Hans Söllner
Encyclopedia
Johann Michael Söllner better known as Hans Söllner, is a German singer-songwriter
. Throughout German-speaking countries, especially in Germany
and Austria
, he is famous for publicly criticizing the German government and political system
s in general to a vast extent. While Söllner sings in Bavarian dialect
his music can be considered as Reggae
, creating an extremely exceptional contrast. His lyrics are like stories, as they mainly deal with being in conflict with the law and everyday life problems.
Hans Söllner has been accused of character assassination
and possession of small amounts of cannabis
. By 2001 he was fined more than 150,000 Euros in total and is still sued regularly.
Söllner was born on 24 December 1955, to Johann and Therese Söllner in Bad Reichenhall
. At the age of three he attended a Catholic kindergarten in Bad Reichenhall
, Sankt Zeno. From 1961 through 1964, he went to the secondary modern school in Marzoll. In his youth he was a member of the Tracht
enverein Marzoll, but later was expelled because of his long hair.
The completion of an apprenticeship as a cook
at the age of eighteen was followed by a year of unemployment, until he had to attend mandatory military service. After three months of basic training he skipped to community service in Weilheim. Then he moved to Munich
and, again, was unemployed for two years. His first song "Endlich eine Arbeit" ("Finally, a job") emerged from these two years. Later he completed another apprenticeship as a car mechanic. Within three years, he taught himself to play the guitar
and wrote the songs for his debut album.
Another three years went by until he was able to release his first LP
Nachdenkliches zum Schmunzeln because he had ranked first at a singing competition in Traunstein
.
In the 1990s
, he founded the Reggae group Bayerman Vibration along with other jobless musicians. At the same time he recorded solo projects, such as his most famous albums Hey Staat (1989
) and Der Charlie (1992
).
In August 1993, he resigned from the Roman Catholic Church and decided to become a Rastafari
an, as well as being a vegetarian and pacifist.
In 1998, he got to know the Austrian Reggae group The Buccaneers and started to tour with them. By 2000
they changed their name to Bayaman`Sissdem; two years later, they also had some member changes.
Söllner took a one year break in 1999
, primarily to mark the end of his career. However he returned to making music in 2000
.
In 2004 Söllner published his first book Bloß a Gschicht ("Just a Story").
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. Throughout German-speaking countries, especially in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, he is famous for publicly criticizing the German government and political system
Political system
A political system is a system of politics and government. It is usually compared to the legal system, economic system, cultural system, and other social systems...
s in general to a vast extent. While Söllner sings in Bavarian dialect
Austro-Bavarian
Bavarian , also Austro-Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south east of the German language area.-History and origin:...
his music can be considered as Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, creating an extremely exceptional contrast. His lyrics are like stories, as they mainly deal with being in conflict with the law and everyday life problems.
Hans Söllner has been accused of character assassination
Character assassination
Character assassination is an attempt to tarnish a person's reputation. It may involve exaggeration, misleading half-truths, or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person...
and possession of small amounts of cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
. By 2001 he was fined more than 150,000 Euros in total and is still sued regularly.
Biography
Bad Reichenhall
Bad Reichenhall is a spa town, and administrative center of the Berchtesgadener Land district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is located near Salzburg in a basin encircled by the Chiemgauer Alps ....
. At the age of three he attended a Catholic kindergarten in Bad Reichenhall
Bad Reichenhall
Bad Reichenhall is a spa town, and administrative center of the Berchtesgadener Land district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is located near Salzburg in a basin encircled by the Chiemgauer Alps ....
, Sankt Zeno. From 1961 through 1964, he went to the secondary modern school in Marzoll. In his youth he was a member of the Tracht
Tracht
Tracht is a traditional national costume in German-speaking countries. Although the word is most often associated with Austrian and Bavarian costumes, many other peoples of Germany have them.-History:...
enverein Marzoll, but later was expelled because of his long hair.
The completion of an apprenticeship as a cook
Cook (profession)
A cook is a person who prepares food for consumption. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Canada this profession requires government approval ....
at the age of eighteen was followed by a year of unemployment, until he had to attend mandatory military service. After three months of basic training he skipped to community service in Weilheim. Then he moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and, again, was unemployed for two years. His first song "Endlich eine Arbeit" ("Finally, a job") emerged from these two years. Later he completed another apprenticeship as a car mechanic. Within three years, he taught himself to play the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and wrote the songs for his debut album.
Another three years went by until he was able to release his first LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
Nachdenkliches zum Schmunzeln because he had ranked first at a singing competition in Traunstein
Traunstein
Traunstein is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a district by the same name. It is situated at the heart of a region called Chiemgau, approximately 11 km east of Lake Chiemsee between Munich and Salzburg, 15 km north of the Alps, and...
.
In the 1990s
1990s in music
For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99This article includes trends in popular music in the 1990s....
, he founded the Reggae group Bayerman Vibration along with other jobless musicians. At the same time he recorded solo projects, such as his most famous albums Hey Staat (1989
1989 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR...
) and Der Charlie (1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
).
In August 1993, he resigned from the Roman Catholic Church and decided to become a Rastafari
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
an, as well as being a vegetarian and pacifist.
In 1998, he got to know the Austrian Reggae group The Buccaneers and started to tour with them. By 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
they changed their name to Bayaman`Sissdem; two years later, they also had some member changes.
Söllner took a one year break in 1999
1999 in music
-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
, primarily to mark the end of his career. However he returned to making music in 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
.
In 2004 Söllner published his first book Bloß a Gschicht ("Just a Story").
Albums
- 1982 - Endlich eine Arbeit - Nachdenkliches zum Schmunzeln ("Finally, a Job - Things contemplative to smirk about")
- 1986 - Für Marianne und Ludwig ("For Marianne and Ludwig")
- 1987 - Wos reimt se scho auf Nicki ... ("What could possibly rhyme with Nicki ...")
- 1989 - Hey Staat! ("Hey Administration!")
- 1990 - Bayerman Vibration
- 1991 - Live mit Bayerman Vibration
- 1992 - ...Ungehörtes und Unerhörtes ("Things Unheard and Outrageous")
- 1992 - ...Unerhörtes ("Things Outrageous")
- 1992 - ...Der Charlie
- 1993 - Fang ma do o wo ma neilich aufg`heat ham ("Let Us Start Where We Just Ended")
- 1994 - Endlich eine Arbeit - Die Erste neu aufgenommen ("Finally, A Job: My First One re-recorded")
- 1995 - Grea Göib Roud ("Green Yellow Red")
- 1997 - A jeda ("Everyone")
- 1998 - Endlich eine Arbeit (Re-recording)
- 1998 - Für Marianne und Ludwig (Re-recording)
- 1998 - Wos reimt se scho auf Nicki ... (Re-recording)
- 2000 - 241255
- 2001 - Babylon - with Bayaman`Sissdem
- 2004 - Oiwei I - with Bayaman`Sissdem ("Always Me...")
- 2005 - Live im Regen - with Bayaman`Sissdem
- 2007 - Viet Nam - with Bayaman`Sissdem
Singles
- 1984 - Mei Vadda hat an Marihuanabaum ... ("My father has a marijuana plant ...")
- 1986 - Söllner »Spezial«
- 1988 - ˝... sogar der Wind liagt˝ ("Even the Wind lies")
- 1990 - Bayerman Vibration
DVDs
- 2004 - Wer bloss lacht, is ned frei! ("He Who Just Laughs, Is Not Free!")
- 2004 - Der bayerische Rebell ("The Bavarian Rebel")
- 2005 - Live im Regen - with Bayaman`Sissdem ("Live In The Rain")
Literature
- 2004 - Bloß a Gschicht ("Just a Story")
- 2006 - Bilderbuch ("A Picture Book")