About

“Blast. Distorted Memories”, recently published in Polish by Gusstaff Records, is the autobiography of Alexander Hacke – a unique artist, musician of Einstürzende Neubauten, and an icon of the German independent music scene. The book traces his path from the Berlin underground to international success.

Although Alexander Hacke was fascinated by classical music as a child (Ludwig van Beethoven), he dropped out of school as a teenager to become part of Berlin’s underground scene, dominated by punks, squatters, and other freaks. After his first projects under the pseudonym Alexander von Borsig, he joined the newly formed band Einstürzende Neubauten in 1980, which quickly became an icon of the German independent scene and one of the most important industrial bands in the world.

In the book “Blast. Distorted Memories” (original title: “Krach. Verzerrte Erinnerungen”), Alexander Hacke writes not only about the band, but also about his private life (including his relationship with Christiane F. – author of the cult book “We Children from Bahnhof Zoo”), dozens of side projects and other bands he played with (such as Jever Mountain Boys, Crime & The City Solution, Baba Zula), his collaboration with Italian pop superstar Gianna Nannini, film music, the Turkish music scene he presented as a narrator in the film “Crossing the Bridge” (“Music is Life”), and of course about the love of his life, Danielle de Picciotto, and their joint duo hackedepicciotto. Hundreds of anecdotes and stories from concert tours—sometimes funny, sometimes like scenes from a thriller—concern not only himself but also a vast number of artists from around the world with whom Hacke has collaborated.

The book will undoubtedly appeal both to fans of Einstürzende Neubauten and to anyone fascinated by the music scene from the 1980s to the present day.

Participants: Alexander Hacke (author) and Janusz Mucha (translator, publisher). The conversation will be hosted by Jarek Szubrycht (music journalist).

Jarek Szubrycht (born 1974) – graduate of Polish philology at the Jagiellonian University. Journalist for “Gazeta Wyborcza”. Founder of the magazine “Gazeta Magnetofonowa”, collaborator of Antyradio. He has also published in “Polityka”, “Przekrój”, both incarnations of “Machina”, and “Film”. He has run the T-Mobile Music and Red Bull Music portals, as well as his own radio show on Off Radio Kraków. Author of music-related books, including the metal-focused “Skóra i ćwieki na wieki”, biographies of Andrzej Zaucha, Slayer and Vader, and a conversational biography of Maryla Rodowicz. A retired metal vocalist associated with the band Lux Occulta, and a lyricist for bands such as Decapitated.

Details

When: July 4, 2026, 16.00-17.15
Where: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Grodzka 5a – auditorium 2nd floor
Admission free

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