Interview with Bon Harris and Douglas McCarthy of Nitzer Ebb

Hours before their sold out concert at the internationally infamous Techno club Berghain, our senior editor Thomas Thyssen interviewed Bon Harris and Douglas McCarthy of pioneering Industrial EBM act Nitzer Ebb.
*Special thank you to Alexandra Ismalone at Ostgut Ton.
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[@rubberduky1829]

I just turned 48 this past Saturday and reflecting on my mid 70's to now electronic EBM love of music, I can honestly say I went hoarse so many times in the clubs when they played Join in the chant. As on old geezer now I still love Nitzer Ebb.

[@heatherp8903]

I feel like you wrote everything in my brain just now....from one old geezer to the next! ;)

[@henrikbackevall4605]

I know What you mean 🏋️‍♂️👍

[@rubberduky1829]

@@henrikbackevall4605 ..... I recently purchased an old school pair of black combat Corcoran military boots, and I wear those on occasion with some combat shorts to the local club here in Houston that plays retro 80s.

[@kenkloiber2989]

I know how you feel I just turned 53 & remember seeing them at a rave in the early 90's now they are playing the same town Nov.21 2021

[@bryceheffinger8895]

Dude Bon was my sound design teacher and I’m so grateful for him , he was such a humble human being what a great fuckin guy , honestly I miss him.

[@audiolego]

At Point Blank?

[@bryceheffinger8895]

@@audiolego No he actually taught at Dubspot LA for a minute... he was the best part of that school when they were failing they brought a couple people in , super grateful for him.

[@audiolego]

@@bryceheffinger8895 oh ok. On his interview he said he was teaching at Pointblank L.A. 10 years ago Dubspot L.A was trying to recruit me to get into their audio engineering. No more Dubspot right? Only Pointblank..

[@audiolego]

@@bryceheffinger8895 btw you're sooo lucky to rub shoulders with him.. when I was young at 16,Nitzer Ebb was always playing in my dads car, home stereo, when i saw them live open for Depeche Mode at Dodger stadium, I was hooked big league

[@bryceheffinger8895]

@@audiolego To be honest I’m not sure if he’s teaching anymore I haven’t asked we keep in touch about music on Instagram and I know he dabbles in stop motion for fun but again not 100% on the teaching. Yes trust me I know I’m so grateful to have had him as a sound design teacher willing to teach us whatever we asked for. Oh man yow saw them open for depeche that’s epic I’m a huge huge Depeche fan !

[@RY30DM]

Can we just all talk about how amazing Douglas's hair looks?

[@MikeeTeevee]

I feel like Douglas's hair is the one thing he's never got wrong his entire career.

[@whozyourdaddy]

I had That Total Age on cassette back around 1988.

[@jasonegeland1446]

Learned of Nitzer Ebb around the time I learned of Cabaret Voltaire. Both were life changing for me.

[@fairdose]

I cannot WAIT to see them in Montreal on May 11th. I saw them back in 1990 when they opened up for Depeche Mode during the World Violation Tour and I swear to God, nothing has ever been that good. Not even close.

[@heatherp8903]

WHAAAAAAATTT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Can't believe I missed that!!!!

[@solaron99]

I was there in Montreal too!! Nitzer Ebb was just outstanding!

[@wetwork6553]

Kinda man I'm just stumbling upon this interview now. Nitzer Ebb is my favorite electro band. Love them.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Seems as though the years and years of shouting at full tilt have taken their toll on Doug's voice to a degree, less so for Bon obviously. I'd go to their next gig in a blink, such great memories from many gigs in the late 80s - mid 90s.

[@Karensoprano.]

Busca la ultima entrevista que han dado hace un mes y verás que bajón ha dado ...😢

[@bakeNeat]

Their live mix right now is fantastic!

[@DJniggels]

Great interview, and the show at the Berghain was a total blast! A perfect night indeed! :)

[@dzynguy]

back in the day, 80's, i saw NE opening for DM in Toronto. I bought the black NE t-shirt with the orange letters NE on it, and saw them play in Toronto by themselves also. My fave band back then, and it's so cool to see them doing shows today. Hopefully a nice hi-def "gr. hits tour" will be filmed for the fans to enjoy at home anytime the need for some NEP kicks in.

[@johngibson8480]

Same concert and same shirt!

[@joelashadali]

That was the 1988 tour in support for music for the masses. I saw them here in Philadelphia where I live. Funny I've traveled to Toronto a few times seeing Dm and The Cure. Goodtimes long ago now.

[@tomprice4016]

I know that shirt - f'ing awesome.

[@modeman69]

Saw them in Canada..... GREAT!!!! Waiting for u guys in Chicago

[@adampeart2599]

How did Doug sing so deep when his speaking voice is semi-elfish? Ebb ‘92. Still one of my fave shows ever.

[@DieselVR6]

Age my friend. Eventually your voice gets weaker as you get older. Especially if you sang the way he did. Listen to interviews a couple decades back.

[@idmhead0160]

Cool that they were into skateboarding. Never knew that. I was too. NE was my favorite band starting in 1988 when I first started listening to them.

[@cicadax5886]

So many bands in interviews pull out a bottle of water. Dude pulls out a glass of wine......fucking classy 🤘

[@rubaidaallen2764]

Amazing band. Saw them live on the 18th of may 2019. F'n awesome!!!

[@DimiterAngelicheff]

brutal good band

[@heatherp8903]

DAAAAAAMN great to see you guys again!!!!!!!! Omg....Join In The Chanf: I burned a gazillion calories to that song in 1996, as it was in CONSTANT rotation at (dance club) Planet Austin in Austin, Texas. So funny to see you "All grown up"! ;)

[@heatherp8903]

*Chant

[@robertosmitho2012]

I bought all their CDs and 12" inches and had dreams actually dreams of finding rare special edition or box sets of them with amazing synths and electronic drums and this was after they stopped making CDs

[@cartertheunstoppablefaxmac902]

I always forget how unique Douglas's normal speaking voice is, he's got so much character offstage as well as on

[@marcstov]

Thank you for posting/doing this

[@phoenixsub7072]

Dammit mommy!!! turn on the timemaschine, & lets go back to the eightees..

[@TimothyBlack]

Bon has morphed into Uncle Fester. Man, I feel old.

[@BryanPike]

We are counting down til May 9th at the Paradies in Boston!

[@robertosmitho2012]

The recoil faith healer single was the last I got that was close to nitzer ebb

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

Saw them at the Rocket Holloway,, 1991

[@BaddaBigBoom]

I was there :-) Did you see Martin Gore? He was milling around in the crowd.

[@dr.k.vogel.]

Well that's cleared up how to pronounce Nitzer Ebb, at last...

[@e.clairemoore3907]

sucks they and everyone else didnt get to do that (2) years of touring they'd planned. Fingers crossed they come over to the states now!

[@DJSTOEK]

🖤

[@bmoviefanatic]

Seen them in concert since the DM tour. Still have my Ebbhead/F**khead t-shirt lol

[@alexandredacostamittmann.5482]

Showtime

[@audiolego]

Legends

[@xavierwmz]

It could be cool if you translate it in french! Because Nitzer Ebb have french fans too.

[@JakobHansen-gx1qb]

Bon said it was hair rising 🤣🤣🤣

[@tobarstep]

I had a tour shirt from the Ebbhead tour that was plain black and on the front simply said Ebbhead and on the back said Fuckhead. edit: Actually it said "Tourhead" on the front, now that I think about it.

[@CanPat777]

My brother had the same shirt. I raised some eyebrows when I wore it to high school one day.

[@spensert4933]

Thought they were German for 30 years haha

[@stephanedenizon1239]

😍😍😍

[@whitenoise546]

I'd say Bon aged better than Doug, but these guys are badass regardless. Doug's looking a bit rough.

[@annepurcell4495]

For 54, I'd say that Doug looks pretty good.

[@whitenoise546]

@@annepurcell4495 I'll respectfully disagree and love Doug. I'm 54 myself and I get age catches up with all of us.

[@annepurcell4495]

@@whitenoise546 - I think Doug is sexier than ever! Lol.

[@whitenoise546]

@@annepurcell4495 Well, you're a woman and I'm a married old fart for 26 years, so I by no means care about what either looks like, but how badass their techo music with hard lyrics and storylines sounds...which is still f'ng awesome! There ya go! :D

[@whitenoise546]

@@annepurcell4495 I saw them open for Depeche Mode here in Dallas, TX in 89'. Fun factoid: No offense to Depeche Mode, but we were there to see Nitzer Ebb!

[@KristVladic]

Front 242 to najważniejszy zespół sceny e.b.m., ale to "Join in the chant" Nitzer Ebb jest hymnem tej subkultury. Dla mnie. Front 242 is the most important e.b.m. scene band, but this "Join in the chant" Nitzer Ebb is the anthem of this subculture. For me.

[@matfix1258]

Don't forget the massive impact of "Let your body learn" and "Control, I'm here". They were defining tracks for this type of music, they way they twist and make it so gritty.

[@KristVladic]

Adrian Mole ? This famous Adrian Mole?? In the '80s, I watched the TV series with you in the lead role, great! ;) Hi, but I will stick with my opinion on the topic of Nitzer Ebb, "Join in the chant" is their best recording.

[@Mikesch-nk5jr]

Douglas sieht fertig aus😏

[@mariz9084]

Die Show im Berghain war aber richtig, richtig gut. HINTERHER sah Doug fertig aus, dagegen ist das hier nichts :D

[@JakobHansen-gx1qb]

Du siest fertig aus

[@didiervidry7687]

NEP. national bolcheviks. Oui, monsieur !

[@KristVladic]

Frenchie from bourgeois France, dreaming about communism ... Millions of people starved to death, killed, imprisoned.... (1917-1990) Bolshevik methods of killing became a model for the Nazi Germans ...

[@KristVladic]

@@SovietForeignAgent The Germans of the National Socialist Party were inspired by Bolshevism, their flag, their anti-human barbarism, methods of genocide, their propaganda of lies .... You petty-bourgeois fool, like you, the Bolsheviks murdered the first. German Nazis are bastards of Bolshevism. :D You are idiot, really: "...prison rehab, death penalty ban, full national, relogious, sex equality etc. Only when the reactionary classes began counterrevolution actions, bolsheviks were forced to apply measures."

[@didiervidry7687]

@@KristVladic i must be dreaming ! Such words are a Real surprise.... What IS the NEP ? NITZER EBB produkt ?oui et non. Toi have to read the History of the NEP of oustrialov and Lénine. About national bolcheviks,you must discover Ernst niekisch, Fritz wolffheim, Otto paetel. La culture c est important dans la vie,you understand ? Cordialement.

[@didiervidry7687]

ERNST NIEKISCH.

[@didiervidry7687]

@@KristVladic bourgeois ?? Im working with my body for building swimming pool. Your swimming pool,je suppose ? Who's who mon ami !?!?