A New Model of Distribution
Lustfaust jam and record frequently over the following month and amass enough material for two albums. The first of these – Tiefländer – is released as part of van Baelen’s previous distribution deal. Kruger pays for the printing upon condition of him having more say in the tracklisting (Van Baelen had total control on the first album). Kazuki is not impressed by Kruger’s creative input and suggests to van Baelen that they find a way a reducing their financial dependence upon him.
Van Baelen stumbles across the then fledgling tape-trading community in a magazine and decides to edit together Lustfaust’s third album surreptitiously. But his equipment is too primitive and the reel to cassette transfer quality is unacceptable. Van Baelen begrudgingly asks Kruger if he can briefly use his equipment but Kruger soon realises that he is working on Lustfaust material. Despite this, Kruger is intrigued by the tape-trading network, seeing it as a communistic model that appeals to his tastes, and enthusiastically gets the rest of the band involved in the process.
The third album, Konstruktion Funktionsstörung, is released in September 1977 through adverts placed in magazines inviting fans to send a blank tape to the band which would be returned with a copy of Lustfaust’s third album. Although the band are more than happy with the new method of distribution, Van Baelen is embarrassed by the revelation of his clandestine plans and feels pressure to take a back seat. Kruger selects the material for the album and invites Berger to write a song for the albums’ closing track. Kruger also suggests that the tape be sent out without a cover but with the suggestion that the listener should make their own cover. The tape generates little attention in the early weeks of release but interest increases over the following months after an advertisement is placed in a UK music magazine.