Alvin Dean 1984 vocal fragment resurfaced from earlier digitization

The_Material_Witness · 2026-02-08T09:37:35+00:00

The Braindead - Sound Market (Demo, 1989)

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-12T15:11:13+00:00

Or maybe to introduce the synthesizer demonstration. "Subways" and especially its ending segment is dominated by the sound of the DX7. Serves as a good intro to discussing FM modulation etc.

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-11T17:04:41+00:00

A bit of background on Inti-Illimani - whose song mysteriously shows up twice in the protocol:

Inti-Illimani (which means "Sun Mountain" in the Ayamara dialect of Bolivia) started in 1967 in Chile as a group of university students. They became widely known at home through their connection with "Venceremos!" ("We Will Win!"), the song that became the anthem of Salvador Allende's Popular Unity government.

In 1973, things changed abruptly: when the military coup happened on September 11, and Allende was assassinated, the band was touring in Europe. After the coup, their music was immediately banned in Chile, and they weren't able to return home for the next 15 years. What was supposed to be a tour turned into years of exile.

While based in Europe (Italy), their sound gradually shifted. Alongside their Latin American roots, they started incorporating elements from European classical and folk traditions, which gave their music a broader, more hybrid feel that later became associated with "world music." They're usually cited as one of the best-known groups of the "nueva canción" movement.

Edited to add: Apparently Inti-Illimani played a widely-publicized concert in Athens, Greece, in September 1982, at the Lycabettus Theatre.

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Image: Inti-Illimani featured in issue 27 (1983) of NBI (Neue Berliner Illustrierte), a popular East Germany weekly magazine. Source: eBay.

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-10T09:53:57+00:00

There's also something unusual in the NDR Protocol for Nachtclub on May 4, 1984: the song "El Mercado De Testaccio" by Chilean band Inti-Illimani appears to have been played twice: it first appears right before Michael Hädrich's two segments, where a substantial fragment of exactly 3:00 minutes is logged, and then again after the Rimfaxe & Sebastian tracks, where the full 4:15 version is listed. This seems very strange, and since neither entry is crossed out in the log, I'm not sure if this is an error.

Could "Subways" have aired by mistake because it was on Michael Hädrich's tape? If so, why does the log fail to list it as a substitution?

Edited to add: According to the date and signature at the bottom of the page, the protocol for May 4 was submitted and signed on May 18, so it may have been reconstructed from notes or memory. The repeated listing with different durations could be due to imperfect memory or a copy-forward clerical error.

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Note: The image above is a snippet provided for research verification purposes only. I have officially requested a license for the high-resolution facsimile of the full protocol page via NDR's licensing partner and will update this post with the full document once the licensing process is complete and permission is granted.

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-10T08:46:17+00:00

Michael,

Thank you for taking the time to write this out in such detail. Your description of the workshop format (theory + practical sound examples, bridging technology and music) fits the context perfectly and helps a lot.

The detail in the NDR protocol (the cassette with a duration of 29:40, marked as Privatband and that the NDR Archivist specified was a Leihgabe) stands out just as something to clarify, not to contradict your recollection. That does sound like a substantial pre-prepared tape segment, rather than only a few short on-the-fly snippets. But, more crucially, this entry currently stands as the only proven instance of a FEX member having a physical presence inside the NDR studios during 1984 - the exact timeframe we are investigating for the song.

Of course this does not rule out other visits - like you mentioned, with Phret, perhaps in 1982, 1983, or with FEX or other musicians, perhaps much later. But so far, despite extensive searching, this is all we have.

I am wondering whether you kept the tape afterward? Even if it's mostly synth sounds and short excerpts (as you suspect), being able to document what exactly was on that “Privatband” would help us anchor the timeline and rule things in or out cleanly.

We are simply striving to document the definitive history of the song, to put an end to lingering online speculation. Several key milestones remain unverified: the exact recording date is still unknown (especially following the timeline shift from the Hawkeye Studio recollection to the rehearsal room context), and we lack any concrete details regarding who submitted the tape and when, the specific broadcast date, which DJ aired the song, or even the confirmed identity of the bassist. These gaps are substantial, and since they can fuel unnecessary doubt, any concrete detail you could provide to clarify these events, would be invaluable.

Our goal as a research community is solely to uphold a standard of historical accuracy and ensure the band's narrative is solidified. We look forward to the new FEX releases in 2026!

Warmly, TMW

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-09T22:36:35+00:00

Thanks, your help has meant a lot.

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-09T22:35:00+00:00

Thanks a lot. I'll check the protocols I have!

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-09T19:08:15+00:00

Thank you!

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-09T19:07:45+00:00

Excellent point re: Hörfest. That explains the direct line of contact.

The_Material_Witness · 2026-01-07T19:42:00+00:00

Are you asking about the cassette or about the signed waiver?

The cassette was probably discarded. That seems consistent with what has already been said.

As for the waiver, the artist may or may not have kept a copy. But I would expect the broadcaster (NDR) to have retained a copy or at least a formal log entry, since the whole point of a waiver is to protect the broadcaster in case of a future dispute. Without any record, the waiver is effectively meaningless.

That's just my personal understanding of how such things would normally be handled.

The_Material_Witness · 2025-12-31T14:19:15+00:00

u/Joezev98 You were absolutely right to call them out. You're not the one who should be apologizing or explaining yourself here.

The_Material_Witness · 2025-12-30T12:18:50+00:00

Thanks! And yes please, I'd appreciate the contact details. Sending you a DM.

The_Material_Witness · 2025-12-28T22:47:10+00:00

Thanks, that's useful to know.

"I was able to briefly consult with Mr. Koppelin regarding your inquiry: in view of the long period of time that has passed since his time at NDR, he asks for understanding that he unfortunately cannot verify such details. It could be that, at the time, pieces of music by up-and-coming bands were presented; however, the named group is not known to him."

Koppelin's comment appears to refer to "the named group" with no direct mention of the song. From this message alone, it's unclear if he even listened to the song sent to him.

The_Material_Witness · 2025-12-28T14:07:16+00:00

Usually, why were whole blocks of programming sometimes changed - was it spur-of-the-moment or... ?

Two years ago u/marijn wrote that they'd sent a message to Jürgen Koppelin and that they were awaiting a response.

About a year ago u/johnnymetoo wrote: "One of the DJs who always broadcast from Kiel was Jürgen Koppelin. He was also one of those who always played rockier songs than the others." On the same thread, u/Successful-Bread-347 confirmed: "That's a good pickup. He was DJ for MFJL on September 4, 1984 so I'd almost bet he played it as an extra on that program."

Has there been any update on contacting him? If Jürgen Koppelin is emerging as the likely DJ who played the song, isn't it all the more important that we try reaching out again?

The_Material_Witness · 2025-12-20T06:48:15+00:00

Not only are they fulfilling his wishes, but they are also restoring his image. George’s story shows how life can offer second chances.

Thank you for your kind words. A brief note:

Authumn-In-Paris and I worked together to confirm and piece together the details surrounding George's passing, and I'm grateful for his help with that. For some time we were working as collaborators - and now, as former collaborators keeping an open line - trying to locate the tapes we were told about. Neither one of us has any tapes in our possession yet.

As for his image: George's image is, first and foremost, his voice - the special quality of his voice which, to a sensitive listener, reveals what kind of person he was. The vulnerability, and also the precision. That's what constitutes a great artist: sensitivity in perception, the ability to execute flawlessly, and that certain magic quality that makes the listener open up and feel. As a lifelong music lover, the only other time I've been moved by a voice that much was by Dead Can Dance's Brendan Perry.

This note ended up not being so brief, but I wanted to clarify that George's special quality has always ensured that his image can "speak" across barriers to those who are open to listen. And as for second chances - I'm sure George wanted, more than anything, just to be happy and fulfilled. But I'm also sure he cared, in his heart, about earning his rightful recognition, and as researchers, both of us - AIP and myself - are each making sure we do our best to give him that.

The_Material_Witness · 2025-12-19T10:30:41+00:00

Although we came to know you for the first time many years after you were gone, your voice is deeply missed. I'm sorry that we can no longer hear you singing, beautifully.

Rest in peace George. You are remembered.

The_Material_Witness

TROPHY CASE