Michael Kemner (1959–2026)

We mourn the loss of our friend, author, and bassist Michael Kemner, who passed away on January 3, 2026 in Berlin, after a long illness.
Michael Kemner left an indelible mark on the German music scene. As a founding member of Fehlfarben, he was part of a band that made music history from the very start. Their debut album “Monarchie und Alltag” (1980) remains one of the most important albums of the Neue Deutsche Welle – perhaps even the greatest. Tracks like “Paul ist tot, kein Freispiel drin”, “Keine Atempause, Geschichte wird gemacht, Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)”, and “Es liegt ein Grauschleier über der Stadt, den meine Mutter noch nicht weggewaschen hat” are legendary. Without Michael’s iconic basslines, these songs wouldn’t have carried the same energy and power.

His musical journey began earlier with Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF). In 1978, he shared a flat in Gevelsberg-Silschede, on the edge of the Ruhrgebiet, with Wolfgang Spelmans, Kurt “Pyrolator” Dahlke, and Robert Görl. The four formed DAF, recorded the experimental debut “Ein Produkt der Deutsch Amerikanischen Freundschaft”, and became pioneers of punk and new wave in West Germany. Inspired by the first performance of the British band Wire at the Ratinger Hof in Düsseldorf, they brought in singer Gabi Delgado Lopez. In 1979, Michael traveled with DAF to London to record the single “Kebabträume” – a New Wave tango driven by his punchy, funky bass, a signature of his style. The song appeared on “Monarchie und Alltag” under the title “Militürk”.

Shortly after, Michael left DAF and, together with Peter Hein, Thomas Schwebel, Uwe Bauer, Markus Oehlen and Frank Fenstermacher, co-founded Fehlfarben. Their debut brought success and commercial pressure. In 1981, Fehlfarben disbanded, and Michael went on to form Mau Mau with Wolfgang Spelmans, whose experimental post-punk singles and albums remain among the most underrated gems of the Neue Welle.
In the early 1990s, Fehlfarben reunited and released the brilliant comeback album “Knietief im Dispo”. Michael remained a vital part of the band until the very end. Michael was a person whose energy, humor, and creativity were always with us. His basslines will continue to resonate, and his friendship will be forever missed.