The general election here in Germany is in high gear, even though the Federal Constitutional Court hasn't yet decided whether it's legal yet. (Everyone's assuming they will, but you never know).
Are you excited? You don't look excited.
So here's a quiz to get you involved. Look at the picture on the left. This man is:
(1) Wanted for questioning in the disappearance of a young girl from a playground in Bottrop.
(2) A former drummer for John Cale who is now active as a freelance rock journalist in Albany, New York.
(3) John Cale.
4. A German political candidate.
Answer below the fold. In the meantime, my friend P.D. sent me a link to this amusing article in Der Spiegel. German politicians have finally taken to the net and started blogging in earnest. This new German pastime has, of course, been immediately taken over by a traditional, time-honored old German pastime -- complaining. As the article puts it, the comment sections of the (rather boring) blogs have been stuffed to bursting with ordinary citizens complaining about "unemployment reforms, arrogant East Germans, corrupt politicians, the damned social democrats (sozis), who had seven years to get their ducks in a row and have done nothing."
Hee hee hee. Welcome to the web, Frau Ministerin!
The pictured man is Manfred Jan Neuenhaus, a candidate for the Free Democratic party. Legal Disclaimer: My little quiz was intended only for amusement purposes, and should in no way be construed as an implication that Mr. Neuenhaus is actually a child molester. Or worse, a rock journalist.
It was on one of the Rockpalast-Festival live shows on german TV somewhere in the 80s, the John Cale Band was playing as the last band of the night. Before the show the interviewer entered the dressing room of the band, with John Cale nowhere to be seen, there was only a guy with black glasses sitting there, who said something in the line of : "No, John is not here, but you can call me John" That was the drummer of the band, as it turned out later.
Hell of a show it was. John Cale did not play "Heartbreak Hotel", he whispered,moaned and screamed it, playing only very few notes on the piano, and finally broke down, crawled under the piano and began tearing apart the carpet.
As I said, great show. The better part of the audience did not really seemed to enjoy it, they were more fond of the band playing before John Cale, Level 42. So John is still around but happily, I haven't heard of Level 42 for a long time.
All of this has got nothing to do with current german politics, but its more
fun. Listening to Stoiber these days makes me physically ill.
Posted by: Carl | August 12, 2005 at 04:44 PM