Rammstein DVD Tops Charts

What did it take for a hard rock band from Germany to break the U.S. market? The documentary “Rammstein in Amerika,” directed by Hannes Rossacher, gets to the bottom of it, portraying the band’s very beginnings, its first U.S. club shows in the ’90s, being booed off stage as support for KISS, up until the band’s triumphant return to Madison Square Garden in 2010.

Photo: Guido Karp

The Dec. 11 NYC concert marked the band’s first live appearance in the U.S. since its farewell tour after the events of 9/11.

It was promoted by the band at its own risk and sold out within 20 minutes. The documentary, the show in Madison Square Garden, along with the making of Rammstein’s latest studio album, are all part of a DVD titled “In Amerika.”

It was released Sept. 25 and reached No. 1 one in 13 countries, among them four of the most valuable music markets in the world – U.S., UK, Germany and France.

The documentary contains tributes and anecdotes by RHCP’s Chad Smith, Moby, Steven Tyler, Iggy Pop, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit), Marilyn Manson, and many others.

Tom Bohne, President Universal Music Germany, called Rammstein a “musical force of nature. Wherever they show up, success is guaranteed,” referring to the TV broadcast of the Madison Square Garden show Oct. 24 on arte, which had more than 1 million viewers, but also to the band’s much-viewed YouTube channel.