Böhse Onkelz Founding: 1980 Division: 2005 Origin: Germany Label: Rock-O-Rama Records Metal Enterprises Bellaphon Records Virgin Records Rule23 Recordings SPV Recordings Homepage: http://www.onkelz.de/ Members Vocals: Kevin Richard Russell Bass guitar, Vocals, Acoustic guitar: Stephan Weidner Drums: Peter "Pe" Schorowsky Guitar: Matthias "Gonzo" Röhr (1981)
The Böhse Onkelz ( German böse Onkels - evil uncles) were one of Germany's most successful rock groups.
Kevin Richard Russell (Vocals) Matthias "Gonzo" Röhr (Guitar) Stephan Weidner (Bass, vocals and acoustic guitar) Peter "Pe" Schorowsky (Drums)
Inspired by bands like the Sex Pistols or the Ramones Stephan Weidner (17), Kevin Richard Russell (16) and Peter Schorowsky (16) founded a punk band in November 1980 in Hösbach. They got their name from some kids who named the three boys on 25 November, 1980 the „evil uncles“, because they had stolen a carriage from one of the kids. Kevin's mother suffered from alcohol problems, while Stephan's father owned a brothel and let his son work in the next-door tavern. At first, the band was active mainly in the region of Frankfurt am Main.
1981 Matthias 'Gonzo' Röhr (18) joined the band. He had already played guitar for six years in different bands (Antikörper) and brought his musical experience into the rather bad band. At first Pe played the drums, Stephan the guitar, Gonzo the bass and Kevin took over the vocals. Shortly before the first recordings for the sampler "Soundtrack zum Untergang 2" (Soundtracks for the fall Vol. 2) Gonzo and Stephan changed instruments.
The band recorded their first bigger release on the rather left-wing oriented punk sampler "Soundtracks zum Untergang", but after the so far unpolitical punk movement moved further to the left, the Onkelz lost interest in the subculture. Soccer became more important and fights accumulated.