Einstürzende Neubauten, the pioneering German industrial band, have added a new member for the first time in nearly three decades. Bassist Josefine Lukschy, who uses they/them pronouns, joined the group in late March 2026, roughly a year after the departure of long-time member Alexander Hacke. Lukschy, born in 1989, is the first new addition since Jochen Arbeit and Rudolph Moser joined in 1997.
Hacke’s exit was announced in April 2025, citing a divergence of “basic standards, personally and professionally, on every level”. Founder Blixa Bargeld attributed the split to Hacke’s growing focus on his own projects, including the duo hackedepicciotto with his wife. The band used improvised passages from their 2022 live shows as the foundation for their latest album, Rampen, released in 2024.
Lukschy, previously involved in Berlin underground projects such as the sludge-rock band Crashpad, was invited to audition after a discreet search. “With Josefine, it felt as if they’d always been with us,” Bargeld said. Lukschy described the opportunity as “almost accidental” after a call from an acquaintance led to rehearsals.
Neubauten, known for their intense noise sound created with building materials and scrap metals, have influenced acts like Nine Inch Nails and Swans. Bargeld, a former member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2025. The band continues to tour, performing at the Rewire festival in The Hague this spring.
