Rainbirds
Encyclopedia
The Rainbirds were a German
Pop rock
band established in 1986 around the singer Katharina Franck
. Their greatest hit was "Blueprint".
. When they won the Rock competition of the Senate of Berlin, they were contracted by Mercury Records
. Their first album Rainbirds was produced in the Audio Studios of Berlin and became a success, the single "Blueprint" enjoyed attention across Europe in 1988. The band's first line-up included Katharina Franck
(guitar, vocals), Michael Beckmann (bass), and Wolfgang Glum (drums). Due to a concert tour, guitarist Rodrigo González became a member of the Rainbirds. Later he joined Die Ärzte
and Abwärts
.
In the spring of 1989 the second album Call Me Easy, Say I’m Strong, Love Me My Way, It Ain’t Wrong was released, with a video clip by director and photographer Anton Corbijn
. Corbijn who was known for his photographs of bands like Depeche Mode
and U2
became the Rainbird's favourite photographer in the following years.
After this album, the band separated and Katharina Franck reformed the Rainbirds as a duo with piano player Ulrike Haage
. They released two albums in this line-up: Two Faces (1991) and In a different light (1993). Drummer Tim Lorenz joined them in 1994 as a third member. In the following years the band published two studio album
s, Making memory (1996) and Forever (1997) as well as a live album 3000.live (1999), their last release.
album Hunger and published a second solo album Zeitlupenkino (lit.: slow motion cinema) on Mute Records
in 2002.
Also Ulrike Haage, after recording numerous audio plays and composing theatre music, presented a solo album Sélavy in 2004. Drummer Tim Lorenz operates a recording studio in Berlin.
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...
Pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band established in 1986 around the singer Katharina Franck
Katharina Franck
Katharina Franck is German singer who became famous with her band Rainbirds and has produced several solo albums.-Biography:...
. Their greatest hit was "Blueprint".
History
The band joined in 1986 and named themselves after an instrumental track by Tom WaitsTom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
. When they won the Rock competition of the Senate of Berlin, they were contracted by Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. Their first album Rainbirds was produced in the Audio Studios of Berlin and became a success, the single "Blueprint" enjoyed attention across Europe in 1988. The band's first line-up included Katharina Franck
Katharina Franck
Katharina Franck is German singer who became famous with her band Rainbirds and has produced several solo albums.-Biography:...
(guitar, vocals), Michael Beckmann (bass), and Wolfgang Glum (drums). Due to a concert tour, guitarist Rodrigo González became a member of the Rainbirds. Later he joined Die Ärzte
Die Ärzte
Die Ärzte is a punk band from Berlin. Die Ärzte are one of the best-known German punk rock bands and have released over 20 albums. The band consists of guitarist Farin Urlaub, drummer Bela B. and bass player Rodrigo González...
and Abwärts
Abwärts
Abwärts is a West German post-punk group from Hamburg. Members Mark Chung and FM Einheit would leave the group in the early 1980s to join the Berlin-based band Einstürzende Neubauten....
.
In the spring of 1989 the second album Call Me Easy, Say I’m Strong, Love Me My Way, It Ain’t Wrong was released, with a video clip by director and photographer Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both for more than a decade...
. Corbijn who was known for his photographs of bands like Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
became the Rainbird's favourite photographer in the following years.
After this album, the band separated and Katharina Franck reformed the Rainbirds as a duo with piano player Ulrike Haage
Ulrike Haage
Ulrike Haage is a German pianist and composer. She is also a producer for radio plays, for which she does the dramaturgy and the music composition. Last but not least, she is a sound artist.- The jazz years :...
. They released two albums in this line-up: Two Faces (1991) and In a different light (1993). Drummer Tim Lorenz joined them in 1994 as a third member. In the following years the band published two studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s, Making memory (1996) and Forever (1997) as well as a live album 3000.live (1999), their last release.
Solo careers
Katharina Franck continued a solo career that had already begun in 1997 with a Spoken wordSpoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
album Hunger and published a second solo album Zeitlupenkino (lit.: slow motion cinema) on Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
in 2002.
Also Ulrike Haage, after recording numerous audio plays and composing theatre music, presented a solo album Sélavy in 2004. Drummer Tim Lorenz operates a recording studio in Berlin.
Albums
| Year | Title | Peak positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
SWI | ||
| 1987 | Rainbirds | – | 2 | 21 |
| 1989 | Call Me Easy, Say I’m Strong, Love Me My Way, It Ain’t Wrong | 28 | 4 | 18 |
| 1991 | Two Faces | – | – | – |
| 1993 | In A Different Light | – | 89 | – |
| 1995 | The Mercury Years | – | – | – |
| 1996 | Making Memories | – | – | – |
| 1997 | Forever | – | – | – |
| 1999 | rainbirds3000.live | – | – | – |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
SWI | |||
| 1987 | "Blueprint" | – | 7 | – | Rainbirds |
| 1988 | "Boy On The Beach" | – | 57 | – | Rainbirds |
| 1989 | "Sea Of Time" | – | 39 | – | Call Me Easy, Say I’m Strong, Love Me My Way, It Ain’t Wrong |
| 1989 | "Not Exactly" | – | 58 | – | Call Me Easy, Say I’m Strong, Love Me My Way, It Ain’t Wrong |
| 1989 | "Love Is A Better Word (White City Of Light)" | – | – | – | Call Me Easy, Say I’m Strong, Love Me My Way, It Ain’t Wrong |
| 1991 | "Two Faces" | – | – | – | Two Faces |
| 1993 | "Devils Dance" | – | – | – | In A Different Light |
| 1993 | "Jamais Jamais" | – | – | – | In A Different Light |
| 1995 | "Blueprint" (new mix) | – | – | – | The Mercury Years |
| 1996 | "Absolutely Free" | – | – | – | Making Memory |
| 1996 | "Give Me A Kiss" | – | – | – | Making Memory |
| 1997 | "Don’t Cry A River For Me (Be Cool)" | – | – | – | Forever |
| 1997 | "Shoot from the Hip" | – | – | – | Forever |