Richard Kruspe

Back to the list of all Rammstein members

Name: Richard Zven Kruspe Bernstein
Date of birth: 24th Juni 1967
Place of birth: Wittenberg, Germany
Height: 1,76 m
Weight: 88 kg
Color of eyes: Blue
Natural hair color: Brown
Distinguishing marks: pierced ears; smokes
Place in group: Guitarist
Usual place on scene: On the front, on the right
Previous group: Orgasm Death Gimmicks (guitarist, vocalist)
Equipment

Richard Kruspe played in his old band Orgasm Death Gimmick. Divorced but re-married to actress Caren Bernstein on October 29th, 1999. One daughter, Khira Li Lindemann. No, she’s not related to Till Lindemann. Lindemann was the last name of Richard’s first wife, who was also Till’s first wife. Sven is his Christian name. Wrote the song Engel by himself. Did not get along well with his step-father. Loved Kiss when he was younger, but his step-father tore down his Kiss poster in his room and Richard put it back together and hung it back up. Very protective of his family. Smokes and drinks.

Lead guitarist and co-founder of German industrial band “Rammstein” along with drummer Christoph “Doom” Schneider.

Former member of Orgasm Death Gimmicks formed in the West after he escaped over the green border between Austria an Hungary.

Sometime in 2001 he moved from Berlin to New York where he now resides.

Speaks fluent English.

Parents divorced while he was a child, mother remarried and he continued to live in his difficult childhood home with his brother and two sisters.

Daughter: Khira Li Lindemann (b. 1992)

He was born in Wittenburg, Germany. He has two older sisters and an older brother. His parents divorced when he was young. His mother remarried, and he did not get along with his step-father. They moved to the village of Weisen when he was young.

As a child, Kruspe was a fan of Kiss. According to him, Kiss ‘represented capitalism in its purest sense, and every child was Kiss infected because they were so big. Kids wrote Kiss on their notebooks, and if the teachers saw it they could get kicked out of school just for having it written on their books.’ When he was twelve, he had a Kiss poster in his room, but his step-father tore it down and destroyed it, and Richard was up all night putting it back together.

Richard was a wrestler as a teenager.

At the age of sixteen, Richard Kruspe and some friends visited Czechoslovakia, where he bought a guitar. He had originally planned to sell it, because they were very expensive and thought he could make a nice profit. However, once he got back to East Germany, a girl at a campground he was staying at asked him to play. He told her that he couldn’t play, but she kept insisting, and Kruspe got mad and starting strumming the strings. ‘The harder I played,’ Richard said, ‘the more excited she got. Something clicked in my head and I realized girls like guys who play guitars.’ This got him interested in playing the guitar, and as a result, he began playing every day and night for the next two years.

At the age of nineteen, bored with the apathetic music scene in his home town, he moved to East Berlin and lived on the Lychener Straße and “made music all day’. For two years, Richard lived in an apartment with a drum kit and a guitar, and he made music by himself because he did not know anybody there. ‘It was a lonely time’ according to Kruspe, but he used it to explore music.

On 10 October 1989, prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, he was riding through the subway. When he came above ground, Richard found himself in the middle of a political demonstration. He was hit on the head and arrested just for being there, and thrown in jail for six days. Once out of jail, he decided to leave East Germany. In those days, one couldn’t just leave East Germany, so he entered West Germany through Czechoslovakia. When the wall came down, he moved back east.

Around 1991, Richard started the band Orgasm Death Gimmick.

In 1992 or 1993, his daughter, Khira Li Lindemann, was born. She is the daughter of Till Lindemann’s ex-wife.

In this year, Richard made his first trip to the USA with Till Lindemann and Oliver Riedel. He realizes that he doesn’t want to make American music and concentrates on creating a unique German sound.

The band Rammstein was “born” in January of 1994 when Till, Ollie, Christoph Schneider and Richard won a Berlin Music Competition, the prize of which was a professional demo or four songs, presumably to get them a record deal. They asked Paul Landers and Christian ‘Flake’ Lorenz of Feeling B to join them. Flake was the last to join. After that, the group began work on their first album, Herzeleid.

Richard married South African actress Caron Bernstein in 1999. The ceremony was Jewish and Richard composed the music for it. Richard took on the named Richard Kruspe-Bernstein during their marriage. They are believed to have divorced sometime in 2003 or 2004.

Richard began work on a solo project around this time, called Emigrate and work continues on it to this day. He has said he wants to record an album in 2005. No other Rammstein band members are involved.

Personal

He speaks excellent English with a strong American accent. Richard Kruspe is always immaculately dressed.

He lost a large ornate ring while on tour in 2001; it has never been found. One of the more unusual (but ever-increasing) characteristics are his painted fingernails.

When asked if he believes in God, Richard says, “No. I believe in life justice, that everything that you do, you get back. It’s justice and it’s what I believe in.” Still, he is spiritual saying he “practices the 5 Tibetan rejuvenating rites each day.”

Richard likes Kiss, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Big Black, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Suicidal Tendencies, and Pantera. He has worked as a cashier and a salesman, and cleaning the apartment for an older woman who had her pet poodles stuffed (one for every year).

Richard Kruspe

RSS feed | Trackback URI

64 Comments »

Gravatar
Comment by Misha SWEDEN
2007-07-27 22:41:23

Richar Kruspe is my favorite guitarist. He is very cool!!!!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Jackeline
2007-08-16 06:33:48

You’re great at playing guitar and you’re so sexy!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by SAM
2007-08-21 06:14:34

OMG…RIC U TOTALY ROCK…STARING THE BAND…GIVING THE WORLD A GR8, REAL SOUND OF MUSIC…I LOVE UR WORK SO MUCH…I CNT WAIT 4 EMIGRATE 2 COME OUT…LOVE YA BOI…NEVA STOP WAT UR DOING…

Gravatar
Comment by heathlindemann UNITED KINGDOM
2008-01-09 20:37:05

Yeah, TOTALLY! Without Rich, Rammstein wouldn’t have been! OMG!!!

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
Gravatar
Comment by SAM
2007-08-30 04:26:56

i love u guys…
plz come to australia…
i dnt care from the price…
i just hope you come to perth…

 
Gravatar
Comment by Daniel UNITED STATES
2007-09-14 16:10:00

Hey Richard, we’re waiting for you guys over here in NYC. Rammstein kicks ass, and ive GOT to see you in concert.

 
Gravatar
Comment by Artemis UNITED STATES
2007-09-16 01:07:33

i love rammstein. by far the best music forever ever. i will travel a long way to see them if I have to.

 
Gravatar
Comment by Kristina UNITED STATES
2007-09-23 19:03:31

Hey guys, i would absolutely love to see you live!! Coming to Atlanta, Georgie, anytime soon? :) Rammstein kicks ass!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Ben UNITED STATES
2007-09-24 00:35:03

Best Lead Guitarist in the world f’kin awesome. Good call with the white contacts in Live aus Berlin! Amazing Talent as well as the others plain awesime my favorite band ever no questioins asked hands down, no second thoughts, my favorite ever.

 
Gravatar
Comment by me
2007-09-28 07:05:20

Is there any chance of Emigrate coming to New Zealand ever?

 
Gravatar
Comment by me
2007-09-28 07:24:42

oh and his hair is just…. EWUBVRLADCY(*&@… thats how good it is

 
Gravatar
Comment by texis HUNGARY
2007-11-05 21:03:19

hello richard! én vagyok a legnagyobb rajongótok a földön. te vagy a világ legjobb gitárosa ás te meg till vagytok a kedvenc embereim.

 
Gravatar
Comment by Larissa
2007-11-11 09:54:20

Ich liebe dich RICHARD Zven KRUSPE BERNSTEIN!!!!!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by steve
2007-11-15 23:31:28

OMG!! you are the reason i started guitar lol, you gotta tour england sumtime it would be the gr8test

 
Gravatar
Comment by steve
2007-11-25 02:58:15

1 of da best guitarists around

 
Gravatar
Comment by Katya
2007-11-25 20:52:51

Richard, you’re a great guitar player and you’re so sexy!! Keep goin, good luck on Emigrate!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Spielmann
2007-12-27 21:57:22

Richard Kruspe rocks!!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by jorge
2007-12-29 05:06:30

Richard Kruspe is my favorite guitarist man i love your emigrate c.d. you should do a concert in chicago you music rocks i would go see a 100 times

 
Gravatar
Comment by nena
2007-12-30 14:36:13

Richard is the best guitarist, and your the hottest best guitarist. No one is sexier than you in this whole world, luv ya. Rammstein rocks, please come to australia, you can crash at my place, my family can sleep in the car, lol.

 
Gravatar
Comment by herzeleid UNITED KINGDOM
2008-01-04 23:15:30

oooooooooooooooooooomfucking christ hottest man in the world, also amazin guitarist of course ;).
Anakonda im Netz documentary

 
Gravatar
Comment by WACEY UNITED STATES
2008-01-12 02:38:24

Dang, RICHARD your my favorite guitarist cuz you play fucken kick ass!!!!! dang and me and you have the same birthday!!!! i was born on JUNE 24,1992!!!!hope you and the rammstein crew makes a new album for 2008!!!! you guys should come have a show in PHEONIX,AZ!!!!!!!!!!!

RICHARD’S BIGGEST FAN,
wacey les begay

 
Gravatar
Comment by onyx UNITED STATES
2008-01-18 06:31:17

big fan man. i admire your work and want to see y’all in concert when i can. keep up the great riffs!

 
Gravatar
Comment by bizzeeb UNITED STATES
2008-01-19 05:31:07

You guys are awesome and write better music than any American group I’ve know. My gram is just glad that your music is helping me understand her language and that a German band has become so popular all over the world.

 
Gravatar
Comment by ivan malekov UNITED STATES
2008-01-21 05:56:39

richard u are my favoirt person in he band and it seems like god(unless u dont belive in him) wanted u guys to become a band

 
Gravatar
Comment by Joanna
2008-01-21 16:57:17

I’m love Richard is sexi boy

 
Gravatar
Comment by Punk UNITED KINGDOM
2008-01-21 21:16:35

RICHARD IS FIT AND IREALLY HOPE RAMMSTEIN OR EMMIGRATE TOUR THIS YEAR!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Bradly Bunke
2008-01-30 03:18:53

omg u guys r the bomb rammstein should come to minnesota plzzz come

 
Gravatar
Comment by Rúnar ICELAND Subscribed to comments via email
2008-01-30 16:46:45

hehe, i remember when i first heard a rammstein song, i was 6 years old and it was tier. a boy in my street was playing it and i was mezmerised, i walked into his house and asked him what he was playing. i went and bought Sehnsucht the day after, and since them im a Metal head:)im 16 now BTW,
thanks alot for getting me into metal with your awsome songs and Cd’s.
i also remember the happy feeling when you guys came to Iceland. that concert was the best one ive seen on iceland and ive gone to see Amon amarth, Cannibal corpse, metallica and iron maiden. not one of thoose even compared to Rammstein live. been waching Live aus berlin and Volkerball in school:P

Keep it up guys!
Rúnar

 
Gravatar
Comment by kruspe
2008-01-31 04:30:52

I´m from mexico but I can talk inglish you are very very good with the guitarr so this is all me comment when RAMMSTEIN did comes to mexico ehh¡¡¡¡¡¡ Ok see you and HEIL HITLER¡¡¡

Gravatar
Comment by deichmann UNITED STATES
2008-04-21 17:48:43

what the fuck? nazism is not only dead, but a darker side of germany that R+ has tried for years not to be associated with!

du bist ein fotze.

just for that remark alone you have proven yourself to be an ignorant idiot and not worthy to be a part of anything rammstein stands for.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
Gravatar
Comment by Kerriann Garcia UNITED STATES Subscribed to comments via email
2008-02-12 00:04:49

hello!!
Ahhh!! well I’ve wanted to comment you the most!! Your so cool!! i have a picture of you on my school binder and i’m not shy to show it off to the other students i’m proud to!! well i love the way you play guiter! i’ve learned few songs and its fun to play yours!!well im in school now and just not doing my work!..sad. well your awsome!! Hope your life is the best!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Kerriann Garcia UNITED STATES Subscribed to comments via email
2008-02-12 00:08:56

oh yeah..
awsome choice of music!! i’m the classic type also you should jam to Nazarith,HIM,and Billy Idol..awsome well like to say more but the end of school has come so bye bye..

 
Gravatar
Comment by Sophia M.
2008-02-14 06:31:19

oh my gosh i love richard! he’s gorgeous!! rammstein and emigrate are my favorite bands, too!

rammstein should come to washington! the tickets would be sold out like, instantly!! i’m not even kidding! i am very excited for rammstein’s upcoming album! ^_^

 
Gravatar
Comment by x9999 Subscribed to comments via email
2008-02-18 18:55:05

x9999________66666666___66666666______x9999
____________6_________________6____________
____________6_________________6____________
____________6_________________6____________
____________6_________________6____________
___66666666666666666__________6666666666___
___6_______________6___________________6___
___6_______________6___________________6___
___6_______________6___________________6___
___6_______________6___________________6___
____________6______6_______________________
___6________66______6__________________6___
___6________6_6______6_________________6___
___6________6__6______6________________6___
___6________6___6______6_______________6___
___6666666666____66666666_____6666666666___
____________6_________________6____________
____________6_________________6____________
____________6_________________6____________
____________6_________________6____________
x9999_______66666666___66666666_______x9999

 
Gravatar
Comment by Saray UNITED STATES
2008-02-19 05:22:23

The talented and gorgeous RZK has inspired me to learn to play the guitar, and naturally, I’m trying out Rammstein tabs :)

 
Gravatar
Comment by imortalrose UNITED KINGDOM
2008-02-27 19:47:06

omg he’s soooo georgus!!! hope you play in holland or england xxx

 
Gravatar
Comment by Niamh!! Subscribed to comments via email
2008-03-07 22:31:07

Hey!!!! I REALLY hope Rammstein or Emigrate come to Ireland soon!!!! It would make my year!!! :-) :-) Ich liebe Rammstein!!! Ha!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by akuit
2008-03-15 06:18:41

_akuit___$$$$$$$$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$$$
_________$$$$$$$$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$$$
_________$$$$____________________$$$$
_________$$$$____________________$$$$
_________________________________$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$________$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$__________________$$$$________$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$__________________$$$$_________________$$$$
$$$__________________$$$$_________________$$$$
$$$__________________$$$$_________________$$$$
__________________$$$$_________________
$$$_______$$$$________$$$$________________$$$$
$$$_______$$$.$r________$$$$______________$$$$
$$$_______$$$_$$________$$$$______________$$$$
$$$_______$$$__$$________$$$$____$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$___$$$$$$$$$$$$$$___$$$$$$$$$$$$$
_________________________________$$$$
________$$$$_____________________$$$$
________$$$$_____________________$$$$
________$$$$$$$$$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$$$
________$$$$$$$$$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 
Gravatar
Comment by jellkena
2008-03-27 22:54:49

ooo richard kruspe je shumm cool , suksesee kisss

 
Gravatar
Comment by Camilla Gaitán
2008-04-08 17:19:34

I´m colombian, you are not as famous in my country as I wanted,but we were very sad when you cancelled your vist and now that I am jobless, I have had enough time to dedicate to my idols, because I admired you since you as a band, were born. You are the best! Come to my country we are just enough to fill a stadium!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by kenny
2008-04-15 15:48:05

this is so poorly written wtf!?!?!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Erin B. UNITED STATES
2008-04-24 18:56:20

I love love love you, Richard!!!!! You are the most talented guitarst in the world! You ROCK!!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by mrk-z
2008-04-27 19:06:39

Come on people…he is not best guitarist in the world…

 
Gravatar
Comment by nadka Subscribed to comments via email
2008-04-29 07:35:30

I love you Richard. you r my hero. You r the meaning of my life. I really love u.

 
Gravatar
Comment by nadka Subscribed to comments via email
2008-04-29 07:37:05

u r handsome and cool. U makes me crazy all the time.

 
Gravatar
Comment by nadka Subscribed to comments via email
2008-04-29 07:50:05

i’m mongolian. Coming Rammstein into Mongolia is just a dream for me. But i’m a real fan of you. I really love rammstein. Rammstein is so cool band. Rammstein gives me energy and power. I listen to rammstein’s songs everytime. Actually i don’t wanna live in this fucking world. But i wanna meet Rammstein’s guys. It’s my aim of life. i’m gonna meet u in your next tour. good luck.

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-08 21:48:23

RICHARD RICHARD RICHARD RICHARD IS FAMOUS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND IS THE BEST GUITARIS IN THE WORLD!!!……………. ___ ___ RICHARD
( V ) I
( ) LOVE
( ) YOU
( ) LIFE WITHOUT YOU
V IS SENSELESS!!!
:) :) :)

 
Gravatar
Comment by marisol molina
2008-06-12 20:17:39

i love richard kruspe bernstein he is the sexiest man ever and so is till lindemann

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-06-17 08:29:15

He looks good, he plays good, HE IS THE LEAD GUITAR GOD!!!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-22 19:29:16

Zuko where are you from?

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-06-23 07:33:38

Hey richard(tako), i’m from australia,sydney

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-23 13:17:20

hi zuko!Good to meet you!How are you?

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-06-24 07:25:55

really cool thank you its richards bday 2 day hes 42 i sent dis message on 24 june 2008 so tommorow dont think hey its not his bday 2day

 
Gravatar
Comment by nadka Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-24 11:22:14

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. i LOVE YOU SO MUCH. RAMMSTEIN…

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-24 17:14:53

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR RICHARD .I LOVE YOU VERY VERY MUCH!!! :* :* :* hey zuko how are you? :) :) :)

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-06-25 09:26:12

cool so u noticed it was his bday

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-25 12:01:58

Yes,I noticed that it was his bday.It was happy day for me,I was very cool yesterday.and you?

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-06-26 07:23:47

mnothing could put my hopes down when it was his bday.i was counting down his bday 4 like, 2 weeks? ps how old are you richard (tako)

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-26 15:36:51

hey zuko,how are you?I’m sixteen years old.and you???

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-06-30 07:25:01

man rock music would be kinda boring without R V K B. WHO AGREES? ps me 15 richard(tako)

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-06-30 08:27:40

GEEEERRMANY RAMMSTEIN ====>>> COOL!!! after my country I love germany,because of its cool people,especially members of group rammstein.I think a lot of people agrees with me!!!

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-07-03 08:05:57

u german richard(tako)?

 
Gravatar
Comment by richard(tako) Subscribed to comments via email
2008-07-03 10:25:04

Hi zuko.I’m not german.I’m from Georgia,Tbilisi.
Do you know this country?

 
Gravatar
Comment by Zuko
2008-07-04 06:31:16

no

 
Name (required)
E-mail (required - never shown publicly)
URI
Subscribe to comments via email
Your Comment (smaller size | larger size)
You may use <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong> in your comment.
Rammstein Völkerball DVD

Rammstein Rosenrot album CD