German new wave music, better known in Europe as "Neue Deutsche Welle" isn't nearly as loved as it should be in America, as it's sometimes a tough sell due to the combination of gnarly accents, thick-tongued delivery, and angry guitars and/or synthesizers. But if you like to live on the edge, you dig simplicity etched into vocal monotony and have ever even thought about shaving your eyebrows, or wearing a turtleneck, this might just be your path to salvation. Among their German peers, Trio are probably the most well-known and prolific, despite the heavy company of such acts as DAF, X-Mal Deutschland, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Grauzone, as their almost child-like songs, amped up to the max, and dripping with amphetamine sweat, garnered them actual chart hits and a modicum of success both in Europe and worldwide.
Trio even managed to snag a now-famous Volkswagen commercial spot in the 90s, which revived their spirit and in the bustling mid 90's garage-punk underground, Memphis blasters, Oblivians took their hits "Sunday You Need Love" and "Ja Ja Ja" and made it into one of the decade's most important singles, both hitting on the "who is this Trio?" and the "oh man, The Oblivians!" cards at the same time. That's when bands felt it was their duty to turn on new generations of fans to music from the past that you might not have ever heard, always an awesome treat. Sadly, most modern bands think it's uncool to do covers, so we really appreciate it Eric, Greg & Jack, we really do, and that's why it was another blow to learn last week that original drummer Peter Behrens had passed away. Behrens' music career started out much earlier as part of Krautrock band Silberbart, but his inimitable lightning-fast drumming in Trio was what he'll be giving the world lessons with, a truly unique musician and one of the NDW's main rhythmic anchors.
So please kick this video into full-screen mode and marvel at this incredible live set from BeatClub in 1982, streamlining a truckload of their best hits, all blasted-out tommygun-style and in high-quality video.
