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It is the third “river book” by Rammstein singer Till Lindemann and extreme athlete Joey Kelly, who likes to run ultra marathons. After international mega-waters such as the Amazon and the former gold rush legend of the Yukon, the two of them are now traveling back home.
With “The Rhine. Deep waters are not still” they have continued their photo and text work between Schaffhausen and the Dutch foothills Waal, Lok and IJssel. Passing the castles of the Middle Rhine, the waterway, which was largely used for industrial purposes, was charged with myths. Of course, the Rheingold and the Loreley should not be missing.
All in all, a coffee table affair for around 100 euros (depending on the equipment), which was to be celebrated on Monday (October 20th) at the Astra music club from the RAW premises in Friedrichshain.
Safety concerns! Book signing had to be postponed
But as already reported, there were various safety concerns on the part of the organizers due to the ongoing aversion towards Till Lindemann. Its management announced that hostility, attempts at intimidation, threats and calls for a boycott had increased in the days before the book launch. A climate, it was said, that would no longer ensure safe implementation at the original location.
After a phase of irritation for fans and media, the new meeting point was set “in the immediate vicinity” of the Rammstein store on the grounds of Pankow Park in the Wilhelmsruh district. However, the originally communicated address on a hall site left room for interpretation. Secretiveness that caused confusion among fans. But it also made things exciting. A city rally for Till and Joey.
Despite the change of location, essential regulations remained in place: only the illustrated book in question was signed. Either brought with you or purchased on site by card payment; only one copy per person. Selfies with the two protagonists were taboo. Larger bags had to be handed in beforehand. The organizers emphasized that they wanted to act “to protect the fans, the team and all employees” and thanked those who approached the matter with “calm and respect”.
Local media such as the “Tagesspiegel” and the “Berliner Zeitung” observed the development with a mixture of mockery and duty as a chronicler. The decision to initially conceal the exact location was probably rooted in “fear” of potential disruptions or feminist protests (keyword: Row Zero).
Curious mix
As usual, the allegations against Till Lindemann were addressed, such as his behavior at certain backstage events. But it was also pointed out that no criminal proceedings were carried out in the wake of the massive allegations, which he had always denied.
For fans, the book signing “event” must have been a strange mix of literary celebrity-watching and politically charged event.
Despite the scavenger hunt into the outskirts, the core of the matter remained: personal access to artists, which doesn’t happen very often in this form. Observers of the event reported that 97 percent of the fans lined up for Lindemann. Women present observed Till Lindemann swinging his fountain pen and confirmed that he looked “fit and vital”.