# Bläck Fööss

The Bläck Fööss (Ripuarian De Bläck Fööss) are a music group from Cologne, Germany, started in 1970. From 1973 to 2003 Werner Dies was producer of the music group.

## Name of the band

The band's name in Kölsch, a local dialect of Ripuarian, in which the group predominantly sings, means barefoot. It is pronounced . In their early days the group would perform barefoot, which was later given up mainly after several injuries from remains of broken glass on stages.

## Repertoire

The band's style of music is a cross between Schlager and pop, but they also perform songs with jazz, blues, rock and reggae styles. The group is famous for its a cappella singing. Many of the band's songs are popular carnival songs, while others are covers of bands such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, (Bütz mich, cover of Hey baby, 1990) Cologne music group De Vier Botze (En d'r Kaygaß Nummere Null!, 1975) Beatles (When I'm Sixty-Four, Penny Lane, 1989), Hollies or Willi Ostermann.
In August 1985 the band got their biggest chart success, with the song "Frankreich, Frankreich" (English: France, France) landing in at number 9 in the German charts, after the band had entered the German charts for the first time with the song "Katrin" in January 1985.

## Band members

In their first 4 decades together, the Bläck Fööss only had a few changes in membership. Dieter „Joko“ Jaenisch (1970-1974, 1977–1980; died in 1998), Rolf Lammers (1974-1977) and Willy Schnitzler (1980-2005) played keyboard. In 1994, the band had its biggest split, with frontman Tommy Engel leaving for a solo career after so-called creative differences.
* Karl Friedrich "Kafi" Biermann (born 1946): guitar, percussion, vocals (from 1995 to 2017)
* Ralph Gusovius (born March 16, 1950): drums, accordion, vocals (from 1995 to February 2023)
* Günther "Bömmel" Lückerath (born June 20, 1948): guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, vocals (founding member, active until January 2023)
* Hartmut Priess (born 19 August 1942 in Berlin):bass, guitar, mandolin (founding member, active until 2018)
* Peter Schütten (born 4 August 1943 in Kiel): guitar, singing, percussion (founding member, active until March 2017)
* Erry Stoklosa (born 25 October 1947 in the former city Porz): guitar, percussion, vocals (founding member, active until January 2023)
* Andreas Wegener (born 18 July 1956 in the former City Opladen): piano, synthesizer, accordion, vocals (since 2005)
* Mirko Bäumer (born 30 September 1968 in Hennef): guitar, vocals (since 2017)
* Pit Hupperten (born 1974): guitar, vocals (since 2017)
* Hanz Thodam (born in Nippes, city part of Cologne): bass guitar, vocals (since 2019)
* Christoph „Raudi“ Granderath: singer, guitar, mandoline (since 2021, 2019 and 2020 back-up musician)
* Alex Vesper (born 27 June 1967 in Cologne): drums (since 2023)
Willy Schnitzler left the band in 2005 after arthritis of the hand rendered him unable to play. He died because of a car accident in 2019. He was succeeded by Andreas Wegener. In January 2017 Singer Kafi Biermann and founding member Peter Schütten left the band and were succeeded by Mirko Bäumer and Pit Hupperten. Hanz Thodam replaced bass player Hartmut Priess after the band's traditional New Year's Eve concert of 2018.
* Kafi Biermann
* Ralph Gusovius
* Hartmut Priess and Günther Lückerath
* Peter Schütten
* Erry Stoklosa
* Mirko Bäumer

### Discography

| Single A-Side | Single B-Side | Year | Charts | Album | Year | Charts |
| Rievkooche Walzer | Selverhuhzick | 1970 | - | - | - | - |
| Drink doch eine met | Mir drinken us einer Fläsch | 1974 | - | Op bläcke Fööss noh Kölle | 1974 | - |
| Mer losse d'r Dom en Kölle | In unserem Veedel | 1974 | - | Op bläcke Fööss noh Kölle | 1974 | - |
| Leev Linda Lou | Whisky Double für Old Wabbel | 1974 | - | Op bläcke Fööss noh Kölle | 1974 | - |
| Loss d'r Kopp nit hänge | De Mama kritt schon widder e Kind | 1975 | - | - | - | - |
| Lück wie ich un du | Die 3 vun d'r Linie 2 | 1975 | - | Lück wie ich un du | 1975 | - |
| Pänz, Pänz, Pänz | Einmol em Johr | 1975 | - | Lück wie ich un du | 1975 | - |
| Damenwahl em Stammlokal | Et Spanien-Leed | 1976 | - | Bei uns doheim | 1976 | - |
| Ming eetste Fründin | Ich krij'e Bier un du kriß e Bier | 1976 | - | Bei uns doheim | 1976 | - |
| Sirtaki | Rita Schnell | 1977 | - | Links eröm – Rächs eröm | 1977 | 7 |
| Loss mer jet schunkele | Lange Samstag en d'r City | 1977 | - | Links eröm – Rächs eröm | 1977 | 7 |
| Danz Mädche Danz | Et jitt kei jrößer Leid | 1978 | - | Mir han 'nen Deckel | 1978 | 3 |
| Kaffeebud | Himmelfahrt | 1978 | - | Mir han 'nen Deckel | 1978 | 3 |
| Weia Oweia | Ich han nen Deckel | 1978 | - | Mir han 'nen Deckel | 1978 | 3 |
| Familijedaach | Treck noch ens dat Kleid ahn | 1979 | - | Uns Johreszigge | 1979 | 10 |
| Indianer kriesche nit | Anglerleed | 1980 | - | D'r Rhing erop – d'r Rhing eraf | 1980 | 12 |
| Flipper | M.S.Monika | 1980 | - | D'r Rhing erop – d'r Rhing eraf | 1980 | 12 |
| - | - | - | - | De Bläck Fööss Live | 1980 | 4 |
| Schäle Schäng | Kölsche Bröck | 1981 | - | Wenn et jöck... | 1981 | 15 |
| Schötzefess | Heimweh en Kölle | 1982 | - | Morje, Morje | 1982 | 35 |
| Achterbahn | Polterowend | 1983 | - | Immer wigger | 1983 | 25 |
| Huusmeister Kaczmarek | Sporthall | 1984 | - | Mir klääve am Lääve | 1984 | 12 |
| Katrin | Surfen am Fühlinger See | 1985 | 25 | Mir klääve am Lääve | 1984 | 12 |
| - | - | - | - | Em richtije Veedel | 1985 | - |
| Frankreich Frankreich | Le Mont St. Michel | 1985 | 9 | Schöne Bescherung | 1985 | 16 |
| Bye, Bye My Love | S.D.I. (Mir hevven af) | 1985 | 27 | Schöne Bescherung | 1985 | 16 |
| Party Service | Drachenfels | 1986 | 67 | Zweierlei Fööss | 1986 | 65 |
| Nena | Herman The German | 1986 | - | Zweierlei Fööss | 1986 | 65 |
| Du bes zu schön | Kölle am Rhing | 1987 | - | Zweierlei Fööss | 1986 | 65 |
| - | - | - | - | Pänz Pänz Pänz (live) | 1987 | - |
| Baby I Love You | Loss m'r jon | 1987 | - | ...endlich frei! | 1987 | - |
| Wochenplan | Wochemaat en Kölle, Wochenplan (DKF Version) | 1987 | - | ...endlich frei! | 1987 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Was habst du in die Sack? | 1988 | - |
| Stellt üch vüür | Männer | 1989 | 23 | 1989 em Millowitsch-Theater | 1989 | 7 |
| Dovun dräum ich sulang (Tanzbrunnen) | Dä Wing vun Kölle am Rhing | 1990 | - | 1989 em Millowitsch-Theater | 1989 | 7 |
| Bläck Fööss Band | Dat Wasser vun Kölle | 1990 | - | Et es 20 Johr jenau jetz her | 1990 | 27 |
| Danz Bläck Fööss Danz | Maiwiese (Instrumental) | 1990 | - | - | - | - |
| Moni hat geweint | Moni hat geweint (Live) | 1991 | 93 | Nix es ömesöns | 1991 | - |
| Tarzan | Rentner | 1992 | - | Nix es ömesöns | 1991 | - |
| Sie liebt dich / Komm gib mir deine Hand | Liebe deine Feinde | 1993 | - | A Capella | 1993 | 31 |
| Rheinhotel | - | 1994 | - | Rheinhotel | 1994 | 71 |
| Kumm widder heim | - | 1994 | - | Rheinhotel | 1994 | 71 |
| Wenn et Leech usjing em Roxy | - | 1996 | - | Roxy | 1996 | - |
| Do han sen en d'r Ärm jenomme | - | 1996 | - | Roxy | 1996 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Premium Gold Collection | 1997 | - |
| Fastelovendstrumm | - | 1998 | - | Schönes Wochenende | 1998 | 89 |
| - | - | - | - | 30 Jahre Bläck Fööss | 2000 | 27 |
| Zick Zick eröm | - | 2000 | - | - | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | Loss mer uns verdrare | 2000 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Best of...zum Fiere | 2002 | 54 |
| - | - | - | - | K-BF 33 | 2003 | 27 |
| - | - | - | - | Best of...zum dräume | 2003 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Kölsche Weihnacht | 2003 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Rut un Wiess | 2004 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Usjebomb | 2005 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Do laach et Hätz, do jrins die Fott | 2006 | 99 |
| - | - | - | - | Best of ... zum danze | 2007 | - |
| Ävver bitte bitte met jeföhl | - | 2007 | 84 | Jommer noh Hus ... oder solle mer blieve? | 2008 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Wie die Zick verjeiht... | 2009 | - |
| He deit et wih un do deit et wih | - | 2010 | 34 | Alles für die Liebe | 2011 | - |
| Mir han e hätz für Kölle | - | 2011 | 81 | Alles für die Liebe | 2011 | - |
| Kölner Leechter | - | 2013 | - | - | - | - |

## Literature

* Matthias Becker: Bläck Fööss - schwatz op wiess: 124 Lieder in Wort und Bild; Texte, Hintergründe, Kommentare, Kölsch-Lexikon, Chronik, Diskografie. Gerig-Musikverlage, De Bläck-Fööss-Musikverlag, Bergisch Gladbach Bensberg, 2000, 152 Seiten, kartoniert, ISBN 3-87252-312-0