When Rammstein aren't "Du Hast"-ing and lighting themselves on fire, they're apparently getting censored in their native land. In 2009, their album Liebe Is Für Alle Da (in English, There’s Enough Love For Everyone,) was on a government agency's watch list and the gang were forced to destroy 85,000 copies of the record. Seven years later, the band wants what's owed to them and are suing the German government for €66,000, roughly $75,000, according to Deutsche Welle.
The German agency, Bundesprüfstelle Für Jugendgefährdende Medien (which translates to the Federal Department For Media Harmful To Young Persons), puts "harmful" art on an "index." And once something makes the index, it's not allowed to be distributed or advertised or, like, enjoyed. Liebe Is Für Alle Da was on the list for half a year before its status was deemed unlawful.
According to one report, the agency had taken offense to the song “Ich Tu Dir Weh” (“I’ll Hurt You”), arguing that it glorified violence and unsafe sex in lyrics like these: “Bites, kicks, heavy blows, nails, pincers, blunt saws—tell me what you want.”
Rammstein keyboardist Christian “Flake” Lorenz told Bild Am Sonntag, Germany's largest Sunday paper, about the situation:
“There’s nothing on the album that could be more misinterpreted than on other Rammstein records. Why now and why this? One of the examiners presumably has a daughter who annoys him with Rammstein at full volume.”
He's got a point. Like, Rammstein have never been a safe band, one free of controversy...we digress. Read more here, then click through our list of the 19 best nu-metal hits of all time.
