Der Flieder brennt

Active from 1988 to 1990, Die Frechheit were a singular force in East Berlin’s underground. Formed from the orbit of Boriz’s Keine Begabung and Christoph and Andrea’s Planlos, they carved out a rare space with psychedelic prog-wave, punk abrasion, hard rock weight, and a taste for breaks, tempo shifts, and detail.

At the centre was singer Andrea, known as Handbag, whose stark, personal writing gave songs like Rockefeller, Verfolgungswahn, Die Sucht, Der Flieder brennt, and Schatten their emotional charge. Lyrics by Handbag and Boriz captured rage, world-weariness, poverty, and the instability of life in the late GDR.

After Andrea left, she formed 3 tot with Karen Matting. Boriz later played in Planlos and guested with Die anderen Bands; Christoph Schneider moved through Die Firma and Feeling B before Rammstein. Rediscovered via Ende vom Lied: Ostdeutscher Underground Sound 1979–1990 in 2018 and Too Much Future. Punkrock GDR 1980–1989 in 2020, this release is dedicated to producer Frank Shaker, aka Tschaka.