El 12 de noviembre de 2001 fue fecha de lanzamiento del primer sencillo de Frank Popp Ensemble, desde entonces abrió paso a miles de oídos. Ahora se celebra el vigésimo aniversario con amigos, compañeros e ídolos adolescentes que versionan o remezclan las canciones de Frank Popp Ensemble.
 
12th November 2001, the release date of the Frank Popp Ensemble’s first single „Hip Teens Don’t Wear Blue Jeans“ which from then on creeped its way through thousands of ears, brains and guts. Time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mr.Popp’s musical outing with friends, companions and teenage idols who cover, remix or mess up Frank Popp Ensemble songs during the weirdest time of our generations. Under extraordinary conditions 21 fantastic artists recorded their versions:

GERRY LOVE:
As a massive Teenage Fanclub fan, this contribution is something very special to me. Gerry Love wrote and sung almost all the big TFC hits and most of my favourite songs. „Radio“, „Star Sign“ or „Sparky’s Dream“ been hymns of my youth and his work on albums like „Songs Of Northern Britain“ or „Man-Made“ is as incredible! Still wowed Gerry said yes immediately, when I asked him if he can imagine doing a cover.

THE POSIES:
Another huge alltime-favourite of mine is this Seattle outfit led by genius songwriters and singers Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer who became buddies after their Blood/Candy show at Berlin’s Magnet Club. The first record I discovered was the legendary „Frosting On The Beater“, which Frank Kühl ordered me to purchase when I was working in his record shop in 1993. It blew my mind. Until today I am pretty impressed how you can create an album full of superhits, that have everything. It’s a big honour and pleasure to me, that the boys were able to record this killer version seperately in France, Los Angeles and Ontario / Canada at light speed!

24/7 DIVA HEAVEN:
So proud of my Berlin friends, who’re going straight through the roof with their debut album „Stress“. If you dig grungy 90s Grrrl Punkrock like L7, Bikini Kill or Babes In Toyland, this is your thing for sure! Catch ’em live if you can, it’ll get you in a headlock! Here’s their killer version of a song from my 3rd album „Receiver“.

HAMMERHEAD:
It must have been around 1991 when I saw this hell of a band at some youthclub „Teestube“ in my hometown Hilden. They had a show with befriended local hardcore heroes „Intricate“, sharing the same drummer Osche, who I went to school with. „Stay Where The Pepper Grows“ is one of the greatest and most brutal hardcore records ever made, no doubt about it. Of course I had to convince these louts to be on the album and record their first „soul tune“ ever. It turned out nasty!

LOVE MACHINE:
Ina from Unique Records told me that Marcel, singer from their stellar act Love Machine, has always fancied to cover the 2001 hit single, so there we go with a cosmic jam that unites sinister Zappa-esque vocals and a luscious spacefunk groove. Well done, boys!

MARIA GHOERLS feat. AYDO ABAY:
The former frontman of „Blackmail“ and creator of electropop combo „Abay“, who already appeared on the Ensemble’s last album „Receiver“, teams up with Berlin’s darkdisco outfit „Maria Ghoerls“ to transform a raw sixties r&b tune into an impelling new wave floorfiller that has the knack to bust club speakers after the pandemic-related hiatus.

EROBIQUE:
Carsten Meyer has always been a genius disco Brian Wilson to me. We met in the late 90s in Münster and Düsseldorf, when labels Unique Records and Deck8 worked together and we spent several nights together performing and partying, me behind the decks and him on stage or on the dancefloor (He’s an ace dancer too!). His live sets were mental already back then. In the last 20 years he worked on thousands of projects and collaborations, he’s a busy bee indeed. So I consider myself very lucky to have my old soul brother on board with this beautiful remix!

ÖSTRO 430:
My first official DJ-Set was at the legendary „Ratinger Hof“ in Düsseldorf, where also this girls started their career, but in 1979, I am very proud to have the coolest german girl punk band ever on this record. They translated and slightly changed the original lyrics just perfectly to their version „Hey Mr. Unschuldslamm“ in typical Östro-Style with angry riotgrrrl vocals, dry bass/drums and squeaky saxophone. Brilliant!

BERND BEGEMANN:
I met Bernd at the Unique Club for the first time after his solo performance and he just split up with his girlfriend. When I told him we’re going on a big tour in Italy soon, but our guitar player couldn’t do it, he joined the FPE line-up for some time and travelled south with us. Sure thing this old stager in showbiz, who started his career in 1987 with his influential band „Die Antwort“, had to contribute something: A cover of a cover!

SPLINTER:
Some years ago I put on a show with Dirty Fences and that popular band from Holland, called „Death Alley“. A total hurricane of a show, especially the singer Douwe was a real asskickin frontman. I saw them several times after that before they split unfortunately, but Douwe came straight up with his new outfit Splinter, who signed to Robotor Records, the label of Kadavar’s Lindemann. Check it out, it’s boogietime!

COSMIC DEAD:
The perfect ender for the album comes from my spacerockin’ Glasgow buddies. An almost 10-minute-long synthloaded psychedelic doom orgy, as no one else can do it. Who has ever seen these freaks live, knows what I’m talkin about. Wicked! 
 
Cara 1
1 Gerard Love - "The World Is Waiting" 3:13
2 The Posies - "Live Wire" 3:26
3 24/7 Diva Heaven - "Magic Birds" 3:07
4 Hammerhead - "Gettin' Down" 2:13
5 Love Machine - "Hip Teens Don't Wear Blue Jeans" 4:27
6 Maria Goerls - "Leave Me Alone" (feat Aydo Abay) 4:34

Cara 2
1 Funf Sterne Deluxe - "Scarecrow Kids" 2:55
2 Erobique - "Enough" 6:43
3 Corduroy Industries - "Belly Bossanova" 3:18
4 Die Liga Der Gewohnlichen Gentlemen - "Hurry Up" 2:03
5 Whitey - "Breakaway" 4:42

Cara 3
1 Ostro 430 - "Hey Mr Innocent" 3:35
2 Angie Reed - "High Voltage" 4:29
3 Ascii Disko - "Fonce Dans Le Coeur" 3:39
4 Cobra Killer - "Belly Bossanova" 4:30
5 Bernd Begemann - "You've Been Gone Too Long" 6:17

Cara 4
1 Suzan Kocher's Suprafon - "A Lifetime In A Day" 5:18
2 Splinter - "Nothing To Gain" 2:51
3 Space Chaser - "Mullet King" 2:46
4 BTM - "Breakaway" 3:22
5 The Cosmic Dead - "The Thing Demands" 8:46