Spliff

Spliff

With English-language songs on their debut album and a later switch to German lyrics, the band moved between New Wave, rock and electronic elements in the early 1980s. Emerging from Nina Hagen’s backing band, Spliff was particularly present in German-speaking countries with tracks such as “Carbonara” and “Das Blech”. The members’ projects range from solo work to productions for other acts of the Neue Deutsche Welle.

Spliff – Style & Genre Classification

In the field between Kraftwerk, Ideal and Falco, Spliff combined electronic sounds with rock instrumentation, shaping a distinctive variant of the Neue Deutsche Welle. Typical features include the use of synthesisers, striking guitar riffs and sometimes ironic lyrics. The band switched between English and German lyrics and experimented with various genre influences from funk to reggae. The style remains clearly rooted in the context of the early 1980s and is recognisable in productions by Reinhold Heil and Manfred Praeker.

Spliff on vinyl – the key releases

The selection includes various 7-inch singles that reflect the band’s musical diversity. The The Spliff Radio Show Selections/ Rock is a drug 7" Single PROMO (7'' Vinyl) points to the early radio experiments, while the Hojalata/ Das Blech 7" Single PROMO SPAIN (7'' Vinyl) is an international pressing. With the Deja vu REMIX 7" Single (7'' Vinyl) a remix version from later years is also available.

For collectors and genre enthusiasts, the current range offers various pressings from different phases of the band’s history.

• Genre: Neue Deutsche Welle, rock, electronic music
• Origin: Germany
• Active: 1980–1985
• Notable: Formed from the Nina Hagen Band, members later active in various productions and bands