Membrum Debile Propaganda... Strange name for the label. Which is it's origin? Are there any vague hints?

MEMBRUM is Latin and means "limb". Limb is a word with different meanings. It's only a word game. MEMBRUM DEBILE is like "dismembered limbs". PROPAGANDA because it's a controversial word in Germany. But no vague hunts.

The label's history?

The label started in 1994. In this time I was very interested in noise scene especially from Japan. So I started with really noisy releases. I think MEMBRUM DEBILE PROPAGANDA is very open for many different music styles. Power Electronics, Old School Industrial, Death-industrial & Ritual Sounds. But it's open for everything what I like.

Which are the aims of MEMBRUM DEBILE PROPAGANDA?

A good question. And a difficult questions. One side there are many different aims AND on the other side no main aim. Primary I think to be creative. On the most releases I'm a not unimportant part. I have the most ideas for topics, graphic, art, packaging. I have many ideas. Most things are impossible to realize. Main problem is the time. I'm study and working in the medical science. Second mean problem is to find an appropriate band or artist for an idea. Also primary aims are for instance provocation, breaking taboos and so on. Secondary is politic propaganda, religion and society.

How does your label exist as regards financial questions? I am not sure your ltd. editions could be very profitable...

I'm not interested in making money with MEMBRUM DEBILE PROPAGANDA. I do this "work" because I like the music and the people. Financial things are secondary. Personal I'm study medicine and I'm ready soon. This is my job.

Do you see a return to archaic and ritualistic form of art in the concept of �limited editions�?

Generally I think for the most people in this "scene" it's important to have limited editions and special packaging and blah blah blah. They think that they are the elite when they have all this stuff. So I must say to your answer and the situation in the "scene" very clearly yes. Ok, my personal opinion to this topic is an other: I'm not very happy about this. I think it's not important to have all the release for the collection. I judge people not to what they have materially (records, limited editions, rarities...). Personally I'm not the fanatic collector. I'm only interested in stuff what I could / will also listening. Or what is personally important for me. Most people buy so many stuff what they never listen. They think they must have it...

Yes, my label stuff is also limited. Earlier releases was very limited. Mean point wasn't to create an expensive collector item. Many earlier stuff was very special packaging and handmade. Think especially to the releases of STABAT MORS. It's not possible to make bigger editions when you have very special handmade stuff. First I don't had many customers and distributors. So often it wasn't possible to sell more copies.

Now I have a bigger mail-order with about over 500 customers and I have many distributors worldwide. So it's possible to do bigger editions. And my label is now more famous then in the beginning. So newer stuff is not very limited. 300 to 600 copies are so much that everybody who wants to order this stuff when it's coming out could get one copy. I think this is ok. Since a longer time I don't numbering the most new releases (when over 300 copies).

Can you describe to which criteria should an artist or a band satisfy to be released through MDP?

Now the most important thing for me is personal sympathy. And when I like the music (or an idea or a concept) and the people then I'm interested in releasing on MEMBRUM DEBILE PROPAGANDA. Most bands and artists are private friend or sympathetic people. I don't have much criteria. In some words: Personal taste / feelings and sympathy.

You have released very old recordings from Maria Zerfall. What is their importance now? Will you continue with such "retrospective" releases in future?

MARIA ZERFALL is a legendary German project from the 80ies. It's old school industrial perhaps a little bit in the way of THROBBING GRISTLE and SPK but in the German way. MARIA ZERFALL is a brilliant word game. MARIA = the holy mother. ZERFALL = ruin, decay. MARIA ZERFALL was a very important personal influence. I had since the end of the 80ies some tapes. But only tapes (the most really difficult to find) was released such a long time. 1996 / 97 I had the idea to re-release the tape from a side-project of MARIA ZERFALL called AKTIVE STAGNATION. I make contact with the woman behind MARIA ZERFALL.

The same time my friend from LOKI FOUNDATION told me that they like the MARIA ZERFALL-stuff. So the idea of making a split-label-release between MEMBRUM DEBILE PROPAGANDA and LOKI FOUNDATION was born. The result was the LP "Als waere nichts gewesen", limited 500 and sold out in very shortly time. The second release was a CD by an other MARIA ZERFALL-project called IN PHASE PERVERS, called "Ich-Katastrophe".
Now's coming a 12"MLP with 5 cover-versions from the legendary German actress and diva ZARAH LEANDER (30ies / 40ies). Title: ZARAH ZERFALL, another brilliant word-game.In spring will coming a Best of-album called "Kopfmord / Kopfkrieg", 28 tracks on limited DOLP and 31 tracks as DoCD.

Yes, I think other retrospective releases could be possible in the future on MEMBRUM DEBILE PROPAGANDA.

It seems you also have some interest for Slavic projects: SKROL and VO I.D. from Czech, LINIJA MASS from Russia... Can you comment this interest?

Private I was very influenced by LAIBACH and NSK (Neue Slovenische Kunst). I like heroic and bombastic art. Eastern Europe has a lot of fantastic art. I think for instance to the fantastic classical music from Russia, Czech or Poland (STRAWINSKY, SMETANA, TSCHAIKOWSKY,...); or authors like TOLSTOI or DOSTOJEWSKI; Russian constructivism incl. films, photography, paintings (really industrial-like) and so on. I read also STALIN or LENIN. It's not uninteresting especially STALIN.

SKROL are from Prague. I like the bombastic sounds, the good voice, the ideas and so on.

LINIJA MASS was the biggest surprise in the last time for me. It's a project from St. Petersburg (the former LENINGRAD). When I listen this music I feel the spirit of Russian constructivism. It was a good feeling. Especially I like also the art of these people. It remember me a little bit like a mixture between Russian constructivism, art in Third Reich and new Slovenian art. Think the 7" will coming soon!

Other plans for year 2000?

Many plans for 2000. Especially the DoLP / DoCD from MARIA ZERFALL, LP with CON-DOM called "Get right with god", a re-release of an old BROKEN FLAG-tape called "Have faith" from 1987, a 7" with one of my favourite bands SLEEP CHAMBER, the 7" with LINIJA MASS.
Later more stuff. But this is my secret now.