Music Across Border
Beat & Rock in the former DDR (GDR)
with
RENFT COMBO
The Pudhys
CITY
amm

by D.J. Bohne (investigyative journalist):
BASED ON A FEATURE PRODUCTION FOR RIAS BERLIN late 1993 produced
First time ared for successor DeutschlandRadio Kultur 01.01.1994

RENFT COMBO:
The Leipzig-based Klaus Renft Combo was in constant existence from 1967 to 1975 and was one of the first “beat bands” who sung in German !
It developed into one of the most famous and popular rock groups in the GDR. RENFT became increasingly wild and unpredictable and became a legend when it was banned in 1975. (https://www.renft.de/)

The Pudhys:
The Puhdys (German pronunciation: ['pu?dis]) were a German rock band formed in Oranienburg, East Germany, in 1969,[1] although by then they had been performing together—with various lineups—as the Puhdys since 1965. Although they are especially popular in their native eastern Germany, the Puhdys enjoyed significant success outside the GDR, and were one of the first East German bands allowed to tour West Germany. They are one of the most successful German-language rock groups. (https://puhdys.com/)

CITY:
City is a German rock band, formed in East Berlin in 1972, best known for the song "Am Fenster" ("At/By The Window")[2] from its 1978 debut album.

The band was founded as the City Band Berlin by Fritz Puppel (guitar), Klaus Selmke (drums), Ingo Doering (bass guitar), Klaus Witte (keyboards), Frank Pfeiffer (vocals) and Andreas Pieper (flute). The lineup changed frequently in the band's early years, but stabilized by 1976, with Puppel and Selmke joined by Bulgarian violinist and bassist Georgi Gogow and vocalist-guitarist Toni Krahl. They changed their name to City Rock Band and eventually to simply City.

City toured extensively in East Germany, and was given the opportunity to record an album in 1978. The eponymous City showcased the band's guitar-driven rock; several songs are parables, such as "Der King vom Prenzlauer Berg" (The King Of Prenzlauer Berg), about a young man who gets into too many fights; and "Meister aller Klassen" (Masters Of All Classes"), about cocky motorcyclists whose desire for speed ends in tragedy.

The band's greatest commercial success, however, was the atypical folk rock-influenced "Am Fenster" (At the Window), which arose from a jam session in the studio when Gogow began to play on his violin. It eventually coalesced into a three-part, 17-minute piece (as well as a four-minute version for radio play). An immediate hit in East Germany, it also became successful in West Germany and was a success in countries such as Greece. Following the song's success, City sold half a million copies. In 2019, Am Fenster was voted by a jury as the best song of all time from East Germany. (https://city-internet.de/)

Producer's Note:
The former GDR was an island of dreams, reflecting on the lyrics put into music. Each line of the lyrics, each word had a double meaning.

It was a reach out for freedom with music; The government and officials soon realised this and found strict reglementations, restricting the bands.

This show, presented by Yours Truly, is the enhanced version of a December 1993 short feature made at RIAS BERLIN, but broadcasted on the first day of DeutschlandRadio Kultur, January 1st, 1994. It produced ONE MILLION POSTCARDS in response ! I´ve never have seen them !
It was never a "West" on the "East" view, but journalistic research,
an attempt to discover what drove GDR musicians and politicians.

The 35 minute original show had been re-worked in London and France by myself and W1news production for Popmundial Radio. First broadcasted Easter Sunday 2010 or 2011.

This show reflects on the mis-balance between recent music developments and the communist regime.

With interviews by four great bands of the former GDR: The Francke Ecko Quintett, Renft Combo, the Pudhies and Karat.

Including rare footage from the state archive of the GDR, interviews and so far unreleased music, made for this show recordings, and also rare live recordings from "Palast Der Republik".

By public demand presented before an overhaul for the first time as podcast in 2021. There is also a 28 minute YouTube teaser for this show released under the title: "Music Across Borders"

It started with a 33 minute feature presented in German languade, recorded by myself, Yours the producer of Popmundial, for former RIAS BERLIN in 1993, Broadcasted for the very first time on Jan 1st 1994 (11pm) on DeutschlandRadio Berlin, the successor !

This mini programm produced 1 million postcards, which I have never seen !

I enriched the material in 2009, re-recorded it in in English. This version you hear here !

An overhaul is long overdue as new information and material emmerged which is not yet includied in this 90 minute production, which is going online September 2020.