DFA Records has been home to lots of artists over the years, but only a few have been as closely tied to the long-running label as Shit Robot (a.k.a. Marcus Lambkin). The Irish-born producer first met James Murphy in the early ’00s while living in New York City, a connection he maintained even after relocating to Germany a few years later. Since 2006, he’s been dropping releases fairly regularly on DFA, including his collaboration-driven debut LP from 2010, From the Cradle to the Rave. This week, Lambkin’s second album, We Got a Love, will officially see the light of day. The record finds him once again teaming up with a number of artists, including DFA regular Nancy Whang, hip-house icon Lidell Townsell, and comedian Reggie Watts. These days, Lambkin makes his home in Stuttgart, so we figured we’d tap into his knowledge of his adopted hometown and have him tell us about a few of his favorite spots.
Restaurant: Weinstube Fröhlich
Leonhardstrasse 5
Translation: Wine Bar Cheerful. I don’t think any restaurant in Germany can really be called “cheerful,” but this is about as good as it gets. Proper local Swabian food with a modern feeling. Everything I’ve eaten there has been great, and my wife cooks amazing Swabish food, so I would know. The owners and staff are really cool, but it’s always busy, so you have to book in advance. They have a great selection of schnapps too—ask the bartender to show you a couple and you won’t be disappointed. This is where we always meet before going out.
Bar: Kottan
Geißstraße 14
Another favorite spot to go before the club. This place is TINY, but again, very friendly staff and while the soundsystem leaves a little to be desired, they always have DJs playing and great music. There’s a large area outside, so it’s a top spot for the summer hang-out.
Club:
Sadly, all the good clubs in Stuttgart are being closed down. Rocker 33 and Kim Tim Jim have recently been shut down by the authorities (who seem to be on an absolute bender to destroy all nightlife in Stuttgart). The guys at Rocker 33 have always been great to me and have been pushing good music for a while now, so it’s sad to see them having such trouble. Kim Tim Jim was my favorite place to play in Stuttgart. It was located in an old Chinese restaurant and it just had a great atmosphere. There are still KTJ parties going on, but they now move location every month. Bar Romantica is the spot right now, and the recently opened Dresden Bar is another hotspot.
Record Store: Pauls Musique
Hauptstätter Straße 59
My favorite place to shop in Stuttgart and the home of Philpot Records. Again, sadly, all the record stores are closing down and in the few years I’ve lived here, I’ve witnessed the closing of quite a few good record stores. Thankfully, Pauls Musique is still going. It’s a small store, which is probably why it’s still surviving, but it’s very focused on quality. I don’t go there often enough, but when I do, I always come out with a great selection of records. They have great taste, no matter what genre you are interested in.
Unique Location: Porsche Museum and Mercedes Museum
Porscheplatz 1
Mercedesstraße 100
I guess what I should say is the mineral baths like the Berg and the Leuze. However, I’m not a huge fan of 80-year-old naked Germans, so I’m gonna go with the auto museums, Porsche and Mercedes. You don’t have to be a car nerd like myself to enjoy them—the buildings alone are pretty impressive. We’ve enjoyed days out with the whole family at both of them. There are lots of things to do and see, it’s not just looking at cars. The restaurant in the Porsche museum is pretty fancy too.
