11 years after disbanding, NITZER EBB reformed in May 2006 for a series of European festival dates and a tour of select cities in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and North and South America. Venues in the US included House of Blues (Chicago, Anaheim) and Irving Plaza (NYC). Popular demand had them wrapping up the year with a set of shows in Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Czech Republic and a quintet of German cities. What was intended to be a one-off has turned into a resurrection for the legendary British band that helped inspire Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins and Marylin Manson. Formerly on MUTE (DEPECHE MODE, NEW ORDER) in the UK and GEFFEN in the US, NITZER EBB is currently free from label and publishing entanglements. Just as important, NITZER EBB is as vibrant and energetic on stage as ever. Crowds at these shows swear the band found the fountain of youth.
At the age of 15, main protagonists Douglas McCarthy (vocals) & Bon Harris (drums, programming) as NITZER EBB cut a dynamic swathe through the industrial music and Balearic beat scenes of the 1980s and 90s. Militaristic, intimidating, yet always accessible, the band enjoyed a string of ferocious club hits and released five critically acclaimed albums on Mute, working with producers such as Phil Harding, Flood, & Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode).
NITZER EBB went on to sell over 400,000 records in the US and many more in Europe, influencing such pioneering DJs & producers as Richie Hawtin, Darren Emerson, Sven Vaeth, DJ Hell, Tom Stephan, Danny Tenaglia, and rock-gods Smashing Pumpkins & Nine Inch Nails.
NITZER EBB split in 1995 but recently reformed in May 2006 to headline the world-renowned Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Support for the band was overwhelming – as longtime supporters and the new generation of NITZER EBB fans converged at DEMF for this momentous occasion. "The UK band that inspired dozens of growling young men in black to toss aside their guitars and replace them with synths and drum pads in the 1980s and ’90s gave a full-on live electronic body music performance" hailed DETROIT METRO TIMES and DETROIT NEWS proclaimed "NITZER EBB is back on the scene."
• PAYROLL (JOHNO MIX) was the lead track on the SAW IV Soundtrack and the bonus Walmart CD accompanying 325,000 Walmart DVD releases of Saw IV.
• Recent CD “BODY OF WORK” featured in the NEW YORK TIMES among best compilation albums of 2006.
• The ONIONAV says “[NITZER EBB is] re-establishing its legacy.”
• Bon Harris’ credits over the last few years include production credits with Billy Corgan and Marilyn Manson and studio work with AFI, Bush, Evanescence, Depeche Mode, Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick and OK GO.
