Torfrock
Torfrock is a German rock group founded by Klaus Büchner and Raymond Voß in 1977. Guitarist Jürgen Lugge from Hamburg played lead guitar until his unexpected death in 1999. With their Northern German identity, they are notable for keeping alive the native Low German language in their lyrics. With many of their songs being Low-German covers of Anglo-American standards, their music style ranges from R'n'B to blues rock and folk rock.
Their humorous to surreal song lyrics mostly deal either with 10th-century Viking Rollo situated in Hedeby instead of Scandinavia in their songs, or life in the modern-day fictional Schleswig-Holstein rural village of Torfmoorholm.
Beside being a trademark of modern-day Northern German culture, the band is closely associated with another Northern German icon, the [Werner (comics)|Werner] comics and movie franchise created by comic artist Rötger Feldmann, not only because the band wrote the original soundtrack to the first Werner movie and partly to its sequels, but also because Torfrock singer Büchner voices character Werner in the movies. Also, Torfrock guitarist and singer Voss voices the Präsi Dieter, the choleric, yet likewise good hearted leader of a biker gang Werner is a member of. The title song Beinhart topped the charts in Germany and also entered the Top 20 in Austria and Switzerland. This was their first song to include a guitar solo from Jürgen Lugge. He was only booked as a studio musician besides Klaus Büchner, Raymond Voß, Uwe Meitzner and Gunnar "Gustl" Kämmer, but, in Voß' own words, the band saw it as disrespectul to go on tour, play the song and then "have nothing at all for 20 bars". So Lugge became a band member. However, he suddenly died from a stroke in 1999. The band decided not to replace him, instead Voß took over the guitar solos too.
Klaus Büchner and Raymond Voß both provide vocals. Voß also is the guitarist and plays banjo; Büchner - who is left handed - plays harmonica and bass flute.
2023 Voß was forced to retire due to heart problems, and bass guitarist Volker Schmidt took his place. Schmidt on the other hand was replaced by Sven Berger.
Discography
Studio albums
Dat matscht so schön Rata-ta-zong Torfrockball im Hühnerstall Vierter Versuch Mein Gott, sind wir begabt Alle an die Ruder Aufe beinharte Tour – soundtrack for the film adaptation of the Werner comicsTorfrock oder Watt? Beinhart - geht das ab hier Die Bagaluten-Fete Goiler Tonträger Die Wikinger Rockerkuddl Beinhart - Alle Hits- ''Einigkeit und Blech und Freizeit''
Videography
Aufe Beinharte Tour- ''Torfrock - Die Beinharte Bagaluten-Weihnacht''