KMFDM (originally Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, loosely translated by the band as”no pity for the majority”) is a multinational industrial band from Hamburg, Germany, led by Sascha Konietzko, who founded the band in 1984 as a performance art project in Paris, France.
The band’s earliest albums were recorded in Germany before they moved to the United States, where they found much greater success with seminal record label Wax Trax! out of Chicago. Throughout the 90’s KMFDM constantly evolved with a revolving door line-up, becoming a household name in the US music scene. Their 1995 hit “Juke Joint Jezebel catapulted KMFDM into the Billboard charts and got them onto many movie soundtracks, notably Bad Boys and Mortal Kombat. Bands such as Rammstein or Korn had their humble beginnings opening up on KMFDM’s tours. KMFDM took a brief hiatus in early 1999 after having recorded their 10th album for Wax Trax Records which had run a foul in the hands of TVT Records.
Konietzko resurrected KMFDM in 2002 on Metropolis Records with a partially new line-up that included among others American singer Lucia Cifarelli from the band DRILL, and Tim Skold who later on joined Marilyn Manson.
Releasing studio albums and touring frequently throughout the 2000’s Konietzko and Cifarelli moved back to Germany in 2008.
Dozens of musicians have worked with the group across its 22 studio albums and countless singles, with sales totaling in excess of two million records worldwide.
Critics consider KMFDM one of the first bands to bring industrial music to mainstream audiences, though Konietzko refers to the band’s music as “The Ultra Heavy Beat”. The band incorporates heavy metal guitar riffs, electronic music, and both male and female vocals in its music, which encompasses a variety of styles including industrial rock , electronic body music and even reggae and dub. The band is fiercely political, with many of its lyrics taking stands against violence, war, and oppression. KMFDM is known to tour after every major release, and band members have a reputation for their accessibility to and interaction with fans, both online and at concerts.
KMFDM’s latest album LET’S GO ! will be released on March 2, 2024 followed by a month-long US Tour.