Bläck Fööss & Fründe 1989 em Millowitsch-Theater (24/44 Vinyl Rip)

Here's a band from Cologne for those who want to escape the Christmas hype. This time I'm not surprised that I can't find any download on the web. Since World War II the younger generations in Germany always had a serious problem with "Volksmusik," traditional German folk music. Only in 2 occasions "Volksmusik" is widely accepted: on the Oktoberfest in Munich and during the Carnival in the cities along the river Rhine. And I suspect that the youngsters still wouldn't accept it if there weren't millions of tourists to tell them that "Volksmusik" is alright. ;-)

Said this, who are Bläck Fööss?
Bläck Fööss means "Black Feet", in their beginnings they appeared barefoot on stage, and they are deeply rooted in the Cologne culture and nightlife since 1970, over 40 years now. They mostly sing in the local dialect "Kölsch" and therefore most fans are from the area. They do write their own songs, but on this live recording many tracks are cover versions with lyrics translated into "Kölsch," often dealing with local issues. Of course they appear in Carnival shows as well, but that is only a minor part of their work. They are excellent musicians and singers mixing all possible music styles into a great show with elements of variety theatre. They are also engaged in the work with children doing special shows for families, schools or kindergardens.
Here they are supported by Wolfgang Niedecken & Klaus "Major" Heuser from BAP, the most successful band from Cologne in the 80ies. The show goes on for 2 hours, on 2 LPs, why are other LPs only half as long?

Let's try a google translation of their biography from their website for those who don't understand German dialect:
De Bläck Fööss
Dialect songs are as old as pop music. The Beatles took the broad Liverpool English to America, and Mick Jagger, the southern accent of the blues imported to London - if he cared not a cockney singing. In this country, but was sung High German - dialect, there were at most in shanties or in Bavarian beer tents. Pop bands in the 60s helped themselves with their most needy school English.

HISTORY OF THE GROUP
Prior to 1970, the members of Bläck Fööss played in various formations beat before they found their final line-up as stowaways. On Mardi Gras balls, the group played the hits of the Beatles, the Kinks and the Hollies. Of course, carnival songs were in demand, and thus sounded the first notes Kölsch. Graham Bonney, with the Stowaways were working in the studio, suggested to them, but take one of these titles. Your reputation as a beat group wanted the band but not put under the first title Kölsch "Rievkooche Waltz" - why was the same-name 'EN Bläck Fööss" invented, because it "sounded both English and Kölsch". The first single from the group kölsche was no more than a moderate success - all the 2000 units were sold. The Stowaways had offers from three record companies, but did not have kölsche songs - it should be sung in English. The second Bläck Fööss title "Drink but a Met" was rejected everywhere - even from the Cologne EMI. Finally, just published by BASF in Ludwigshafen, the song became an instant popular success. Soon DE Bläck Fööss were at the carnival sessions and balls in high demand, only those companies were irritated by the appearance of the group: long-haired, dressed in jeans and bare feet (to do justice to the group name), the band emerged with electric guitars and amplifiers in the hallowed halls of the Cologne cheerfulness on. Unconcerned had highlighted the Bläck Fööss Willi Ostermann's the idiom of pop music and the audience liked it!

THE CARNIVAL AND THE Bläck Fööss
Since then, the group responsible for some people the image of a carnival band on - but is equated in many parts of Germany with Pappnase Koelsch and swaying. This show Bläck Fööss with many of their songs they play in the carnival that is not cheerfulness must be unconscious, and so fit the traditional revelers, many of their issues are not: titles such as "De Mama already kritt ram s child," the armed forces ballad "The middle of nowhere" and the historic "Kackleed" were the officials directly. At the time of "Rievkooche-waltz" worked very hard for the Bläck Fööss the children's radio, and they now believe that this experience had a strong influence on their songs. Says singer and guitarist Erry: "We learned then that not only have the music, but the story must Ensure children particularly, and that's no different for adults - people want to understand the text.."

THE LYRICS OF Bläck Fööss
Even today the Bläck Fööss still play often in schools and kindergartens. This caused inter alia Songs such as "Meier's Kättche", "Pänz, Pänz, Pänz", "skateboard" and "roller coaster". The group next to the impressive diversity of its skillful style of folk music, jazz, gospel, funk, rock, calypso, rap, pop melodies and sophisticated by the stories and characters of her songs that emerged from the close observation of their surroundings Kölsch. They tell of everyday life, without lapsing into non-binding "human, all too-human". On the other hand, the critical drawing their fellow human beings is not denunciatory – they do not make fun of people - people should be able to laugh at themselves when they are in the songs as "Luck as I un you" know. The German caretaker she sat with "Kaczmarek," the Siedlungskontrolletti a statue, her singing group "MGV Concordia" has a light, alcohol-related list in the "Kaffeebud" it comes to strenuous arguments from all the right stakeholders in the coffee break and also the heroes of German pop remain in "Moni cried" not unscathed. An ideal world painted the group in spite of all their songs but do not love their city, "Zille on Kölsch" identified one of their songs even sound engineers. On current topics, such as environmental degradation, xenophobia and repressed German past, take the Bläck Fööss position - in the beer tent, where we can not always hear you. Although the group does not make it all right, she has a big audience, whether at concerts in the tradition-conscious Millowitsch Cologne theater, Cologne Philharmonie, at street festivals, in schools, civic initiatives, or in the beer tent. And in all the models Neonkneipen between the current scene hits its songs, "Katrin", "Bye, bye, my love" sound, "Men," "Homeless" and "Moni cried" and "our family tree.

Tracks
01. Bläck Fööss · Unsere Altreucher 04:49
02. Bläck Fööss · Unsere Baum 04:28
03. Bläck Fööss · Dä Wing vun Kölle am Rhing 06:17
04. Bläck Fööss · Dr. Pillemann 03:56
05. Bläck Fööss · En minger Bud 06:29
06. Klaus "Major" Heuser & Bläck Fööss · Dovun dräum ich schon su lang 04:31
07. Wolfgang Niedecken & Klaus "Major" Heuser · Ruut wieß blau querjestriefte Frau 07:22
08. Wolfgang Niedecken & Klaus "Major" Heuser & Bläck Fööss · Do kanns zaubere 05:53
09. Wolfgang Niedecken & Klaus "Major" Heuser & Bläck Fööss · Time is cash, time is money 07:18
10. Wolfgang Niedecken & Klaus "Major" Heuser & Bläck Fööss · Pänz, Pänz, Pänz 03:15
11. Wolfgang Niedecken & Klaus "Major" Heuser & Bläck Fööss · Stellt üch vüür (Imagine) 06:26
12. Bläck Fööss · Eierquell (Medley) 07:42
13. Bläck Fööss · Trizonesien Song 04:12
14. Bläck Fööss · Bütz mich 04:25
15. Bläck Fööss · Treck noch ens dat Kleid an 03:58
16. Bläck Fööss · Penny lane 04:05
17. Bläck Fööss · Jesöök un jefunge 03:33
18. Bläck Fööss · Daat Wasser vun Kölle 05:14
19. Bläck Fööss · Bye bye my love 04:33
20. Bläck Fööss · Männer 04:55
21. Bläck Fööss · Huusmeister Kaczmarek 03:23
22. Bläck Fööss · En unserem Veedel 04:29
23. Bläck Fööss · Joode Naach / Jooden Daach 02:38
24. Bläck Fööss · Katrin 04:53
Total time: 118:31 (!)

Musicians
Wolfgang Niedecken: guitar, vocals
Klaus "Major" Heuser: guitar
Günter Antonius "Bömmel" Lückerath: guitar, mandolin, vocals
Peter Schütten: guitar, vocals
Hartmut Priess: bass, vocals
Willi Schnitzler: keyboard, vocals
Thomas Richard Engel: drums, vocals
Ernst Josef "Erry" Stoklosa: drums, percussion, vocals