BAP (German band)

BAP
BAP in 2018
BAP in 2018
Background information
OriginCologne, Germany
GenresRock
Years active1976–present
LabelsEMI, Capitol
MembersWolfgang Niedecken
Werner Kopal
Michael Nass
Anne de Wolff [de]
Ulrich Rode
Sönke Reich
Axel Müller
F. Johannes Goltz
Benny Brown [de]
Past membersSee below
Websitebap.de

BAP (German pronunciation: [bap]) is a German rock band. With thirteen albums reaching the number one in the German record charts, BAP is one of the most successful rock acts in their home country.

Nearly all of BAP's lyrics are written in Kölsch, the dialect of Cologne, or more precisely in a Kölsch-influenced derivation of Eifelplatt, a regional variant of the Ripuarian language spoken in the nearby rural Eifel. Niedecken's most prominent musical influences, especially early in his career, were Bob Dylan, the Kinks, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones and Wolfgang Ambros.

History

Wolfgang Niedecken, 1984
BAP in Aachen, 1980

The group was founded in 1976 under the name Wolfgang Niedecken's BAP in Cologne by Wolfgang Niedecken and Hans Heres. In 1981, they released their most famous song "Verdamp lang her" (Damn long time ago), in which Niedecken describes regrets he has about his relationship with his then recently deceased father. The band's name "BAP" derived from "BAPP", both, a play-on-words on the Kölsch word "Papp" (related to the German word dad), but pronounced differently, and Niedecken's then-nickname.

Niedecken translated a collection of Bob Dylan's lyrics to German for his 1995 solo album Leopardefell.[1]

Band members

Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, Germany

Current members

(Information valid for 2024)

  • Wolfgang "Maître" Niedecken – singer (1976–present)
  • Werner Kopal – bass (1996–present)
  • Michael Nass – keyboards (1999–present)
  • Ulrich "Uli" Rode – guitar (2014–present)
  • Sönke Reich – drums (2014–present)
  • Anne de Wolff [de] – violin, viola, cello, percussion, guitar, trombone (2014–present, as guest 2006–2014)
  • Axel Müller – saxophone, guitar, duduk, flutes (2018–present)
  • Franz Johannes Goltz – trombone (2018–present)
  • Benjamin "Benny" Brown [de] – trumpet, flügelhorn (2022–present)

Former members

  • "Afro" Bauermann – percussion (1976–1977)
  • Rainer "Saxello" Gulich – saxophone (1976–1977)
  • Hans "Honçe" Heres – guitar (1976–1980)
  • Klaus Hogrefe – bass (1976–1978)
  • Wolfgang "Wolli" Boecker – drums (1976–1983)
  • Manfred "Schmal" Boecker – percussion (1976–1995)
  • Wolfgang "Gröön" Klever – bass (1978–1980)
  • Bernd Odenthal – keyboards (1978–1980)
  • Fritz Kullmann – saxophone (1980)
  • "Steve Borg" (Stephan Kriegeskorte) – bass (1980–1995)
  • Klaus "Major" Heuser – guitar (1980–1999)
  • Hans "Fonz" Wollrath – sounds (1980–1999)
  • Alexander (Axel) "Tschaikägo" "Effendi" Büchel – keyboards (1981–1999)
  • Jan Dix – drums (1983–1985)
  • Pete King – drums (1986)
  • Jürgen Zöller [de] – drums (1987–2014)
  • Mario Argandoña [es] – percussion (1996–1997)
  • Jens Streifling [de] – saxophone (1996–2002)
  • Sheryl Hackett [de] – percussion (1999–2003)
  • Helmut Krumminga [de] – guitar (1999–2014)
  • Rhani Krija [de] – percussion (2014–2016, as guest 2008–2014)
  • Christoph Moschberger [de] – trumpet (2018–2022)

Albums

Singles

  • 1980: "Chauvi Rock" [Chauvinist rock] / "Wahnsinn" [Frenzy]
  • 1981: "Jupp" [Joe] / "Frau, ich freu mich" [Woman, I'm glad]
  • 1981: "Verdamp lang her" [Damn long time ago] / "Waschsalon" [Laundromat café]
  • 1982: "Kristallnaach" [Kristallnacht] / "Wellenreiter" [Fashion surfer]
  • 1982: "Do kanns zaubre" [You can charm; literally: You can do the magic]
  • 1983: "Nemm mich met" [Take me with you] / "Ahn' ner Leitplank" [Alongside a guardrail]
  • 1984: "Drei Wünsch frei" [Three wishes free] / "Sendeschluss" [Sign-off]
  • 1984: "Alexandra, nit nur do" [Alexandra, not only you] / "Zofall un e janz klei bessje Glöck" [By accident with a little bit of luck]
  • 1985: "Bunte Trümmer" [Coloured ruins] / "Lisa"
  • 1986: "Endlich allein" [Alone at last] / "Almanya" [Almanya = Germany in Turkish]
  • 1986: "Time Is Cash, Time Is Money" / "Vun mir uss Kitsch (live)" [Sob stuff, if you want (live)]
  • 1988: "Fortsetzung folgt" [To be continued] / "Sandino"
  • 1988: "Saison der Container" [Container season]
  • 1988: "Dat däät joot" [This felt good] / "Op dä Deckel vum Clown" [Taking it on the clown's credit]
  • 1989: "Shanghai" / "Rääts un links vum Bahndamm" [To the right and left of the railway embankment]
  • 1990: "Alles em Lot" [Everything's alright] / "Domohls" [Back then]
  • 1991: "Vis à Vis" [Face to face] / "Griefbar noh" [In close reach]
  • 1991: "Sie määt süchtig" [She's addictive] / "Happy End"
  • 1991: "Verdamp lang her (Live)" [Damn long time ago] / "Ne schöne Jrooß (Live)" [Best regards (Live)]
  • 1993: "Widderlich" [Disgusting] / "Blonde Mohikaner" [Blond Mohikans]
  • 1993: "Wie die Sichel vum Mohnd" [Like the moon's crescent]
  • 1993: "Paar Daach fröher" [A few days earlier]
  • 1995: "Ich danz met dir" [I dance with you]
  • 1996: "Lass se doch reden" [Let them talk]
  • 1996: "Nix wie bessher" [Nothing as it was before]
  • 1996: "Weihnachtnaach (feat. Nina Hagen)" [Christmas night] (This is a German-language version of Fairytale of New York by The Pogues)
  • 1998: "Lena"
  • 1999: "Ahnunfürsich" [In and of itself]
  • 1999: "Rita"
  • 1999: "Mayday"
  • 2000: "FC, jeff Jas! (Aufstiegsversion)" [FC, step on it! (Promotion version)]
  • 2001: "Aff un zo" [Every now and then]
  • 2001: "Shoeshine"
  • 2002: "Schluss, aus, okay" [End, over, okay]
  • 2003: "FC, jeff Jas! (Die dritte Version)" [FC, step on it! (the third version)]
  • 2004: "Wann immer du nit wiggerweiss" [Whenever you don't know what to do]
  • 2004: "Für Maria" [For Maria]
  • 2005: "Frau, ich freu mich" [Woman, I'm glad]
  • 2006: "Verdamp lang her (Die verdammt lange Single)" [A damn long time ago (The damn long single)]
  • 2006: "Time Is Cash, Time Is Money (feat. Culcha Candela)"
  • 2008: "Morje fröh doheim" [Home tomorrow morning]
  • 2011: "Halv su wild" [No big deal; literally: Half as wild]
  • 2012: "All die Augenblicke [feat. Clueso]" [All the moments]
  • 1983: Book BAP övver BAP [BAP about BAP]
  • 1987: Album Schlagzeiten [Hit times] (Wolfgang Niedecken solo-album)
  • 1989: Book BAP övver China (about their Chinese tour)
  • 1992: Album Arsch huh, Zäng ussenander [Get up and speak out; literally: Ass up, teeth apart] (various bands from Cologne, live concert against racism and neo-fascism)
  • 1995: Album Leopardefell [Leopard's skin] (Wolfgang Niedecken solo-album with translated Dylan lyrics)
  • 2002: Film Vill passiert [A lot has happened] (film by Wim Wenders about BAP)
  • 2011: Book Für 'ne Moment [For a moment] (autobiography by Wolfgang Niedecken & Oliver Kobold)
  • 2022: Album Dylanreise [Dylan travel] (Wolfgang Niedecken solo-album)

See also

References

  1. ^ Duffy, Thom (1997-05-24). "BMG Ariola Documents Dylan's Int'l Presence". International. Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 21. BMG Communications Inc. p. 52. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2024-06-01.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BAP.