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Wolfsheim (band)
Encyclopedia
Wolfsheim (ˈvɔlfs-haɪm) was a synthpop
band from Hamburg
, Germany
that consisted of Markus Reinhardt and Peter Heppner
. Although never officially disbanded, Wolfsheim has been inactive since 2005 due to a dispute between the two members, which even led to trial
s in 2007 and 2008 that forbade either member to continue Wolfsheim without the other. The band's musical style takes cues from the 1980s New Romanticism and New Wave
, usually considered wave pop or darkwave. They are best known for their singles "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" (1991), "Once in a Lifetime" (1998) and "Kein Zurück" (2003). Their lyrics tend to be melancholic, but at the same time modernist.
's novel The Great Gatsby
. Reinhardt's brother Oliver Reinhardt joined the band some time afterward. After co-founder Ricciardi left the band and was replaced by Peter Heppner who had known the band members from mutual friends and from growing up in the same neighborhood in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, they produced their first demo
tape Ken Manage in 1988. Their first performance was at Werkstatt 3, a small club in Hamburg
. Oliver Reinhardt left the band, leading to the band's definitive lineup with Markus Reinhardt (music) and Peter Heppner (lyrics and vocals).
After making a second demo tape Any But Pretty (1989), Wolfsheim applied at various labels to no avail, until they caught the attention of the one-man
independent record label
Strange Ways Records. Wolfsheim's "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" (1991), was the first single to be released on Strange Ways. The song became a fast hit, even though it was not heavily promoted. Their debut album No Happy View (1992) was also released on Strange Ways and did well in the charts. The follow-up Popkiller (1993) reached the German Media Control Charts
, albeit at a low position. In February 1995, Wolfsheim released the compilation album 55578, comprising many tracks previously featured on singles, as well as some unreleased material. The first 55,578 copies were special edition
s that contained a bonus disk with material recorded at the Strange Ways Festival. The album remained in the German charts for five weeks. The 1996 album Dreaming Apes reached number 91. Following its release, Wolfsheim embarked on their first tour in May 1996. A live recording
was released in October 1997 named Hamburg Rom Wolfsheim.
Throughout the band's existence, both members were involved with various side projects. Reinhardt started the bands Nefkom and Neustart, both of which released their albums on Strange Ways. Heppner collaborated with Joachim Witt
in 1998 on the song "Die Flut", which reached #2 in the German Single Charts and garnered them a platinum record. His increased popularity also boosted Wolfsheim's success; their album Spectators, released in February 1999, was the first to reach the top-10 in Germany, at number two. Since 2001, the album was distributed in the United States
by Metropolis Records
. Spectators reached gold status in Germany in 2004. The singles released off this album, "Once in a Lifetime", "It's Hurting for the First Time" and "Künstliche Welten" were all successful. That summer, Wolfsheim played at many of the major German festivals, including the Bizarre Festival, Rock am Ring
, and Rock im Park. They also played their first show outside of Germany, at Belgium
's Eurorock Festival.
Since 1999 Reinhardt predominantly focused on Care Company, a band whose 2001 album In the Flow was released on Motor
/Universal
. Heppner featured on tracks by several other artists. He collaborated among others with the dance project Schiller
on the songs, "Dream of You" and "Leben... I Feel You", which were a big success all over Europe. He also collaborated on "Glasgarten" with Goethes Erben
and "Wir sind Wir" with trance/techno-DJ Paul van Dyk
.
In anticipation of the forthcoming album, Wolfsheim released the live DVD Kompendium on April 16, 2002, containing a recording from the Spectators tour, an interview, and various music videos. In March 2003, the release of Casting Shadows instantly sent it to the top spot in the German album charts and reached platinum status. The single "Kein Zurück", released on February 2, was the band's first single to enter into the Media Control Charts top-10, debuting at number five and moving up to the fourth spot. It remained in the charts for 10 weeks and reached gold status. Greatest highlight in the band's career was receiving an ECHO in 2004 for Best Alternative Domestic Band. A sold-out tour through Germany was followed by Wolfsheim's only tour through the U.S. in March and April 2004.
in December 2005. During this time, Reinhardt was on a retreat from the music business, having composed several pieces but not wanting to perform these with Wolfsheim. Reinhardt filed a lawsuit against Heppner in early 2007 on the grounds of Heppner being in breach of contract and disregarding the basic interests of Wolfsheim with his solo contract. He requested the exclusion of Heppner from the Wolfsheim partnership so that Wolfsheim could continue without him. In spring 2008, the Hamburg regional court rejected Reinhardt's lawsuit in its entirety, as did the Oberlandesgericht
upon Reinhardt's appeal
.
Heppner's first and to date only solo album is named Solo and was released on September 12, 2008. Reinhardt released music with his new project Comfortable Cave Goodbye.
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Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
band from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, 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...
that consisted of Markus Reinhardt and Peter Heppner
Peter Heppner
Peter Heppner was the lead singer of the German electronica/synth pop band Wolfsheim, and has collaborated with many other electronic music acts, such as Paul van Dyk, Schiller, and Goethes Erben.- Career :...
. Although never officially disbanded, Wolfsheim has been inactive since 2005 due to a dispute between the two members, which even led to trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
s in 2007 and 2008 that forbade either member to continue Wolfsheim without the other. The band's musical style takes cues from the 1980s New Romanticism and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, usually considered wave pop or darkwave. They are best known for their singles "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" (1991), "Once in a Lifetime" (1998) and "Kein Zurück" (2003). Their lyrics tend to be melancholic, but at the same time modernist.
History
The band was founded in 1987 by Markus Reinhardt and Pompejo Ricciardi and was named after Meyer Wolfsheim, a fictional character from F. Scott FitzgeraldF. Scott Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost...
's novel The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922....
. Reinhardt's brother Oliver Reinhardt joined the band some time afterward. After co-founder Ricciardi left the band and was replaced by Peter Heppner who had known the band members from mutual friends and from growing up in the same neighborhood in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, they produced their first demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tape Ken Manage in 1988. Their first performance was at Werkstatt 3, a small club in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Oliver Reinhardt left the band, leading to the band's definitive lineup with Markus Reinhardt (music) and Peter Heppner (lyrics and vocals).
After making a second demo tape Any But Pretty (1989), Wolfsheim applied at various labels to no avail, until they caught the attention of the one-man
Sole proprietorship
A sole proprietorship, also known as the sole trader or simply a proprietorship, is a type of business entity that is owned and run by one individual and in which there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business. The owner receives all profits and has unlimited responsibility for...
independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Strange Ways Records. Wolfsheim's "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" (1991), was the first single to be released on Strange Ways. The song became a fast hit, even though it was not heavily promoted. Their debut album No Happy View (1992) was also released on Strange Ways and did well in the charts. The follow-up Popkiller (1993) reached the German Media Control Charts
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...
, albeit at a low position. In February 1995, Wolfsheim released the compilation album 55578, comprising many tracks previously featured on singles, as well as some unreleased material. The first 55,578 copies were special edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
s that contained a bonus disk with material recorded at the Strange Ways Festival. The album remained in the German charts for five weeks. The 1996 album Dreaming Apes reached number 91. Following its release, Wolfsheim embarked on their first tour in May 1996. A live recording
Live CD
A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive...
was released in October 1997 named Hamburg Rom Wolfsheim.
Throughout the band's existence, both members were involved with various side projects. Reinhardt started the bands Nefkom and Neustart, both of which released their albums on Strange Ways. Heppner collaborated with Joachim Witt
Joachim Witt
Joachim Witt is a German musician and actor.- Life and work :Joachim Witt became a major star of the German pop scene during the eighties with huge hits such as "Der Goldene Reiter"...
in 1998 on the song "Die Flut", which reached #2 in the German Single Charts and garnered them a platinum record. His increased popularity also boosted Wolfsheim's success; their album Spectators, released in February 1999, was the first to reach the top-10 in Germany, at number two. Since 2001, the album was distributed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based record label, distributor, and mail-order store specializing in the post-industrial field such as electro-industrial, synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and gothic musical genres....
. Spectators reached gold status in Germany in 2004. The singles released off this album, "Once in a Lifetime", "It's Hurting for the First Time" and "Künstliche Welten" were all successful. That summer, Wolfsheim played at many of the major German festivals, including the Bizarre Festival, Rock am Ring
Rock am Ring
The Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually in Germany....
, and Rock im Park. They also played their first show outside of Germany, at Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's Eurorock Festival.
Since 1999 Reinhardt predominantly focused on Care Company, a band whose 2001 album In the Flow was released on Motor
Motor Music
Motor Music is an independent record label located in Berlin, Germany dealing mainly with rock music. It was founded in 1994 and until 2004 was a subsidiary of Universal Music Group....
/Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. Heppner featured on tracks by several other artists. He collaborated among others with the dance project Schiller
Schiller (band)
Schiller is the main project of Christopher von Deylen , a German musician, composer and producer. He won the ECHO award in 2002 for the Best Dance Single of the Year.. Schiller has sold over 7 million albums worldwide.Christopher Von Deylen does not provide vocals for any of his compositions...
on the songs, "Dream of You" and "Leben... I Feel You", which were a big success all over Europe. He also collaborated on "Glasgarten" with Goethes Erben
Goethes Erben
Goethes Erben is a musical group from Germany started in 1989 by Oswald Henke and Peter Seipt.-History:The founding idea for Goethes Erben was to combine German spoken words with musical theater. They are one of the first Neue Deutsche Todeskunst bands....
and "Wir sind Wir" with trance/techno-DJ Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
.
In anticipation of the forthcoming album, Wolfsheim released the live DVD Kompendium on April 16, 2002, containing a recording from the Spectators tour, an interview, and various music videos. In March 2003, the release of Casting Shadows instantly sent it to the top spot in the German album charts and reached platinum status. The single "Kein Zurück", released on February 2, was the band's first single to enter into the Media Control Charts top-10, debuting at number five and moving up to the fourth spot. It remained in the charts for 10 weeks and reached gold status. Greatest highlight in the band's career was receiving an ECHO in 2004 for Best Alternative Domestic Band. A sold-out tour through Germany was followed by Wolfsheim's only tour through the U.S. in March and April 2004.
Hiatus and breakup
Since the release of Casting Shadows, Reinhardt had been trying to move the band ahead with new work, but Heppner wished to pursue a solo career, suspending any following Wolfsheim record until 2009. The dispute peaked when Heppner signed a multi-album solo record deal with Warner MusicWarner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
in December 2005. During this time, Reinhardt was on a retreat from the music business, having composed several pieces but not wanting to perform these with Wolfsheim. Reinhardt filed a lawsuit against Heppner in early 2007 on the grounds of Heppner being in breach of contract and disregarding the basic interests of Wolfsheim with his solo contract. He requested the exclusion of Heppner from the Wolfsheim partnership so that Wolfsheim could continue without him. In spring 2008, the Hamburg regional court rejected Reinhardt's lawsuit in its entirety, as did the Oberlandesgericht
Oberlandesgericht
The Oberlandesgericht is one of the 'ordinary courts' in Germany...
upon Reinhardt's appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
.
Heppner's first and to date only solo album is named Solo and was released on September 12, 2008. Reinhardt released music with his new project Comfortable Cave Goodbye.
Albums
- No Happy ViewNo Happy ViewNo Happy View is the first full-length album from the German synthpop/industrial duo Wolfsheim. Two singles, "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" and "It's Not too Late", were released from this album. Like all of their albums, No Happy View is bilingual, with one track in German, and the rest in...
(19921992 in musicThis 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....
) Strange Ways Records - PopkillerPopkillerPopkiller is the second full-length studio album from the German synthpop/industrial duo Wolfsheim. This album spawned one single, "Now I Fall"...
(19931993 in musicThis is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
) Strange Ways Records - 555785557855578 is a compilation of earlier Wolfsheim works and new material. It was released in February 1995 and remained on the German Media Control Charts for five weeks. The album's name is the postal code for Wolfsheim, Germany.-Track listing:...
(19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) Strange Ways Records - Dreaming ApesDreaming ApesDreaming Apes is the third full-length studio album from the German synthpop/industrial duo Wolfsheim. "Closer Still" was the first single released for radio...
(19961996 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
) Strange Ways Records - Hamburg Rom WolfsheimHamburg Rom WolfsheimHamburg Rom Wolfsheim is the fifth full album by the German synthpop duo Wolfsheim. It is their first and only live album.-Track listing:All songs written by Wolfsheim# "Intro"...
(19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
) Strange Ways Records - SpectatorsSpectatorsSpectators is the fourth full album of the German synthpop duo Wolfsheim. As with all of their commercially available albums, this album is bilingual, although most tracks are in English...
(19991999 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....
) Strange Ways Records - Casting ShadowsCasting ShadowsCasting Shadows is the seventh and last studio album by the German synthpop duo Wolfsheim. Like all of their albums, Casting Shadows is bilingual, with two tracks in German, one instrumental , and the remainder in English.The disc debuted at #1 on the German album charts.-Track listing:#...
(20032003 in music-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
) Strnge Ways Records
Singles
- "The Sparrows and The Nightingales" (19911991 in musicSee also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
) Strange Ways Records - "It's Not Too Late (Don't Sorrow)" (19921992 in musicThis 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....
) Strange Ways Records - "Thunderheart" (1992) Strange Ways Records
- "Now I Fall" (19931993 in musicThis is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
) Strange Ways Records - "Elias" (19941994 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
) Strange Ways Records - "Closer StillCloser still"Closer Still" is German darkwave duo Wolfsheim's sixth single. It was released as the first single from the album Dreaming Apes in 1995.-Track listing:# "Closer Still" # "Closer Still" # "Closer Still"...
" (19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) Strange Ways Records - "A New Starsystem Has Been Explored" (19961996 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
) Strange Ways Records - "Once in a Lifetime" (19981998 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
) Strange Ways Records - "It's Hurting for the First TimeIt's hurting for the first time"It's Hurting for the First Time" is German synthpop/industrial duo Wolfsheim's tenth single.-Track listing:# "It's Hurting for the First Time"# "It's Hurting for the First Time" # "Real"...
" (1998) Strange Ways Records - "Künstliche Welten" (19991999 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....
) Strange Ways Records - "Sleep Somehow" (1999) Strange Ways Records (vinyl only)
- "Kein Zurück" (20032003 in music-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
) Strange Ways Records - "Find You're Gone" (2003) Strange Ways Records
- "Blind 2004" (20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
) Strange Ways Records
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