Editing Rio Reiser (section)

=== Ton Steine Scherben ===

In 1970, Reiser recorded his first single with the band [[Ton Steine Scherben]]. The band name was chosen in a lengthy democratic decision procedure among the members, friends and supporters of the band. The original name idea was actually "[[Volkseigener Betrieb|VEB]] Ton Steine Scherben", but the "VEB" was soon dropped. The band name can be translated both as "clay stones shards" and as "sound stones shards", thus offering different approaches to interpretation (sometimes also understood as a political program) and, last not least, making reference to Reiser's favorites The Rolling Stones. In that same year the group performed their first public concert and recorded their first full-length record.

The band soon became very popular with the squatter scene, left-wing student and workers' movement and was invited to numerous political events to provide the soundtrack to demonstrations, parties and rallies across Germany which often inspired the audience to translate the message into action afterwards. Thus, many buildings were seized after the end of a concert, and the band often ended up sitting in some commune discussing the political agenda with their hosts. Reiser later revealed in his autobiography that he sometimes would have preferred to just get away with some nice person.

[[File:Fresenhagen rio reiser-wohnhaus.jpg|thumb|This farmhouse in Fresenhagen became Reiser's residence in 1975.]]
15 years of touring, four more LPs and various film projects and collaborations with other musicians followed, including the recording of two children's records. Reiser lived together with the band and a large group of friends and supporters most of that time, first sharing a commune in Berlin. In 1975—after the band was tiring of the numerous demands and expectations by all kinds of political groups—the group settled down on a farm in [[Stadum|Fresenhagen]], in North Germany which continued to be Reiser's refuge and place of inspiration even after moving back to Berlin a couple of years later.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rio Reisers Residenz – Nichts als Scherben |trans-title=Rio Reiser's Residence – Broken to Pieces |work=[[die Tageszeitung]] |url=http://www.taz.de/!47677/ |date=1 February 2012 |first=Klaus |last=Irler |language=German |accessdate=1 September 2012}}</ref> One of the band's most important and ambitious albums, the "Black Album", was recorded there.

''Ton Steine Scherben'' were musically very successful and, being one of the first rock bands in Germany which actually wrote and performed German rock songs, opened the door for countless successful German rock and pop bands to follow. Due to their refusal to adapt to the demands of the mainstream music business, as well as to financial mismanagement, a certain "outlawish" image in the eyes of the large radio and TV stations and a fan community which often forgot that the band had to make a living out of the music and would have despised any commercial ambitions, they were not able to translate their musical success and widespread popularity into financial stability.