Biography
-
Years Active
1991 – present (33 years)
-
Founded In
Berlin, Germany
-
Members
- Cornelius Rapp (2013 – present)
- Crash Klick (1999 – 1999)
- Henning Menke (2005 – 2008)
- Jim Voxx (1991 – present)
- Jogy Rautenberg (1992 – 1999)
A female fronted German Rock band, Berlin's SKEW SISKIN possessed huge potential when, after signing to Giant Records, the debut album received glowing reviews all over Europe. The reviews were especially excited about album track 'If The Walls Could Talk' and the quite uniquely aggressive vocal display put on by Nina C. Alice. A 1993 single of 'Livin' On The Redline' featured the JIMI HENDRIX track 'Purple Haze' as a B side cut. This rendition would be honored by a popular vote of the US Jimi Hendrix Foundation as an "outstanding cover version". The group toured in Germany with ACCEPT, ALICE COOPER and ANTHRAX as well as playing shows with MOTORHEAD.
The 2nd CD, 'Electric Chair Music', issued on the band's own Monongo imprint. It's worth noting that band fan LEMMY of MOTÖRHEAD repute, a vocal champion of the band, guests on the track 'B4' found on the 'Voices Of War' EP. The band's fanbase grew substantially during this period and both 'Electric Chair Music' and the EP 'Voices Of War' sold exceptionally well.
SKEW SISKIN's 1999 album WHAT THE HELL, saw the band gaining international popularity once more. Lemmy would get involved with the band once again, penning lyrics for two tracks 'Life's A Bitch' and 'Shoot Out Your Lights'. Nina also took time out to duet on the track 'Run' on POTHEAD's 'Burning Bridges' album.
Initially the group embarked upon a lengthy run of dates as guests to SAXON. Extended live work in Germany witnessed a headline tour in September and October 2000 with SKELETOR as support act. Nina would persevere on the road though, attending some shows of the MOTORHEAD tour acting as special guest vocalist for the encore song 'Born To Raise Hell'. This track had actually been originally written by Lemmy for SKEW SISKIN. Behind the scenes the band had once again fallen victim to a collapsing label as Cultural Minority floundered. Yet again a frustrated SKEW SISKIN was forced to wait out a distribution contract, this time with SPV until the Autumn of 2003. Support from Lemmy and other industry icons such as ALICE COOPER and Twiggy Ramirez from the MARILYN MANSON band helped the group through these tough times.
The band would be relatively quiet during 2001 but did place Stefan Schwarzmann of RUNNING WILD, ACCEPT, U.D.O. repute as their new drummer. Following a lengthy hiatus SKEW SISKIN, with a newly installed bassplayer, returned in September of 2002, acting as opening band for ANTHRAX and MOTORHEAD's UK dates. SKEW SISKIN also revealed a fourth album provisionally billed as 'Waste Your Youth' was nearing completion. Armed with a new drummer, the band was confirmed on a German support tour to MOTORHEAD in November. The record, backed by a promotional video of the single 'The Goddess', finally emerged billed as 'Album Of The Year'. European headline dates commencing in March of 2004 had the band on an extensive run of dates throughout Germany, France, Swizerland and Spain. However, in early April forced the band was forced to cancel the last three shows of their tour when vocalist Nina C. Alice collapsed after a show in Vienna and was rushed to a hospital.
Known to be a strong supporter of the band MOTORHEAD's frontman, Lemmy, guested with the band onstage for the first time on 5th September at the Columbiahalle in Berlin, guesting on the track 'Boogey Man'.
During 2005 the band had been forced to cancel again all their shows for the entire year, due medical treatment Nina C. Alice was undergoing for an infection.
In the beginning of 2006 SKEW SISKIN went back into the studio to start recording a new CD with Henning Menke (ex JINGO DE LUNCH, OJO ROJO) on bass and ex - ANNIHILATOR drummer Randy Black.
Towards the end of 2006 the band will finally hit the road again.
Discogs
Skew Siskin - (1992)
Electric Chair Music (1996)
Voices from the War (1996)
What the Hell (1999)
Album of the Year (2003)
Devil's Disciple (compilation) (2005)
Peace Breaker (2007)
Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Feel free to contribute!
All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
