Böhse Onkelz
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Böhse Onkelz | |
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| Origin | Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| Genres | Punk Rock (1980–1981) Rechtsrock (1981) Oi! (1981–1986) Hard Rock, German rock (1987–2005) |
| Years active | 1980-2005 |
| Labels | Rock-O-Rama (1984-1986) Metal Enterprises (1987-1990) Bellaphon Records (1991-1994) Virgin Records (1995-2000) rule23 Recordings (2000-2005) |
| Members | Stephan "Der W" Weidner Kevin Russell Peter "Pe" Schorowsky Matthias Röhr |
| Website | http://www.onkelz.de |
The Böhse Onkelz (German pronunciation: [ˈbøːzə ˈʔɔŋkəls]), literally Bahd unclez and derived from the German term "Böse Onkels", roughly translated as "bad guys") were a German rock group that existed from 1980 to 2005. Although being ignored by the mass media for their controversial past, since Viva los tioz in 1998 almost every album reached number one on the German album charts. According to record certifications and additional sources they have sold over 4.775.000 records and 425.000 videos/DVDs in their career.[1] E.I.N.S. is their most successful album with over 510.000 units sold.[1]
History
1980–1981: Founding
Inspired by bands like the Sex Pistols or the Ramones, Böhse Onkelz started out in November 1980 in Hösbach as a punk rock band. Founding members were Stephan "Der W" Weidner, Kevin Russell and Peter "Pe" Schorowsky. According to the official band biography the bandname came from from some younger teenagers of their neighbourhood, when they warned their younger siblings about them with the words:„…Vorsicht, da sind die bösen Onkels!…“ because they would take away their sledges.[2] The name is an intentionally incorrect spelling of "evil uncles" (böse Onkel). Before that they called themselves Beulenpest for two weeks, as seen on the Tour 2000-film. Initially, the band was active mainly in the region of Frankfurt am Main.
The band kept its initial line-up until Matthias Röhr (nicknamed Gonzo after the Ted Nugent album of the same name) joined them in 1981. Musically he was by far the most experienced of the group; he had been playing guitar for six years, and had played in other bands such as Antikörper.[3] Since Weidner played guitar, Matthias started out on bass, but they switched instruments before their first recordings for the punk sampler Soundtracks zum Untergang 2.[4]
1981–1985: The years in the Skinhead-Scene
Soundtracks zum Untergang 2 (Soundtracks to the Downfall Vol. 2) was a left-wing oriented punk sampler on which Böhse Onkelz featured in the band's first widely released recording. However, after the until then apolitical punk movement moved further into anarchism, the Onkelz lost interest in this subculture. Football became more important in their lives and with it, fights surrounding games accumulated.
Initially, the band considered themselves part of the (originally unpolitical) Oi! movement, but they underwent their first drift to the political right in the early 1980s. The gigs and demos that had been released until then appealed to their fans, who ranged from unpolitical to the extreme right. The release of the album Der nette Mann followed in 1984 under the label Rock-O-Rama, which left its punk roots behind and concentrated on records by neo-Nazi and far right bands. This album was indexed in September 1986 because of its violence-glorifying and sexist content. The album also contained the patriotic songs Stolz (Pride) and Deutschland (Germany), by which the Onkelz slowly gained cult status in the right-wing scene. Der nette Mann was copied numerous times to cassettes and thereby spread rapidly in the scene. The album was followed by Böse Menschen – Böse Lieder in 1985. Shortly after the release of the Mexico EP in late 1985 the band split with Rock-O-Rama, because they were defrauded of royalties and the right-wing image of the label, which didn't represent their point of view.[5]
1986–1992: Indexing und first public Perception
Apart from the indexing of Der nette Mann in 1986, it became calm around the band after their departure from the Skinhead-scene. After a charity-concert there was no live performance until 1989. In 1987 they released the album Onkelz wie wir..., which was folollowed by Kneipenterroristen in 1988. The albums also contained songs about drinking and violence, but were much richer musically and lyrically. Despite substantial problems caused by Russell's alcohol and heroin addictions, the band continued to work together.
At this time the band was widely ignored by the media, which changed with rising album sales of Es ist soweit, Wir ham’ noch lange nicht genug and Heilige Lieder. The band gained public interest, when in it came to severeal rassistical attacks in Germany in the early 1990, for example in Rostock-Lichtenhagen covered in the song Deutschland im Herbst, and the band was mentioned in the media.
On the 16th of June, 1990, the band's best common friend, Andreas "Trimmi" Trimborn, was stabbed to death during an incident in a bar located in Frankfurt's Sachsenhausen district. Only two days later Böhse Onkelz supporters located the assailant, a "Bundeswehr" soldier whose father held a high military rank. The murderer was tried in court but released without sentence. The judge stated that the Böhse Onkelz band and entourage were known to be violent and that the stabbing was committed in self-defense. Even today, all witnesses sharply reject this claim that Trimmi threatened the killer and his companion, both of whom allegedly snorted cocaine just minutes before the incident, with a beer mug. Russell fell into a severe depression over the loss of his friend and tried to compensate his grief with drugs and alcohol. His substance abuse habits became so destructive that he almost died as a result.[6] The songs Nur die besten sterben jung (Only the best die young) and Der Platz neben mir (The place beside me) are dedicated to and written in memory of Trimmi.
1992–1997: Between Criticism and Success
In 1992, without any marketing, the album Heilige Lieder rose to no. 5 on the German LP charts. Despite their increasing commercial success, the band was marked with the stigma of being a right-wing band till the end. During various xenophobia-related attacks, the media discovered the right-wing past of the band. Following some critical reports, the Onkelz were faced with substantial criticism, which among other things led to individual radio stations refusing to play Onkelz songs. Many outside observers simply didn't believe that the band had "seen the light" and instead considered their exit from the white power scene as a maneuver to avoid bans and prosecution. The band's reputation also suffered from several poorly researched articles written about them. As a reaction to this, Weidner wrote songs like Fahrt zur Hölle (Go To Hell) on Weiß or Danke für Nichts (Thanks for Nothing) on Hier sind die Onkelz (Here are the Onkelz).
Additionally, big department stores such as Media Markt, World of Music (WOM) and Saturn refused to sell Onkelz albums. By the end of the 1990s, however, Media Markt and WOM took the albums back into their range of products. Only Saturn refused to sell them until the band's final album Adios in 2005 which, along with others of their later albums, was on top of the charts for several weeks. From the early 1990s onwards, the Onkelz repeatedly took positions against extremism of any kind and referred to themselves as outsiders with no political affiliation. In 1993 on the Album Weiß, in reference to the Riot of Rostock-Lichtenhagen,[7] the band made their first song clearly disapproving of right-wing extremism: "Deutschland im Herbst" ("Germany in autumn"). Singing about of "braune Scheiße" ("brown scum"),referring to the colour of the NSDAP, "ich sehe blinden Hass,blinde Wut feige Morde,Kinderblut" ("I see blind hatred, blind anger cowardly murders, childrens blood") and "blinde Parolen von Idioten und Verlierern" ("blind slogans of idiots and losers"). The song "Ohne mich" ("without me") from the 1998 album "Viva los Tioz" speaks out against right and left wing extremism. In the first verse singing eloquently that the Antifa were, in fighting the band, not seeing their real enemy and were no better than fascists at whom the second verse, which consists mostly of swearing, is directed. In which the band also acknowledges its past in the skin head scene singing: "Ihr seit dumm geboren, genau wie ich. Doch was ich lernte, lernt ihr nicht." ("You were born dumb just like me. But what I learned, you are not learning")
In 1994 the Onkelz moved to the record label Virgin Records and were signed for the first time to a Major label, under which they released the album Hier sind die Onkelz one year later. It reached number six on the album charts. 1996 the album E.I.N.S. followed (number four on the charts), whose title was interpreted for Eigentlich immer noch Skins (In fact still Skins) by some media. On the album itsel there was a song called Enie Tfahcstob rüf Ediona-RAP that criticized those interpretations and made them look ridiculous. In addition to that the band reacted with the song Ihr sollt den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben (You should never praise the day before the evening) on several negative statements made of both bands Die Ärzte and Die Toten Hosen about their change from the past, for example in the song Schrei nach Liebe from Die Ärzte.
1997–2004: Number 1 in the charts
The band has a huge fan community and is one of the most successful German music groups. In 1998, they sold about 300,000 copies of the album Viva los tioz within the first 48 hours after release. In 2000 they released Ein böses Märchen the first album under their new record label rule23 Recordings and produced their first music video for the single Dunkler Ort, which was broadcastet on MTV. Later an MTV Masters special about the Onkelz was made. When the Onkelz saw the final version, they felt mistreated and presented in a wrong way, which lead to a small feud. In 2002 the Onkelz released the diss track Keine Amnestie für MTV (No Amnesty For MTV), indicating that they will never work together in the future again. In 2002 the Onkelz released the album Dopamin, which was entirely recorded on the Spanish island Ibiza and mastered in the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London.[8]
On 8 August 2003, despite negative headlines, the Böhse Onkelz were chosen as supporting act to the Rolling Stones for their concert in the Open Air Arena in the Hanover fairground.[9] In the same year they played a Club tour in Germany under their alias "Los Tioz", which is Spanish for "Die Onkelz".
2004–2005: Career ending
When the band's five year contract with Virgin ended in 2003, they found a new distributor in SPV GmbH for their final album, Adios. On 24 May 2004 the Onkelz officially announced their retreat from the active music business. After the release of the album, a gig on the Wacken Open Air in August 2004 [10] and the sold-out tour La Ultima, the farewell show took place on 17 and 18 June 2005 at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz (in Lusatia, Brandenburg) under the name Vaya Con Tioz, in front of approximately 120,000. It was the biggest open air show by a German band ever.[11] Supporting bands included Motörhead, Machine Head, J.B.O., In Extremo, Psychopunch, Children of Bodom, Pro-Pain,[12] several other bands and Onkelz-coverbands like the Enkelz or the Kneipenterroristen.
2005-today: After the disbanding
On February 16. 2007 the last concert was released on four DVDs under the name Vaya Con Tioz which is Spanish for "go with the Onkelz" referring to "Vaya con dios" which means "Go with god". In 2008 it was certified with an Echo (music award) in the category „Musik-DVD-Produktion (national)“. In November 2007 the Onkelz released a Re Recording of their album Onkelz wie wir... because it was the only possibility to regain the musical rights for the songs, that still belonged to their fomer label "Metal Enterprises". Each Stephan Weidner und Matthias Röhr have since released two Solo albums and one Live album.
On New Year's Eve 2009 Russells car collided with another car and, he committed hit and run under the influence of drugs. Two young men were heavily injured in the accident. On October 4. 2010 Kevin Russell was sentenced to two years and three months prison by the court of Frankfurt am Main.[13]
Musical style and lyrical content
Musical style
In beginning the Onkelz were heavily inspired by Punk bands such as Sex Pistols and the Ramones, when the Oi! movement started, bands like Sham 69, Cock Sparrer and Angelic Upstarts became their musical idols. The nickname of the guitarist Gonzo is derived from the album title Double Live Gonzo from Ted Nugent, whos music he listened to regularly. Gonzo and Stephan were also fans of the American Bluesrock-musician Stevie Ray Vaughan, whom they dedicated the instrumental song Tribute to Stevie on the album Weiß from 1993. (Source: official band-biography "Danke für nichts")
The musical style of the Onkelz has changed several times. Originally they played Punk rock, starting with the Demo album. Throughout their career, their music was stylistically similar to Oi! in the early and mid 80's and later to Heavy metal and Hard Rock. Fans think they distinguish themselves by being excluded from society because of their rage, which directly expresses what they are thinking. Russell's brutal vocals have also been a very distinctive part of the band's style.
On later albums the band experimentaded with different musical means. The song 1000 Fragen (1000 questions) is a tribute to The Doors with metaphysical lyrics, accompanied by organ play and an organ solo. On the album Viva los tioz the Onkelz combined Hard Rock rhythms with electronic music. An indian Sitar was used in the song Einmal from the album Adios.
Only some songs were covered by the band. For example Coz I Luv You from Slade, Serge Gainsbourgs Je t'aime... moi non plus, The Who's My Generation and Ein guter Freund from the film Die Drei von der Tankstelle (The three from the gas station) from 1930.
Lyrical content
At the beginning of most albums, the first song is some kind of a welcome, in which the Onkelz present themselves as the greatest in an ironic way. Often the band played with its reputation in the songs: they refer to a community feeling shared with the public from which the band and their fans experienced such a dissociation.
The band also frequently attacks its critics. Therefore many songs are directed against the media, especially journalists, who are considered with all kinds of loathing and criticism. For example Danke für nichts, Zeig mir den Weg, Jaja, Keine Amnestie für MTV Furthermore, in earlier years the Onkelz sang various drunkard hymns like Heute trinken wir richtig, Alkohol and Freibier.
Beyond that, lyrics of later albums are occupied with the question of the meaning of life, as a passage in the text of Finde die Wahrheit shows: „Denn die Wege sind lang, und selbst der Tod ist nicht ihr Ende, wach endlich auf!" ("For the paths are long, and even death isn't their end, wake up already!"). Other songs with this topic are Wieder mal 'nen Tag verschenkt, Stand der Dinge, Das Problem bist Du and Dunkler Ort. These questions probably arose during and through the trial of the murderer of Andreas "Trimmi" Trimborn, mentioned above. This event was mentioned in several songs (Nur die Besten sterben jung, So geht's Dir (Deine Hölle), Das Messer und die Wunde, Ganz egal, and Der Platz neben mir).
Other important topics addressed by the band's lyrics are individualism, self-finding and self-love. In the song Wenn Du wirklich willst are the lyrics „Sei du selbst, steh zu dir, die Wahrheit wird gelebt und nicht doziert. Du bist was du warst und du wirst sein was Du tust, beginne dich zu lieben, und du findest, was du suchst" ("Be yourself, stand for you, the truth is lived and is not taught. You are what you were and you will be what you do, begin to love yourself and you will find what you are searching for."). Songs like Das Wunder der Persönlichkeit, Mutier mit mir, Ich mache was ich will and Ich bin wie ich bin refer strongly to that topic.
In later albums, the past is addressed again and again, whereby it often concerns the wild experiences of the band members. One example is the song Erinnerungen. In the text passage: „Ich erinner' mich gern an diese Zeit, eine Zeit die man nie vergißt. Doch ich muss mein Leben leben, meinen Weg alleine gehn, mach's gut, Du schöne Zeit, auf Wiederseh'n" ("I gladly remember that time, a time that you never forget. But I have to live my life, have to go my way alone. Farewell, beautiful time, good bye"), the topic is the band's exit from the skinhead scene. The songs Ein langer Weg, Scheiße passiert, Nie wieder, Flammen, Deutschland im Herbst, Buch der Erinnerungen and Ohne mich also concern themselves occupied with this topic.
Accusations of right-wing extremism
Even today the band is accused despite many attempts at dissociation of having right-wing-extremist tendencies, whereby frequently the band's 1981 song Türken raus is named. This song was written during their punk phase. The Onkelz say that the song was developed as a reaction to a specific gang of Turks which often involved the Onkelz in fights. Critics claim that the song doesn't refer to a specific group, but demands that "all Turks have to go". This generalization must, according to the band, be taken in the context of their primitive way of thinking at that time. Also the song Deutschland den Deutschen (Germany to the Germans), which is a rewritten version of "Oi, Oi, Oi", is often named. This song, too, was developed as a reaction to their experiences on the street.
Another song from 1981, SS-Staat (SS state), on the single Kill the Hippies - Oi!, is, according to the band, to be understood as a deliberate provocation to the Nazis. Due to the bad recording quality the text passage „SS-Staat im Staate, wir wollen's nicht erleben" ("SS-state in the state, we don't want to experience it") can be heard as „SS-Staat im Staate, wir wollen's mit erleben" ("SS-state in the state, we want to experience"). The text itself leaves the assumption of a bad and brutally Nazi song, but the band says it was written "as a glaringly provocation and anti-Nazi-song."
Fans of the band refer to the fact that Türken raus and Deutschland den Deutschen were never released on an official release of the Böhse Onkelz. These songs were spread by copying and passing on the demotapes. Weidner spoke in an interview on the topic: "The text was a big stupidity and of course there was never a release of this song, and of course there will be never such a release."
Furthermore, the band have denied all right-wing tendencies since 1985 and wrote several songs against extremism, totalitarism and racism. Later political songs show an attitude towards an independent opinion and against hate.[14]
Discography
Studio albums
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Since 2001 the albums released under Bellaphon are distributed by the label SPV/regel23. The albums from the Metal Enterprises era: „Kneipenterroristen“, „Es ist soweit“ and the EP „Lügenmarsch“ are distributed with an altered cover by SPV/regel23 since March 2005. The album „Onkelz wie wir…“ was re-recorded and released on November 2, 2007. On December 4, 2009 a new mastered version of the original recordings of "Onkelz Wie Wir" was released as "Onkelz Wie Wir (Black Edition)" by Reflex Distribution & Media (Intergroove), which had bought the rights from Metal Enterprises.
Singles
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Additional information
Since the mid-nineties the band refers to their fans as "nephews" and "nieces" to strengthen the communal spirit with them. This is expressed in the song "Danke" from the album „Ein böses Märchen… …aus tausend finsteren Nächten“.
The second stanca of the song "Nur die besten sterben jung" was, according to statements of the band, used several times as obituary in local newspapers: („…die Zeit heilt Wunden, doch vergessen kann ich nicht, die Zeit heilt Wunden, doch ich denke oft an dich…“), („…the time heals wounds, but i can not forget, the time heals wounds but I think about you often…“).
The album „E.I.N.S“ which was released in 1996 was voted in multiple reader-polls of professional music journals (z. B. Rock Hard or Metal Hammer) into the top 10 of the category „Bestes Metal Album aller Zeiten“ („Best Metal album of all time“, although it wasn't the most sold album of the band.
The popularity of the band hasn't decreased since the disbanding, because multiple events around the topic "Böhse Onkelz" are organised in Germany. For example the „G.O.N.D.“ (Größte Onkelz Nacht Deutschlands) (Greatest Onkelz night of Germany) wich is held since 2006. In 2009 around 18.000 people came
In 1985 the Onkelz played roles in the TV-movie „Zagarbata“ from Tabea Blumenschein. The film was a coproduction of the ZDF and was directed by Christoph Dreher. It was about the Skin- snd Punkmovment in the early 1980s.
Awards & Record Certifications
Awards
| Year | Presenter | Awards | Result |
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| 1999 | Echo | Rock/Pop: group of the year national | Nominated[15] |
| 2001 | Echo | Rock/Pop: group of the year national | Nominated[16] |
| 2003 | Echo | Rock/Pop: group of the year national | Nominated[17] |
| 2005 | Echo | Rock/Pop: group of the year national | Nominated[18] |
| 2006 | Echo | Music-DVD-Production national: La Ultima / Live in Berlin | Nominated[19] |
| 2008 | Echo | Music-DVD-Production national: Vaya Con Tioz | Won[20] |
Record Certifications
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Platinum Certification[21]
2x Platinum Certification[21]
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Further reading
- Edmund Hartsch, Böhse Onkelz, Danke für nichts, ISBN 3-00-001743-7.
- Klaus Farin, Buch der Erinnerungen, ISBN 3-933773-13-X.
- Cornelius Peltz, Hesse trifft Hesse – Eine Reise ins Universum der Persönlichkeit mit Hermann Hesse und Stephan Weidner, buy at Archiv der Jugendkulturen.
- Matthias Gonzo Röhr, Ralph Larmann: Meine letzten 48 Stunden mit den Böhsen Onkelz I.P. Verlag Jeske/Mader „2006“, ISBN 3-931624-36-6.
Sources and references
- ^ a b Chartquellen: DE AT CH
- ^ Edmund Hartsch: In: Böhse Onkelz, Danke für nichts. First Edition, 1997, p. 28.
- ^ Edmund Hartsch: In: Böhse Onkelz, Danke für nichts. First Edition, 1997, p. 39.
- ^ Edmund Hartsch: In: Böhse Onkelz, Danke für nichts. First Edition, 1997, p. 58.
- ^ Die Geschichte der Böhsen Onkelz
- ^ Kevin - B Ö H S E O N K E L Z
- ^ Ausschreitungen von Rostock-Lichtenhagen – Wikipedia
- ^ B Ö H S E O N K E L Z
- ^ Stones-Konzert in Hannover: Mick Jagger vertraut den Böhsen Onkelz - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Kultur
- ^ Wacken 2004 - Statement bezüglich der Böhsen Onkelz! - News - - metal.de
- ^ Böhse-Onkelz-Veteran Weidner: Wut im Kopf - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Kultur
- ^ Böhse Onkelz - Vaya con tioz (4 DVDs): Amazon.de: Böhse Onkelz: DVD & Blu-ray
- ^ Böhse Onkelz: Über zwei Jahre Haft für Kevin Russell – laut.de – News
- ^ Böhse Onkelz: Benefiz-Konzert gegen rechte Gewalt – laut.de – News
- ^ Böhse Onkelz für immer | wer-kennt-wen.de
- ^ MusikWoche | News | Die ersten Nominierungen des Echo 2001
- ^ MusikWoche | News | Alle Nominierten für den Echo 2003
- ^ mediabiz.de | News | Kategorie: Rock/Pop
- ^ Echo 2006: Die Nominierten - Tokio Hotel & Azad News
- ^ Echo 2008: Erster Preis für Böhse Onkelz – laut.de – News
- ^ a b c d Auszeichnungen für Musikverkäufe: DE AT
External links
- http://www.onkelz.com - The Official Website (English)
- http://www.onkelz.de - The Official Website (German)
- http://www.sinfin-rox.de - Peter „Pe“ Schorowsky
- http://www.gonzomusic.com - Matthias „Gonzo“ Röhr
- http://www.der-w.de - Stephan Weidner
- http://www.3Tioz.de - Supporters Fanzine (German)
- http://web.archive.org/web/20080518061106/http://www.dunklerort.net/index.php - Band archive
- Böhse Onkelz discography at Discogs
