Der Demokratische Konsum

Der demokratische Konsum was closest to a GDR variant of the Geniale Dilletanten from Westberlin. A term, dropped in 1981 by Wolfgang Müller, whose book of the same title was in circulation in the scene of East Germany and was of course understood by dissenters of all stripes as a confirmation of their own action. Der demokratische Konsum was a group entity of weird characters performing radical noise freely and without any rehearsals, which acted with a knack for theatrics and staging performances, disguised as “people's art collective” on stage and in absurd every-day life. Besides their rare performances some of the members were for instance responsible (and made a lot of profit out of) the successful attempt to establish Soviet army clothes as a new fashion thing. Another track from the same live recording appeared on the compilation Live in Paradise (1985, Good Noise) that presented several underground groups from the GDR in the West (without the permission of the bands but anonymously in order to avoid a possibly harsh reaction by the state). Deo Buschkowski soon after played with Elektro Artist and Heiko Röder much later had an improvisational group called Tante Dille.