Biography
Die Ausreden are a Berlin-based punk rock band founded in 2021 by Logan Zufall, Ms. Mawashi Geri, and Paula Prachtkind—right in the midst of a time when the local culture and nightlife scenes had ground to a near-halt. Born of a longing for concerts, guitar music, and raw punk, their initial songs were first released on Bandcamp. Drummer Phil Smaller joined the band in late 2022—bringing with him the long-awaited opportunity to perform live on stage once again. 2023 saw the release of an EP (*An frischer Luft mit Quallen*) and a single (*Unverhofft Kommt Selten*), followed by a two-week tour of Kosovo.
The experiences from that trip and the friendships forged there drew the band back a year later: in August 2024, Die Ausreden recorded their debut album at Defy Them Studio in Pristina with Galdon Reçica. It was a setting where life moves at a more relaxed pace—a place where hot summer storms offer relief from temperatures nearing 40°C in the shade; where DJ Smaller’s spontaneous techno sets echo from small bars in the downtown pedestrian zone at night, while the muezzin’s call drifts in from a different direction at dawn; where the fatigue of sweltering nights in the studio is kept at bay with excellent mocha and iced coffee; and where addictive snacks and soft drinks—the kind we last saw back home in the late 80s—are consumed as staples from the nearby supermarket. These two intense weeks shaped not only the album's sound but also its atmosphere. The local Peja beer was a particular favorite among the FLINTA members of the band and has since become a coveted import for their rehearsals back home. Defy Them Studio itself—a converted bunker built into a hillside, featuring a bar, rehearsal rooms, and a concert space for Pristina’s young generation of musicians—became a hub for fellow musicians and friends during this time. As a result, the songs—already written prior to the trip—and the album as a whole took on a distinct Kosovar influence in many small details (such as the intro in Kosovo Albanian, the recording of a thunderstorm on the B-side, backing vocals from local musician friends, and the cover art). Furthermore, on one of their final evenings together at a friend’s bar, Phil and Paula decided to get a spontaneous matching tattoo.
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The resulting album is simply titled *Menschen* and was released on November 28, 2025, via Bakraufarfita Records.
Musically, Die Ausreden are firmly rooted in German-language punk rock, yet their sound takes unexpected turns: catchy pop melodies meet garage-punk energy, and political stances blend with witty observations of everyday life. The band critiques social and political issues—sometimes with a wink, sometimes with blunt directness—all without losing the urge to sing along, dance, and let loose.
Releases:
Single “Unverhofft Kommt Selten” (May 2023, Hals über Kopf Records)
EP “An frischer Luft mit Quallen” (September 2023, Hals über Kopf Records)
Single “Ringbahn” (November 2025, Bakraufarfita Records/broken silence)
Album “Menschen” (November 2025, Bakraufarfita Records/broken silence)
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.