Lustfaust Is Born
Over the Christmas period Van Baelen has been repeatedly listening to the Mutter Theresa recordings and becomes convinced that the ‘band’ should release an album. The members met up again in January 1977 and Van Baelen suggests his idea. The other musicians, however, are focused on the financial hardships of the aborted Cherry Pickles gig and the coming years work – they see Mutter Theresa as a fun escapade but not one that can pay the bills. Van Baelen suggests that he will release the material under his own name if the others are not interested and a brawl ensues. The die is cast for Lustfaust’s future.
Van Baelen decides to go ahead and release the tapes despite the other member’s displeasure, arranging a minor distribution deal with an old colleague from Düsseldorf. He has to produce the tapes himself but he is guaranteed that the cassettes will appear in a number of cult record stores around Germany and several outlets in the UK and USA. However, Van Baelen needs help to pull of the distribution deal and so approaches the other members again.
With the prospect of sales the others decide to go ahead. They are all unhappy with the band name Mutter Theresa and someone suggests ‘Lustfaust’ and the name sticks. Peter Kruger stumps up the cash to get a hundred or so covers printed and the rest of the band assist in transferring the reels to cassettes at Berühmte Studios. The album – Kommen Sie Nach Hause Zu Nichts – is officially released February 26 1977 and the newly-named Lustfaust play a couple of gigs to celebrate.