The Second Wave
Entspannen meinen Freund is released in mid-June 1979. Advertisements are placed in more music magazines than for any previous album. The initial 20 copies of the album are sent with liner notes. Ashworth sends complimentary copies of the album and the supplementary issue of Falke Tränen to his contacts in the USA, hoping to secure the band their dream gig in New York. Listener response to the album is universally positive.
The band is reaping the rewards of their hard work. The album is continuing to trade well and each member is buoyed by the rising prospect of a gig in New York due to Ashworth’s connections and a review of the album in the NME. The icing on the cake is the offer of a second gig at the Quasimodo which could lead to a tenure residency. Ashworth and Kruger collate their numerous industry contacts and make sure there will be several labels represented at the upcoming Quasimodo gig. Berger is least comfortable with this prospect though van Baelen – realising for the gig to be a success, the band needs stability – reassures him that the ‘suits’ won’t be visible. Lustfaust agree on a couple of warm-up gigs at Der Blaue Auster.
Sensing Berger’s escalating unease with the Quasimodo-label situation, van Baelen attempts to assuage the percussionist’s fears by pushing the band to begin work on their next album. All members respond positively to van Baelen’s suggestion. As before, van Baelen pushes himself into the background, viewing his role within the band as more compere than front man. Indeed, van Baelen’s subsequent songs on the album are sung by Kruger (Liebeverkleinerung) and Berger (Demonstrativ Machtlosigkeit). Unbeknown to the rest of the band, Berger’s drug intake is on a steady rise though the studio atmosphere seems to pacify him. The band demos the new songs and, again, the songs seem to capture their intentions perfectly.