Baby You Know

Although Baby You Know enjoyed strong domestic support, their reach beyond Germany stayed mostly limited to admirers of the Australian cult heroes the Go-Betweens. Co-frontman Robert Forster of the Go-Betweens produced and played on several of the band’s recordings, while his wife, Karin Baumler, served for a period as violinist and part-time vocalist. The group formed in 1989 in Regensburg, Germany, and maintained a fluid roster across its lifespan, anchored by vocalist and lyricist Erhard Grundl, guitarist Michael Schott, and bassist Robert Poschl. Following the vinyl-only debut album To Live Is to Fly, guitarist Archie Muller joined the lineup, and the band issued Last Night at the Kino Bar, which earned a 1995 nomination for the prestigious German critics’ award Deutsche Schallplattenpreis. A 1996 EP appeared nationally through the German retailer World of Music, yet international breakthrough remained out of reach despite home-country popularity. Later releases leaned further into country music and Americana, seemingly aligning the band with the rising No Depression scene, though the absence of a U.S. record deal kept wider success at bay. After a 1997 concert in Memphis, TN, the group disbanded and its members turned to individual endeavors. Erhard Grundl’s subsequent solo recordings also included guest contributions from Robert Forster. Archie Muller toured the U.S. in 1999 and issued several self-released home and studio recordings, while Schott and Poschl started the band Chief Joseph and drummer Sami Qreini became a member of Silverado.