Katzenjammer Kabarett

Katzenjammer Kabarett is a French four-piece dark cabaret band from Paris, France. Aesthetically inspired by German Weimar-era cabarets and burlesque shows, the band's name is of German origin and literally translates to "cat's wail cabaret"; Katzenjammer also generally means "discordant sound" and is used as a synonym for a hangover. The band's other stylistic influences include Dadaism, Futurism, Symbolism and Postmodernism.^[1]

Katzenjammer Kabarett
Live in Paris (2008)
Background information
Origin	Paris, France
Genres	Dark cabaret, deathrock, electropunk
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Subterfuge, Projekt
Members	Herr Katz Mary Komplikated Klischee Mr. Guillotine
Website	www.katzenjammer-kabarett.com

History

The band was founded in 2004 by vocalist Mary Komplikated, guitarist Herr Katz, keyboardist Klischee and bass player Mr. Guillotine. In 2005 they released a self-titled EP which was freely distributed on their website. It was followed by their likewise self-titled debut album in 2006.^[2]

The band received critical acclaim and performed at several festivals, including the Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2006 in Leipzig, the Amphi Festival 2007 in Cologne and the Summer Darkness festival 2009 in Utrecht. They also performed as a supporting act for the American dark cabaret band The Dresden Dolls, to whom they are often compared. In January 2009, they released their second studio album, Grand Guignol & Variétés, on America's Projekt Records.

The band split up in 2009. In 2011, Klischee and Mr Guillotine formed a new band called Katzkab.

Style

The band's musical style is a mixture of different genres including post-punk, death rock, electropunk, gothic rock, new wave music, electronic music, classical music and German "Lieder" (Romantic-era art songs). Referring to themselves as "death rock cabaret", "multireferential post-punk" and "baroque krautpop", the band also cites early New and dark wave bands like Bauhaus, Christian Death and Siouxsie and the Banshees as influences.^[1][3][4]

Discography

Studio albums

• Katzenjammer Kabarett (2006)
• Grand Guignol & Variétés (2009)
• Object No. 1 (2013)

EPs

• Katzenjammer Kabarett (2005)

Compilations

• "Gemini Girly Song" on New Dark Age Vol. 2 (2004)
• "Eve at the Mansion" on Pagan Love Songs (2004)
• "Lie Sucks Not" on Gothic compilation No. 29 (2005)
• "Gemini Girly Song" on A Dark Cabaret (2005)