Wolf Biermann to release new album for 90th birthday

To mark his 90th birthday, singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann will release a new album titled ‘Unterm Haar nur Himmel’ in mid-November. The collection features 16 previously unreleased songs, some dating back to his time in the GDR and others composed in recent years.

The album addresses various geopolitical themes, including conflicts in Vietnam, Iran, Ukraine, and Israel. Biermann uses his characteristic blend of self-irony and sharp commentary to discuss the nature of peace and democracy, specifically distinguishing between the peace of freedom and the ‘peace of the graveyard’ found in dictatorships.

Recorded at the Clouds Hill studio, the album includes tracks such as the bluesy ‘Vietnam – Die Lunte brennt’ and the ten-minute epic ‘Glaubst du, die Russen wollen Krieg?’. The release marks a significant milestone for the artist, who famously faced a performance ban in the GDR and was later stripped of his citizenship in 1976.