History Engerling

Engerling is a blues rock band from Berlin. They were an integral part of the blues scene in the GDR. It was founded in 1975 by Rainer Lojewski and Wolfram Bodag in East Berlin as Engerling Blues Band.

While Wolfram Bodag and Heiner Witte were educated at the music school Friedrichshain in East Berlin, all other band members were autodidacts. The band name Engerling was chosen without deeper reference. The band has remained true to their style to this day. From the very beginning they managed without any elaborate stage show and promotion. Nevertheless, the "Engerlinge" had an enthusiastic audience among the GDR youth.

After Erhard Klauschenz left the band, Mischa Arnold (1976 to 1978) took over the bass. From then on the line-up of Wolfram Bodag and Heiner Witte changed several times. The other band members in the meantime were: Bernd Kühnert (guitar/1975 to 1979), Michael Arnold (bass/1976 to 1978), Jens Saleh (bass/1978 to 1979), Gottfried Klier (saxophone/1978-1979), Peter Lucht (drums/1980 to 1985 and 1992 to 2000), Gunther Krex (bass guitar/1980 to 1983), Thilo Ferch (saxophone/1980 to 1981), Christian Liebig (bass guitar/1985 to 1986), Henry Butschke (drums/1985 to 1986), Friedemann "Frieda" Schulz (drums/1986 to 1992), Andreas Kaufmann (saxophone/1986 to 1988), Waldemar Weiz (guitar/1989 to 1992) and Vincent Brisach (drums/2000 to 2005). The youngest band member is drummer Hannes Schulze, Bodags son.

1977 released with the singles Da hilft kein Jammern/Der Zug or Die weiße Ziege and sister Bessies Boogie/Mama Wilson the first recordings on Amiga (VEB Deutsche Schallplatten Berlin). 1979[3] followed the first LP, which sold more than 100.000 copies.[4] In 1986 Bodag's hands were broken during a police operation, so that Engerling could not perform for several months.

Engerling has dedicated himself to the blues from the very beginning. Their musical concept means: straightforward, unspoilt blues and boogie rock. Typical is a text from the early days: a fictional conversation with the mother of Alan Wilson, who died in 1970 and was co-founder of the US blues rock band Canned Heat (Mama Wilson).

The song Ain't Nobody White Can Sing the Blues by Mitch Ryder has been an integral part of the Engerling repertoire for years. The band has accompanied Mitch Ryder on his tours through Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, France and Spain since 1994 and was involved in CD productions of the US musician.

Wolfram Bodag is the head of the band. He is a composer, lyricist, musician and singer. He was born on 3 May 1950 in Bad Freienwalde near Berlin. Already at the age of 16 he played for the Blues Fashion. After his military service he joined the band on the move. Together with Rainer Lojewski he later founded the blues band Pardon (until 1973). As a cycling fan he wrote Six Days on the Bike, Tommy Simpson and Radlers Leid.

Bodags text Blues vom Rote Hahn had a real reason: a fire in the East Berlin Erich-Franz-Klub, a domicile of the blues scene. Bodag reports in his lyrics on both real and fictitious concerts (by Willie Dixon and John Lee Hooker), whose revenues contribute to the reconstruction:

Here you have the money. Put them on well, start building, and don't let the red rooster screw you up under the roof with the old blues.

In titles like Legoland and Zinker, Wolfram Bodag processes his impressions of a turning point:

We are not the winners. But we were good. We were almost high-flyers. When I think about it, I get angry.

initial period

Wolfram Boddi Bodag (vocals, keyboard, harmonica) - since 1975

Rainer Lello Lojewski (drums) - 1975 to 1979

Heiner Witte (guitar) - since 1975

Erhard Klauschenz (bass) - 1975 to 1976

Reiner Greger (violin, vocals) - 1978 to 1979

Peter Brandl (harmonica, vocals) - 1975 to 1977

Today

Wolfram Boddi Bodag (keyboard, vocals)

Heiner Witte (guitar)

Manne Pokrandt (bass) - since 1986

Hannes Schulze (drums) - since 2005

Creative Commons By-SA License