18th Dye was a Berlin-based German/Danish noise rock band formed in 1992 by German Sebastian Büttrich (vocals, guitar), Danish-German Heike Rädeker (vocals, bass) and Dane Piet Bendtsen (drums). They broke up in 1999 after 2 albums and an EP, but reformed in 2005. A third album "Amorine Queen" was released in 2008 but they split up again in 2009.
Drone-heavy, fuzzed out debut LP Done, produced by Iain Burgess (Naked Raygun, Ministry, Big Black), was released in Germany in 1992 before the band gained a recording and distribution deal with US Independent label Matador Records in 1994, having been championed by Yo La Tengo. The self-produced six song EP Crayon followed in 1994.
In 1995, 18th Dye moved to Danish label Cloudland Records and recorded their second album, Tribute to a Bus, recorded by Steve Albini at Black Box Recording Studio in Noyant-La-Gravoyère, France. More dynamic and diverse than previous recordings, its blend of noise and melody suggest influences such as Sonic Youth, The Wedding Present and Wire. It is characterised by oblique English-as-second-language, maths based lyrics.
I'll be your baby
And I don't mean maybe
If you'll be a baby to me
I'll be your darlin'
And there'll be no quarrellin'
If you'll be a baby to me
I can plow and milk the cow
I'll even do the churnin'
You just look through your cookbook
And keep the home fires burning
Baby, I'll be your baby
If you'll be a baby to me