till Lindemann
Photo: Getty Images, Gie Knaeps. All rights reserved.
Rammstein singer Till Lindemann has once again caused a stir with his new solo single. The 60-year-old, who is controversial because of allegations of abuse, does what he does best in the music video for “Zunge”: provoke with disturbing images. We explain why the clip deserves its disclaimer at the beginning.
Till Lindemann: Self-harm and dangerous play with real tigers
The tongue video begins with a warning as we admire the inside of Lindemann’s mouth and throat through an endoscope camera. It says: “The following video contains explicit content that may be disturbing to some viewers. All stunts and tricks were recorded and performed by professionals. Please do not imitate these at home. No computer or other special effects were used in the production of this material.”
If this is indeed true, the following recordings are not for the faint of heart. In the very next shot you can see in detail and close-ups how Lindemann has his mouth sewn shut. The blood flows in streams from the singer’s lips, and his face is also smeared red from top to bottom.
What follows can only be described as a suicidal action: Lindemann lets two real tigers lick his face. The recordings were made in a circus in Moscow in 2019, well before the allegations. Although the Leipzig native, according to circus director Edgard Zapashny, followed the instructions exactly, there was a certain residual risk that Lindemann consciously accepted. Wild animals, especially predators, can attack without warning, even in a controlled environment. How severe the consequences of this can be was already seen in 2003 with the tiger attack on the deceased magician Roy Horn.
Finally, Lindemann literally gives an insight into his inner self. He inserts an endoscope camera through his mouth again, which transmits images from his esophagus to a monitor next to him. In this drastic way, Till Lindemann is guaranteed to ensure that his name remains in the headlines.