Blixa Bargeld is not a pitchman.

He and his fellow German industrial pioneers Einstürzende Neubauten are currently bringing their experimental mix of machinery and music to venues here in the States. In the past, the group has used chainsaws, rocks, and even human ribs to create its art, so when Bargeld, the group's vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, was asked what fans should expect this time around, he dryly replied, "Disappointment. I gained a lot of weight. We all look really old. We don't have fire on the stage. The story about the pneumatic drill is a press legend. We never had a pneumatic drill. Nobody's getting hurt. No blood, what else? Actually that's the best, nobody in this band has a tattoo. Nobody.

"I think they can probably disappoint themselves to a maximum by noticing that we are actually soaked in beautiful ideas," Bargeld added during his recent interview with MTV News (which you can catch in our MTV News Online feature of the week starting Friday). "That we have a very fragile way of playing that has dynamics from being absolutely silent to being incredibly loud, and that we do incredible things with objects that look like they are just harmful or would sound really awful. That we could possibly use them for the exact opposite as well, and they can hear a lot of German lyrics that they're probably not able to understand. I will try my best to make them understandable."

While disappointment may not be what most people consider a positive experience, Bargeld notes that being disappointed can be rather good for you.

If you're in the mood to readjust your view of the world, here's where you can catch Einstürzende Neubauten:

  • 12/17 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest
  • 12/18 - Milwaukee, WI @ Rave
  • 12/19 - Chicago, IL @ Metro / Smart Bar
  • 12/21 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
  • 12/22 - Toronto @ Guvernment
  • 12/23 - Montreal @ Spectrum
  • 12/26 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
  • 12/27 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
  • 12/28 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
  • 1/1 - Boston, MA @ Axis
  • 1/2 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
  • 1/3 - Washington, DC @ 9:30