Mona Mur is a Hamburg-born vocalist, composer and sound designer whose uncompromising musical style was shaped by her wild life in Hamburg, Paris, and Berlin in the 1980s. Her concerts during that time featured a violently orchestral sound and intense performances that established her cult status. In the 1990s and 2000s, she had success with albums including "Warsaw" and soundtracks for films like "Head On." She also had a career in martial arts, achieving third degree black belt status. Currently, she composes music for video games and collaborates with En Esch.
1. BIO MONA MUR
Hamburg-born vocalist, composer and sound designer MONA MUR first graced the music scene in the '82 punk
explosion. She hooked up with FM Einheit, Marc Chung and Alexander Hacke (“Einstürzende Neubauten”), straight
away conquering London NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS's Single of the Week slot with the 12" "Jeszcze Polska".
At the time Mur lived a wild life in Hamburg, Paris and Berlin which shaped her uncompromising musical style with
its harsh personal edge. Featuring a violently orchestral sound of darkest shades, her 80s concerts in manic
intensity and morbid slowbeat-chic were were foundation stones for her cult image until today. 1989 sees the
release of her first full Album “Mona Mur” procuced by JJ Brunel and Dave Greenfield (“The Stranglers”) for RCA.
In 1990 Mona Mur and her producer, Yello's Dieter Meier, hired the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and Polish rockstar/ producer
Grzegorz Ciechowski for the Album WARSAW. The concept album was unreleased at the time, but four of the songs were later
covered by polish singer Katarzyna Groniec. Her album “Mesczysny” (SONY Poland 2000) entered the national charts, the Mona
Mur song “Paintings” became a hit single selling more than 70 000 copies.
During the 90s until today, Mona Mur has also a successful carreer as martial artist, achieving the 3rd DAN Taekwondo.
She entered the German National Team for two years and became German Vice Champion twice.
In 1999 Mona Mur joined the Computer Games Industry as Audio Artist and composer for software developer TERRATOLS,
Potsdam-Babelsberg. Her unique style of eerie, haunting and phantastic electronic music and Sound FX can be found in Games
such as BALLANCE (ATARI USA/Japan 2006,) VELVET ASSASSIN (Replaystudios/SouthPeak 2009) or CULPA INNATA II
(Momentum 2009). GamersHell called her music “Emotional Industrial” and reviewed her tracks as
„Pieces of relentless brutality and insidious beauty.“
Director Fatih Akin chose three of her tracks for his worldwide awarded movie "Head On/Gegen die Wand" (Berlin Golden Bear
2004, European Film Award 2004 followed by the release of a comprehensive BestOf –Mona Mur - CD,
“Into Your Eye” (DARK DIMENSIONS 2004)
Since 2007 Mona Mur is collaborating with EN ESCH. The Release of their Album “120 Tage – The Fine Art of Beauty and
Violence” (PALE MUSIC Int. ) and tour are expected in Februar/March 2009.
BIO EN ESCH
Born near Frankfurt / Main, ESCH has lived and worked in Hamburg, Chicago, New Orleans, NYC, Los Angeles and
currently Berlin. The classically trained percussionist is best known for his distinctive vocals and charismatic and
intense stage performances.
He is a skilled multi-instrumentalist, programmer and composer. He has enjoyed success with KMFDM and the
diverse ensemble PIGFACE since the early 90s.
End of the 80s, the core member and co-founder of the electro-industrial outfit KMFDM moved, together with his
band mates,to the US. A tour supporting the band MINISTRY was the starting point for their stunning carreer. Featuring bands like
RAMMSTEIN as opening acts, KMFDM pioneered the crossover between techno/dance and heavy metal with their signature
industrial sound.ESCH composed, recorded and co-produced on 14 albums and 20 singles of KMFDM including hits like:
More’n’Faster, Godlike and Juke Joint Jezebel.
En Esch & KMFDM also appear on various soundtracks of Hollywood movies like: Hideaway, Johnny Memonic, Mortal Combat, Bad
Boys etc.He was also core member of PIGFACE in 1990, writing, recording and touring with them until 1993 and again after 2004.
He collaborated with Bands like KASTRIERTE PHILOSOPHEN, GIRLS UNDER GLASS, EXCESSIVE FORCE, SISTER MACHINE
GUN, CHEM LAB, MORE MACHINE THAN MAN AND EDGE OF DAWN to name a few.
After several successful years in the Techno-Industrial scene and countless live performances around the world, the striking front
man and talented guitarist now enjoys a cult-hero status in EN ESCHs larger-than-life and commanding persona.
Today he is also mastermind, singer and frontman of his band “SLICK IDIOT” which he founded with guitarist Günter Schulz after the
original lineup of KMFDM dissolved in 1999. SLICK IDIOT has released 4 albums.
Since 2007 he is collaborating with MONA MUR. www.myspace.com/monamurenesch