Torfrock (, lit. "

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Rock") is a German rock group founded by Klaus Büchner and Raymond Voß in 1976. Guitarist Jürgen Lugge from Hamburg played lead guitar until his unexpected death in 1999. With their Northern German identity, they are notable for keeping alive the native

Low German Low German is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language variety, language spoken mainly in Northern Germany and the northeastern Netherlands. The dialect of Plautdietsch is also spoken in the Russian Mennonite diaspora worldwide. "Low" ...

language in their lyrics. With many of their songs being Low-German covers of Anglo-American standards, their music style ranges from R'n'B to blues rock and folk rock. Their humorous to surreal song lyrics mostly deal either with 10th-century Viking

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(in an interpretation obviously strongly reminiscent of Dik Browne's '' Hägar the Horrible'' rather than the actual historical person) situated in Hedeby instead of Skandinavia in their songs, or life in the modern-day fictional

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rural village of ''Torfmoorholm'' (lit. "Peatbogville"). Beside being a trademark of modern-day Northern German culture, the band is closely associated with another Northern German icon, the ''Werner'' comics and movie franchise created by comic artist Rötger Feldmann (aka Brösel), not only because the band wrote the original soundtrack to the first ''Werner'' movie and partly to its sequels, but also because Torfrock singer Büchner voices character Werner in the movies. Also, Torfrock guitarist and singer Voss voices the ''Präsi Dieter'', the choleric, yet likewise good hearted leader of a biker gang Werner is a member of. The title song ''Beinhart'' topped the charts in Germany and also entered the Top 20 in Austria and Switzerland. This was their first song to include a guitar solo from Jürgen Lugge. He was only booked as a studio musician besides Klaus Büchner (vocals), Raymond Voß (electric rhythm guitar), Uwe Meitzner (electric bass guitar) and Gunnar "Gustl" Kämmer (drums), but, in Voß' own words, the band saw it as disrespectul to go on tour, play the song and then "have nothing at all for 20 bars". So Lugge became a band member. However, he suddenly died from a stroke in 1999. The band decided not to replace him, instead Voß took over the guitar solos too (which Volker Schmidt also did when he was forced to replace Voß from 2018 onwards). Klaus Büchner and Raymond Voß both provide vocals. Voß also is the guitarist (both six and twelve stringed) and plays banjo; Büchner - who is left handed - plays harmonica and bass flute. 2023 Voß was forced to retire due to heart problems, and bass guitarist Volker Schmidt took his place. Schmidt on the other hand was replaced by Sven Berger.

Gallery

Torfrock Metal Frenzy 2018 13.jpg, Singer Klaus Büchner Torfrock Metal Frenzy 2018 12.jpg, Former guitarist Raymond Voß Torfrock Metal Frenzy 2018 10.jpg, Guitarist and former bassist Volker Schmidt Torfrock Metal Frenzy 2018 07.jpg, Drummer Stefan Lehmann

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Dat matscht so schön'' (''It splashes so nicely'', 1977) * ''Rata-ta-zong'' (1978) * ''Torfrockball im Hühnerstall'' (''Torfrock party in the chicken's barn'', 1979) * ''Vierter Versuch'' (''Fourth attempt'', 1980) * ''Mein Gott, sind wir begabt'' (''My god, are we talented'', 1982) * ''Alle an die Ruder'' (''All hands to the oars'', 1990) * ''Aufe beinharte Tour'' (''The rough way'', lit. ''On the bone-hard tour'', 1991, Live) – soundtrack for the film adaptation of the Werner comics * ''Torfrock oder Watt?'' (''Torfrock or mudflat?'', pun on ''Torfrock oder was?'' ..or what? 1991, Remix) * ''Beinhart - geht das ab hier'' (''Hard to the bone - everything is fine here'', 1991) * ''Die Bagaluten-Fete'' (''The Bagalute party'', 1992) * ''Goiler Tonträger'' (''Cool sound medium'', 1994) * ''Die Wikinger'' (''The Vikings'', 1995, Compilation) * ''Rockerkuddl'' (1996) * ''Beinhart - Alle Hits'' (2000, Compilation) * ''Einigkeit und Blech und Freizeit'' (''Unity and tin and spare time'', a pun on the first lines of the German national anthem Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" - ''Unity and right and liberty''2001)

Videography

* ''Aufe Beinharte Tour'' (1992) * ''Torfrock - Die Beinharte Bagaluten-Weihnacht'' (2002)

External links

Official web site
* {{Authority control German musical groups