As you may or may not know, I’m editing and designing a book about the Ratinger Hof in Düsseldorf.

For those who don’t know: the Ratinger Hof was unique in the late seventies – this was the place where art, punk and everyday culture came together. This was the place where bands like Wire, 999, or Bauhaus had their first gigs in Germany. It was a place frequented by artists like Martin Kippenberger and Joseph Beuys, while Mittagspause, Male or S.Y.P.H. played live on stage, generating an incredible amount of noise – and the stage was only a few snooker tables pushed together with a board on top of them.

And that’s why Koewi and I are doing a book about this bright sparkling gem of German cultural history. It will be out in the bookshops this Summer. With photos by Richard Gleim, Carmen Knoebel, myself and others.

For those who know: here’s a small glimpse of what to expect.