Beatsteaks

Beatsteaks
Background information
Origin	Berlin, Germany
Genres	Hardcore punk (early) Punk rock, Alternative rock
Years active	1995 – present
Labels	Epitaph Records, Warner Music Group
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)
Former members
Alexander Rosswaag Stefan Hircher

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 after 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 a concert in Berlin with the Sex Pistols as opening act. This was also the tenth performance for the band.

In 1997 the band recorded its first album 48/49, named after the number of their rehearsal space. It contains several songs in German, while the more recent albums are in English. In 1999 their 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 released their third album Living Targets from this album Beatsteaks would released their first two singles Let Me In and Summer. At the end of 2002, the band played a concert at the Columbiahalle in Berlin and recorded an EP "Wohnzimmer", each concert ticket holder received a copy of the EP.

Their 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 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 9 2007 appeared the current album .limbo messiah on 30 March 2007.

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 2 2008 a live album was released, which includes two CDs and one DVD in the deluxe package or the first CD in an economy version.

Torsten Scholz said in an interview that the Beatsteaks would start writing new songs after the end of their Limbo Messiah tour in August 2008 ^[1].

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

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (May 2009)

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.

In the film Extreme Ops the song Not Ready To Rock from the album Living Targets 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.

They also support the Germany based Fair-Trade T-shirt company, ArmedAngels, and can often be seen wearing their t-shirts.^[2]

The song Hail To The Freaks is featured on Guitar Hero World Tour. This popular song is available on iTunes.

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"
• 2008: "Hey Du"

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

• The Beatsteaks' official website
• allmusic.com write-up on The Beatsteaks
• Beatsteaks discography at MusicBrainz
• Official Beatsteaks fansite (German)
• Croatian Beatsteaks fansite (English)
• Beatsteaks - Jane Became Insane (Music Video)

References

1. ^ http://jena.bewegungsmelder.de/Artikel/12421689 (german)
2. ^ http://www.armedangels.de/de/community/stars.html