Feeling B was far more than just a band. Emerging from the heart of East Berlin’s thriving underground in the 1980s, it embodied the wild spirit, inventive energy, and rebellious humor that defined an entire subculture. Their story ran deeper than mere discography and stage antics; it intertwined with political upheavals and a yearning for honest self-expression under the shadow of a divided Germany. Yet, among the most unforgettable elements of their mythos remain their notorious drinking rituals, epitomized by the legendary Slammer, a sight as surreal as any lyric they ever penned.
The group’s origins trace back to 1983, when East Berlin was gripped by suspicion and restriction. Those who sought creative freedom needed to move stealthily, and punk emerged as both camouflage and protest. Feeling B began as “Feeling Berlin,” founded by Aljoscha Rompe, Alexander Kriening, Otto Leimer, and a teenage Paul Landers. Not long after, Christian “Flake” Lorenz joined with his electric organ, setting the tone for countless raucous live performances. Feeling B’s lineup was fluid, playful, echoing their general approach to life and art. Drummers like Alexander Kriening and, later, Christoph “Doom” Schneider added their energy to the mix.
Among this pack of iconoclasts, three faces would later become known worldwide for an entirely new musical enterprise. Paul Landers, Christian “Flake” Lorenz, and Christoph “Doom” Schneider would go on to create and define the sound of Rammstein, blending their edgy punk roots with a harder, industrial edge that took global stadiums by storm. The raw experimentation and community spirit forged in Feeling B’s backrooms remained at the core of their new endeavor.
They weren’t just musicians; they were social experimenters and risk-takers. Their drinking culture wasn’t mere excess, but performance in itself. With the infamous Slammer ritual, they elevated inebriation into communal theater. “Slamern,” as Feeling B called it, was not about casual indulgence; it was a full-bodied ritual, complete with a custom-built Slammer machine. Imagine, guests would be ushered into a secret room at a party, placed atop a spinning plank or rigged with a helmet, and plied with a wild concoction of bubbly and tequila. All the while, bandmates and friends urged them on as the world whirled by in a blur of laughter and dizziness. The goal was simple: lose yourself, reach for the stars, and see “purple.” Only the truly “Slammer-ready” could withstand the ceremony’s intensity.
The Slammer mirrored the group’s wider philosophy. In a time when conformity was expected, they cultivated chaos, spontaneity, and radical honesty. Their drinking habits became urban legend, woven into the lyrics of songs like the famous “Slamersong.” In this anthem, they regale tales of the party machine, its spinning trials, its spirited mix of champagne and tequila. Their Slammer rituals channeled the repression and monotony of daily life into moments of liberation when the walls, political and personal, truly came down.
As the GDR tottered towards collapse, Feeling B played a gig in West Berlin on November 9, 1989. As history unfolded and the Berlin Wall fell, the band found themselves caught between worlds, emblematic of a time when all boundaries gave way. Landers and Flake, sharing this moment with a stunned and elated crowd, absorbed the chaotic freedom of that night, and the feeling would later resurface in the spirit of Rammstein’s own theatrical excess.
After the reunification of Germany, Feeling B accelerated their creative pace, releasing albums that reflected new freedoms and their subversive edge. The music was eccentric; a blend of punk rock, playful melodies, brash synths, and ironic humor. Lyrics could be biting, absurd, or deeply poignant, with live shows always pushing the edge of safety and sanity. Feeling B’s albums such as “Hea Hoa Hoa Hea Hea Hoa,” “Wir kriegen Euch alle,” and “Die Maske des Roten Todes,” remain artifacts of a time when East German youth looked for meaning in mismatched chords and madcap stunts.
Yet, it is the band’s drinking habits and the Slammer that truly leap into legend. The ritual wasn’t just about alcohol; it was a celebration of rebellion, an assertion of identity, a shared joke against the powers that be. In these moments, all were equal, spinning together at the mercy of the Slammer machine and the fates of luck, stamina, and courage.
Some nights ended with bruises, some with wild stories, many with the kind of hangover only the young or the truly stubborn endure. Above all, the Slammer experience tested the boundaries between celebration and chaos, between community and self-destruction. It was punk distilled, a microcosm of Feeling B’s approach to making art out of life’s disorder.
As the 1990s closed in, the band’s members began to drift. Drummer Christoph Schneider left to help found Rammstein, while Paul Landers and Flake Lorenz soon followed, bringing their unique chemistry and experience into a new artistic context. Together they formed the core of Rammstein, the band that would become famous for combining German punk’s anarchistic foundation with industrial-metal’s sonic force. Rammstein’s massive stage shows, controversial themes, and international success can be traced back to those days in East Berlin, where chaos and creativity went hand in hand.
Frontman Aljoscha Rompe, meanwhile, continued exploring music and activism until his untimely death in 2000. Bassist Christoph Zimmermann also passed away too young. For the millions who discovered Rammstein, the roots of the band lie not only in their pioneering sound, but in the wild rites and communal rituals of Feeling B.
Feeling B’s story cannot be separated from its setting, a divided city; an oppressive regime; a subculture learning how to turn adversity into creativity. Nor can it be separated from its rituals, especially the infamous Slammer. Through chaos, camaraderie, music, and excess, the band transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Today, as vinyl collectors hunt for rare pressings of “Grün und Blau,” or fans trade stories of Feeling B’s legendary shows, the party legacy of these East Berlin punks endures. The band is remembered not just for its punk rock anthems but for its fearless embrace of life’s wildest corners, where the music played on, the drinks kept coming, and the world spun around, just like a true Slammer night. Their legacy is one of rusted strings, spilt tequila, daring parties, and laughter in the face of repression. Feeling B were musicians, rebels, pranksters, and the best party hosts East Berlin ever knew, and through Rammstein, their electrifying madness lives on.