[6] Initially moving away from the Clash and Wire influenced punk of Mittagspause to experiment with ska,[7] Fehlfarben settled into a sound perhaps most comparable to their English contemporaries Gang of Four.

[10][11] The single "Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)" ("One Year (It's moving onward)") from Monarchie und Alltag, which would be their only hit single, was in fact disliked by the band members themselves, who had initially produced its slick disco groove more in jest than seriousness.

The first comeback with all the original members took place in 1990s; it saw (to mixed reviews) the release of two LPs: Die Platte des himmlischen Friedens (English translation: The record of heavenly peace) and Popmusik und Hundezucht (English translation: Pop music and dog breeding).

[4] In 2002, the band launched another comeback behind the album Knietief im Dispo (English translation: Knee deep in the overdraft loan).

The album coincided with a general revival of interest in the early days of German punk and new wave.