Around 1966/67, I first heard a band at the Don Bosco Home, in which organist Bernd Schönhofen and bassist Dieter Neyses particularly stood out. We met again in 1970: Through Bernd, I also came to appreciate Martin Hermann better, and with Dieter Neyses, we founded the group "Holzwurm." Sometimes a guitar maker joined us with his Fender Stratocaster, and occasionally Karli Schultz, a virtuoso guitarist, would also play. Eventually, two wind players expanded the lineup: Michael Trierweiler (trombone) and Günther Marxen (saxophone). Martin and Bernd complemented each other perfectly as arrangers. For me, this band represented a real step up – almost like a "higher consecration."
... The rehearsals became more complex, more intellectual; we were talking about "rock-jazz"—for us, a blend of familiar rock and the unknown, fascinating world of jazz. After rehearsals, we listened to the recordings and discussed them critically. I particularly remember the meetings at Michael Trierweiler's: there I discovered Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker. For the first time, I understood jazz as an attitude, as a system in which personality and lifestyle are directly transformed into music.
Presse
Alongside "Holzwurm," I developed a program for classical guitar with German lyrics—by Rolf Biermann, Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, but also with my own compositions—with Rudolf Holbach, a talented lyricist and singer. Rudolf wrote the lyrics, and I wrote the music.
Besides the musical challenge, this project was a real "consciousness-raising exercise" for me. Engaging with political and social issues shaped my understanding of music as an artistic and social statement. Furthermore, Rudolf and I had intensive conversations about philosophy, religion and politics, which broadened my horizons far beyond music.