KEEP ROCKIN' 31-36
Mark (XXXI)
I grew up with Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits. I remember very clearly how I first heard the magnificent album ‘Love Over Gold’ with my friends Ruedi and Alex in Ruedi's room, which was mostly taken up by a drum kit, and how we were absolutely blown away by it. We were jealous of Alex because he had won tickets to the Dire Straits concert on HR radio (and didn't take us with him...). I finally saw Mark Knopfler much later, in 2005 in Munich. I also like Mark Knopfler's solo work, especially his film scores. He wrote the wonderful music for my absolute favourite film, ‘Local Hero’. As a blur of colour, I put a bright headband on the elderly Mr Knopfler, his trademark in the 80s, which he's probably not really proud of today...
Roger (XXXII)
Supertramp is another band that has been a big part of my life. From Crime Of The Century to Breakfast In America, every album was a revelation. This was mainly due to Roger Hodgson as a songwriter, whose work appealed to me much more than that of the late Rick Davies. When Roger Hodgson left Supertramp, my personal Supertramp era came to an end. I had the opportunity to see Roger Hodgson in 2009 at the Great Wide Open festival in Mühldorf, where, despite his vocal problems, he personally outshone Deep Purple, Status Quo and the Hooters, who were also performing. As a special splash of colour, I chose the tray with the orange juice from the Breakfast In America cover and placed it so that it looks as if Roger Hodgson is serving here. Which he did – musically, that is.
Bryan (XXXIII)
When you lose one of your best friends early in life, it leaves a hole in your life that you think about almost every day. Bryan Josh from Mostly Autumn, who is probably not very well known, shares this experience with me. Bryan Josh made a wonderful album about it with Mostly Autumn, White Rainbow. This album, which appeals to me on a deep emotional level, brought me very close to Mostly Autumn. Bryan Josh is the best David Gilmour since David Gilmour. After a failed attempt in Reichenbach in 2022, I finally got to see Mostly Autumn in 2025 at the great ‘Rind’ in Ruesselsheim. The splash of colour is a photo of his bandmate and childhood friend, Liam Davison, in his breast pocket, who died unexpectedly in 2017.
Marius (XXXIV)
Early Marius Mueller-Westernhagen (before he started calling himself just ‘Westernhagen’) stood out with his straightforward, dirty, provocative lyrics and music that covered the whole spectrum from wonderfully melodic to anarcho-punk. During this period and as a result of it, I admired not only the musician but also the actor Marius Mueller-Westernhagen, especially in the role of long-distance lorry driver Theo. Incidentally, he was also responsible for us temporarily calling a friend who had fled the GDR in the 1980s ‘Gerti’. Insiders will know why. In his wilder years and before his stadium days, I also saw Marius Mueller-Westernhagen live, in 1985 in the rather small congress hall in Giessen. The blur of colour is his distinctive golden earring in his left ear.
Spencer (XXXV)
I don't own a single album by Spencer Davis, founder of the Spencer Davis Group, who passed away in 2020. Musically, I was always much closer to Steve Winwood, the former singer of the Spencer Davis Group, whether during his years with Traffic or his solo projects. What they both have in common is that they made wonderful music with a large soul influence. Nevertheless, I have a special connection to Spencer Davis, as he performed with the Spencer Davis Group, with the great Pete York on drums, at the “Ausweg” in Giessen in 1985. The “Ausweg” was actually more of a punk-oriented disco. Somehow it didn't really fit together, and we only found out about it by chance. Expecting it to be a fake until the very end, my friend Peter and I went there and sure enough, the Spencer Davis Group was playing. My handmade ticket had the number 53 on it, and there weren't many more people there. As a blur of color, I dressed Spencer Davis in a 60s shirt from an early band photo.
Kevin (XXXVI)
Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon brings us full circle. My friends Ruedi and Alex, ardent REO Speedwagon fans, came up with the idea of creating an REO fanzine sometime in the early 1980s. They needed someone to do the layout. So during that time, I not only drew for the school newspaper, but also designed logos for the first REO fanzine in Germany. It had an incredible print run of about 20 hand-copied copies and never made it past a handful of issues. Unfortunately, there is no longer any evidence of these artistic milestones. That's why a member of REO Speedwagon puts the finishing touches on my memories of our handmade fanzine with a splash of colour on his arm. The logo looked familiar to me as I drew it. I saw Kevin Cronin and REO Speedwagon when I was seventeen at ‘Rockpop in Concert’ in December 1982 at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund. The broadcast on ZDF at the time, including the young Alex, Ruedi and Klaus in the front row, can be seen today on YouTube.
Incidentally, Alex likes to tell people that a classmate named Hans-Joerg was our only subscriber (and therefore won the competition every time). Hans-Joerg, if you're reading this, please have a look in your attic. The art world is desperate for a copy!
