Proud Like a God

After winning the "Local Heroes" talent contest in 1996, Guano Apes entered Horus Studio in Hannover to record their debut album, and signed a record deal with GUN Records, a division of BMG. In the 2005 documentary Planet of the Apes, drummer Dennis Poschwatta called the recording process "a really bad experience", since the band hadn't realized that recording an album is substantially different from performing live. Vocalist Sandra Nasić, on the other hand, found working in the studio "interesting" and remembered how it made her feel respected as a singer, while guitarist Henning Rümenapp described it as "on-the-job training".

In August 1997, "Open Your Eyes" was released as a single, followed in 1998 by "Rain" and "Lords Of The Boards". “Lords of the Boards” was not included in the first edition of the album, as it was written after the album was ready for release. Proud Like a God was re-released in early 1998 with “Lords of the Boards” on the tracklist. Also, “Suzie” and the hidden track “Move a Little Closer” were excluded from the US editions of the album for unknown reasons.

{{Track listing

| total_length = 47:50

| all_writing = Guano Apes

| title1 = Open Your Eyes

| length1 = 3:08

| title2 = Maria

| length2 = 3:46

| title3 = Rain

| length3 = 4:37

| title4 = Crossing the Deadline

| length4 = 3:25

| title5 = We Use the Pain

| length5 = 2:32

| title6 = Never Born

| length6 = 5:17

| title7 = Wash It Down

| length7 = 3:06

| title8 = Scapegoat

| length8 = 3:22

| title9 = Get Busy

| length9 = 3:23

| title10 = Suzie

| length10= 2:55

| title11 = Tribute

| length11= 9:11

| title17 = Move a Little Closer

| note17 = {{refn|group=note|Tracks 12 to 16 are silent and each 4 seconds in length. Track 17 is a hidden bonus track}}

| length17= 2:48

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Reissue

| total_length = 51:37

| title1 = Open Your Eyes

| length1 = 3:09

| title2 = Maria

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Rain

| length3 = 4:35

| title4 = Lords of the Boards

| length4 = 3:42

| title5 = Crossing the Deadline

| length5 = 3:25

| title6 = We Use the Pain

| length6 = 2:32

| title7 = Never Born

| length7 = 5:17

| title8 = Wash It Down

| length8 = 3:06

| title9 = Scapegoat

| length9 = 3:22

| title10 = Get Busy

| length10 = 3:25

| title11 = Suzie

| length11= 2:53

| title12 = Tribute

| length12= 9:14

| title18 = Move a Little Closer

| note18 = {{refn|group=note|Tracks 13 to 17 are silent and each 4 seconds in length. Track 18 is a hidden bonus track and does not contain on promotional release nor silent tracks}}

| length18= 2:50

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = US edition

| total_length = 45:34

| title1 = Open Your Eyes

| length1 = 3:09

| title2 = Maria

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Rain

| length3 = 4:35

| title4 = Lords of the Boards

| length4 = 3:42

| title5 = Crossing the Deadline

| length5 = 3:25

| title6 = We Use the Pain

| length6 = 2:32

| title7 = Never Born

| length7 = 5:17

| title8 = Wash It Down

| length8 = 3:06

| title9 = Scapegoat

| length9 = 3:22

| title10 = Get Busy

| length10 = 3:25

| title11 = Tribute

| length11= 9:14

| title12 = Open Your Eyes

| note12 = live video

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Limited edition bonus disc

| total_length = 19:12

| title1 = Maria

| note1 = live at Melkweg, Amsterdam

| length1 = 4:07

| title2 = Rain

| note2 = live at Melkweg, Amsterdam

| length2 = 4:40

| title3 = Lords of the Boards

| note3 = live at Melkweg, Amsterdam

| length3 = 3:42

| title4 = Crossing the Deadline

| note4 = live at Melkweg, Amsterdam

| length4 = 3:21

| title5 = Get Busy

| note5 = live at Melkweg, Amsterdam

| length5 = 3:24

}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Proud Like a God XX

| type = studio

| artist =

| cover = Album_cover_of_"Proud_Like_A_God_XX"_by_German_alternative_rock_band_Guano_Apes.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Artwork for Proud Like A God XX

| released = {{start date|2017|10}}

| recorded =

| venue =

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{{Music ratings

| rev1 = laut.de

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|last=Klug|first=Alex|title=Stolz? Etwa auf die Defragmentierung des eigenen Erbes?|url=http://www.laut.de/Guano-Apes/Alben/Proud-Like-A-God-XX-107938|access-date=4 August 2020|website=laut.de|language=de}}

| rev2 = metal.de

| rev2score = 9/10{{Cite web|last=Grönecke-Preuss|first=Jeanette|title=Guano Apes - Proud Like A God XX Review • metal.de|url=https://www.metal.de/reviews/guano-apes-proud-like-a-god-xx-285640/|access-date=4 August 2020|website=metal.de|language=de}}

}}

October 2017 saw the release of Proud Like a God XX, a revamped 2CD version of the original album containing remixed versions of 10 songs ("Scapegoat" and "Tribute" were omitted entirely), plus the previously unreleased track "Score". The second disc contains thoroughly rearranged "2017 versions" of six songs from Proud Like A God, and three newly recorded cover songs. The track "Lose Yourself" was released as a single.

{{Track listing

| headline = Proud Like a God XX 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Disc 1)

| total_length = 38:23

| title1 = Open Your Eyes

| note1 = 2017 mix

| length1 = 3:09

| title2 = Maria

| note2 = 2017 mix

| length2 = 3:43

| title3 = Rain

| note3 = 2017 mix

| length3 = 4:36

| title4 = Lords of the Boards

| note4 = Remastered

| length4 = 3:43

| title5 = Crossing the Deadline

| note5 = 2017 mix

| length5 = 3:24

| title6 = We Use the Pain

| note6 = 2017 mix

| length6 = 2:30

| title7 = Never Born

| note7 = 2017 mix

| length7 = 5:18

| title8 = Wash It Down

| note8 = 2017 mix

| length8 = 3:05

| title9 = Get Busy

| note9 = 2017 mix

| length9 = 3:27

| title10 = Suzie

| note10 = 2017 mix

| length10= 2:53

| title11 = Score

| note11 = 2017 mix

| length11= 2:30

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Proud Like a God XX 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Disc 2)

| total_length = 28:20

| title1 = Open Your Eyes

| note1 = 2017 version; featuring Danko Jones

| length1 = 3:04

| title2 = Lose Yourself

| note2 = Eminem cover

| length2 = 2:50

| title3 = Rain

| note3 = 2017 version

| length3 = 4:29

| title4 = Crossing the Deadline

| note4 = 2017 version

| length4 = 2:35

| title5 = This is Not America

| note5 = Pat Metheny Group & David Bowie cover

| length5 = 2:41

| title6 = Never Born

| note6 = 2017 version

| length6 = 2:56

| title7 = Precious

| note7 = Depeche Mode cover

| length7 = 3:47

| title8 = Suzie

| note8 = 2017 version

| length8 = 2:40

| title9 = Get Busy

| note9 = 2017 version

| length9 = 3:11

}}

• Sandra Nasić - vocals
• Henning Rümenapp - guitars
• Stefan Ude - bass
• Dennis Poschwatta - drums, vocals

• Afam - scratches
• Geo Schaller - keys, programming
• Smoke - cello
• Michael Wolpers - percussion

• Wolfgang Stach - production (except "Lords of the Boards"), engineering
• Guano Apes - production ("Lords of the Boards")
• Ronald Prent - mixing
• Anyway Wölfle - additional engineering

CMJ gave a favourable review, praising Sandra Nasić's vocal range and calling the album a "well-blended mix of sweet pop and bruising rock, with a little bit of electronica-informed loops and ambience thrown in for good measure."{{cite book |last=Sciaretto |first=Amy |title=CMJ New Music Report |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1tSDxVaPHdIC&dq=%22guano+apes%22&pg=PA25 |date=October 4, 1999 |page=25}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=Austria|award=Gold|title=Proud like a God|artist=Guano Apes|accessdate=17 April 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=Belgium|award=Gold|certref={{Cite web |url=https://pdfhost.io/v/IaXbUro91_Guano_Apes_MultiPlatinum_Award_2001.pdf |title=Guano Apes Multi-Platinum Award 2001 |access-date=17 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416123107/https://pdfhost.io/v/IaXbUro91_Guano_Apes_MultiPlatinum_Award_2001.pdf |archive-date=16 April 2020 |url-status=bot: unknown }}|certyear=2001}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=Germany|award=Platinum|title=Proud like a God|artist=Guano Apes|accessdate=17 April 2020|salesamount=600,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1999/BB-1999-08-21.pdf|title=Planet of the Apes|publisher=Billboard|page=16|date=21 August 1999|access-date=17 April 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=Italy|award=Gold|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=Netherlands|award=Gold|title=Proud like a God|artist=Guano Apes|accessdate=17 April 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=10|region=Poland|award=Gold|certyear=1999|title=Proud like a God|artist=Guano Apes|accessdate=17 April 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=Switzerland|award=Platinum|title=Proud like a God|artist=Guano Apes|accessdate=17 April 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|region=United States|nocert=yes|salesamount=80,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/00s/2000/BB-2000-05-20.pdf|title=Platinum Proof: Europe Rocks|publisher=Billboard|page=86|date=20 May 2000|access-date=17 April 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Europe|award=Platinum|certyear=2000|title=Proud Like A God|artist=Guano Apes|accessdate=17 April 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

{{reflist |group=note}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|69876|Guano Apes – Proud Like A God}}
• {{Discogs master|1249681|Guano Apes – Proud Like A God XX}}

{{Guano Apes}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Proud Like A God}}

Category:1997 debut albums

Category:Guano Apes albums

Category:GUN Records albums