In Berlin, Oliver Shunt is a cult figure within the underground art and music scene, particularly known for his association with the West Berlin subculture of the 1980s and his ongoing experimental projects.
Here is a breakdown of who he is and where you’ll find his work:
1. The „West Berlin“ Legend:
Oliver Shunt was a fixture in the experimental scene that included icons like Blixa Bargeld (Einstürzende Neubauten) and Nick Cave. He is featured in several seminal Berlin-centric films:
* B-Movie: Lust „Sound in West-Berlin (2015): He appears in this documentary, which captures the chaotic brilliance of the city’s music scene from 1979 to 1989.
* Bad Blood For The Vampyr (1984): He played the lead role of „The Vampyr“ in this cult film shot in Berlin.
* “Nihil oder Alle Zeit der Welt“ (1987): He provided the „radio voice“ for this artistic feature film.
2. Current Project: „Hunt the Shunt“
Today, he continues to produce work under the banner Hunt the Shunt, a project that blends video art, experimental rock, and electronic music.
* Recent Music: In 2025, he recorded tracks for a side project called „Bigger Personalities“ with Kai DC.
* Past music: In the 80s he played with „Sexorzisten“ and „Die Haut“.
3. Journalism:
Shunt started as a fanzine writer for the local „Datenverarbeitung“ in 1979. In 1980 – 1981 he contributetd to SPEX magazine. From 2000 – 2012 Shunt had his own first digital Berlin music-scene magazine Dorfdisco.de
4. Why the name „Shunt“?
The name is a nod to the slang for a crash or a collision (originally popularized by F1 driver James „Hunt the Shunt“). For Oliver, it fits the „industrial“ and „collision-based“ aesthetic of the experimental art he has championed for decades.
Location: Shunt is still based in Berlin and is often connected to the Dead Chickens art collective (famous for the Monsterkabinett in Mitte).
Hunt the Shunt (Bandcamp)
Bigger Personalities (Bandcamp)
Dorfdisco
Wiki