RAMMSTEIN: VIEW FROM THE UK...

WELCOME FELLOW supporters of the Rammstein cause, to what will be a regular series
of posts concerning the new single (out in the UK today), the new album, and, well, just this uniquely exciting band in general.

I should point out straight away that I’ve never felt inclined to get blog-happy before, but then I’ve never been so directly involved in the release of a new Rammstein album before! When I started up the Spinefarm label in the UK back in 2007, it was straight away an ambition to work with the band on their next studio release (I’d already enjoyed a longstanding involvement on the international side), but at that point it wasn’t exactly clear just when that might be… or whether such a thing would be possible… or indeed if there was destined to be a ‘next studio release’ at all!

Well happily, after a couple of meetings in Berlin, the second revolving around an excellent Indian meal, a way forward was found… and now, moving ahead a few more months, the lead single ‘Pussy’ is out there in the stores (supported by a much talked-about online clip!), the UK dates are on sale (and selling very fast!), and the album is being celebrated with ‘Mutter’-like enthusiasm by those who have heard it… and there’s still only a few of them!

And, in the UK and the UK only, we’ve added two extra formats to the single: an etched 7” pressed onto ‘Viagra’-blue vinyl, plus a 12” in a clear bag, both available exclusively from www.whatrecords.co.uk. The vinyl formats are hand-numbered and strictly limited in number, with the 12” also featuring the track ‘Rammlied’ – a truly classic slice of Rammstein that puts me in mind of fully-armoured war elephants out on the rampage.

It’s feeling good at ground level, I have to say, with the artwork for both the single and the album (the former by LA-based photographer/video director Paul Brown) showing the high level of creativity and attention to detail that goes into everything bearing the Rammstein name… and this, of course, is just the beginning!