Krankschaft

Krankschaft is a group from London and Cambridge that is active from 1986 to the present. It develops out of the Inner City Unit circle and is associated with Robert Calvert’s live work and later tribute performances.

Early use of the name

In 1980, Inner City Unit plays a month-long residency at London’s Marquee Club, with Robert Calvert appearing as the support act for each show. During this period, members of Inner City Unit wear masks and perform under the name Krankschaft. In 1985, Calvert performs during the Inner City Unit set itself, so for a time the band has two front men.

Robert Calvert projects and The Maximum Effect

When Calvert is invited to present a showcase of his solo work at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, he uses members of Inner City Unit as Krankschaft. After the collapse of Inner City Unit, Dead Fred and Steve Pond work with drummer Mick Stupp in a power trio called The Maximum Effect. Stupp leaves shortly before the band is called on again by Calvert to perform as Krankschaft, and Mary Cason, Inner City Unit’s late-period sleeve designer, is also brought in on synthesiser. The Queen Elizabeth Hall show is a critical and commercial success and leads to a UK tour that continues into 1987, although the tour uses the name The Maximum Effect.

Later tribute work and recordings

For a tribute show in Herne Bay organised by Nik Turner to mark the 20th anniversary of Calvert’s death, Krankschaft performs his sonnets and poems. After that show, the group uses the live MIDI files as the starting point for an album of Calvert songs, but the material is then reworked into a harder rock approach in the studio. Krankschaft releases its first studio album, The Flame Red Superstar, in 2009.

Members

The group includes Steve Pond, Alex Tsentides, Kevin Walker, Dead Fred and Mick Stupp.