Mania D.

At one point in 1979, Karin Luner, Eva Goessling, Beate Bartel, Gudrun Gut and Bettina Koster happened upon each other in West-Berlin and decided to perform at Karin Luner’s Exhibition, Wuppertal-Total, on September 29th, 1979. Karin shot a Super-8 fashion Film, but unfortunately, it has been lost at sea.

Mania D.: rapidly evolved from this formation which originally had been intended as individual players. Karin was headed to New York and she organised a performance at the Tier 3, where Mania D., consisting of Beate, Karin and Bettina, was completed by Anna Domino and Lisa Rosen. Beate and Eva performed as Mania D. at Arleen Schloss’ performance space on Broome off Bowery. Back in Berlin in 1980, Mania D. had Beate, Bettina and Gudrun in the band. Through 1980, there were many gigs in Germany, amongst them they supported DAF, Siouxsie And The Banshees and The Human League.

The first and only Single, Mania D., was recorded in London and mixed at Christopher Franke’s Spandau studio, was released on Monogam Records. Track Four, the A-Side went on to become Single of the Year at John Peele’s radio show and he crowned them his Queens of Noise. They self-released a Cassette Tape, Duesseldorf & so. In December 1980 their ways parted; Bettina and Gudrun started Malaria and Beate went on to become Liaisons Dangereuses.

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