ZANG TUMMM TUMB ARTICLES “the first draft of history”

Propaganda

Remember Propaganda? They lie a lot. The arch jesters of Euro-pop, the steely theoreticians of the music marketplace are preparing, after two years and one single, to claim their rightful place atop the intellectual pop heap… or so they say. Once upon a time they were the new Abba. Now what?

“We’re Abba in Hell!” declares perky Claudia (21 and just good friends with Herr Morley).

“Abba is a synonym for pop for us,” corrects Ralf, the most Teutonic Propagandist.

“It’s not a concept,” declares Michael, the quiet, older, most musicianly member.

“……,” explains Suzanne, because she’s not here yet.

Propaganda, you see, are the longest serving Zang Tumb Tuumers, with perhaps the least to show for their association. They waited a year to see their magnificent ‘Nine Lives Of Dr Mabuse’ become a hit yet missed out completely on the exposure and celebrity they thoroughly deserved, and have waited another for a chance to put some wrongs right. Annoyed?

Claudia: “No, it doesn’t worry us — we wanted to wait till the Frankie hysteria had died down. ‘Mabuse’ got buried by ‘Relax’ and we did not want that to happen again.”

Surprisingly, though, they did find themselves celebrities back home, ‘Mabuse’ reaching No. 7 in the German charts.

“Yes, at home we’re undercover stars,” smiles Ralf at the irony of leaving home only to have hits there, “but in Britain, recognition is more important that hits. Being a hit band means being a band that is only around for a short time. We intend to be around much longer.”

And the continuation of the age-old confrontation with the Abbas of this world is imminent. A single is due. It might be ‘Duel’ — “A German love song, with typical German bitterness” or it might be ‘P-Machinery’ — “about people behaving like machines, and vice versa”, two songs from their soon to be completed LP.