2011/08/29 - Curated by Felix Kubin

With the foundation of his label ZickZack in 1979, Alfred Hilsberg rapidly became a key figure in the booming German independent music scene, and even came to be known as the 'Punkpapst' (punk pope). ZickZack released records by groundbreaking bands such as Die Toedliche Doris, Einstürzende Neubauten and Palais Schaumburg who would become 'triggers' for the new movement – just before it was commercialised by the mainstream industry.

In his first English radio interview ever, Hilsberg talks about the dawn of the Neue Deutsche Welle (German New Wave), a term that he had introduced to readers of the influential music magazine 'Sounds'. His column 'Neuestes Deutschland' was met by such an enthusiastic response that he was eventually 'attacked by 20, 30, 40 cassettes per day coming in from all areas of Germany'.