Mona Mur
The Original Band (1984-86)
Mona Mur, born in Hamburg, met FM Einheit, Alexander Hacke and Mark Chung from "Einsturzende Neubauten" and Gode B. from "Front" during the punk explosion. As "Mona Mur & Die Mieter" they released their first 12" single "Jeszcze Polska" in '82, which immediately claimed the "Single of the Week" slot by London's New Musical Express. Mona Mur then lived a wild life in Paris and Berlin. In fall 1984, she formed a new Mona Mur band with FM Einheit and Alexander Hacke, joined by "Flucht nach Vorn" keyboardist Nikko Weidemann (today "Moka Efti Orchestra"), Siewert Johannsen (guitar, "Stricher") and Thomas Stern (bass, "Crime and the City Solution"). This "Mona Mur Band" was recorded and mixed live by Raymond "Nainz" Watts ("Einstnde Neubauten", "Psychic TV", "KMFDM") at his Building Site studio in Hamburg. The band played acclaimed concerts in Germany and Europe, as well as festivals, such as the renowned PANDORA's BOX in Rotterdam. Their manically intense live performance in guitar thunderstorms and morbid slowbeat chic and especially their seminal Brecht/Weill interpretations ("Surabaya Johnny", "Der Song von Mandelay", "Die Ballade vom Ertrunkenen Madchen") are still cult today. The band broke up in spring of '86, and Mona Mur embarked on a solo career.? The recordings, made in 1984 - 1986, had never been released... until now