S.Y.P.H. was a German punk band from Solingen formed in 1977 by Peter Braatz, Thomas Schwebel, Uwe Jahnke, and Ulli Putsch. They reached the forefront of the early new wave scene after releasing their debut EP, Viel Feind, viel Ehr (1979), which sparked discussions due to its controversial cover art referencing the RAF. Their classic track “Zurück zum Beton” (1979) was covered by groups such as Mittagspause. They released their debut studio album, S.Y.P.H. Pure Freude (Hello to the Mipau) (1980), which featured short punk songs on one side and experimental pieces on the other. Holger Czukay of Can produced their album Pst (1980). The ensemble released the experimental album Harbeitslose (1982) followed by the double album Wieleicht (1985), which featured a cover referencing the Beatles. They continued to record through the 1980s and 1990s, including the albums Am Rhein (1987) and Rot Geld Blau (1993). After a period of inactivity, they released the album -1 (2006). The group became inactive after legal disputes prevented the release of the album E.X. in 2013.
