KMFDM: What Do You Know Deutschland?

Details/Trivia:
Raymond Watts is credited as Nainz Watts.

Versions

Cat no.	Date	Format	Company	Status	Cover
ZR2016		12" Vinyl Album	Z-Records (Germany)	Out of Print
Limited to 1000 copies, different tracklist than subsequent releases.
SAW 04		12" Vinyl Album	Skysaw Records (UK)	Out of Print
Kickin' Ass is a different mix exclusive to the Skysaw release.
CD SAW 4		Compact Disc	Skysaw Records (UK)	Out of Print
This Skysaw CD is released on Skysaw via Red Rhino records.
WAX 7139		12" Vinyl Album	Wax Trax! Records (US)	Out of Print
WAXCS 7139		Cassette	Wax Trax! Records (US)	Out of Print
TVT 7139		Compact Disc	TVT Records / Wax Trax! Records (US)	Out of Print
PSCW 5058		Compact Disc	Polystar (Japan)	Out of Print
Licensed in Japan from Wax Trax! US. The first run of the CD came with a sticker of the cover art.
WAXCD 7139		Compact Disc	Wax Trax! Records (US)	Out of Print
IRS 993 604		Compact Disc	Bullet Proof Records (Germany)	Out of Print
Licensed in Germany from Wax Trax! US
MET 439	September 12, 2006	Compact Disc	Metropolis (US)	In Print
Digitally remastered reissue of the 1986 debut album which collects all the tracks present on the original German, British, and American releases in one place for the first time.

Reviews/Blurbs
From The Daily Vault
by Christopher Thelen

It's raw, it's angry... it shows a group that was most definitely plowing its own unique path to travel, so don't be surprised if the road isn't paved on this one.

Looking at this album 14 years after it was released, it's easy to sit and make comparisons. Konietzko's brainchild sounds like a rawer Nine Inch Nails or a less polished Front 242, still remaining catchy while daring to challenge the listener with a pastiche of sound bites attacking your nervous system.

Of course, in 1986, it wasn't possible to make these comparisons, and KMFDM was like no other band out there. No wonder they became one of the first superstars of industrial music. With songs on this release like "Kickin' Ass," "Sieg Sieg," "Itchy Bitchy" and "Positiv," Konietzko and crew (including En Esch, who would become one of the long-time members of the group) proceeded to tear everything up in their path, leaving ample room for everyone to dance/mosh/whatever.

Ah, but not everything is klieg lights and cool synthesizers on this disc. KMFDM show occasionally that when you make your own road, you're occasionally going to fall, and fall they do on tracks like "Lufthans," "What Do You Know?" (to a lesser extent) and "The Unrestrained Use Of Excessive Force" (surprisingly, the last being the most controlled song on the album). Granted, it wasn't like KMFDM was following a road map with their music, but these occasionally become a little unbearable.

Admittedly, it's not the smoothest trip, and What Do You Know, Deutschland? is a release that absolutely begs for more than one listen. Fortunately, most listeners will find themselves wondering just what they've been through once this disc ends, and they'll quickly give it another shot. Not surprisingly, it's on repeat listens that some of these tracks show they were worthy of the time investment.

What Do You Know, Deutschland? is a tentative first step for KMFDM, but it was a stronger first step than many other bands might have made had they been in the same situation. It may not compare to the sonic richness of later releases from KMFDM, but there is something to be said for hearing what it was like in the early days.

 

Liner Notes
Sascha Konietzko, Raymond Watts, En Esch, Jr. Blackmale