Beatsteaks

Infobox musical artist
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Origin = Berlin, Germany
Genre = Hardcore punk (early)
Punk rock, Alternative rock
Years_active = 1995 – present
Label = Epitaph Records , Warner Music Group
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Current_members = Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
Bernd Kurtzke (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)
Peter Baumann (Rhythm Guitar)
Thomas Götz (Drums, Backing vocals)
Torsten Scholz (Bass Guitar)
Past_members = Alexander Rosswaag
Stefan Hircher
Notable_instruments =

Beatsteaks are an Alternative/Punk rock band from Berlin, Germany, formed in 1995.

History

Peter Baumann, Stefan Hircher, Alexander Ross Waag and Bernd Kurtzke founded the Beatsteaks in 1995. Shortly thereafter Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß joined the band as a singer and additional guitarist. In 1996 the band won a local music competition in "SO36" and played at the Berlin concert of the Sex Pistols as opening act. This was also the tenth performance of the band.

In 1997 the band recorded its first album 48/49, named after the number of their rehearsal space. It still contains several songs in German, while the more recent albums are in English. In 1999 the second album Launched appeared on the American punk label Epitaph Records. Thomas Götz already played the drums at that time. On bass, Torsten Scholz replaced Alexander in 2000. This was followed by tours with Bad Religion, Die Ärzte and Die Toten Hosen, bringing the band to a wider audience.

In 2002, they published their third album Living Targets out of which the Beatsteaks released their first singles "Let Me In" and "Summer", and from this point on in time, were heard on television and radio. At the end of 2002, the band played a concert at the "Columbiahalle" in Berlin and recorded an EP before, which each concert visitor received. This "Wohnzimmer-EP" (living room EP) was the first collaboration of the band with producer Moses Schneider.

The breakthrough was achieved in Berlin in 2004 with the album Smack Smash, especially with the second single "I Don't Care As Long As You Sing" with which they won the MTV European Music Awards 2004 in the category "Best German Act". At the end of 2005 they released the double-DVD "B-Seite", which included a self-produced documentary on the band's history, a compilation of several concerts and the produced music videos of the band up to this time. In 2006 they played a short summer tour, consisting of 3 concerts and two festival performances. Following the publication of the preliminary single "Jane Became Insane" in March 9th 2007 appeared the current album Limbo Messiah on 30 March 2007. In this album are the songs "Cut Off the Top", "Demons Galore" and "Meantime".

On the 7th of June 2007, the band played a concert for a charity foundation, as part of the "Deine Stimme gegen Armut" (Make Poverty History - literally "Your voice against poverty") campaign in Rostock in front of 70,000 spectators. One month later, on 7 July 2007, they played in the sold-out Kindl-Bühne Wuhlheide in Berlin, their then largest own concert in front of about 17,000 spectators.

In 2007 the Beatsteaks were again nominated in the category "Best German Act" on the EMAs and won the listeners price "1Live Krone" for the best LiveAct.

On May 2nd in 2008 was live album released, which includes two CDs and one DVD in the big package or just the first CD in a economy version.

Torsten Scholz said in an interview that the Beatsteaks would go to write new songs after the end of their Limbo Messiah tour in August 2008 [http://jena.bewegungsmelder.de/Artikel/12421689 (german)] .

Side projects

The drummer of the band, Thomas Goetz, and Marten Ebsen, guitarist of Turbostaat, started the project "NinaMarie". Their first EP was released under the name "Scheiss.Taxi - Scheiss.Paris" in March 2006.

Another side project of the band, in which all the band members are involved, emerged during the recordings of the album Limbo Messiah, is the cover band "Die Roys". With swapped roles for the instrument and under the direction of Roy Baumann (Peter Baumann) they cover known songs, which are, referring to their own statement, "the best songs are already written." The first five songs can be found on the singles "Jane Became Insane", "Cut Off the Top" and "Demons Galore".

Miscellaneous

The Beatsteaks are mentioned by Die Ärzte in their song "Unrockbar", which helped increase the reputation of the Beatsteaks suddenly. The text reads: "How can you keep sitting quietly to the Beatsteaks, when schlager singers let tears come to your eyes?" Die Ärzte dedicated their song "Popstar" to the Beatsteaks at Rock am Ring 2007. Singer Teutoburg-Weiß challenged "Die Ärzte" jokingly with calling the Beatsteaks the "best band in the universe" the day before, referring to "Die Ärzte"'s claim to be the "best band of the world". Both bands are in a friendly rivalry in Berlin.

The Beatsteaks are present on the 2005 sampler "On the Run" of the human rights group Pro Asyl with a cover of "Opel Gang" from Die Toten Hosen. They in return covered the song "Hand in Hand" from the album Smack Smash and released it on their unplugged album. The Rock-'n'-Roll band "Boppin'B" also covered the song on their latest LP "Rock 'n' Roll Radio".

In the film Knallhart by Detlev Buck the song "Fool" from the album 48/49 can be heard.

After the singer in the Berlin bands Seeed and Boundzound, "Demba Nabé", could be seen in the music videos to the Beatsteaks singles "I Don't Care As Long As You Sing" and, dressed as a ninja, in "Hello Joe", Arnim returns the favour with a guest role in the video for the single "Boundzound Stay Alive".

Discography

Albums

* 1997: "48/49"
* 2000: "Launched"
* 2002: "Living Targets"
* 2004: "Smack Smash"
* 2007: ".limbo messiah"
* 2008: "Kanonen auf Spatzen (live album)"

EPs

* 1998: "6-11-98 Knaack", 6 november; Ticket for a concert in the "Knaack" (Berlin). The EPs (Vinyl) are limited.
* 2002: "Wohnzimmer-EP", 21 december; as well limited, Ticket for a concert in the "Columbiahalle" (Berlin).
* 2007: ".demons galore". 5 october; 10" vinyl and CD.

Singles

* 2002: "Summer"
* 2002: "Let Me In"
* 2004: "Hand In Hand"
* 2004: "I Don't Care As Long As You Sing"
* 2004: "Hello Joe"
* 2004: "Loyal To None" (Limited Vinyl-Single)
* 2007: ".jane became insane"
* 2007: ".cut off the top"
* 2007: ".demons galore"
* 2007: ".meantime"
* 2008: ".Hail to the Freaks"

DVD

* 2004: "Beatsteaks Live (Bonus-DVD, Limited Edition of Smack Smash enclosed)"
* 2005: "B-Seite"
* 2007: ".demons galore (Bonus-DVD, Limited Edition of .limbo messiah enclosed)"
* 2008: "Kanonen auf Spatzen"

External links

* [http://www.beatsteaks.org The Beatsteaks' official website]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:23rn288u053a~T00 allmusic.com write-up on The Beatsteaks]
*

References