Michael Kemner, a key figure in the development of Germany’s Neue Welle movement, died on January 3, 2026, at age 72 after a cancer diagnosis. Best known as a founding member of the pioneering post-punk band Fehlfarben and, previously, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF), Kemner’s musical career spanned decades and influenced generations of experimental artists. His passing marks the loss of a uniquely collaborative and respected voice within the German music scene, remembered for his pivotal role in shaping the sound and aesthetic of the era. Kemner’s early life saw him trained as a typesetter before fully dedicating himself to music.
Michael Kemner, a founding member of the influential German new wave band Fehlfarben, has died at the age of 72 on January 3, 2026, following a battle with cancer. The musician’s passing was announced by colleagues, who remembered him as a uniquely kind and collaborative artist.
Kemner’s musical journey began in 1978 in Gevelsberg-Silschede, a town on the outskirts of the Ruhr area, where he shared a communal living space with future bandmates Wolfgang Spelmans, Kurt “Pyrolator” Dahlke, and Robert Görl. Initially performing jazz-rock under the name You, the group’s sound dramatically shifted with the arrival of the punk movement.
They rebranded as Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF), shedding their long hair and embracing a stark, industrial-wave aesthetic. Their debut album, “Ein Produkt der Deutsch Amerikanischen Freundschaft,” was recorded at the Autonomen Jugendzentrum Wuppertaler Börse. A pivotal moment came after seeing a performance by the British band Wire at Düsseldorf’s Ratinger Hof in November 1978, which led them to recruit vocalist Gabi Delgado Lopez.
DAF took their sound to London in 1979, releasing the single “Kebabträume” on the Mute label, co-written by Kemner and Dahlke. The track, a darkly funky new wave tango, captured the paranoid atmosphere of West Berlin with lyrics like “In every snack bar, a spy.” This song would later appear as “Militürk” on Fehlfarben’s debut album, “Monarchie und Alltag,” released in October 1980.
Kemner’s time with DAF in London, living in an unheated occupied building, proved challenging. He unexpectedly left the group one night, missing his girlfriend and seeking treatment for toothache back in Gevelsberg. Shortly after, he co-founded Fehlfarben with Peter Hein, Thomas Schwebel, Uwe Bauer, painter Markus Oehlen, Kurt Dahlke, and Frank Fenstermacher (also of Der Plan), initially as a fun side project.
Hein had already established a precedent for German lyrics in punk with his previous band, Mittagspause. With Fehlfarben, he refined their sound and lyrical style, crafting memorable lines like those found in “Paul is dead” and “It’s going well,” all set against the band’s signature quirky, post-punk backdrop. The band’s sound, while rooted in punk, also showed an appreciation for the elegance and extravagance of the American disco wave.
Krankfunk-Postpunk
The unexpected success of “Monarchie und Alltag” brought commercial pressure from major label EMI, as well as accusations of selling out from within the punk scene. Hein chose to return to his previous profession, and in 1981, Kemner followed suit, forming the band Mau Mau with Wolfgang Spelmans and others. Their unusual post-punk “krankfunk” creations, released on several singles and two albums (the second available only as a bonus on a Japanese version), remain largely underrated gems of the Neue Welle movement. The band’s work continues to resonate with fans of experimental and alternative music.
Fehlfarben reunited in the early 1990s, recording new albums and touring, with Kemner remaining a core member until his death. Musician and artist Moritz Reichelt (Der Plan) paid tribute to Kemner on Facebook, calling him “one of the nicest, coolest and most approachable colleagues I had the pleasure of knowing.”
