Richard Kruspe
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label_quick_facts:Richard Kruspe
00293439732 (Kruspe Bernstein, Richard Z)
00479767088 (Kruspe, Richard Z)
Richard Zven Kruspe (born 24 June 1967 in Wittenberge as Sven Kruspe) is lead guitar player and background singer for Rammstein, as well as singer and guitar player for Emigrate.
Life
Richard Kruspe was born in Wittenberge, German Democratic Republic. He has two older sisters and one older brother. His parents divorced when he was young, and his mother later remarried. However, he did not get along with his stepfather. The family moved to the village of Weisen during his childhood. Because of his poor relationship with his stepfather, Kruspe often ran away from home in his early teens and slept on park benches. He later took up wrestling as a way to channel his anger.
Richard lived in Schwerin before moving to Berlin in 1988. On 10 October 1989, he accidentally became caught up in a demonstration and found himself surrounded by the police. Along with others, he was forced onto a truck, which took them to a police station in Weißensee. There, he was made to stand facing a wall for six hours. If he moved, he was struck by a police officer. Richard was detained for three days. As a result of this experience, he decided to leave the German Democratic Republic. He fled to West Berlin via Hungary and Austria.
In 1993, he decided to start his own band. After the Berlin Wall came down, he moved back to Schwerin to reunite with Till. While at work, Till would often sing, immediately impressing Richard. For no particular reason, Richard recorded several takes of Till's singing. A few weeks later, he convinced Till to sing and record for his planned band.
At the age of sixteen, Kruspe and some friends visited Czechoslovakia, where he bought a guitar. He had originally planned to sell it because guitars were very expensive, and he thought he could make a good profit. However, after returning to the German Democratic Republic, a girl at a campsite where he was staying asked him to play. He told her that he could not play, but she kept insisting. Frustrated, Kruspe started strumming the strings. "The harder I played," Richard said, "the more excited she got. Something clicked in my head, and I realized girls like guys who play guitar." This sparked his interest in learning the instrument, and he went on to practise day and night for the next two years.
Short facts
- Richard was a wrestler before he started playing the guitar.
- He first learned to play jazz guitar.
- In 1999, he wrote the music for his own wedding.
Works
Music
Previous Bands
- 1987 – 1989: Das elegante Chaos (guitar)
- 1991 – 1993: Orgasm Death Gimmick (guitar)
- 1992 – 1993: Die Firma (guitar)
- 19?? – 19??: First Arsch (guitar, vocals)
Solo
- Since 2007: Emigrate
In 2024, four instrumental demos by Richard were leaked online. They include three original compositions and an instrumental cover of Helden. Since the actual track titles are unknown, the other three songs are listed as Instrumental 1, Instrumental 2, and Instrumental 3.
Remixes
Guesting
- 2003: Till Lindemann & Richard Kruspe - Schtiel (vocals, guitar)
- 2007: Apocalyptica - Helden (guitar)
- 2010: Rakim - The Time Is Now (guitar)
- 2015: Hotei - Move It (vocals)
- 2016: VAMPS - Rise or Die (composition, guitar)
- 2019: Aesthetic Perfection - Gods & Gold (guitar)
- 2022: Lifeline International - Come Together (guitar)
Television
Movies
- 1999: The Debtors
- 2002: xXx
Equipment[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Guitars
| Years used | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 - 2002 | ESP-901 | |
| 1994 - 1997 | Fender Stratocaster Tobacco Sunburst | |
| 1997 - 1999 | ESP KH-2 Kirk Hammett Signature | |
| 2001 - 2002 | ESP Akauzu-Kun Közi Signature See-Through Red | |
| 2001 - 2002 | ESP LTD EX-400 Red | |
| 2001 - 2005 | ESP LTD EC-1000QM See-Through Black Cherry | |
| 2001 - 2005 | ESP KH-4 Kirk Hammett Signature | |
| 2004 - 2005 | Takamine EF341SC | |
| 2004 - 2005 | ESP Eclipse-I CTM Black Vintage | |
| 2004 - Present | ESP RZK-I | |
| 2004 - Present | ESP RZK-600 | |
| 2005 | ESP LTD EC-50 Black | used in Mann gegen Mann |
| 2007 | ESP Truckster James Heltfield Signature Silver | used in My World |
| 2008 - 2009 | Gibson J200 | |
| 2009 | Gibson J200 | |
| 2009 - Present | ESP E-II RZK-II | |
| 2009 - Present | ESP RZK-II |
Other
| Years used | Name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Moog Prodigy | Synthesizer | Bought because he was a fan of The Prodigy, who named themselves after the Moog Prodigy synthesizer[7] |
| 1997 - 2002 | Roland PC-200MKII | Keyboard | used live in Bück dich |
| 2001 - 2002 | Shure Beta 58A | Microphone | |
| 2001 - 2002 | Shure 520DX Green Bullet | Microphone | |
| 2004 - 2005 | Shure SM58 | Microphone | |
| 2006 - Present | Shure Super 55 Deluxe | Microphone | |
| 2010 - Present? | Native Instruments Rammfire | Software Plugin | |
| 2011 - 2013 | Alesis QX49 | Keyboard | used live in Bück dich |
| 2016 - Present | Kemper Profiler Rack | Amplifier |
Signature
Guitars
Pickups
Straps
Cables
Guitar Picks
Guitar Strings
Bracelets
Sources
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ApLHCbQ3gnw
- ↑ http://equipboard.com/pros/richard-zven-kruspe
- ↑ http://www.mesaboogie.com/artist/richard-kruspe.html
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BTdteogF43s/?hl=fr
- ↑ http://www.tcelectronic.com/Artists/artist/richard-kruspe
- ↑ https://youtu.be/MYu25PPcco0
- ↑ Die Sendung, 12.09.2017
