Well, there we are. A week ago, completely out of the blue – we hadn’t even asked – we were invited to support The Molotovs in Berlin, and ideally in Hamburg the night before as well. The fee was lousy and there was nowhere for us to stay. But as some of us are big fans of the band, we agreed anyway and were genuinely excited about it.
All three of us booked time off work, hired a van and started promoting the shows. Today, four days before the first gig, the agency informed us that we were off the bill. No reason. No apology. No explanation.
We understand that The Molotovs are a successful band on the rise. Apparently, that also means surrounding yourself with people who treat small bands like absolute shit – and don’t even think we’re worth speaking to directly. After all the effort we put in, it’s a proper kick in the guts.
It makes us all the more grateful to usually be surrounded by brilliant small venues, promoters, bands and people who genuinely love music and aren’t solely interested in money, careers and business.
FUCK THE INDUSTRY and thank you very much.
… but our test pressings are finally on their way! Wanda Records had to place the order with a different pressing plant after the first one went bankrupt. Since everything had to be fully analogue – please don’t ask who came up with that nutty idea – we also had to get a second analogue lacquer cut done at Emil Berliner Studios, as we couldn’t get our hands on the first one.
Many thanks to the Private Dicks, who chipped in towards the cost of the second lacquer cut and thus saved us from having to sell even more of our scruffy undies.
Next week is going to be a blast, as we’re supporting one of the world’s hottest bands: THE MOLOTOVS!
Don’t miss it:
21 July – Hamburg, Molotow
22 July – Berlin, Kantine am Berghain
We’ve just set up a pre-order page, so you can now pre-order your copy directly from our merch table.
See you there!
with BOVVER BOYS MK.I
Wild At Heart, Berlin
with TEENAGE FACES
Beats und Kekse, Wuppertal
TBA, Stuttgart
Rössli, Bern
with THE LOVELY HATERS
Horst Klub, Kreuzlingen
Wurlitzer Ballroom, Madrid
Schokoladen, Berlin
with THE MELMACS
Oettinger Villa, Darmstadt
Influenced by obscure power pop and punk bands of the late 1970s, the band got together in 2005, consisting of Sir Harris XLV of Dresden on vocals and comb, Hans Durst on bass, Kidnap on guitar, and Bugs on drums. Bugs left after just a few rehearsals and was replaced by the one and only Baroness, aka Rosa Riot, who jumped in just in time to play the band's first gig, supporting Kathy X at Berlin's White Trash Fast Food, followed by a 10-day tour with The Carpettes (no money, no place to sleep, but lots of booze, beer and fun).
Hans Durst left the band because they played too badly, too fast, and weren't interested in rehearsals on Sunday morning. A replacement was found in Lord Scrotum, who had moved to Berlin only a month earlier.
In 2007, their first release saw the light of day: a lathe-cut 12" limited to 10 copies on the band's own label, Queen Mum Records. At first it was produced as a birthday present for Stan of Escalator Haters/Wicked, who instantly decided to make it an official pressing on his label, Sprinter Records, in co-production with QMR. Two years later, a second album followed. After half of the edition had been sold, it turned out that the remaining half was mispressed and could hardly be played. The band tried to flatten them in the oven, but with little luck.
Lord Scrotum left the band at a petrol station on the way back from a gig in Kassel, only to rejoin The Not Amused many years later for a short period as second guitarist. On bass now was Jasper Hood, who had moved to Berlin shortly before, but left again two years later to focus on The About Blanks and the Black Jaspers.
In early 2012, the search for a permanent bass player ended when a young punk rocker asked Kidnap if he'd be up for founding a new band. He wasn't interested, but instantly hired Shockhead, aka Schoki, who is still with the band today.
The following years brought another album and many gigs all over Europe.
Living his life much faster than the rest of his mates, Sir Harris XLV sadly passed away at the age of only 50, and Kidnap had to take over vocals.
After 10 years, The Not Amused entered the studio again in 2025 to record their fourth album, which will be released this May on Wanda Records!