Artist page

Die Unbekannten, meaning "The Unknown," was formed in June 1981 by British expatriates Mark Reeder and Alistair Gray in Berlin. They debuted at the Konzert Zur Einheit Der Nation (concert for the unity of Germany) at the SO36 club on June 17, 1981, where they performed hastily prepared songs with lyrics written just before their soundcheck. A local journalist dubbed them "the two unknown Englishmen," leading to the name Die Unbekannten. Their first performance included the song "Radio War," which later appeared on the compilation album Licht Und Schatten. Later that year, they released their first successful 12" EP, also titled Die Unbekannten, on Elisabeth Recker's Monogam label, featuring three politically themed tracks: "Radio War," "Casualties," and "Poseidon." The EP's cover art, a photo of East German border patrol guards, led to legal issues for the band after the photographer withdrew permission for its use. Despite this, the single sold several thousand copies before being pulled from shelves. Reeder, who also managed avant-garde all-girl group Malaria!, helped Die Unbekannten tour extensively as their support act. In spring 1982, they received an early prototype of a Roland 606 drum computer, which they used to record their next EP, Dangerous Moonlight, featuring tracks like "Don't Tell Me Stories" and "Perfect Love." This melancholic single became a significant success and

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