Elaine
The ongoing search for The Most Mysterious Song (TMS) has led to many fascinating corners of 1980s music culture, including the exploration of lesser-known bands like Elaine. Based in Kiel, North Germany—a region covered by NDR1 where TMS was potentially aired—Elaine was active until about 1983/1984, making their timeline and location relevant for TMS researchers.
Elaine's Obscurity and Connection to NDR
Elaine is noted for its obscurity and minimal digital footprint, which adds to the allure and complexity of the investigation. Their connection to Klaus Wellershaus, an influential NDR producer who was instrumental in setting up the "Musik für junge Leute" show, is particularly intriguing. Wellershaus produced the album Überdruck (1982), which includes a track by Elaine titled First Thoughts. This track is noteworthy not for its vocals, but for its instrumental elements—specifically the guitar and drums—that bear a resemblance to the instrumentation in TMS.
The Strange/Hostile Response
Approximately a year ago, one member of Elaine was contacted, and the response was ambiguously hostile. This response did not provide a clear indication of the band's involvement with TMS and led to a directive within the TMS community that further contact should not be made without moderator approval.
Musical Analysis and Speculation
The musical style of Elaine, especially noted in "First Thoughts," suggests a familiarity with the type of riff that TMS employs, albeit in a different musical setting. This observation has led some in the TMS community to speculate whether Elaine might have experimented with a precursor to TMS or influenced another local band in the Kiel area to create something similar. Importantly, the voice in Elaine's tracks does not match TMS, although performances by another singer from the band, Dirk Oliver Stempler (link to performance), bear some similarities.
Conclusion
While Elaine offers an interesting avenue of exploration due to their geographical and temporal proximity to the TMS era and their connection to key figures in the NDR music scene, the lack of direct evidence linking them to TMS and the non-committal response from the contacted band member necessitates cautious further inquiry. The connection through Klaus Wellershaus and the Überdruck album remains a noteworthy part of the TMS puzzle, emphasizing the complex web of potential leads and influences in the 1980s North German music scene.