Ton Steine Scherben in Hamburg

Ton Steine Scherben are a German rock band formed in West Berlin in 1970, led during their original run by singer and songwriter Rio Reiser. Their politically direct rock and proto-punk became closely associated with the West German left and squatter movement. Their best-known work includes the albums Warum geht es mir so dreckig? and Keine Macht für Niemand, and the songs “Macht kaputt, was euch kaputt macht,” “Rauch-Haus-Song” and “Halt dich an deiner Liebe fest.” The band gave its first concert at the Love and Peace Festival on Fehmarn in 1970. After a 1971 performance at TU Berlin, members of the audience occupied a vacant building that became the Georg-von-Rauch-Haus, an event later addressed in “Rauch-Haus-Song.” Ton Steine Scherben ended their first period of activity after a final tour in 1985, and former members returned to the stage under the band’s name in 2014 to perform the repertoire associated with Rio Reiser.