Interview: Anja Huwe, X-mal Deutschland

Great news for punk music lovers: Anja Huwe is back this year with a new album and exciting projects. The iconic frontwoman of the legendary X-mal Deutschland, who is also a renowned visual artist and former TV personality, graciously agreed to an interview with us, which was a true pleasure.

Foto Ilse Ruppert

Originally, she studied at an art school, then she dove into the waters of Hamburg’s punk scene. Although her band X-mal Deutschland has not existed for decades, it remains inspirational and admired to this day.

After the band broke up, Anja Huwe was involved in the founding of the famous German station Viva TV. At that time, the wave of electronic music was starting in Europe, and Anja Huwe presented its creators in the shows Housefrau and Trance, which she also produced and edited.

After Viva TV ended, she returned to visual arts and became a recognized artist exhibiting worldwide. During the COVID period, she unexpectedly recorded a new solo album, which was released by the cult American label Sacred Bones, along with reissues of old X-mal Deutschland tracks. The circle is complete. Anja Huwe is somewhat taken aback by the success and interest in her, but she is happy to be drawn into new creative projects.

Mona Mur a Anja Huwe, foto Jan Riephoff

I’d love to start by talking about your latest record and then delve into some of your earlier work. First, how did you actually get to release the album on Sacred Bones? How was the process with the label?

Well, Caleb, who runs the label, seems to be a big fan of mine. He tried to get in touch with me via someone else, Alex Baker, who runs an online post-punk magazine.

Yeah, I know it. I read it quite often (we even had an interview).

He used to live in Berlin for a while, and I met him ages ago in New York. So, Caleb convinced him to try to get in touch with me. I didn’t know the label at all, but during or after COVID, Caleb got in touch, and I said, „Oh, the week after COVID, I’m in New York, so maybe we can chat.“ But I didn’t find the time then. Eventually, when I was there, we got in touch, and I told him that I was recording a new album. We met, had a few drinks, and I found him to be a really nice guy, very art-interested and straightforward, which I appreciated. So, we decided to work together, and though it took a long time, it really worked out well for everyone.

It sounds like you found a good match with Sacred Bones. It must have been exciting to join a label that everyone seems to know.

Yes, it was fantastic. When I told people I was with a label based in Brooklyn, everyone knew them, which was great. Their office reminded me of the early days of 4AD—small, just a few people, but very enthusiastic.

That sounds like a great atmosphere to work in. How long did it take to record this latest album?

We started the project around the time COVID began, in 2021. Initially, it was just one track, but the idea developed into something more as we went along. I live in Hamburg, and my collaborator lives in Berlin, so with the lockdowns, it was challenging to meet, but we made it work. We recorded every two weeks, and eventually, everything came together.

The themes of the songs are quite intense, with references to forests and darkness. Do you spend a lot of time in nature?

I do. I live close to the seaside, so I spend a lot of time outside. I also love cities, but nature has become more important to me as I’ve gotten older. I appreciate the silence and the presence of animals—it’s very soothing.

foto Katja Ruge

It’s interesting how our connection to nature can evolve over time. When you were younger, were you more drawn to the city life?

Definitely. When I was 16 or 17, I wanted to be in the city, and I moved to Hamburg’s red-light district as soon as I could. It was all new and exciting for me. But even then, I needed to step out occasionally, spending time in places like London or New York.

Hamburg has likely changed a lot since the 80s. How do you view it now?

It has changed a lot. It’s a rich city, so it has a different edge compared to Berlin, which is more of a hub for artists. Hamburg is my base, but I spend a lot of time outside of the city, traveling and exploring.

Speaking of traveling, do you still enjoy being on the road as much as you used to?

I do, though not as much as before. I like spending time in different cities and meeting people, though the actual travel part can be exhausting. I find it fascinating to observe how people live and think in different places, especially in a melting pot like New York.

How is your painting career going? Are you working on anything new?

Visual art is still very important to me. It allows me to relax and experiment. I mostly work with acrylics because they dry faster, and I’ve been creating large canvases, sometimes 3 meters by 3 meters. I enjoy working with colors and letters, integrating different languages and symbols into my art.

That sounds fascinating. Do people often connect with the stories behind your paintings?

Yes, the concept often involves a combination of music and color. I use ideas from different philosophies, like Zoroastrianism, to express themes like hope and peace. People seem to resonate with these ideas, even if they don’t know the full story behind them.

I also wanted to ask you about your time on Viva TV. It was quite significant for us in the Czech Republic as well. How do you remember those days?

It was an interesting time. I had stopped making music and wasn’t sure what to do next. A friend suggested I join her in creating a show for a new TV company called Viva. I found the process of presenting music and doing interviews fascinating, and I really loved it. I did that for several years until the workload became too much, and I had to step back.

foto Ilse Ruppert

It must be funny to meet people who recognize you from both your music and TV career.

Yes, it is. People often don’t realize my background in music until much later, and it surprises them. It’s interesting to see how my work has influenced different generations and communities, even now with the new record.

What do you have planned for the coming weeks? Any travel, exhibitions, or music tours?

There are things happening, though I can’t talk about all of them yet. We’re planning some releases and remixes, and I was invited to do an exhibition in New York, but I’m focusing on other projects at the moment.

https://anjahuwe.com/

https://xmaldeutschland.bandcamp.com/album/codes

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