The original text: http://www.nu.nl/boek/3753570/moeder...gedichten.html
Translation by Rammstein Netherlands
Translation by Rammstein Netherlands
The mother of Rammstein singer understands his 'dirty' poems
Rammstein singer Till Lindemann is not afraid that his mother maybe will interpret his sometimes 'dirty' lyrics and poems in the wrong way. ''My mother is culturally well versed. She knows how to read something like that'', he says in a conversation with nu.nl.
Lindemann is since 1994 the singer of the German band Rammstein. Until now, the band published nine albums and sells out worldwide full venues. From Argentina to Tokyo are the fans screaming the lyrics together with Lindemann.
The lyrics are about deformity, forced sex and obedience, but also about the sun, about love and about mothers. On stage sings Lindemann the lyrics as member of a halfnaked, muscled band, covered in military clothes.
The 51-year German also wrote two poem books. His last one, In Stille Nachten, is recently translated in Dutch at publishing compagny Lebowski. ''I expected that America or Spain would translate my poem book as first. But it was the Netherlands. That's awesome.''
Odes
The sentences in the poems of Lindemann have a lot of similarities with the songs he sings for Rammstein. Violent sexdrive, but also odes to his loved ones and family members. Does there excist a difference between the poet and the singer Lindemann?
''The writing for the band always has to be documented according a tight scheduale, so it becomes a workable song. The band gives me the industrial version of the song and I have to make up a song on that version. It can't be too long and not be too short and it also has to be a logic overall. It is a nightmare'', says Lindemann. ''The singer is married with the band, you cannot take that one serious. It is a complete different person. The poet is private, that one is totally focussed on itself. Writing poems liberates, it just floats out of me''.
Therapy
In Still Nachten has Lindemann dealed with everything where he has been confrontated with the last ten years. ''When i hold this book in my hands, close it and put it away, then I put with that all my fears and devilish shit away. The fysical putting away from something works liberating. It is no therapy, more my little box of Pandora'', according to Lindemann. ''It has become a small artwork. I also gave it to the bandmembers and said: ''kiss my ass, now you go make some music on my texts. Find out yourselfs'.
Oral sex
In Stille Nachten does of course not only excist of vulgar, bloodthirsty or humiliating texts, but they do stand out. Lindemann tells in rhyme form about his strive for oral sex with a cutt off head. The mother of Lindemann, journalist Gitta Lindemann, keeps a critical eye on the work of her son. Wat is her opinion about such lines? ''My mother is culturally well versed. She knows how to read something like that'', answers Lindemann. ''I would be upset if she would tell me: ''What is this for filthyness?''.
''In my previous poem book Messer there is also a poem about her mother, my grandmother. It is a very dirty poem. It is about fucking your own grandmother. That sounds idiot and sick. But the point is, that if you love your grandmother so much, you even can have sex with her. If it really has to'', continues Lindemann.
''My mother read it and she understood it! She didnt say: 'boy, you really have to go to a madhouse'. My mother understood the poem and is not ashamed of it. That is enough for me.
The use of heavy themes has according to Lindemann an important function. '' The poems has to fuck, fuck until the doctor comes. Sex, knifes, blood and dirtyness. So that the reader who appreciates that thinks: 'Yes, come one, harder!'. And exactly after that moment follows a sensitive poem and brings the sensibility into it. I witnessed that with Rammstein often. That in the front row very big motorbikers stand, and that they suddenly start to cry when we play a sensitive song. If that works, you have done something well.
Article by nu.nl/ Chris Helt
Rammstein singer Till Lindemann is not afraid that his mother maybe will interpret his sometimes 'dirty' lyrics and poems in the wrong way. ''My mother is culturally well versed. She knows how to read something like that'', he says in a conversation with nu.nl.
Lindemann is since 1994 the singer of the German band Rammstein. Until now, the band published nine albums and sells out worldwide full venues. From Argentina to Tokyo are the fans screaming the lyrics together with Lindemann.
The lyrics are about deformity, forced sex and obedience, but also about the sun, about love and about mothers. On stage sings Lindemann the lyrics as member of a halfnaked, muscled band, covered in military clothes.
The 51-year German also wrote two poem books. His last one, In Stille Nachten, is recently translated in Dutch at publishing compagny Lebowski. ''I expected that America or Spain would translate my poem book as first. But it was the Netherlands. That's awesome.''
Odes
The sentences in the poems of Lindemann have a lot of similarities with the songs he sings for Rammstein. Violent sexdrive, but also odes to his loved ones and family members. Does there excist a difference between the poet and the singer Lindemann?
''The writing for the band always has to be documented according a tight scheduale, so it becomes a workable song. The band gives me the industrial version of the song and I have to make up a song on that version. It can't be too long and not be too short and it also has to be a logic overall. It is a nightmare'', says Lindemann. ''The singer is married with the band, you cannot take that one serious. It is a complete different person. The poet is private, that one is totally focussed on itself. Writing poems liberates, it just floats out of me''.
Therapy
In Still Nachten has Lindemann dealed with everything where he has been confrontated with the last ten years. ''When i hold this book in my hands, close it and put it away, then I put with that all my fears and devilish shit away. The fysical putting away from something works liberating. It is no therapy, more my little box of Pandora'', according to Lindemann. ''It has become a small artwork. I also gave it to the bandmembers and said: ''kiss my ass, now you go make some music on my texts. Find out yourselfs'.
Oral sex
In Stille Nachten does of course not only excist of vulgar, bloodthirsty or humiliating texts, but they do stand out. Lindemann tells in rhyme form about his strive for oral sex with a cutt off head. The mother of Lindemann, journalist Gitta Lindemann, keeps a critical eye on the work of her son. Wat is her opinion about such lines? ''My mother is culturally well versed. She knows how to read something like that'', answers Lindemann. ''I would be upset if she would tell me: ''What is this for filthyness?''.
''In my previous poem book Messer there is also a poem about her mother, my grandmother. It is a very dirty poem. It is about fucking your own grandmother. That sounds idiot and sick. But the point is, that if you love your grandmother so much, you even can have sex with her. If it really has to'', continues Lindemann.
''My mother read it and she understood it! She didnt say: 'boy, you really have to go to a madhouse'. My mother understood the poem and is not ashamed of it. That is enough for me.
The use of heavy themes has according to Lindemann an important function. '' The poems has to fuck, fuck until the doctor comes. Sex, knifes, blood and dirtyness. So that the reader who appreciates that thinks: 'Yes, come one, harder!'. And exactly after that moment follows a sensitive poem and brings the sensibility into it. I witnessed that with Rammstein often. That in the front row very big motorbikers stand, and that they suddenly start to cry when we play a sensitive song. If that works, you have done something well.
Article by nu.nl/ Chris Helt
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