Nitzer Ebb - WikiHQ

Nitzer Ebb () are an English EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Vaughan "Bon" Harris (vocals, programming, synthesizers, drums), Douglas McCarthy (guitars, vocals), and David Gooday (drums). The band was originally named La Comédie De La Mort but soon discarded that and chose the name Nitzer Ebb by cutting up words and letters and arranging them randomly to create something Germanic without using actual German words.

History

Initial releases (1983–1987)

The group released their demo Basic Pain Procedure in 1983, but it was two years until they met PWL producer Phil Harding, who produced their 1985 debut single "Isn't It Funny How Your Body Works?" and helped them set up their own label, Power Of Voice Communications. The band at the time was inspired by the post-punk scene and specifically acts like "Siouxsie and the Banshees, Killing Joke and Bauhaus who were having a big influence on us, in some ways stylistically but also in the energy that they gave".

They released three more singles on their own label, "Warsaw Ghetto" (1985), "Warsaw Ghetto Remixes" (1986) and "Let Your Body Learn" (1986), before signing to Mute Records in 1986. The singles "Murderous" (1986) and "Let Your Body Learn" (1987) followed, building their reputation in the Industrial Rock and EBM scenes, as well as making inroads into the developing Chicago House scene.

"Join In The Chant" (1987) became part of the Balearic beat scene that influenced the UK acid house scene.

International success, disbandment (1987–1995)

Their debut album That Total Age was released in 1987. Depeche Mode invited them to open for the European leg of their successful Music for the Masses Tour in 1987. David Gooday left after the tour and they completed their next album Belief (1989) as a duo. Mark 'Flood' Ellis became their new producer. They recruited Julian Beeston to assist them on their own world tour, and he soon became a regular contributor both on and off stage.

The third Nitzer Ebb album Showtime, released in 1990, revealed a less confrontational sound. The single "Fun to Be Had" (1990) featured a remix by George Clinton and was a hit on the US dance charts.

Their fourth album, Ebbhead (1991), showcased a more traditional songwriting style with an emphasis on melodic choruses was produced by Alan Wilder from Depeche Mode and Flood. They promoted the album with a global tour that took them from the southern U.S. to northern Siberia (in the Siberian city of Barnaul). This track, along with "Payroll", were debuted live as Nitzer Ebb played a handful of shows and festivals during 2007. These tracks were then featured on Nitzer Ebb's album, Industrial Complex.

McCarthy and Harris reunited up with Jason Payne and producer Flood to finish up the first new Nitzer Ebb record in over a decade. In the meantime, Fixmer/McCarthy released its second album in June 2008, Into the Night.

The band announced a US tour for fall–winter 2009 and were selected as the opening act of the January and February European and Russian dates of Depeche Mode's Tour of the Universe in 2010.

In 2019, the band announced a North American tour that included the original band members David Gooday and Simon Granger. In 2021, the band continued more tour dates including in Europe.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris and McCarthy got together to work on a side project called D-R-A-G. In November 2021, McCarthy collapsed before a show in Palm Beach, Florida, and had to go to the hospital. The band emphasized it was due to complications from a pre-existing illness and it had nothing to do with COVID-19. The band went on to perform with Harris on lead vocals.

In March 2024, McCarthy announced he was forced to withdraw from Nitzer Ebb's foreseeable shows due to health concerns, regarding his diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver. He stated: "I won't be performing any live shows as Nitzer Ebb, Fixmer/McCarthy or any other vehicle, until I can do so safely and stress-free for myself and the amazing people I have around me who continue to stand by my side in full support of getting me better." Nitzer Ebb has continued to tour with Harris taking over fully on vocals, for the foreseeable future. On 11 June 2025 the band announced that McCarthy had died.

Band members

Members

Bon Harris – vocals, keyboards, programming, drums, bass (1982–present)
David Gooday – vocals, drums (1982–1987, 2019–2025), keyboards 2025–present)
Simon Granger – writing, arrangement and artwork (1983–1995, 2019–present)
Jason Payne – drums (1992–1995, 2007–2019 2025–present)

Former members

Douglas McCarthy – vocals, guitars (1982–2025; his death; not touring during 2024–2025)
Duc Nhan Nguyen – drums (1987–1988)
Julian Beeston – drums (1989–1992)

Touring members

David Lovering – drums (1994–1995)
John Napier – guitars, percussion (1995)
Kourtney Klein – drums (2006–2007)
Rona Rougeheart – percussion (2024)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" style="width:30px;"|Year

! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;"|Album details

! colspan="3"|Chart peak positions

! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"|Certifications (sales thresholds)

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|UK

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|US

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|SWE

| 1987

|That Total Age

Released: 11 May 1987
Labels: Mute, Geffen
Formats: CD, LP, CS, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 1989

|Belief

Released: 9 January 1989
Labels: Mute, Geffen
Formats: CD, LP, CS, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 30

|align="left"|

| 1990

|Showtime

Released: 28 September 1990
Labels: Mute, Geffen
Formats: CD, LP, CS, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 1991

|Ebbhead

Released: 30 September 1991
Labels: Mute, Geffen
Formats: CD, LP, CS, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 146

| style="text-align:center;"| 42

|align="left"|

| 1995

|Big Hit

Released: 27 March 1995
Labels: Mute, Geffen
Formats: CD, LP, CS, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| 126

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 2010

|Industrial Complex

Released: 22 January 2010
Labels: Major Records, Alfa Matrix
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 35

|align="left"|

| colspan="15" style="text-align:center; font-size:8pt;"| "—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory.

EPs and demo

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" style="width:30px;"|Year

! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;"|Album details

! colspan="3"|Chart peak positions

! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"|Certifications (sales thresholds)

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|UK

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|US

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|SWE

| 1983

|Basic Pain Procedure (Demo)

Released: 1983
Labels: Self-released
Formats: CS

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 1989

|The Machineries of Joy (EP)

Released: 26 June 1989
Labels: Mute, Geffen, BCM Records
Formats: CD, LP

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 1991

|As Is (EP)

Released: 10 June 1991
Labels: Mute, Geffen
Formats: CD, LP, CS, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 2011

|Join in the Rhythm of Machines (EP)

Released: 20 April 2011
Labels: Major Records
Formats: CD

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| colspan="15" style="text-align:center; font-size:8pt;"| "—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory.

Compilations

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" style="width:30px;"|Year

! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;"|Album details

! colspan="3"|Chart peak positions

! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"|Certifications (sales thresholds)

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|UK

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|US

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|SWE

| 1988

|So Bright So Strong

Released: 1988
Labels: Upfront, TELDEC
Formats: CD, LP

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 2006

|Body of Work

Released: 26 June 2006
Labels: Mute
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 2006

|Body Rework

Released: 31 July 2006
Labels: Mute Records Limited, Novamute
Formats: CD, 2xLP, digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| 2010

|In Order

Released: 22 January 2010
Labels: Mute
Formats: digital download

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

| colspan="15" style="text-align:center; font-size:8pt;"| "—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory.

Soundtracks

Saw IV "Payroll (John O Mix)" (2007)
Grand Theft Auto IV "Let Your Body Learn" (2008)
NCIS "Promises" (2009)
Saw VI "Never Known" (2009)
Saw VII "Promises" (2010)
Castle "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2010)
Tony Hawk: Ride (video game) "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2010)
The Following "Murderous" (2013)

Singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| UK

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US Dance

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US Alt.

! scope="row"| "Isn't It Funny How Your Body Works"

| rowspan="3"| 1985

| — || — || —

| rowspan="4"

! scope="row"| "Warsaw Ghetto"

| — || — || —

! scope="row"| "So Bright, So Strong"

| — || — || —

! scope="row"| "Get Clean"

| rowspan="2"| 1986

| — || — || —

! scope="row"| "Murderous"

| — || — || —

| rowspan="3"| That Total Age

! scope="row"| "Let Your Body Learn"

| rowspan="2"| 1987

| — || — || —

! scope="row"| "Join in the Chant"

| — || 9 || —

! scope="row"| "Control I'm Here"

| 1988

| 100 || 14 || 25

| rowspan="3"| Belief

! scope="row"| "Hearts and Minds"

| rowspan="3"| 1989

| — || 16 || —

! scope="row"| "Shame"

| — || — || —

! scope="row"| "The Machineries of Joy"

| — || 25 || —

! scope="row"| "Lightning Man"

| rowspan="3"| 1990

| 97 || 14 || 28

| rowspan="3"| Showtime

! scope="row"| "Fun to Be Had"

| 99 || 5 || —

! scope="row"| "Getting Closer"

| — || — || —

! scope="row"| "I Give to You"

| rowspan="2"| 1991

| — || — || 27

| rowspan="3"| Ebbhead

! scope="row"| "Godhead"

| 56 || — || —

! scope="row"| "Ascend"

| 1992

| 52 || — || —

! scope="row"| "Kick It"

| rowspan="2"| 1995

| 75 || — || —

| rowspan="2"| Big Hit

! scope="row"| "I Thought"

| — || — || —

| colspan="6" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

B-sides and non-album tracks

{| class="wikitable"

! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left; width:150px;"|Song

! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|A-side

! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:40px;"|Year