En Esch

En Esch
En Esch, 2005
Background information
Birth name	Nicklaus Schandelmaier
Also known as	Klaus Schandelmaier, Nick
Born	(1968-03-23)23 March 1968
Genres	Industrial rock,electro-industrial,industrial music
Occupation	Musician
Instrument(s)	Vocals, percussion, guitar, programming

Nicklaus Schandelmaier,(born 23 March 1968) is a German musician, better known by his stage nameEn Esch,and has been a member of the bandsKMFDM,Pigface,Slick Idiot,and<PIG>.

History

En Esch, born near Frankfurt, is an orchestra percussionist,drummer,programmer,producer, sound mixer, guitarist and singer. He was a member of the Germanindustrial rockgroup,KMFDM,from 1985 to 1999, during which time he contributed to ten studio albums and more than a dozen singles as musician, composer and producer.

Sascha Konietzkoclaims to have given Esch his nickname because the latter felt that his real name was inappropriate for the stage. It is derived from the German pronunciation of his initials (N. Sch.). Esch lived in Germany until 1992, when he moved toChicagoto join Konietzko, who had moved there a year earlier.

It was at this time that Esch first worked withPigface,whom he also toured with in the early 1990s. This would be the first time Esch "left" KMFDM and Sascha would proclaimMoneyas their last album together. After moving to New Orleans he released a solo album,Cheesy,in 1993. While Konietzko eventually relocated to Seattle, WA, Esch would adhere to his nomadic ways and eventually wind up in NYC in the mid to late 90's. Esch would also "leave the band" in 1996 resulting in minimal output into the albumXtort,although Sascha did not proclaim the band "done" this time, not until 1999's poignantly titledAdios.Esch would not return when KMFDM "reformed" in 2002 and has not appeared on any albums post-Adios.

WhenKMFDMbroke up in 1999, Esch briefly worked with the band Pizza Whore, which changed its name to Barely Legal, and included Trixie Reiss ofThe Crystal Method.The band did not last, and Esch began traveling to Canada to visitGünter Schulz,the former KMFDM guitarist. They formedSlick Idiot,and released their first album in 2001. They have released two more albums under that moniker since then.

Esch has since begun working actively withPigfaceagain, joining them on tour in 2005.

Esch was rumored to be the replacement lead singer of industrial groupRammstein,but this turned out to be a hoax.

In 2007, he began collaborating with fellow German musicianMona Mur.The two released the album120 Tagein February 2009, and toured together in support of the release over the next two years. Esch and Mur joined Schulz,Raymond Watts,andMark Duranteto perform at the Wax Trax! Retrospectacle in Chicago, a charity event celebrating the industrial music label, and performed KMFDM songs from the 1990s.A second album by the duo of Esch and Mur was released in 2011.

A second solo album,Spänk,was successfully crowdfunded and released in late 2014. His third solo album,Trash Chic,was originally scheduled for release on 31 May 2016, but was postponed to 1 July.Esch would hit the road in support ofTrash Chic,opening for, and playing guitar, in <PIG>'s live band, alongside former Slick Idiot guitarist Guenter Shulz.

Personal life

Esch is avegetarianand ananimal rightsactivist.He currently resides inBerlin.

Partial discography

Solo

• Cheesy(1993)
• Confidence(single) (1993)
• Spänk(2014)
• Trash Chic(2016)
• Et Nos Unum Sumus(2023)

Slick Idiot

• DickNity(2001)
• ReDickUlous(2003)
• Screwtinized(2004)
• Xscrewciating(2006)
• Sucksess(2009)

with Jost Band

• W.A.S.A.(We Are Still Alive) (1980)

with Pigface

• Gub(1990)
• Welcome to Mexico... Asshole(1991)
• Fook(1992)
• Washingmachine Mouth(1992)
• Truth Will Out(1993)
• Easy Listening...(2003)
• 6(2009)

with Mona Mur

• 120 Tage - The Fine Art of Beauty and Violence(2009)
• Do With Me What You Want(2011)

with FM Einheit and Mona Mur

• Terre Haute(2013)

with Pig

• The Gospel(2016)
• Risen(2018)
• Pain Is God(2020)

External links

• Slick Idiot Official Site