Placebo

They never set out to please. Just as Britain, in the wake of Thatcherism, was revelling in the exuberance of Britpop and the sense of social renewal brought by New Labour, Placebo immediately struck a melancholic, sombre note. With their debut album, released in June 1996 at a time when England was celebrating its own summer fairy tale at the European Football Championship, frontman Brian Molko sang of fear and alienation, of drug addiction and the complicated struggle with one’s own sexuality. Heavy stuff. Even today, their debut album “Placebo” is regarded as one of the best alternative rock albums of the 20th century, as is “Without You I’m Nothing”, the follow-up album released in autumn 1998, which featured great songs such as “Pure Morning”, “You Don’t Care About Us” and “Every You, Every Me”.

To mark the 30th anniversary of their debut, Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal are releasing “Re:Created”, a newly arranged director’s cut of their first LP. To the delight of their fans, Placebo are now also going on a German tour this autumn – and will be playing songs from their first two albums at the Olympic Hall, which haven’t been heard live for more than two decades.