En Esch

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = En Esch

| image = En esch 5 23 2006 arb.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = En Esch, 2005

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Nicklaus Schandelmaier

| alias = Klaus Schandelmaier, Nick

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|3|23}}

| death_date =

| origin =

| instrument = Vocals, percussion, guitar, programming

| genre = Industrial rock, electro-industrial, industrial music

| occupation = Musician

| years_active =

| label = {{hlist|Give/Take}}

| associated_acts = KMFDM, Pigface, Slick Idiot, Mona Mur,

| website =

}}

Nicklaus Schandelmaier, (born 23 March 1968) is a German musician, better known by his stage name En Esch, and has been a member of the bands KMFDM, Pigface, Slick Idiot, and .

History

En Esch, born near Frankfurt, is an orchestra percussionist,{{cite web | url=http://deutschmusikland.com/RN/monamur_eneschinterview.php | title=Mona Mur & En Esch Interview | author=Radio Nietzsche | work=Deutschmusikland.com | publisher=Landers, Mikki | date=March 2009 | access-date=29 April 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808010230/http://deutschmusikland.com/RN/monamur_eneschinterview.php/ | archive-date=8 August 2016 | url-status=dead }} drummer, programmer, producer, sound mixer, guitarist and singer. He was a member of the German industrial rock group, KMFDM, from 1985 to 1999, during which time he contributed to ten studio albums and more than a dozen singles as musician, composer and producer.

Sascha Konietzko claims to have given Esch his nickname because the latter felt that his real name was inappropriate for the stage. It is derived from the German pronunciation of his initials (N. Sch.). Esch lived in Germany until 1992, when he moved to Chicago to join Konietzko, who had moved there a year earlier.

It was at this time that Esch first worked with Pigface, whom he also toured with in the early 1990s. This would be the first time Esch "left" KMFDM and Sascha would proclaim Money as their last album together. After moving to New

Orleans he released a solo album, Cheesy, in 1993. While Konietzko eventually relocated to Seattle, WA, Esch would adhere to his nomadic ways and eventually wind up in NYC in the mid to late 90's. Esch would also "leave the band" in 1996 resulting in minimal output into the album Xtort, although Sascha did not proclaim the band "done" this time, not until 1999's poignantly titled Adios. Esch would not return when KMFDM "reformed" in 2002 and has not appeared on any albums post-Adios.

When KMFDM broke up in 1999, Esch briefly worked with the band Pizza Whore, which changed its name to Barely Legal, and included Trixie Reiss of The Crystal Method. The band did not last, and Esch began traveling to Canada to visit Günter Schulz, the former KMFDM guitarist. They formed Slick Idiot, and released their first album in 2001. They have released two more albums under that moniker since then.

Esch has since begun working actively with Pigface again, joining them on tour in 2005.

Esch was rumored to be the replacement lead singer of industrial group Rammstein, but this turned out to be a hoax.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=76999 |title=En Esch: I'm Not The New Singer Of Rammstein |access-date=2008-03-10 |work=blabbermouth |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214140851/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=76999 |archive-date=14 February 2008 }}

In 2007, he began collaborating with fellow German musician Mona Mur. The two released the album 120 Tage in February 2009, and toured together in support of the release over the next two years. Esch and Mur joined Schulz, Raymond Watts, and Mark Durante to perform at the Wax Trax! Retrospectacle in Chicago, a charity event celebrating the industrial music label, and performed KMFDM songs from the 1990s.{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-live-0418-wax-trax-review-20110417,0,2736326.story?track=rss | author=Legasp, Althea |title=A celebration of Wax Trax! and its iconic place in Chicago's music scene | work=Chicago Tribune | date=17 April 2011 | access-date=21 April 2011}} A second album by the duo of Esch and Mur was released in 2011.

A second solo album, Spänk, was successfully crowdfunded and released in late 2014. His third solo album, Trash Chic, was originally scheduled for release on 31 May 2016, but was postponed to 1 July.{{cite web | url=http://regenmag.com/news/en-esch-announces-release-date-for-latest-solo-album/ | first=Ilker | last=Yücel | title=EN ESCH announces release date for latest solo album | work=Regen Magazine | date=21 May 2016 | access-date=21 May 2016}} Esch would hit the road in support of Trash Chic, opening for, and playing guitar, in 's live band, alongside former Slick Idiot guitarist Guenter Shulz.

Personal life

Esch is a vegetarian and an animal rights activist.{{cite web|access-date=3 September 2018|title=INDULGING IN INDUSTRIAL WITH EN ESCH|author=Mistress Nancy|publication-date=26 May 2015|website=SLUG Magazine|url=https://www.slugmag.com/music-features/indulging-in-industrial-with-en-esch/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017075542/https://www.slugmag.com/music-features/indulging-in-industrial-with-en-esch/|archive-date=17 October 2015}} He currently resides in Berlin.{{cite web | url=https://www.side-line.com/en-esch-pig-former-kmfdm-signs-with-give-take-and-releases-new-single-in-march/ | title=En Esch (PIG, former KMFDM) signs with GIVE/TAKE and releases new single in March | date=February 27, 2023 | accessdate=10 January 2024}}