"Killepitsch and Altbier! Those were the first words I learned."

A Joseph Beuys performance in Edinburgh was Richard Jobson's first encounter with art, one that had a strong impact on him. In a way, it laid the foundation for his passion for Düsseldorf. Born in Scotland with Irish roots, he founded the punk band Skids in 1977 with Stuart Adamson and others. In the summer, he released the current album "Destination Düsseldorf" with a new line-up. Rudi Esch, bassist of Die Krupps, author of "Electri_City" and initiator of the conference of the same name in Düsseldorf, interviewed Jobson for us. The result is a kind of declaration of love.

You have a special relationship with Düsseldorf. How come?
When I was little, my brother got us two tickets for a Joseph Beuys exhibition in Edinburgh. Beuys was on show there with a coyote in a cage. That was the first time I realized what art meant to me and I fell in love with Beuys. He was amazed that a little boy was standing right next to the cage and attending his performance and then gave me a little present: a plug that he signed for me. I still have it. We've never sold it! The plug is still my favorite piece of art and a great reminder of my first encounter with art. But I feel drawn to Düsseldorf for many reasons, not just because of Joseph Beuys.

Kraftwerk probably also played a role. What was your first Kraftwerk record?
"Radioactivity", I think. I had an older brother who had a very unusual taste in music. Even as a little boy, I came into contact with Can, Faust, Kraftwerk, Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa. So I was introduced to the progressive music scene when I was just twelve.

How did you like Düsseldorf when you visited it for the first time?
I immediately felt at home in Düsseldorf. The vibe matched the reputation the city has among my friends and acquaintances. I would say that Düsseldorfers are the coolest and most relaxed people in the whole of Germany. Simply because they are "music people". In my opinion, that sets them apart from the people in the Berlin music scene, for example - who always come across as a bit fake and artificial. In Düsseldorf, it's more heartfelt and relaxed. But at the time, I had already closely associated Düsseldorf with Joseph Beuys, Wim Wenders and Kraftwerk. Those are three really important people who enriched my life even before I knew Düsseldorf - and strangely enough, they all come from Düsseldorf.

What were the first things you came into contact with in Düsseldorf?
Killepitsch and Altbier! Those were the first words I learned. I also tried a few German sausages and then somehow came up with the idea of writing a song about Düsseldorf that also features Joseph Beuys.

Your album is called "Destination Düsseldorf". What inspired you to write it?
While I was making the new album, I thought about Beuys and asked myself whether I would dedicate a song to him. We also have a song on the album in which we list cool things about Düsseldorf. From carnival to Japan Day and from Wenders to Beuys. Of course, we also included Fortuna in the song. It was fun to produce it. The line "What a choice - Joseph Beuys" was born. I had the feeling that people in Düsseldorf have more of a sense of humor than in other cities in Germany, if I may say so. I lived in Berlin for a few years before that, but I never felt "Berlinish". Düsseldorf is a city that's much easier to warm to. The Rhineland has a special vibe.

How is the feedback on the album "Destination Düsseldorf"?
The album was released at the end of June and shortly after the release I got a video of thousands of people singing my song in the Düsseldorf soccer stadium.

What do we have to do to get you to move to Düsseldorf?
Not much! You have to give me a German passport - because of Brexit, which I hate. I don't think people from Germany and the Netherlands understand how much we in the U.K. hate Brexit. I think it was mainly older people with prejudices against Europe who voted for it, whereas younger people just love Europe. My mother was Irish and my father was German, so I see myself as European and most people here do too.

Interview: Rudi Esch
Lead photo: Detail, cover of the album "Destination Düsseldorf", photo: Richard Jobson (Instagram)
All other photos courtesy of Rudi Esch.

Electri_City
The Electri_City Conference takes place annually in the fall at different locations in Düsseldorf. The initiator of the conference is Rudi Esch. In 2023, the focus was on photographer Bob Gruen, whose biography was published on October 23. Even before the Electri_City Conference, photos by Gruen could be seen in the Weltkunstzimmer.

Further information can be found at ecity-conference.de.