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DAF Bio :
DAF – ALL DAF!
In autumn 2002 it politically didn’t turn out well for “Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft”. But
therefore today it is much more robust in artistic concerns than ever before. Though it always seemed
that politically nothing could harm “Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft” it ruptured and one thought
it would never reunion artistically. But it did. As often as life shows us, everything turns out different as
we think it would…
DAF – as we want to call the „Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft“ to simplify matters from now on –
consists of two very unequal but innovative musicians who work together since the foundation of this
project in 1978 – one of them is Robert Görl who is responsible for all compositions as well as for the
drums and electronic – the other one is Gabi Delgado-Lopez, songwriter and vocalist of the duo.
Round about 25 years ago Robert and Gabi met at “Ratinger Hof” which is a legendary meeting-point
of the punk-scene. They argued the whole night about a radical new-orientated band and finally
decided to work together on their project called DAF.
Gabi fancies looking back on the foundation-time of DAF: “The two of us agreed on a concept for the
thing called DAF quickly – virtually overnight. Our core statement was: We’re a punk-band, without
guitars, meant fully electronically. We know English and American bands but we’re no imitation of
them. We’re a German formation but the German culture doesn’t affect us. We’re nothing but exciting
and new.” Following this maxim DAF recorded within only four years five albums, which sold
themselves perfectly. DAF developed to a pathfinder of the so called “Neue Deutsche Welle” and even
could conquer the hard-fought British market as stars and cover-heroes of the “New Musical Express”.
For the first time ever a German band was seen on a cover of a British magazine in the year 1982.
Now everyone was convinced that the future would belong to DAF.
But DAF on the other hand had other goals than owing the future. The duo decided to separate.
Robert Görl remembers the situation as follows:“Both of us knew that we painted the picture called
DAF and we didn’t want to destroy it by scribbling into a completed picture – that’s why we put DAF to
a rest. Officially we never separated. We just wanted to go on continuing the project, if we had the idea
of painting a new picture with a pathbreaking statement. ”
In 2002 Robert and Gabi decided that they had „pathbreaking statements” – which one could hear on
their new album – the title is simple and ingenious: “Fifteen new DAF-songs”. The album contains
exactly the sound which characterises DAF and which doesn’t loose any of its originality due to its
classical eternalness. DAF is a musical microcosm – it turns around itself obliviously, letting influence
from the outside in to incorporate them into the creative DAF-world. Gabi comes to the point of this
exclusive approach as follows: “We are no autisms – we’re convinced outsider and we know about our
talent.”
A great announcement – rightly claimed. As “Fifteen new DAF-songs” stands apart in a world of pop-
music which has become predictable. The new album doesn’t allow compromises. There it is again –
the aggressive sprechgesang of Gabi supported by the drifty and monotone beat of the drums and the
threatening electronic of Robert Görl. The music can be characterised by ferocity, sensuality,
aspiration and the will to provoke. Either you love DAF songs or hate them profoundly. According to
Delgado-Lopez there’s no in-between and it has to be just like that.
Such a conception of art demands not only courage and force but also the right circumstances. Robert
Görl is convinced: “Gabi and I are very special friends – definitely not in the common sense which is
the right constellation for our work. We have nothing in common as we’re two different characters. But
as soon as there’s a creative discussion everything fits. Gabi’s lyrics and my music always end up in
an explosive mixture.”
DAF’s different styles are definitely extreme and explosive as new songs like “Der Sheriff”,
“Kinderzimmer” or “Rock hoch” show. “Der Sheriff” (the first single of the new album) for example is a
snappy denial of the USA and their anti-terror and war-politics – the song does not accidentally have
the subtitle “anti-American song”. “Kinderzimmer” on the other is a paean of praise on the RAF –
please judge on your own! “Rock Hoch” is supported by the subtitle “Sexlied” and coquets with the
obsessive delight of voyeurism. This analysis could be done with each title on the album “Fifteen new
DAF songs”. One will be shocked, disgusted and to be moved to tears – and definitely you will be
emotionally touched in which way so ever. All DAF!
Görl and Delgado-Lopez as always don’t care about trends – it’s all about reinventing their selves.
Gabi does not say for nothing that the new album has become a new but classical DAF album, which
can be connected without any problems to “Alles ist gut” – DAF’s previous masterpiece. Görl added:
“We were conscious about using the same technologies as before because we wanted to bring pure
DAF back to life. Analogue technology means intensity and emotionality of sound to me.”
The only innovation of the radical „DAF concept”: The lyrics are longer as we’re used to it. Delgado-
Lopez explains it like that: “Our songs belong to a tradition but since I influenced German songs with
DAF-lyrics, a lot of changed in German pop music. Mainly German hip-hop influenced the taste of
German people but also through “Slam Poetry” people are much more open-minded than they were in
the 70ties. Nevertheless my lyrics develop by circumstance, as before. And still I’m into reflecting the
subjective reality from the point of view of an outsider. I love provoking – in daily life and in arts.” Now
this is Gabi’s roundup of the DAF concept: “We simply do music for the brain and for the ass - music
which has rhythm and which is intelligent at the same time. The main thing is that it moves!”
Robert Görl doesn’t think that it should be wondering anyone that DAF is reunited after such a long
time of rest: “A reunion of DAF was always in the air – it was only a matter of time. We never were
foes and constantly had contact somehow. Two years ago was simply the right time fort his matter –
we had enough ideas to restart the project seriously.”
This is a really interesting analysis for us - the outsider - because in fact Gabi and Robert followed
completely different aims of life after the separation of DAF. Gabi was occupied with projects of virtual
art, the world-wide-web with “Playstation”- and appearances as DJ. Robert on the other hand was
permanently travelling on the Asian continent, visiting countries as Thailand, India, Bangladesh and
Nepal and searching for spiritual enlightenment in various convents. Both think that their experiences
of the last years were the formative ones in their lives – which in fact didn’t stop them pushing DAF out
on the music market once more. “It’s not about money, revival or some stupid idea of nostalgia. It’s
only that Gabi and I have some special form of connection - a symbiosis or synthesis - which is unique
on this planet. And this source of energy has to be used! “
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