Keimzeit - 30 Jahre Primeln und Elefanten
KEIMZEIT. - 30 Years of Primrose and Elephants
on October 11, 2025, at the Harzer Kultur- & Kongresszentrum Wernigerode
Norbert Leisegang and his band Keimzeit have long held a firm place in the cultural calendar of the city of Wernigerode. Of course, the musicians will not miss the chance to perform in the Colorful City in another anniversary year. Since the wonderful venue "Fürstlicher Marstall" can no longer be used for events, they will be on stage at the Harzer Kultur- & Kongresszentrum Wernigerode on October 11, 2025, starting at 8:00 PM.
In the mid-90s, bands like the Talking Heads, Nirvana, or the legendary Wu-Tang Clan were all the rage. Punk and grunge ruled, the hip-hop and techno wave was gaining momentum, and experimental bands like Portishead, Faithless, or The Prodigy were venturing into new musical territories. The band Keimzeit was unconcerned by all this and surprised in 1995 with the album "Primeln & Elefanten," which, contrary to the spirit of the times, presented a sound reminiscent of the nature-instrumented music of the 70s and 80s. It just happened without any real intention. The band swam with verve and love against the powerful current of the currently trendy punk and electronic soundstorm.
"Primeln & Elefanten" – Keimzeit's fourth album – was recorded in 1994 and released on April 18, 1995. This 30-year album anniversary will be celebrated by the band with an extensive tour in 2025. Sixteen songs were recorded, fourteen of them at the Audioton Studio in Berlin, with the songs "Windstill" and "Schone nicht meine Nerven" being recorded at another studio in Lütte. The producer of the album was Michael Beckmann. "For us, working on the album was paradise," recalls Norbert Leisegang. "Everything was allowed, no one interfered with the band." Thus, every creative idea was pursued and brought to life. The band perfected their stylistic mix into a consistently harmonious reflection of affection and partnership. The lyrics are keenly observed, relatable, and playful in tone, which is further emphasized by the musical mix of blues and chanson, jazz and folk, to waltz or Latin American elements. For many fans of the band, this album remains a masterpiece to this day.
The band's style from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s has been retrospectively and rather whimsically described by frontman Norbert Leisegang as "muesli pop" or "shaped by the hippie feeling." "Primeln & Elefanten" clearly illustrates what he means by that. The songs are catchy and stick in your mind, they invite you in and are fun. Experiments with South American rhythms from the predecessor album "Bunte Scherben" continue in the title track "Primeln & Elefanten," but bluesy and rocky sounds also come to the fore. Examples include songs like "Verlorengegangen." Waltz and klezmer sounds stand out in "Schone nicht meine Nerven" and the cryptic "Die Achse." With the instrumental piece "Lisa," saxophonist Ralf Benschu contributed an instrumental piece, which is rather rare for Keimzeit.
The album is surrounded by plenty of quirky stories. Leisegang recalls: "A topic sure to have sparked heated discussions at the record label was the video shoot for the song "Windstill" with what was then probably the most expensive video company DORO. A company that nearly guaranteed playlists on VIVA and MTV. Unfortunately, at the already fixed time of the shoot, almost the entire band was on vacation, so Ralf Benschu and I ended up being the only ones present at the shoot after much back and forth. The mood at the record label was at an all-time low, and even the atmospheric video shot on the Baltic Sea beach did not manage to gain the expected playlists afterward." The band, however, took it all in stride.
It wasn't important...
This wonderful "easy-living feeling" is also to characterize the live program of the "Primeln & Elefanten" tour 2025. Songs like the thoughtful "Windstill," "Donauangler," "Näher mein Herz," "Primeln & Elefanten," "Mit dem Regen," and "Gott will" – all of them favorites among Keimzeit fans – will be celebrated in the program. Additionally, further well-known songs of the band that fit in character and style with the mentioned titles will be included. This creates a concert atmosphere that is sure to make not only die-hard Keimzeit fans click their tongues in delight.
"Primeln & Elefanten" thrives on diverse and playful songs that were indeed pioneering for the band. It contains many songs that have shaped and continue to shape the German rock and singer-songwriter scene.
Doors open: 7:00 PM
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
