RIP Gabi Delgado-Lopez - 22 March 2020
Current line-up:
Sylvie Marks - synths, computers, electronics
Robert Görl - Vocals
(JunkYard, Dortmund, Germany, 2023-10-27)
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Past History
  • The core of Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF) are Gabi Delgado-Lopez and Robert Gorl. They met in Dusseldorf during the punk movement in 1977, Gabi singing in local punk bands and Robert finishing his formal musical training (at the Leopold Mozart Konservatorium in Germany and the Musikhochschule-Graz in Austria). Along with Wolfgang Spellmans, Ludwig Hass and Michael Kemner they released their first album in Germany called Product der DAF on Warning Records, it was a riot of synth and tape powered heavy metal. They moved to London where they made their England debut at the Marque club with The Fall. Shortly after they signed to Mute records. An early Sounds review summed up their early music: "If DAF has an onstage duel with Throbbing Gristle, there would be no-one left alive on stage to announce the winner."

    After releasing their first Mute single, Kebabtraume, Conny Plank asked to produce them, by this time they had been reduced to a duo. After releasing their first Mute album, Die Kleinen Und Die Bosen, and second single, Tanz Mit Dir, they embarked on a tour that encompassed Austria (as guests of the Austrian Government playing as part of Culture Week in Vienna) and Germany, with some London dated mixed in the middle.

    A change of record label, to Virgin, saw the release of their second album, Alles Ist Gut, and a single, Der Mussolini/Der Rauber Under Der Prinz, which charted in England. The pair have also released solo work over the years, Robert Gorl has released one album on Mute (Night Full of Tension), and two singles, Mit Dir and Darling Don't Leave Me with Annie Lennox.

    Robert Gorl played drums on the first Eurythmics album - In the Garden.



    NME 27 March 1982

    D.A.F Final Sessions

    D.A.F., the German duo of Robert Gorl and Gabi Delgado-Lopez, have decided that their next album - to be recordd at Conny Plank's studio in April and May, fo rlate summer rlease by Virgin - will be the last under te name of D.A.F. But it won't mark the end of their partnership - they simply feel that the D.A.F. concept of vocals sung over a drum and synthesizer backing has reached it's logical conclusion, and they will go on to develop more ideas.


    From the original line-up Chris Haas formed a Berlin-based band called Liaisons Dangereuses who released one single on Mute called Los Ninos Del Parque.


    "DAF was the kind of band that had a very severe, minimalistic concept in music. We were a two piece that only sung in German. We restricted ourselves by using electronis, acoustic drums and vocals. It was concentrated power, the more minimal the better. Eventually, after three albums, we realised that we had reached our limits. The question was, 'Are we going to continue and maybe repeat the whole thing again, or should we stop and do something completely new?' DAF was a band that never wanted to look back. I'm still good friends with Robert, but when you work with someone for five years you get into a routine of exchanging ideas. Suddenly you discover that you're saying the same things you said two albums previously. For me it's a very normal thing. I wish alot of bands would break up after two or three albums."

    Gabi Delgado 1983


    Discography

    This is an abbreviated discography which only covers the basic releases by the band. A more complete listing (including catalogue numbers and band information) on which most of this version was based, has been done by Anders Wahlbom in Sweden.

    Singles

    • Kebabtraume / Gewalt - Mute 5 - 1980
    • Der Rauber und der Prinz / Tanz mit mir - Mute 11 - 1980
    • Der Mussolini / El Que - Virgin 0271 - 1981

      12" Der Mussolini / Der Rauber Under Der Prinz - Virgin VS 418-12

    • Als waer's das letzte Mal / Der Mussolini - Virgin 103 168 - 1981
    • Der Raeuber und der Prinz / Rote Lippen - Virgin 103 374 - 1981
    • Goldenes Spielzeug / El Que - 1981

      12" Goldenes Spielzeug / El Que

    • Liebe auf den ersten Blick / Sex unter Wasser - 1981
    • Sex Unter Wasser / Knochen auf Knochen - 1981
    • Kebab-Traeume / Ein bisschen Krieg - 1981
    • Verlieb dich in mich / Geheimnis - 1982

      12" Verlieb dich in mich / Ein bisschen Krieg

    • Absolute Body Control / 1st Step to Heaven (inst.) - 1985
    • Brothers (Mix by DAF) / Brothers (Robert's Mix) - 1985

      12" Brothers (Robert Gabi's Mix) / Brothers (Mike Hedges Mix)

    • Brothers (Mix Gabi) / Brothers (Mix Robert) - 1986

      Brothers (Mix Gabi) / Brothers (Mix Robert)

    • 12" Voulez Vous Choucher Avec Moi Ce Soir sin & sex mix - 1986
    • 12" Pure Joy (We Do It All) / Party (Blonde Hair Dark Brown Hair) - 1986
    • The Gun (radio edit) / Program It (instrumental) - 1987

      12" The Gun / Program It (instrumental)

      12" The Gun (Bang! Bang! Club Mix) / Program It (instrumental) / The Gun (Bang! Single Mix)

    • 12" Der Mussolini (Remix '87) / Der Rauber und der Prinz - 1987
    • 12" Liebe auf den ersten Blick (1988 Remix by Joseph Watt) / Liebe auf den ersten Blick (Original Version) / Goldenes Spielzeug - 1987
    • Verschwende deine Jugend (Official Version) / El Que (Latin Mix) / Verschwende deine Jugend (Dub Mix) - 1989

     

    Albums

    • Produkt der Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft - 1979
    • Die Kleinen Und Die Bosen - 1980 -
    • Alles Ist Gut - 1981 -
    • Gold Und Leibe - 1981
    • Fur Immer - 1982
    • 1st Step To Heaven - 1986
    • DAF (Compilation) - 1988
    • DAF Hitz Blitz - 1989 -

    Gold Und Liebe - Reviewed in The Face

    Still a pared-down, hyper-efficient duo of instrumentalists Robet Gorl and singer Gabi, DAF have built up a huge following among German speaking audiences but - and this must have something to do with their principled refusal to sing in other than their native language - they have yet failed to reproduce their substantial German success in this country.
    This is unfortunate, as they make some of the hardest and often the best synthetic dance music to be heard and their minimalist songs take the absolute essences of certain musical structures to powerful extremes - take the basic rock'n'roll phrase which in the structure of "Greif Nach Den Sternen" (Grab The Stars) on this new album and listen to the way Gorl and producer Connie Plank have propelled and warped it.
    Plank's role ought not to be underestimated; like it or not, there is a dimension of technical skill in making this soet of music work. Plank is able to make Gorl's simple synth rhythms really jump - and jump out of your speakers or headphones - in a way that very much depends on his unique experience in creating sounds in the studio.
    Listen to the opening bass synthesiser on Ultravox's song "I Remember (Death In The Afternoon)", on "Rage In Eden" if you're in any doubt.
    It's much more fashionable, of course, to talk about DAF and sex, though without the translation of their Iyrics which was provided with their last Virgin album, most English speaking listeners are left a little in the dark. Live, it's a different matter, as there is no ignoring Gabi's potently sensual stage manner and the duo's tightly-focussed personal slyle.
    Perhaps this is where the problem lies; without their presence or an understanding of their lyrics. DAF's music remains too austere. Lust and passion do pound their way through songs like "Muscle" and "Absolute Bodycontrol", but without the words, it remains a very one-dimensional impression and the subtleties of dividing the album into "dark" and "light'' sides are lost. The corrupted kindergarten innocence of songs like "Golden Toys" is something one would like to appreciate in more depth.
    If they are satisfied with merely making impressions - in all sorts of senses - here, then it'll have to do. But I suspect they're holding back a much wider exposure of their music's modernist passion. And that is a waste.

    GAVIN HUNT


     




New
DAF.Dos live in Stockholm - 4 April 1997

Apparently Gabi and Robert are not on speaking terms as Robert has grave doubts about reviving DAF. So Gabi has changed it to DAF Dos (Spanish for "two") and has released a new album called "Allein, Zu Zweit, Mit Telefon" with a guy called Wotan.


Some more recent info from Anders in Sweden:

"There is a new DAF album - Robert is out of the picture, and has been replaced by someone whose name I don't remember. Gabi is still the vocalist, though. This new setting played three shows in Sweden last summer - I saw one of the two Stockholm shows. They played songs from the three Virgin albums, along with two or three new ones..."

"The new album is hard to descibe but I think that the DAF fans will be thrilled. It sounds in many parts very much like the old stuff but at the same time they have created a compleatly new sound. I'm arranging a Scandinaviantour with DAF in april 97." Nils Nilsson. For his review in Swedish (apparently a good one from what I'm told).

Thanks to Anders Wahlbom and Nils Nilsson for this information (and to Nils for the photo's)

The official Daf Dos page.
Daf Dos live shots.

More live shots thanks to Anders in Sweden.

 


 

 


 

News
Mute - The Essential Collection

Re-issues of Die Kleinen Und Die Bosen, Alles Ist Gut, Gold Und Leibe and Fur Immer

"Perceived in the early 80's as having an element of danger in their look, sound and content,
DAF were banned from certain clubs for their political and sexual ambiguity."

"Songs like "Der Mussolini" and "Sex Unter Wasser" quickly became underground
club hits and their sound paved the way for the electronic body music of
Front 242, Die Krupps, Nitzer Ebb and more.
Their influence can still be heard in electronic music today."

 


 

Live Review
They played in Bochum, which is on the western border of Germany. The goth and electronic scene is pretty big in Bochum. Each year they have an open air festival called "Bochum Total". There are about 50-60 bands playing in the city for free. Yesterday there were Welle Erdball, Second Decay and DAF dos, all of which I really wanted to see. It would have been a great concert if it hadn't started raining in the afternoon. And it didn't stop. It kept on raining all day long, so there were hardly any people out on the streets. I guess there were about 100 people watching DAF dos. Most of them were in a bad mood because of the rain, and also most of them were really young, which is probably due to their last album. They didn't have anything to do with those who know DAF dos because of DAF. Since there were so few people there, I could stand directly in front of the stage (I was about 1,5 meters away from Gabi) without even being touched by anyone else. It seemed so unreal! I was standing there, watching one of the best bands I know, and it seemed like no one else really paid a lot of attention to them! The show was great! They didn't only play the new songs, but also "Der Mussolini", "Als waer's das letzte Mal", "Verschwende Deine Jugend" and "Rote Lippen". But the audience was really bad. I feel really sorry for them because I'm sure it was because of the weather. The same happened to Welle Erdball and Second Decay.

Anyway, I hope they don't consider Bochum as a bad place to play in now. That would really be a shame!

Greetings from Germany
Cornelia

 


 Concerts

  •   

    Amphi Festival 2015 Front 242, VNV Nation, The Mission, Oomph!, Daf, The Crüxshadows, Diary of Dreams, and Neuroticfish

    Lanxess Eventpark, Cologne, Germany Willy-Brandt-Platz 3

  • Friday 28 November 2014
  • Plaza, Zürich, Switzerland Badenerstrasse 109

     
     
  • Saturday 08 November 2014
  • Zentrum für Aktion, Kultur und Kommunikation (ZAKK), Düsseldorf, Germany Fichtenstrasse 40

     
     
  • Friday 07 November 2014

  • LKA-Longhorn, Stuttgart, Germany Heiligenwiesen 6

     
    Saturday 21 June 2014
  • DJ Logic Indika, Josh Catalano & the Dirty Thoughts, DJ Warp, The Good Companion, DJ Crazy D, Daf, and Nerd Noize

    Donnie's Homespun, Springfield, IL, US 107 W. Cook Street

  • Friday 20 June 2014
  • 新宿BLAZE (Shinjuku BLAZE), Tokyo, Japan 東京都新宿区歌舞伎町1-21-7

  • Saturday 14 June 2014
  • The Cry of Tanbour Daf

    Hammersmith Polish Centre, London, UK 238-246 King St

  • Friday 23 May 2014
  • Göta Källare, Stockholm, Sweden Tunnelbanedgång Medborgarplatsen

     
  • Saturday 17 May 2014
  • Donnie's Homespun - Decatur, Decatur, IL, US 126 S. Oakland

     
  • Saturday 29 March 2014
  • Feierwerk, Munich, Germany Hansastraße 39

     
  • Friday 28 March 2014
  • Daf, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, and Individual Totem

    Schlachthof, Wiesbaden, Germany Gartenfeldstrasse 57,

     
  • Wednesday 26 March 2014
  • EOTO The Pleasure, Plunkie, Bass Coma, Trinketz, and Daf

    Donnie's Homespun, Springfield, IL, US 107 W. Cook Street

     
  • Saturday 01 March 2014
  • Family Groove Company and Music Schedule Sunshine Daydream Plays the Grateful Dead, Juke House, Hipbone Sam, The Untouchables, Whiskey Medicine, Lowder, Bob Littrell, Micah Walk, Chris Bradley, Sarah Schneider, Deep Lunar Blue, Olivia, The Untouchable Force, Dave Littrell, Lorin Devine, Daf, Timmy2times, 2 Dot, Cj Thunder Stucki, The Driftaways, and Bilnye

    Donnie's Homespun, Springfield, IL, US 107 W. Cook Street

     
  • Thursday 23 January 2014
  • Daf Moodoid

    La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris, France 3bis Rue Papin

     
  • Friday 13 December 2013
  • Tankman Hendrix, Chris Vice, Hoopla, Danny Grooves, Daf, Part Human, Sir Racha, and Trip Gaia

    Donnie's Homespun, Springfield, IL, US 107 W. Cook Street

     
  • Saturday 16 November 2013
  • Ballroom Passions Festival 2013 Sono, Daf, Faderhead, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, Klangstabil, and Pokemon Reaktor

    Straße E, Dresden, Germany Werner-Hartmann-Straße 2

     
  • Friday 15 November 2013
  • Daf

    K17, Berlin, Germany Pettenkoferstraße 17 A

     
  • Saturday 26 October 2013
  • Daf

    Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany Klosterwall 11

     
  • Friday 25 October 2013
  • Suicide Commando Daf

    Matrix, Bochum, Germany Hauptstrasse 200

  • Bahnhof Langendreer, Bochum, Germany ,

     
  • Thursday 29 August 2013 – Saturday 31 August 2013
  • Electronic Summer 2013 Apoptygma Berzerk, Daf, Page, Spark, S.P.O.C.K, Tyske Ludder, Mr Jones Machine, and Vanligt folk

    Brewhouse, Gothenburg, Sweden Åvägen 24

     
  • Friday 17 May 2013
  • Daf, Rechenzentrum, and DDDXIE

    L'Aéronef, Lille, France 168 Avenue Willy Brandt

     
  • Saturday 23 March 2013

  • E-TROPOLIS FESTIVAL 2013 Covenant, Daf, Grendel, Leæther Strip, Nachtmahr, Melotron, Diorama, and Welle: Erdball

    Columbiahalle, Berlin, Germany Columbiadamm 13-21

     
  • Saturday 09 March 2013
  • Daf Goldkint and Fiji

    Konzertfabrik Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland Kraftwerkstr. 7

     
  • Friday 30 November 2012
  • Daf Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft

    Zentrum für Aktion, Kultur und Kommunikation (ZAKK), Düsseldorf, Germany Fichtenstrasse 40

  •  

    RATROCK 2012 The Exploited, Anti-Nowhere League, Daf, and Funeral Dress

    Harelbeke, Belgium

     
  • Saturday 21 July 2012 – Sunday 22 July 2012
  • Amphi Festival 2012 The Sisters Of Mercy, Combichrist, Front Line Assembly, Camouflage, Assemblage 23, And One, Eisbrecher, and Daf

    Tanzbrunnen, Cologne, Germany Rheinparkweg 1

     
  •  

    Kantine, Augsburg, Germany Am Exerzierplatz 25a

     
  •  

    Batschkapp, Frankfurt, Germany Gwinnerstrasse. 5

     
  •  

    Bi Nuu, Berlin, Germany Im U-Bhf. Schlesisches Tor

     
  •  

    Debaser Strand, Stockholm, Sweden Hornstulls Strand 4

     
  •  

    Kulturbolaget, Malmö, Sweden Bergsgatan 18

     
  •  

    Rosenhof, Osnabrück, Germany Rosenplatz 23

     
  •  

    Ramone Daf, Matt Wells, Paul Darey, and The Electric Swing Circus

    The Garage, London, UK 20 - 22 Highbury Corner

     
  •  

    Effenaar - Large Hall, Eindhoven, Netherlands Dommelstraat 2

     
  • Saturday 22 October 2011
  • Daf and Kraftklub Remmidemmi

    Die Röhre, Stuttgart, Germany Willy-Brandt-Straße 2

     
  • Saturday 24 September 2011
  • Daf Leæther Strip, Twice a Man, and Martial Canterel

    Koncerthuset, Studie 1, Copenhagen, Denmark Emil Holms Kanal 20

     
  • Friday 02 September 2011 – Sunday 04 September 2011
  • Nocturnal Culture Night Festival 2011 VNV Nation, Daf, Psyche, Atrocity, SITD, Gothminister, Kirlian Camera, and Absolute Body Control

    Deutzen, Germany

     
  • Friday 26 August 2011 – Sunday 28 August 2011
  • Moonlight festival 2011 And One, Daf, Clock DVA, UK Decay, and Rosa Crvx

    Rimini, Italy

     
  • Friday 05 August 2011 – Sunday 07 August 2011
  • Fährmannsfest 2011 Tito And Tarantula, Daf, Cryptex, Ohrbooten, Turbostaat, The Love Bülow, Reebosound, and Black As Chalk

    Hannover, Germany

     
  •   

    Melt! Festival 2011 Calvin Harris, Foster the People, Iron & Wine, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Naked and Famous, Cold War Kids, Crystal Castles, and Robyn

    Gräfenhainichen, Germany

  • Friday 01 April 2011
  • Broken Note, Scott Kemix, Matta, Simon Underground, No Alias, Subvibe, Trait, Statix, Operon, DJX, Joee, Kohl, Chemical 6, Daf, and Buchecha

    Electrowerkz, London, UK 7 Torrens Street

  • Sunday 20 March 2011
  • Daf Leæther Strip, Inertia, Abdelkader Saadoun, Samsa, and The Property of Nadya Shanab

    O2 Academy Islington, London, UK 16 Parkfield Street, Islington

  • Friday 11 March 2011
  • Daf and Psyche Transmitter

    Musikzentrum, Hannover, Germany Emil-Meyer-Straße 26-28

     
  • Thursday 10 March 2011
  • Daf and Psyche

    K17, Berlin, Germany Pettenkoferstraße 17 A

     
  •  

    BIMFest 2010 Laibach, Daf, The Kids, The Bollock Brothers, Autodafeh, Sturm Cafe, De Brassers, and Din-a-tod

    Antwerp, Belgium

     
  • Saturday 11 December 2010
  • Daf Zentralkapelle, G.i. Disco, and Zentralkapelle Berlin

    Festsaal Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany Skalitzer Str. 130

     
  • Saturday 27 November 2010
  • Daf Leæther Strip, Inertia, and Mechanical Cabaret

    O2 Academy Islington, London, UK 16 Parkfield Street, Islington

     
  •  

    KiFF, Aarau, Switzerland Tellistrasse 118

  • Sunday 15 August 2010
  • Daf

    Tivoli Oudegracht, Utrecht, Netherlands Oudegracht 245

     
  • Saturday 26 June 2010
  • E-TROPOLIS FESTIVAL 2010 KMFDM, Combichrist, Covenant, Daf, Hocico, and Leæther Strip

    Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin, Germany Am Juliusturm 64

     
  • Saturday 05 June 2010
  • Daf Conny Bloom

    Debaser Medis, Stockholm, Sweden Medborgarplatsen 8

  • Daf

    Debaser Strand, Stockholm, Sweden Hornstulls Strand 4

     
  • Saturday 24 April 2010
  • Scuba Daf, SCB, and Braille

    The Deaf Institute, Manchester, UK 135 Grosvenor St

     
  • Saturday 20 March 2010
  • Daf and Goja Moon Rockah

    Straße E, Dresden, Germany Werner-Hartmann-Straße 2

     
  • Friday 19 March 2010
  • Daf

    Tivoli, Bremen, Germany Hannoversche Strasse 11

     
  • Thursday 18 March 2010
  • Daf

    PULP - das Event-Schloss, Duisburg, Germany Wanheimer Str. 231 a

     
  • Saturday 20 February 2010
  • Daf Goja Moon Rockah

    Reithalle, Straße E, Dresden, Germany Werner-Hartmann-Straße 2

     
  • Saturday 19 September 2009
  • Daf

    Szene Wien, Vienna, Austria Hauffgasse 26

     
  • Saturday 02 May 2009
  • Virada Cultural 2009 Maria Rita, Curumin, Zeca Baleiro, Daf, CPM 22, Marcelo Camelo, Chico Cesar, and Matanza

    São Paulo, Brazil

     
  • Saturday 28 March 2009
  • Daf Client, Kommand & Kontrol, System:FX, S@y, and Ambitious Outsiders

    O2 Academy Islington, London, UK 16 Parkfield Street, Islington

     
  • Saturday 05 February 2005
  • Eisplanet Festival 2005 Daf, Melotron, Kirlian Camera, Astyplaz, and Astralon

    Athens, Greece

     
  • Thursday 28 August 2003 – Saturday 30 August 2003

  • Pukkelpop 2003 Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, Beck, The All-American Rejects, Massive Attack, Damien Rice, Sum 41, and Limp Bizkit

    Kiewit-Hasselt, Belgium

     
  • Wednesday 09 April 2003
  • Daf

    Docks, Hamburg, Germany Spielbudenplatz 19

     
  • Monday 21 July 1986
  • Pukkelpop 1986 Yellowman, Daf, Arno, Virgin Prunes, The Cassandra Complex, Executive Slacks, Red Guitars, and Skyblasters

    Excelcior Heppen, Leopoldsburg, Belgium

     
  • Thursday 05 November 1981
  • Daf

    Odissea 2001, Milan, Italy

     
  • Wednesday 04 November 1981
  • Daf

    ENTPE, Lyon, France

     
  • Tuesday 03 November 1981
  • Daf

    Les Bains Douches, Paris, France

     
  • Monday 02 November 1981
  • Daf

    Disco Rojo, Brussels, Belgium Rue Blaes 208 / Blaesstraat 208

     
  • Saturday 05 September 1981
  • Daf

    Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany Möckernstraße 10

     
  • Sunday 19 July 1981
  • The Monochrome Set The Past Seven Days, Daf, and The Weathermen

    Lyceum Theatre, London, UK 21 Wellington Street

     
  • Sunday 21 June 1981
  • Bauhaus Subway Sect, The Birthday Party, and Daf

    Jenkinsons, Brighton, UK Kingswest, Seafront

     
  • Wednesday 08 October 1980
  • Daf The Birthday Party

    Moonlight Club, London, UK 100 West End Lane, West Hampstead

     
  • Friday 25 July 1980
  • Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft and Daf

    Porterhouse, Retford, UK 20 Carolgate

     
  • Thursday 24 July 1980
  • Daf

    The Factory, The Russell Club, Manchester, UK Royce Road, Moss-Side

     
  • Thursday 10 July 1980
  • The Birthday Party Daf and The Lines

    Moonlight Club, London, UK 100 West End Lane, West Hampstead

     
  • Thursday 26 June 1980
  • Daf Naked Lunch and B-Movie

    Clarendon Hotel Ballroom, London, UK Hammersmith Broadway

     
  • Thursday 01 May 1980
  • Magazine Bauhaus, Manicured Noise, The Last Dance, and Daf

    Lyceum Theatre, London, UK 21 Wellington Street

     
  • Wednesday 20 February 1980
  • Daf take it

    Moonlight Club, London, UK 100 West End Lane, West Hampstead

     
  • Sunday 18 November 1979
  • The Fall Daf

    Marquee Club - Wardour Street, London, UK 90 Wardour Street

     
  • Friday 16 November 1979
  • The Pop Group Scritti Politti, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, and Daf

    Student Central, London, UK Malet Street

     
  • Friday 28 September 1979
  • Cockney Rejects Daf

    Funhouse, Manchester, UK

     
  • Thursday 16 November 1978

    The Pop Group Scritti Politti and Daf

    Student Central, London, UK Malet Street