EBM - EMP - D.A.F.

Gabi Delgado & Robert Görl of D.A.F.

This is a post about EBM, EMP.

Ofcourse we have D.A.F. as the perfect preview, liveconcert from EXIT Festival back in 2012 

EBM stands for Electronic Body Music and describes a style of music that is very rhythmic and danceable and aims to get the body moving. 

It is rumored that D.A.F. (Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft) made music that characterizes this genre: hard, fast beats, underpinned by a synth mat and fueled by aggressive-sounding spoken vocals. 

The limitation to the body - with posture and muscle power - is also reflected in the visual appearance of the bands and fans. They look like soldiers and often even wear uniforms. However, they rarely have anything to do with the military. 

In the early 90s, the EBM scene dissolved into the emerging techno and rave scene. However, some bands survived the black scene and still provide fans with fresh music today. 

Typical clothes: 

Although the EBM fans looks military, he is usually not. He wears cargo pants in a patched camouflage look, heavy combat boots and covers his torso with shirts or just tank tops. 

To protect himself from the cold, he wears the classic bomber jackets that found their way into the subculture back in the 80s. Those who want to keep it simple just wears a uniform. 

The appearance of the female EBM fans is similar to the male, but appears more feminine. 

The most feminine clothing variant is a uniform with a tight, long skirt and a "little ship" as a headdress. 

Typical makeup:  

The male EBM fan shines through the complete lack of makeup. Only the ladies wear discreet make-up and lipstick with their uniforms. 

The classical role models are also visually clear in EBM. 

Typical hairstyle:  

As a male EBM fan, men wears the flattop, the typical military-length bikini hairstyle that reminds a bit of the young Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode). If you encounter a perfectionist EBM fan, you can check the function of a ruler on his tray. 

Female EBM fans wear their hair short, or in braids, so it doesn't flutter around uncontrollably during the offering dance. 

Typical music:  

D.A.F. set an important milestone on the road to EBM with their music and influenced the later style of many bands. The track "Verschwende Deine Jugend", for example, shows all the characteristics of a typical EBM song. 

With elements of industrial, such as Throbbing Gristle's music, a typical EBM sound emerged, which for example Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 played. Later came Bigod 20, Pouppée Fabrikk and Vomito Nergro, while Spetsnaz, for example, only appeared just before the end of the EBM festival. 

Most of the former EBM bands did not disappear, but switched to more popular techno labels. Despite this, there is still new EBM music on the scene, or the old heroes are being celebrated on the scene. D.A.F. was active between 1978-2021 - Gabi Delgado past away in 2020

Robert Görl released one last album as D.A.F, "Nur Noch Einer" in 2021, based on old D.A.F tapes but with new lyrics by Robert Görl

The D.A.F. legacy still lives on and many bands outhere have them as big inspirations

The D.A.F. track "Alle Gegen Alle" was remade by Laibach in 1994, "Der Mussolini" was remade by Atrocity in 1997 and later with KMFDM in 2006, just to mention some of the musical legacy

DJ Thessla of Muzik Mag Sweden & Electric Cafe