Blech
(Konstanz/Germany)

In General

Unscrupulous entertainment

THE BLECH (1985-1996). The German band THE BLECH became known when they came on the scene in 1985, using a combination of experiments with language and music, with a fondness for absurd plays on words. In subsequent years, the band developed these musical experiments into one of the few timeless approaches to pop music in Germany, which enjoyed worldwide acclaim.

THE BLECH have helped to overturn an artistic millenium which, as a basis for the relationship between Man and nature, had clung to harmony.

The eternal antagonism

THE BLECH combines what appears to be uncombinable. Construction - destruction, chaos - control, aggression - beauty, they have unified all of these opposing poles into a hard, yet fantastic feeling.

The ensemble created a large-scale, multi-level, paradoxical game employing a number of media in order to disappear behind the shrouds of their self-created confusion. Moving between dadaism and techno, U2 and Stockhausen, the rock music of THE BLECH is charged with multi-faceted meaningfulness. The thoughts they intend to provoke, however, are not guided along a fixed path, leaving room for freedom of choice among innumerable possible interpretations.

Cultural deception, eroticism and sauerkraut

Hubl G. explains the band's definition of music as follows: "We ask questions without knowing the answers. We love painting pictures with a view to challenging and provoking the viewer to derive his or her own answers. We call on the onlooker to participate in a creative process. We depict life as an insanely witty, simultaneous concert of murder, cultural deceit, eroticism and sauerkraut. We dissolve the eternal controversy of contrasts in laughter. We convinced the Virgin Mary to wed the devil."

In addition to their CDs, THE BLECH presentet equally radical videoclips and unscrupulous live-shows - the already mentioned "treat for the eyes". The forcefulness with which they flung their conviction from the stage into the audience was at once hypnotic, irritating and erotic. Their six albums and CDs have become a treasure-trove of extravagant, groovy dance hall artistry.

Musicians & details:

THE BLECH was established in 1985 by Hubl G. and R. Volz, who formed the core of THE BLECH.

HUBL G.

drums, programming, sampling, keyboards
Born in 1955 in Bavaria (Germany)
Musician, producer, composer, publisher, video-artist and writer since 1978.

"...A Devil-of-a-fellow" and probably one of the most creative producers and musicians in his profession in Europe".
(Ear Magazine, New York)

He released more than 60 albums and CD s (f. e. with Iva Bittova & Pavel Fajt, Die Knödel, Dun Dun Orchester, Tiere der Nacht, Luigi Archetti)

In 1997 he is working on a new project with Luigi Archetti called "HULU PROJECT".

E-Mail: Hubl.G@t-online.de

R. VOLZ

vocals, trumpet, guitar, lyrics
Born in 1960 in Kempten (Germany)

Own program "DER VOLZ" since 1989

"A Mephisto of tones and words; reminiscent of a young Brecht with minstrel guitar in hand. A true master, who turned the Scala down". (Frankfurter Allgemeine)

THEROFAL (1986-1989)

bass, keyboards, sampler, vocals
Born in 1964 in Munich

Since 1990 at Lisa Film GmbH, Munich

Discography with THE BLECH: ZIP ZIP, ICH WOLLTE MEINE SCHUHE ZERSCHNEIDEN, LIEBESLIEDER

HB-W (1989-1994)

baritone-violectra, violin, piano, keyboards

Studied composition and improvisation at KA University under Prof. Wolfgang Rihm. Projects with Lol Coxhill, Chico Freeman, Dietmar Diesner, Phil Minton, Ferdinand Richard, Vladimir Vaclavec, Takumi Fukushima, Irene Schweizer, J. Bauer, Fred Frith, Peter Kowald, Mia Zabelka and others.

His works have been performed throughout Europe in South America and Japan.

Discography with THE BLECH:
ICH WOLLTE MEINE SCHUHE ZERSCHNEIDEN, LIEBESLIEDER

SHIRLEY HOFMANN (1990-1993)

euphonium, susaphone, trombone, piano, accordeon, vocals

Studied at Mc Gill University in Montreal

Projects with Ripoff Raskolnikov, Fish Shop Girls, Dave Holland, Roscoe Mitchell, Julian Priester. Shirley joint productions and recordings with Mani Neumeier, Jellyfish Kiss, THE BLECH (LIEBESLIEDER), Nimal, Bratko Bibic, L' Ensemble Raye and others. Solo CD FROM THE DEPHTS/Own recordlabel "Label UsineS"

E-Mail: labelusines@music.ch

http://www.music.ch/labelusines/

JENS VOLK (1992-1994)

e-bass, double-bass

Projects with the Chilenian singer Alvaro Pena Rojas

Discographie with THE BLECH:
LIEBESLIEDER

http://www.swbv.uni-konstanz.de/www.root/euregio/text/jpvolk.html

LUIGI ARCHETTI (1995-1996)

guitars, mandolines
Born in 1955 in Brescia/Italy. Moved to Zürich in 1965

Painter and musician/rock and experimental music, film music, theatre music and publisher of Wild West Production.

Archetti joint productions and recordings with "Tiere der Nacht" (with Mani Neumeier), Werner Lüdi, Wädi Gysi, Iva Bittova, Rashied Ali (Tour USA), John Zorn, Koichi Makigami (Tour Japan), Guru Guru and others.

SANDRA SILVA COUTINHA (1991)

bass, vocals

Born 1959 in Sao Paulo/Brazil

Discography with THE BLECH: LIEBESLIEDER

PRESS CLIPS

"Competent Crazies."
(Spiegel, Germany, 1988)

"One of the most interesting bands of our time."
(Jazz Magazin, Paris, 1987)

"...exotic rhythms and a sense of twisted, tongue-in-kitsch - something nobody does better than THE BLECH."
(Artemy Troitsky, Moscow Times)

"The most exciting, contemporary and irritating attempt at new directions in music."
(Magazyn Muzyczny, Warsaw, 1991)

"THE BLECH belongs to those in the music business, who deliver new ideas and possibilities. THE BLECH are front runners of a new generation of spirited pop protagonists. THE BLECH is at the cutting edge of the sound of the future."
(Option Magazin, USA, 1989)

CDs:

85-91 - 1993
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Liebeslieder - 1992
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