Beat-Club

Infobox Television
show_name =Beat-Club


caption =
aka =
genre =Music
creator =Gerhard Augustin and Mike Leckebusch
writer =
director =
creat_director =Mike Leckebusch
developer =
presenter =Uschi Nerke (1965-1972)
Dave Lee Travis (1965-1969)
Dave Dee (1969-1970)
Gerhard Augustin (1965)
Eddie Vickers (1965-1966)
starring =
voices =
narrated =
theme_composer =
opentheme =Mood Mosaic: "A Touch of Velvet - A Sting of Brass"
endtheme =
composer =Mark Wirtz (theme)
country =Flag|Germany
language =German, english
num_seasons =
num_episodes =83
list_episodes =
executive_producer =
co_exec =
producer =
sup_producer =
asst_producer =
cons_producer =
co-producer =
editor =
story_editor =
location =Bremen, Germany
Marquee Club, London
cinematography =
camera_setup =
runtime =30-45 minutes
channel =ARD (Radio Bremen)
picture_format =PAL
audio_format =Monaural
first_run =
first_aired =September 25, 1965
last_aired =December 9, 1972
preceded_by =
followed_by =Musikladen
related =
website =http://www.radiobremen.de/tv/beatclub/
prod_website =http://www.radiobremen.de/
imdb_id =0239161
tv_com_id =8970

Beat-Club was a German music programme that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. It was broadcast from Bremen, Germany on "Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen", the national public TV channel of the ARD, and produced by one of its members, Radio Bremen, later co-produced by WDR following the 38th episode. It is notable for being the first German show to be based around popular music, and featured legendary artists like Frank Zappa, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, The Who, Black Sabbath, The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys and Kraftwerk in its seven-year run. In 1972, it was replaced by Musikladen.

Performances from the show can now be seen on VH1 Classic, and reruns air in several European countries. Several DVD collections have also been released.

In early 2008 the first free Video on demand web portal for Beat-Club and Musikladen was launched. Mybeatclub.com features the most popular songs and artists of both shows.

Show History

Beat-Club was co-created by Gerhard Augustin and Mike Leckebusch. The show premiered on September 25, 1965 with Augustin and Uschi Nerke hosting. German TV personality Wilhelm Wieben opened the first show with a short speech: "Good day, dear beat friends. The time has come. In few seconds we will begin the first show on German television made especially for you. As for you ladies and gentlemen who do not like beat (rock) music, we ask for your understanding: this is a live show for young people. And now we're taking off..." After eight episodes, Augustin stepped down from his hosting role and was replaced by DJ Dave Lee Travis.

The show's earlier episodes featured live performances, and was set in front of a plain brick wall. It underwent a revamp in 1967, when a more professional look was adapted with large cards in the background displaying the names of the performers, and lip-synched performances. Around this time, a troupe of young women billed the "Go-Go-Girls," were introduced to dance to songs when their performers couldn't appear.

In early 1969, Travis was replaced by Dave Dee, of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. On December 31, 1969, "Beat-Club" switched to color and again featured live performances. Dee departed in 1970, leaving Nerke as the lone host.

List of Guests

*The Mirror
*Kraftwerk
*Ike and Tina Turner
*Soft Machine
*The Grateful Dead
*Emerson, Lake & Palmer
*King Crimson
*Traffic
*Can
*Sam & Dave
*Rolling Stones
*Gerry & the Pacemakers
*The Remo Four
*Chris Andrews
*The Beatles (only archive footage, never in person)
*The Overlanders
*Twinkle
*Sandie Shaw
*Pretty Things
*The Who
*Heads Hands & Feet
*The Hollies
*The Walker Brothers
*The Lovin' Spoonful
*The Monks
*The Moody Blues
*Sonny & Cher
*The Smoke
*Manfred Mann
*Peter & Gordon
*The Ramsey Lewis Trio
*Simon & Garfunkel
*Tommy James & the Shondells
*David Byron
*Jacques Dutronc
*The Easybeats
*Paul Jones
*The Animals
*Wilson Pickett
*Twice as Much
*Percy Sledge
*The Equals
*Cream
*Geno Washington
*The Jimi Hendrix Experience
*The Dave Clark Five
*Julie Felix
*Jimmy Cliff
*Eddie Floyd
*The Small Faces
*The Bee Gees
*The Kinks
*P. P. Arnold
*Lulu
*Marquis of Kensington
*Cat Stevens
*The Herd
*The Troggs
*Chris Farlowe
*Dave Davies
*Scott McKenzie
*Keith West
*The Family Dogg
*Alan Price Set
*The Fortunes
*Vanilla Fudge
*Barry Mason
*The Flower Pot Men
*Johnny Young
*Billy Nicholls
*Bonzo Dog Band
*Carla Thomas
*Long John Baldry
*Procol Harum
*Paul & Barry Ryan
*B. B. King
*Nirvana
*Amen Corner
*Georgie Fame
*David McWilliams
*Arthur Conley
*Gene Pitney
*The Move
*Julie Driscoll
*Brian Auger Trinity
*Reparata and the Delrons
*Madeline Bell
*The Association
*P. J. Proby
*Unit 4 + 2
*Tim Rose
*Arthur Brown
*Bruce Channel
*Ben E. King
*The Nice
*Status Quo
*Canned Heat
*If
*Leapy Lee
*The Merseybeats
*Love Affair
*Grapefruit
*Harry Nilsson
*The Yardbirds
*Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
*Spooky Tooth
*Blue Cheer
*James Brown
*The Foundations
*Simon Dupree and the Big Sound
*Billie Davis
*Joe Cocker
*Marmalade
*The Beach Boys
*1910 Fruitgum Company
*The Ohio Express
*Donovan
*The Tremeloes
*Love Sculpture
*The Searchers
*Sly & the Family Stone
*The Rascals
*Marv Johnson
*Tom Paxton
*Melanie
*Creedance Clearwater Revival
*Peter Sarstedt
*Les Reed
*Moby Grape
*Paul Williams Set
*Clodagh Rodgers
*Steppenwolf
*Paul Revere & the Raiders
*Colosseum
*Fleetwood Mac
*Joe South
*Mary Hopkin
*Caravan
*Marsha Hunt
*Richie Havens
*Three Dog Night
*Keef Hartley
*Robin Gibb
*Tiny Tim
*Zager and Evans
*Thunderclap Newman
*The Plastic Ono Band
*Deep Purple
*The Doors
*Jimmy Ruffin
*Humble Pie
*Steamhammer
*Blodwyn Pig
*Ten Years After
*Chicken Shack
*Yes
*Delaney, Bonnie & Friends
*Man
*Champion Jack Dupree
*Terry Reid
*Chicago
*Free
*Juicy Lucy
*Renaissance
*Spirit
*John Mayall
*Jethro Tull
*Bobbie Gentry
*Arlo Guthrie
*Badfinger
*Taste
*Jackie Lomax
*Mott the Hoople
*Led Zeppelin
*Edgar Broughton Band
*Ginger Baker's Air Force
*Bill Clifton
*Alice Cooper (performed "I'm Eighteen" 1972)
*Patto
*Slade (performed "Hear Me Callin' & Coz I Luv you" 1971)
*T.Rex

External links

* [http://www.radiobremen.de/tv/beatclub/ Radio Bremen's "Beat-Club" website]
*http://www.radiobremen.de/tv/beatclub/sendungen_liste.html - Full (in German) program listings with original air dates 1965-1972.
* [http://www.tv.com/beat-club/show/8970/episode_guide.html?season=0&tag=season_dropdown;dropdown;8 TV.com: Beat-Club] - complete list with all tracks (in English)
*http://www.mybeatclub.com - Free VOD web portal with clips of Beat-Club and Musikladen