Silly's Februar

A portrait and analysis of East German band Silly's popular music masterpiece, Februar, that mirrors the collapse of socialism.

In early 1989, nine months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the band Silly released Februar, one of the most important albums in the history of rock music in the GDR. The record was both—an artistic masterpiece, and an eloquent sign of the times, with lyrics that commented on the political erosion afoot in East Europe and anticipated the collapse of socialism. That the words were able to overcome the hurdles typically set by censorship in the GDR owed in part to the extraordinary origins of the album. Februar was the only large-scale popular music coproduction between East and West Germany, jointly realized by Amiga in socialist East Germany and Ariola in the capitalist West. Ariola assumed the costs for the album, assuring itself the final say. Recorded in West Berlin, the album was released in both Germanies. Yet just as the song sequence and narrative of the record varied considerably from East to West, so too did its presentation and reception. Februar illustrated the divergent meanings rock music held in the rival societies, confirming its special power in the GDR. Differently from what black-white interpretations suggest, rock in East Germany developed along lines marked by unexpected possibilities, productive contradictions, and constant negotiations between artists and the state. This is the subject of this book. It portrays Februar as the culmination of a long-process of self-empowerment, throughout which Silly gained increasing artistic and political leeway.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.