Nitzer Ebb Full Interview 2023

Bon Harris and Douglas McCarthy sit down with Melanin Monarchy to talk about their 40yr impact on music,.

[@simoharjane7823]

"After years of alcohol abuse, I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver," McCarthy said in a statement via Instagram last Friday, March 22nd.Mar 25, 2024 . Sending my preyers , best wishes , recovery and love .

[@jacquelerock6938]

What an awesome chat with a couple of great guys. Nitzer Ebb was such an influential band in my teens. Still love to listen to their music to this day. Much love and respect.

[@alt6647]

been a fan for 35 years, I hope there is nothing seriously wrong with Douglas

[@NewLifeMan911]

I'm afraid so. 🙁

[@kristiancarter3390]

Shocked to see how sick he looks. Any idea of what is wrong with him.

[@VonElixir1]

@@kristiancarter3390 - He had suffered complications from a pre-existing (Covid). I'm full of hope he'll return "as new" after 2 harsh years!

[@RobinPM100]

this is definitely not Covid, this is something much much more serious, just look at him....

[@VonElixir1]

@@RobinPM100 I had read about it, but, hey! Everything could happen. I wish him only the best of luck, and I am waiting for the band's new projects.

[@markgiordonello6710]

THAT TOTAL AGE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ALBUMS EVER🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟

[@strychnyne3530]

Essex. Home of Nitzer Ebb and the best band in history, Depeche Mode..

[@Animaniac-vd5st]

As an old German Electro-goth, i would have loved to see that black community at NitzerEbb concerts back then. Our scene back home was whiter than white and it would have been so interesting to learn how that other sub-culture was celebrating this music.

[@ericbabcock846]

I've always said N.E. was my "RAP" music & loved playing warsaw ghetto for the brothers. THANX EB Fun to be had !

[@utekuschel3128]

Literally one of the best music interviews I have ever seen. Love the passion for their music that comes through in your questions. Thanks so much for getting these legends on the couch!

[@eucalipto9724]

agree! great interview!

[@Razorhaloforever]

What a wonderful interview. Well done. Very well done.

[@hfortenberry]

These were great questions! Congratulations of getting Nitzer Ebb on your show!! I love these guys and their music was wonderful and such a huge part of my coming of age in the 90's (I also love Siouxsi and the Banshees and Bauhaus, as they mentioned). These kinds of artistic business musical partnerships are truly a gift to all involved and it's so fascinating to hear them discuss their music and career. I'm always in such admiration of these kinds of band relationships. Thank you for much for this interview!

[@MelaninMonarchy]

You are most welcome. Doug and Bon are so sweet and kind. They blessed me so much. Thank you for watching.

[@NOWtheband]

Good questions and chat. I really like your style. It's relaxed, interested and loose, more like a conversation than an interview. 🙂

[@Bruisewillies]

Great interview! Funny I never made the connection with EBM and Detroit, but makes total sense after this!

[@Alkalino.Munich]

Let Your Body Learn, Hearts & Minds, Murderous, Join in the Chant.Their music really is one of a kind.

[@DaveDFX]

I first heard their music at tye alternative clubs in Vancouver. Oh man .. Murderous hits so hard on the floor! I bought all their albums and 12" singles . Did not get a chance to watch them live . Though . Thanks for this great interview!

[@bakeNeat]

Awesome! Yeah Track Records for the import singles, poster, etc. Blitzkrieg Fridays for the friendly mosh!

[@beryc7889]

I hope Douglas is doing well. Wish nothing but the best of the best🙏🏼

[@yourvillain1736]

Yeah, looks pretty bad

[@815MikeB]

Not trying to be too negative or morbid, but he looks almost skeletal here. I really, really, hope he's okay and recovers. I grew up with these guys in the 90s, and I know 57 isn't a kid anymore but it's not old either. He needs to stick around for quite awhile more.

[@vrakula]

Does it looks like he's doing well?

[@JaeWhite140]

What happened to his gorgeous baby face ?

[@WhispersOfRuins]

Something looks to be on the horizon, wish him the best!

[@CenoByte]

Oh boy, I'm really worried about Doug health. Guys I need a Nitzer Ebb vs Front 242 concert in Barcelona.... please 😨

[@theanachron303]

Thanks for asking about the hardware, so often the Synthesizers are ignored yet play a large role in the sound.

[@maximebegin1454]

I can confirm... the album ''That Total Age'' is pure gold; I still listen to it regularly as well as the 2 following albums... but ''Total Age'' is my favorite album of all time. Thx N-Ebb

[@BaddaBigBoom]

I loved and still love the old analogue synths, I had a Roland SH09 and a Korg Poly 800 back in the day. I have two Behringer Pro 1s, a Korg ARP Odyssey and a Roland Alpha Juno 2 these days ..as well as a few others and soft synths in Ableton ...love the huge power and variety of the sounds.

[@kennethperry5686]

My first introduction to Nitzer Ebb was two of my rebellious 80's church friends(teens) were able to get the church DJ to play "Alarm" from That Total Age for almost 1/2 of the song. Of course, the song ended early, but, I will always have fond memories of that disruption. Not only did that open my eyes to different music styles, it also makes me laugh every time I think about that event.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

I hope that cured you of the disease of organised religion.

[@garyhunter9120]

Very enjoyable interview, they sound like a couple of really nice guys.

[@raymode101]

Please get Healthy Douglas . I’ll pray for u 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Based_Stuhlinger]

What's up with him?

[@raymode101]

@@Based_Stuhlinger liver damage from all the years of drinking

[@Based_Stuhlinger]

@@raymode101 Oh. 😳

[@rachelhill1177]

Great interview!!❤ . Nitzer Ebb has my vote to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I will always love their music. ❤❤

[@MelaninMonarchy]

@rachelhill1177 Thank You for watching.

[@user-tg1xs8eu1g]

Please come to Japan🇯🇵 again😉 There are many people in Japan who love you 😘

[@Havoc2027]

I wish you a good recovery amigo, long life to Doug, Bon, David.. and Nitzer Ebb

[@NYyazoofan]

Long time fan, appreciate the interview. Praying for Douglas, he looks shockingly ill.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Same here.

[@perwinding2043]

Great interview...very natural and relaxed 😊..still a fan of nitzer and have seen them live two times!!❤🤘

[@dustinwright4366]

In 1994 Dallas Club Eden 2000 I gave BON and his lady friend I ride to Café Brazil in deep ellum. We all piled in my friends car.

[@ElectronicazMusic]

Just been blasting my head (*after a terrible day) with all my fave 80s and 90s NE classics as loud as flippin possible. I just sought out any live footage of the band and here we are bizarrely. Amazing honest interview. WONDERFUL! ! ! !

[@BanonenTurm]

Love this Guys. Part of the Soundtrack of my Life. THX

[@il5783]

Thanks Mel. That was a great interview and very good questions. 👍 Keep the scene going, gentlemen. Thank You for your fantastic music.

[@AUClay]

Saw them in Orlando where I am from, love industrial music! Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, Frontline Assembly, and Skinny Puppy! JOIN IN THE CHANT!!! Clan of Xymox! Pop Will Eat Itself!

[@holgerla5730]

Great, thanks for this great, interesting Interview !👍❤

[@RollingRigTraction]

These two are just consummate professionals and so absolutely real in person. I was on my last US Navy deployment and found out Fixmer McCarthy were playing at The Bunker in L.A. and I got tickets for 2 and went with my highschool buddy who had been living and working in Anaheim for years. By the time Fixmer McCarthy hit the stage we were so straight up obliterated on Heineken it was almost comical. As soon as the show was over I basically just dragged my friend right over the stage and past any sort of security and spoke with Terrance Fixmer and went backstage and ended up meeting and 😅surprising Douglas and Bon was there also. These two gentlemen were just so unbelievably cool and beyond gracious and even offered us each a beer from their cooler backstage. I first had seen NE on the Depeche Mode Violator tour at the Salt Palace in SLC and it has had such an amazing influence in my life. Just walking into that space with insulated doors limiting the sound outside the actual space and feeling Lightning Man just pounding into your chest... Just to then open the doors to get into the actual venue and just be absolutely blown away by their own stage presence. Absolutely life-changing for me. I caught the Ebbhead tour at the Horticulture Center at the Utah State Fairgrounds and was again completely blown away by the opening act Ethyl Meatplow and I actually brushed elbows with one of the drummers for NE on that tour without even knowing it and he was so cool. Then to have seen the same guy on stage blasting percussion for one of my favorite bands it was something else. Eventually I saw NE live one more time in SLC in a venue I thought was far too small for them on their Industrial Complex tour and my brother's highschool buddies ' band Tragic Black was originally to open for them but they had to leave so Nitzer Ebb played first and I know for a fact that was a boost to those guys as they felt they were then the "headlining act." I began doing concert promotions in SLC shortly afterwards and just about had a DJMREX show lined up at Club X and the owner declined😢. Maybe again someday I will meet up with these awesome gents!

[@MelaninMonarchy]

I love your stories. I too think they are the coolest of Gents. Meeting Bon and Douglas has changed my life forever, I Love them Dearly. Thank you for watching and subscribing.

[@rightbro]

Oh really!

[@cytinc]

BELIEF and SHOWTIME one of the Best...

[@RelaxInAtmosphere]

Great interview with two awesome guys. Love all the info about the old synths used in their 80s stuff 🎹

[@JakobHansen-gx1qb]

Best nitzer interview I've ever seen 🙂💪🔥 great work. Thanks🙂

[@matsnordstrom5987]

What a great interview! 🙂

[@tekrahmuzik2119]

Amazing, love Nitzer Ebb, thank you

[@g.l.4972]

Oh noooo...I can't watch this to the end!!! Best wishes to Doug'.....!!!! He just looks somewhat alive...

[@LostwaveObsession]

I remember seeing them a couple of times around the time of Join In The Chant. Murderous was the first single I'd bought. Honestly that pent up energy - you'd spend the time wondering when the world would explode around you. It was so powerful like nothing else. Fanastic to see them in '23/'24. I wish them well.

[@ALFONSOFELIPECF-ri9xf]

Yeah!!!, we URGENTLY need more songs from these MASTERS of electronic music that fill us with renewed ENERGY, MOTIVATION and INNOVATION to keep coping with our lives. Maybe what I just wrote sounds stupid but I have come to this world to listen to NITZER EBB and that's it. THANK YOU VERY MUCH Douglas, Bon and MelaninMonarchy

[@MelaninMonarchy]

Thank you, and we share the same sentiments. This Channel is definitely for you and our kind :)

[@ALFONSOFELIPECF-ri9xf]

"we'll dance 'till we fall"

[@polewka123]

Great interview. Great interviewer. Really brought a great lot of detail out of the boys. Kudos.

[@marcmed2555]

Great!!

[@DaxHamel]

Okay, that was impressive. I enjoyed seeing Nizzer Ebb again but, you are a top shelf interviewer. I pray that you don't lose your special sauce.

[@shanes5671]

Great interview! Thank you for sharing. 🙏

[@curiousbo]

Amazing interview and such important advice at the end of this video for creative types who at times feel like giving up. Love from Vancouver Island

[@drewchang7921]

saw them at the 930 club in DC when i was 17......they came and destroyed DC!

[@bjornihlar]

Absolutely adore them!

[@Maladaptation_ThiesWrobel]

Phantastic Interview

[@loganryansmith]

Excellent interview.

[@FordPickUPRed]

Thank you..

[@goldieshowers6191]

I love this so much. I've subscribed and shared.

[@mheberling5939]

Awesome interview.

[@tannerslomko]

Really great interview.

[@DjHousemanSTL]

Love This Interview

[@aotctd]

Funny I didn't even know they were English They talk like where I grew up overseas lmao

[@jesseverghese4040]

Hi … so awesome to see Nitzer Ebb .. thanks for the interview.. what’s the intro music to this interview ? Sounds amazing !! Thanks

[@leo2a7dk]

They wrecked the music scene. Saw them live the first time, when they were start up for Depeche Mode - Black Celebration Tour. I love Dpeche Mode (since 1983) but I think we were half a number or more into Depeche set before we woke up from the TOTAL chok of Nitzer Ebb. FAN since.... Sincere Regards to these "boys"...;-)

[@MelaninMonarchy]

They were an are amazing. Thank you for watching.

they wanted to sound like DAF but they grew from that to a different direction and expand the sound. congrats to them and us

[@govegan6112]

I totally forgot about this band!

[@markgiordonello6710]

I'm going to see front 242 and nitzer ebb in November in houston on back to back nights. I saw douglass on another interview and he looks much better now he looked fairly ill here anyway can't wait for November

[@elizabethlopez6233]

Was that show in 2023? Nov 2024

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

used to love these guys back in the day, saw them in London 1991

[@BaddaBigBoom]

The Astoria?

[@lincolntc2413]

Pionners of EBM

[@robertfisher4689]

Saw the Ebb in 92 with Ethyl Meatplow

[@chrisgotch6003]

YES! Me too. I think Ethyl Meatplow is one of those unknown bands from the era. Loved them!

[@robertfisher4689]

@chrisgotch6003 smoke it smoke it baby......it was at the Metropol in Pittsburgh PA right before I went to basic training

[@chrisgotch6003]

@@robertfisher4689 Very cool! Mine was in Dallas, same tour. The power went out halfway through the Nitzer Ebb set, and Douglas sat on the edge of the stage and chatted with us until it came back.

[@robertfisher4689]

@chrisgotch6003 very cool.

[@wendydomino]

I like the Join in the Chant song

[@russellfoster8140]

Love this interview and love your interview style. I had no idea they had an African American following. I love hearing that. Also is Doug ok? Anyway I’m subscribed now and look forward to more content.

[@MelaninMonarchy]

HUGE Following 😀

[@garydickens1718]

Wow, Doug doesn't look good bless him...

[@TheVintagesteal]

Upsetting to see , sincerely hope he's okay. Just listened to them today.I

[@pascTV]

It really appears as he‘s physically declining in a very rapid way over the last few months. It is, unfortunately, very noticeable. On the other hand, they‘re still active and booking shows. Worrisome, still.

[@jansvensson1670]

Sorry Douglas...I always thought you were a working class kid in your clothes....Nitzer Ebb took me by ambush a great band!

[@mheberling5939]

Been into this band since 1990. Are they touring?

[@MelaninMonarchy]

Check their Website and IG pages for upcoming show dates. Thank you for watching

[@TimesComingMedia]

I was on their concert last weekend in Sweden, with Front 242 and Rein. It was amazing.

[@fragout9575]

​@@TimesComingMedia that had to have been an amazing show!!!

[@TimesComingMedia]

@@fragout9575 It 100% was :)

[@DiscursivelyDesigned]

Saw them in Houston at Number in 2011 (maybe 10). It was awesome! My friends and I used to listen to That Total Age while playing Nintendo (OG nintendo, this was late 80's, early 90's) Good memories Maybe you can convince them to come play in Flagstaff...or the Grand Canyon. Hey, the reminiscent kid inside me can dream can't he?!?

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Jesus, Doug is so skeletal looking. I hope he recovers from this.

[@aqald01]

Melanin is very attractive Gal 😍😍

[@aqald01]

She has some fine musical preferences/taste….

[@wholebitmedia]

I've always loved industrial but my white friends really took to a sublime ownership of this music. i think they wanted to be Eurotrash pretty badly.

[@beereaucrat3233]

Godhead!

[@zindi1138]

tackhead the game political mix

[@ThePetriSounds]

I hope Douglas is doing well

[@vrakula]

Does it looks like he's doing well?

[@michaelcothren5015]

It looks like he had a stroke

[@TheDjnauj]

Douglas does not seem well.

[@Karensoprano.]

​@@vrakulano😢😢😢

[@SomeBizarretaSomeBizzareLabel0]

[@neotek8582]

Love NEP! These mofo’s need to release a remaster of their earlier material (especially That Total Age). Their current digital older material is almost unlistenable due to the poor sound quality.

[@MelaninMonarchy]

They are working on it 😀

[@rafiqadarr6217]

I don’t know Nitzer Ebb’s music at all, but I think Doug McCarthy’s best time was working with Alan Wilder on the Recoil project in 1997, on the Unsound Methods album. He looked fantastic then and was by far the best vocalist that Alan used on that album. He also sang absolutely spell-bindingly on the Recoil cover of Faith Healer. I could tell from the modern era photos of him that he had aged, probably due to alcohol. Such a sad thing for such a great singer. You breathed fire, Douglas, on Faith Healer, Incubus and Stalker, an incredible singer. Alan should have got him to be the lead singer of Recoil, they were the perfect combination together, great musician and great singer. Such a shame his health has declined. I read he left the music industry - again, such a shame for such a gifted singer. Get back with Alan and do some more Recoil, Douglas, - your talents in your own band not withstanding, although as I say, I don’t know Nitzer Ebb’s music at all, but Douglas’s talent is absolutely evident.

[@griseldajimenez8025]

que enfermedad tiene douglas? esta muy flaco... ojala este bien por favor!

[@fabienh3943]

Nothing similar in the early 80ies What was Front 242 doing then: bagpiping??

[@MelaninMonarchy]

Front 242 is definitely a phenomenal band in their own right, No Question. I Love Front 242. I believe and stand by that there weren't (are not) any other bands that sound like NE. Thank you for watching 👀 🙏 ❤️

[@Friherren242]

Front 242 is more funky. Early Nitzer was focused on aggression. They are def in the same genre but way diffrent.

[@Chipchap-xu6pk]

A lot of fans in common, and I think people that like 242 tend to like NE too, but still different enough. Damn,though. Richard 23 with bagpipes would be damn scary.

[@Mortizul]

😧 What happened to Doug? Looks really gaunt.

[@mariz9084]

What's the matter with Douglas? He's looking rather poorly, I hope he's alright?

[@mhoroky]

Even though Melanin was just playing around, I thought the "too young and stupid" comment went too far. Let Bon and Doug make the self-deprecating comments about themselves, don't make comments like that to them.

[@MelaninMonarchy]

Hi mhoroky, Thank You for watching. If you think I went too far on this interview, wait till the next when I loosen up. 😉

[@mhoroky]

@@MelaninMonarchy Just the "too young and stupid" comment, Melanin. That's the only point where I thought you could've held back.

[@hfortenberry]

I don't think her comment was taken by them the way you took it. I didn't take it that way. It's just a phrase folks from our generation used to joke around about our youth. Maybe there is a generational difference in your understanding. I'm 55 and that's how we spoke to each other sometimes. It was playful and said with endearing emotions and it appears they took it that way as well.

[@mhoroky]

@@hfortenberry I'm only a couple of years younger than you.

[@ingoweinard2517]

Douglas....😒

[@jaymakak]

In the time it took for you to deliver your disclaimer on why you are choosing to mispronounce the band's name, you could have simply pronounced their name correctly. Is this a melanin thing?

[@JakobHansen-gx1qb]

😯🧐😳🤔🤫 It IS a correct way of pronouncing it

[@jaymakak]

@@JakobHansen-gx1qb She admitted mispronouncing it, mushmind.

[@fragout9575]

No, it's not a "black" thing. While I did twist up my face when she first introduced them, it made me question if she was a true fan?! I won't be at her up too much because I've traveled the world and heard many different pronunciations on their names and other band names.... No point in making a back handed racist tone to it...

[@jaymakak]

@@fragout9575 She admitted, up front, that she knew the entire time she was mispronouncing the name. Your post is moot. Like you.

[@JakobHansen-gx1qb]

@@jaymakak except doug said in several interviews that you can pronounce it either way, Einstein

[@renevega75]

There are the covid shots, Douglas.

[@leazzel7]

What an uncomfortable interview.