In the 1980s, a song played on the radio that, years later, triggered one of the largest music searches on the Internet. Now it’s clear: the traces lead to Kiel – and to a surprised musician.
Author: Christopher Breitfuss
13.11.2024, 11:35
What’s it about? In 1984, a listener recorded a song on Norddeutscher Rundfunk – without noting the title or artist. In 2007 he posted the recording online, triggering a sensational manhunt: Since then, people around the world have been searching for the “Most Mysterious Song on the Internet,” as it was until recently referred to in Internet forums. On Reddit alone, several thousand users took part in the so-called «Lost Media Community» in the action. They combed through databases and archives, wrote to radio stations and bands that could be considered authors. Even the Stasi archive was requested. All without success – until now: Now the mystery has finally been solved.
How was the mystery solved? In a newspaper article, a Reddit user recognized a musician from the North German rock scene of the 1980s. The user wrote to him and asked for material from his previous music recordings. The musician then sent demo recordings, including “The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet”.
Who is the song by and what is it called? Once again, a Reddit user found the musician Michael Hädrich. He confirmed: The song called “Subways of Your Mind” comes from his old band FEX from Kiel. They recorded the song in the early 1980s. FEX was a small new wave band that took part in talent competitions and whose songs were occasionally played on the radio. Beyond that, they were denied great fame – at least until today.
Is there any evidence that the song is actually by FEX? Michael Hädrich still owns the cassette with the original recording of “Subways of Your Mind”. There is live recording of performances where the song was played. In addition, Hädrich is said to have original recordings of the studio sessions, which dispel any remaining doubts about his credibility.
Legend: From the depths of the band archive: The cassette of the band FEX, which is said to contain the song you are looking for. Reddit
How do the musicians react to the hype online? Hädrich himself was unaware of the global search on the Internet. It wasn’t until he was contacted by the Reddit user that he heard about the hype the song had caused. «We recorded the song in the studio in 1983. The fact that he was wanted for so long initially stunned me,” Hädrich told Norddeutscher Rundfunk. The viral internet phenomenon has even an English Wikipedia entry.
What’s next for the band and the song? Last week, three of the four former band members played the song “Subways of Your Mind” live unplugged in the NDR studio in Kiel. If anything, FEX is even planning a small comeback: “We’re currently thinking together about whether and how we should re-record ‘Subways of Your Mind,’” Michael Hädrich tells NDR. 40 years after their first recording, the musicians could still make it big – thanks to a very active Internet community and their lost song.
