Phew, how do I even start writing?
FLAKE CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS...and we get to be part of it.
FLAKE is not only the keyboardist of Rammstein, but also a very special Berlin personality.
How FLAKE experienced his early youth and the first years in united Germany has been written down by him in the book “Der Tastenficker“. A book I wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. This book is not only interesting and entertaining, but also provides insight into FLAKE's views and his perspective on the world.
Then came “Flake hat Geburtstag“ and in the meantime, Christian Lorenz, as FLAKE is known by his real name, had a show on the radio station Radio1 once a month from 2020 to 2023, called “Die Sendung“. Once a month for two hours, FLAKE used this time to create entertaining shows on a variety of topics. The themes of the show revolved around music, drugs, children, Africa, girl bands, streets, food, cars, or even quite simply about time. The music always had a thematic connection, which was sometimes known only to FLAKE, and he very much enjoyed explaining it, often in great detail. FLAKE speaks as he thinks. It was not uncommon for me to listen to this show with tired eyes and wide awake ears before going to sleep.
The cosmos of FLAKE is a unique one.
When I heard that FLAKE was releasing an album, I was fired up.
When I heard the first songs, I was...mildly put, surprised.
FLAKE has explained in the past that he is not proficient in English, and what does he do? He opens the album with “Happy Xmas (War is over)“. Of course, the song cannot be missing, but if you don't speak English very well? Then you just go for it.
The video for the song is not only very lovingly made, but also has references to the here and now with its trench scene.
The second video, for “Weißer Winterwald“, could have references to The Wizard of Oz.
The video could also show how a lonely robot person aka the person of today meets another person with his phone and exchanges ideas with him.
It's not clear, and that's exactly the obscurity that resides within the album.
Whether it's a heavily distorted robot voice like in “Weißer Winterwald“ or completely pure with voice at the piano. A piano that sounds as if it were standing in a pub and being played with fervor by the Tastenficker. He can play, and everything else...well...
As guests, FLAKE was able to enlist the Spandau residents Icke & Er, Farin Urlaub, Tausend Tonnen Obst (who have officially not existed for years), Stumpen (Knorkator), Doro Pesch, and Joey Kelly. Doro Pesch (Yes, exactly THAT one) and Joey Kelly (Yes, exactly, one from the Kelly Family (Flake is merciless)) even sing a duet. By now, it should be clear that something very special or very obscure or very wild has been unleashed upon humanity.
Here, someone has finally, one must say, simply done what he felt like doing.
Just do it...no matter how it sounds.
Hats off!
This year, Christmas will finally be nice.
Thank you, FLAKE!
