Produziert von Reinhold Heil
Bonus (New Edition)
01. At the movies 02:58
02. Just a dream (Mega Dream Mix) 06:41
03. 99 red balloons (Club Mix) 04:41
04. It’s all in the game (12 Inch Remix) 06:32
When it was time for NENAs album no. three, everyone in the band wanted to do it again in a concept of “creative holidays” by writing songs, arranging, re-working and publishing them, just like the way they had worked on their last album “?”. This time round, though, things worked out differently- which only goes to show that there is no planning creativivity………
It all began with Uwe’s faible for France. Where, he thought, might the barometer be set fair for weather and inspiration in answer – The South of France. A house was soon located near Nice to take the whole team and it’s equipment in January; but the visions of olive groves and palm treet which enhanced everybody’s Christmas proved to be a mirage. When the band arrived, they opened the door onto a damp hovel whose most interesting features rage of bugs. It was here, at around 2.30 am on the first night, that NENA wrote her contribution to the LP – “Du kennst die Liebe nicht”, in a few hours on Carlo’s guitar. Her comment: ” I work best under pressure!”.
But there was no atmosphere. The creepies crawled over the floor, the spiders scuttled over the mixers – until finally NENA (“I love animals really!”) could stand no more, and the band jetted back home.
There, safe inside the cosy, egg-box clad walls of the Spliff Studios in Moabit, they listened to Uwe’s polished demos, Jürgen’s playful computer tracks and Carlo’s collected lyrics. Slowly the LP began to take shape.
Extra power touched down in the form of Lisa Dalbello, the avant-garde Canadian rock singer, who flew in specially to translate the NENA lyrics. Her sensitive English versions of their ideas delighted the band and open up a lot of new doors outside of Germany; she also contributed some of the most interesting choral passages on the record.
Along with Spliffer Reinhold Heil in the dual role of producer and sound engineer, the NENAs flew to Ibiza next, to work on the vocal parts. For NENA herself it was the chance to pull out everything she had learnt in the way of voice training, breathing technique and sheer physical power. In just ten days and nights of intense concentration, they had most of the songs on tape.
Then it was off to London, where the first mixing was done in the legendary Sarm Studios. Here, during night-time sessions, crack American saxophonist David Sanborn laid down his beautiful sax parts. When the studio time was up they returned to Berlin to do the final mixing in the Spliff and Audio Studios there. And finally – almost suddenly – there it was – “Feuer und Flamme”, the new NENA LP in English, German and CD versions!!
The album is the most ambitious work ever recorded by a German pop group – stunningly fresh, musically mature and technically dazzling.
And now it’s finished, how are the five NENAs spending the summer? You’ve guessed it – hard at work rehearsing a new stage show, with four guest musicians and a giant programme, for the big NENA TOUR, due to set light to Europe and Japan this autumn.
“Feuer und Flamme” – hot stuff indeed!
Recorded by Reinhold Heil at Spliff-Studio,Berlin • Mediterrano-Studio, Ibiza • Heil’s Tonstudio, Berlin • Nick Ryan, Assisted by Heff Moraes at Sarm-West-Studio, London • Strings of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin • Recorded by Heiko Rüsse at Institut für Musikforschung, Berlin • Digitally Mixed by Stuart Bruce and Reinhold Heil at Audio-Studio, Berlin • Digital Editing by Siegbert Ernst at Sim-Studio, Berlin • Mastered by Joop NiggebruggeProduziert von Reinhold Heil
Utopia: Arrangements – Rolf Brendel, Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petesen, Reinhold Heil • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – Gale Robinson • Saxophone – David Sanborn • Percussion – Frank Ricotti • Brass Arrangements – Reinhold Heil
It’s all in the game: Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA • Percussion – Frank Ricotti • Strings – Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin • Strings Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen
Young as you: Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA, Lisa Dalbello, Ramesh B. Weeratunga, Ron Randolph
Are you awake: Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Synthesizer Bass – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Acoustic Guitars – Carlo Karges • Drums-Percussion – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA
Woman on fire: Arrangements – Carlo Karges • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA, Lisa Dalbello
Warning signs: Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Additional Guitars – Jürgen Dehmel • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA • Additional Vocals – Lisa Dalbello, Gale Robinson • Percussion – Frank Ricotti • Strings – Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin • String Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, Reinhold Heil
Let’s humanize: Arrangements – Jürgen Dehmel, Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums-Percussion – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA, Gale Robinson, Cosa Rosa, Ramesh B. Weeratunga, Ron Randolph • Percussion – Frank Ricotti
Anyplace Anywhere Anytime: Arrangements – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA
You don’t know what love is: Arrangements – NENA • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Guitars – Carlo Karges • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Rolf Brendel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA • Saxophone – David Sanborn
Auf Wiedersehn: Arrangements – Jürgen Dehmel • Keyboards – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Synthesizer Bass – Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen • Bass – Jürgen Dehmel • The Stick – Jürgen Dehmel • Drums – Jürgen Dehmel • Lead Vocals – NENA • Backing Vocals – NENA • Strings – Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin • String Arrangements – Reinhold Heil
