View source for En Esch

{{Short description|German musician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist<!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians Please fill out the missing information-->
| name              = En Esch
| image             = En esch 5 23 2006 arb.jpg
| image_size        = 
| caption           = En Esch, 2005
| background        = solo_singer
| birth_name        = Nicklaus Schandelmaier
| alias             = Klaus Schandelmaier, Nick
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|3|23}}
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| origin            = 
| instrument        = {{hlist|Vocals|percussion|drums|guitar}}
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Industrial rock]]|[[electro-industrial]]|[[industrial music]] }}
| occupation        = Musician
| years_active      = 
| label             = {{hlist|Give/Take}}
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[KMFDM]]|[[Pigface]]|[[Slick Idiot]]|[[Mona Mur]]|[[Pig (musical project)|<PIG>]]}}
| website           = 
}}
'''Nicklaus Schandelmaier''',<ref name="DML"/> (born 23 March 1968) is a German musician, better known by his stage name '''En Esch''', and has been a member of the bands [[KMFDM]], [[Pigface]], [[Slick Idiot]], and [[Pig (musical project)|<PIG>]]. 

==History==
En Esch, born near Frankfurt, is an orchestra percussionist,<ref name="DML">{{cite web | url=http://deutschmusikland.com/RN/monamur_eneschinterview.php | title=Mona Mur & En Esch Interview | author=Radio Nietzsche | work=Deutschmusikland.com | publisher=Landers, Mikki | date=March 2009 | access-date=29 April 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808010230/http://deutschmusikland.com/RN/monamur_eneschinterview.php/ | archive-date=8 August 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> drummer, [[Programming (music)|programmer]], producer, sound mixer, guitarist and singer.  He was a member of the German [[industrial rock]] group, [[KMFDM]], from 1985 to 1999, during which time he contributed to ten studio albums and more than a dozen singles as musician, composer and producer.

[[Sascha Konietzko]] claims to have given Esch his nickname because the latter felt that his real name was inappropriate for the stage. It is derived from the German pronunciation of his initials (N. Sch.). Esch lived in Germany until 1992, when he moved to [[Chicago]] to join Konietzko, who had moved there a year earlier.

It was at this time that Esch first worked with [[Pigface]], whom he also toured with in the early 1990s. This would be the first time Esch "left" KMFDM and Sascha would proclaim ''[[Money (album)|Money]]'' as their last album together. After moving to New 
Orleans he released a solo album, ''[[Cheesy (album)|Cheesy]]'', in 1993. While Konietzko eventually relocated to Seattle, WA, Esch would adhere to his nomadic ways  and eventually wind up in NYC in the mid to late 90's. Esch would also "leave the band" in 1996 resulting in minimal output into the album ''[[Xtort]]'', although Sascha did not proclaim the band "done" this time, not until 1999's poignantly titled ''[[Adios (KMFDM album)|Adios]]''. Esch would not return when KMFDM "reformed" in 2002 and has not appeared on any albums post-''Adios''.

When [[KMFDM]] broke up in 1999, Esch briefly worked with the band Pizza Whore, which changed its name to Barely Legal, and included Trixie Reiss of [[The Crystal Method]].<ref name="DML"/> The band did not last, and Esch began traveling to Canada to visit [[Günter Schulz]], the former KMFDM guitarist. They formed [[Slick Idiot]], and released their first album in 2001.  They have released two more albums under that moniker since then.

Esch has since begun working actively with [[Pigface]] again, joining them on tour in 2005.

Esch was rumored to be the replacement lead singer of industrial group [[Rammstein]], but this turned out to be a hoax.<ref name="blabbermouth">{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=76999 |title=En Esch: I'm Not The New Singer Of Rammstein |access-date=2008-03-10 |work=blabbermouth |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214140851/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=76999 |archive-date=14 February 2008 }}</ref>

In 2007, he began collaborating with fellow German musician [[Mona Mur]]. The two released the album ''[[120 Tage]]'' in February 2009, and toured together in support of the release over the next two years. Esch and Mur joined Schulz, [[Raymond Watts]], and [[Mark Durante]] to perform at the Wax Trax! Retrospectacle in Chicago, a charity event celebrating the industrial music label, and performed KMFDM songs from the 1990s.<ref name=spectacle>{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-live-0418-wax-trax-review-20110417,0,2736326.story?track=rss | author=Legasp, Althea |title=A celebration of Wax Trax! and its iconic place in Chicago's music scene | work=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=17 April 2011 | access-date=21 April 2011}}</ref> A second album by the duo of Esch and Mur was released in 2011. 

A second solo album, ''Spänk'', was successfully crowdfunded and released in late 2014. His third solo album, ''Trash Chic'', was originally scheduled for release on 31 May 2016, but was postponed to 1 July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://regenmag.com/news/en-esch-announces-release-date-for-latest-solo-album/ | first=Ilker | last=Yücel | title=EN ESCH announces release date for latest solo album | work=Regen Magazine | date=21 May 2016 | access-date=21 May 2016}}</ref> Esch would hit the road in support of ''Trash Chic'', opening for, and playing guitar, in <PIG>'s live band, alongside former Slick Idiot guitarist Guenter Shulz.

== Personal life ==
Esch is a [[vegetarian]] and an [[animal rights]] activist.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=3 September 2018|title=INDULGING IN INDUSTRIAL WITH EN ESCH|author=Mistress Nancy|publication-date=26 May 2015|website=[[SLUG Magazine]]|url=https://www.slugmag.com/music-features/indulging-in-industrial-with-en-esch/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017075542/https://www.slugmag.com/music-features/indulging-in-industrial-with-en-esch/|archive-date=17 October 2015}}</ref> He currently resides in [[Berlin]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.side-line.com/en-esch-pig-former-kmfdm-signs-with-give-take-and-releases-new-single-in-march/ | title=En Esch (PIG, former KMFDM) signs with GIVE/TAKE and releases new single in March | date=February 27, 2023 | accessdate=10 January 2024}}</ref>

==Partial discography==

===Solo===
* ''[[Cheesy (album)|Cheesy]]'' (1993)
* ''Confidence'' (single) (1993)
* ''Spänk'' (2014)
* ''Trash Chic'' (2016)
* '' Et Nos Unum Sumus '' (2023)
* '' Dance Hall Putsch '' (2024)

===Slick Idiot===
* ''DickNity'' (2001)
* ''ReDickUlous''  (2003)
* ''Screwtinized'' (2004)
* ''Xscrewciating'' (2006)
* ''Sucksess''  (2009)

===with Jost Band===
* ''W.A.S.A.'' (We Are Still Alive)  (1980)

===with Pigface===
* ''[[Gub]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Welcome to Mexico... Asshole]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Fook (album)|Fook]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Washingmachine Mouth]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Truth Will Out]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Easy Listening...]]'' (2003)
* ''[[6 (Pigface album)|6]]'' (2009)

===with Mona Mur===
* ''[[120 Tage|120 Tage - The Fine Art of Beauty and Violence]]'' (2009)
* ''Do With Me What You Want'' (2011)

===with FM Einheit and Mona Mur===
* ''Terre Haute'' (2013)

===with <PIG>===
* ''The Gospel'' (2016)
*''Risen'' (2018)
*''Pain Is God'' (2020)
*''Red Room'' (2024)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://slickidiot.de/ Slick Idiot Official Site]

{{KMFDM}}
{{Missing Foundation}}
{{Pigface}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esch, En}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:German industrial musicians]]
[[Category:KMFDM members]]
[[Category:Missing Foundation members]]
[[Category:Pigface members]]
[[Category:Slick Idiot members]]