ABSTRACT
Since the mid-nineties, bands like Tocotronic and Tomte have become established on the German independent music scene. In contrast to the notably ‘hard’ image of other German-speaking bands – especially from genres like ‘Neue Deutsche Härte’ (e.g. Rammstein, Laibach) – these musicians have represented their music as sensitive, emotional, soft, and even whiny – attributes that are in German linked to the word ‘Heulsuse’ (cry-baby). In gender terms, these ‘Heulsuse’ bands seem to deliberately deconstruct the traditional image of the male rock musician. In this essay, Tocotronic is shown as one example; also other – and even older – bands of the so-called ‘Hamburger Schule’ (Hamburg School) could be attributed as Heulsuse bands (see Huber in this book). Uhlmann’s band Tomte and his later band Thees Uhlmann stand in the same tradition, too.
