There is nothing more glamorous for an artist than becoming a legend in a very specific club. The Ramones at CBGB, Grace Jones at Studio 54: when the name, the rise of a star, is inextricably linked to a nightlife institution, it feels extra-authentic. As if he had honestly earned his reputation in a small secret circle of freaks and rebels before swarming out into the wide world.
The German musician Robin Leutner, who – very understated – simply calls himself DJ Robin, is such a case. Three years ago, it was still the “city prince” of Stuttgart, but soon the (quasi) international fame started. Even before he landed a chart hit with his song about the prostitute “Layla”, together with the pop singer Schürze, he got a permanent contract at the Bierkönig – and you don’t have to pretend that you don’t know what kind of place it is . Mallorca, Schinkenstraße, Ballermann 6. Drinking tourism hell, disco and giant football screen since 1988. Refuge for amusement greats with such splendid names as Peter Wackel and Tim Toupet.
beer and fuck
DJ Robin now writes himself in the history of this mythical place. The hit “Layla” shows his diverse influences: He eavesdropped on the singing style of the Sportfreunde Stiller, a makeshift calling disguised as singing, consistently on one pitch; From the pool of Malle topoi he unerringly chose the central ones: beer and fuck. The fact that a song about Robin’s favorite puff reached number 3 in the German single charts is not something we will describe as the last rebellion of old masculinity just because it would fit quite well.
No, this macho schlager song is particularly crazy, even by macho schlager standards. The most fascinating thing about “Layla” is that people actually buy this record, meaning they also want to listen to it, when they’re not vomiting their own beer helmet. Like the other day with the guys on Schinkenstrasse. This is how the magic of the secret circle works.
This column first appeared in the Musikexpress issue 08/2022. In the meantime, “Layla” made more headlines because the song is to be banned at various folk festivals.