg, the epicenter of punk in Germany
In the late 1970s, Hamburg emerged as the epicenter of punk in Germany, inspired by the English club scene. Bands like the Razors, Buttocks, and Coroners formed, challenging rock'n'roll with minimalist chords. Alfred Hilsberg, a key figure, brought English and German bands to the city, contributing to Sounds magazine. Not content with short, fast numbers, he used his label ZickZack and festivals to support innovative musicians, including Abwärts, X Mal Deutschland, and Palais Schaumburg. Hilsberg also championed Einstürzende Neubauten.
A chronical of punk music in Hamburg
Hamburg Calling chronicles these exciting years in the city's musical underground, capturing the essence of nights in Krawall 2000, Markthalle, and Versuchsfeld, and subsequent gatherings in Marktstube, Subito, and Schlachterei.
Hamburg Calling documents the years from 1977 to 1985 through short interviews with well-known contemporary witnesses such as Klaus, Jackie Eldorado, Alfred Hilsberg and members of Palais Schaumburg. The interviews are accompanied by a selection of photos and artifacts that the authors have painstakingly collected. Particularly noteworthy are the contributions by Sabine Schwabroh and Ilse Ruppert who recorded numerous concerts and events, including the famous Clash concert in the Markthalle.
The book is also lavishly illustrated with visuals by Schwabroh and Ruppert, and contains numerous amateur photographs, making this a nice document for any punk history buff.