Slime are back with their first album of new songs since 1994. The record titled "Hier und Jetzt" will be released on September 29 through People Like You. No nostalgia, nothing sounds outdated - the title is much more than just symbolism. Of course, the band Slime would also like to sing about how beautiful life is in a free and supportive society, where everyone just loves each other. But the reality does not allow for that. Thus, there are no nice love, drinking, or football songs on "Hier und Jetzt"; instead, it addresses new and old Nazis, petty bourgeois, arsonists, disintegration in neoliberal times, and gentrification. So, everything is as usual - and yet completely different.
"For example, thematically, some things have definitely been added," says Slime guitarist Christian Mevs. "We see the turn towards total individualism as a major problem; this extreme narcissism, for instance in social media, threatens freedom because it leads to disintegration of solidarity." "In the past, people resisted the census," adds Slime singer Dirk "Dicken" Jora. "Today, people willingly give away their data. They even conduct their banking transactions themselves and pay for it, and hardly anyone seems to mind." A development that, according to Michael "Elf" Meyer, "maximally favors the unrestrained spread of turbo-capitalism."
Slime are known for their political stance, which is an essential part of their artistic self-understanding. "Our main motivation has been fueled from day one by the urgent need to create protest songs," says Mevs. In this respect, not much has changed at first glance on "Hier und Jetzt." However, what traditionally gets overlooked in the public perception of perhaps the most important German punk band is the enormous musicality and stylistic breadth with which Slime convey their concerns - and this aspect can no longer be ignored, especially with the new album.
"For example, thematically, some things have definitely been added," says Slime guitarist Christian Mevs. "We see the turn towards total individualism as a major problem; this extreme narcissism, for instance in social media, threatens freedom because it leads to disintegration of solidarity." "In the past, people resisted the census," adds Slime singer Dirk "Dicken" Jora. "Today, people willingly give away their data. They even conduct their banking transactions themselves and pay for it, and hardly anyone seems to mind." A development that, according to Michael "Elf" Meyer, "maximally favors the unrestrained spread of turbo-capitalism."
Slime are known for their political stance, which is an essential part of their artistic self-understanding. "Our main motivation has been fueled from day one by the urgent need to create protest songs," says Mevs. In this respect, not much has changed at first glance on "Hier und Jetzt." However, what traditionally gets overlooked in the public perception of perhaps the most important German punk band is the enormous musicality and stylistic breadth with which Slime convey their concerns - and this aspect can no longer be ignored, especially with the new album.
