F.M. Einheit
Frank-Martin Strauß, better known as F.M. Einheit and also known as Mufti, is German musician and actor, known for his work in industrial and electronic.
While primarily known for his work with the influential group Einstürzende Neubauten as a percussionist using self-designed custom instruments, Strauß has also collaborated with KMFDM, Goethes Erben and recorded several albums in collaboration with other musicians and solo. Einheit was also involved in the projects Stein and Gry.
Early years
In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was also a member of the punk bands Abwärts from Hamburg and Palais SchaumburgIn the early 1980s he joined Einstürzende Neubauten as a percussionist and became a long-time band member. Most of the percussions which FM Einheit played on were custom-made metal instruments or such tools as a hammer drill. FM Einheit was instrumental to the development of the sound of the group.
Live performances of Einstürzende Neubauten with FM Einheit included much metal banging, destruction on the stage and even fire. These shows became legendary and influenced the band image.
He played the lead role in the 1984 feature film Klaus Maeck's Decoder, a cyberpunk critique of muzak. In 1988–9 he was part of Alfred 23 Harth's group Vladimir Estragon.
1990s–2000s
In the 1990s he was also a member of a band Stein, also featuring Ulrike Haage and Katharina Franck from the band Rainbirds.FM Einheit left Einstürzende Neubauten in the mid-1990s during work on the album Ende Neu, due to a lack of creative interest.
One of his major projects after Einstürzende Neubauten was the band Gry with a female singer Gry Bagøien from Denmark. They released two albums: The Touch Of E! and Public Recording.
FM Einheit is also involved in theater and radio plays. On several occasions he reunited on stage with Alexander Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten for an experimental performance.
Discography
- 1990 Stein
- 1992 Steinzeit
- 1993 Prometheus/Lear
- 1993 Radio Inferno
- 1994 Königzucker
- 1994 Merry Christmas
- 1995 Apocalypse Live
- 1996 Deutsche Krieger
- 1996 Sensation Death
- 1998 Odysseus 7
- 1998 Goto
- 2000 Frost 79° 40'
- 2001 Brecht Baal
- 2002 Crashing Aeroplanes
- 2006 Echohce
- 2008 The Sallie House
- 2009 No Apologies
- 2010 Evol/Ve
- 2011 Spielwiese 3
- 2013 Terre Haute
- 2015 Bestandteil
- 2017 Rosebud For discography of FM Einheit with Einstürzende Neubauten, see: Einstürzende Neubauten's discography.
- ''For discography of FM Einheit with Gry, see: Gry's discography.''
Film soundtracks
- 1984 Decoder, directed by Jürgen Muschalek
- 1997 Der Platz, directed by Uli M Schueppel
- 1997 Im Platz, directed by Uli M Schueppel
- 2008 Der Tag, directed by Uli M Schueppel
- 2009 Die Narbe, Westberlin , directed by Burkhard von Harder