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Böhse Onkelz

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Böhse Onkelz
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1980 in Frankfurt, Germany
Headquarters
Frankfurt
,
Germany
ProductsMusic albums, videos/DVDs

Böhse Onkelz (; a deliberate misspelling of , translating to "evil uncles") is a German rock group that originated in Frankfurt in 1980. They remained active until 2005 and later reunited in 2014. Although their former skinhead associations drew media criticism, several of their subsequent albums reached the top of the German charts, with total sales surpassing 5.3 million records and 425,000 video/DVD units. Their best-selling album, E.I.N.S., moved over 510,000 copies.

1980–1981: Formation

Inspired by bands such as the Sex Pistols and Ramones, Böhse Onkelz was established in November 1980 in Hösbach as a punk rock ensemble. The founding members included Stephan "Der W" Weidner, Kevin Russell, and Peter "Pe" Schorowsky. The band's name was derived from a local cautionary phrase Vorsicht, da sind die bösen Onkels! and intentionally misspelled to mean "evil uncles." Initially, they performed under the name "Beulenpest" for two weeks and mainly played shows around Frankfurt am Main.

The lineup stayed consistent until guitarist Matthias Röhr ("Gonzo") joined in 1981. Having six years of guitar playing experience and previous involvement with bands like Antikörper, he initially took on bass duties before transitioning to guitar ahead of their first recordings for the punk compilation Soundtracks zum Untergang 2.

1981–1985: Skinhead involvement

The punk compilation Soundtracks zum Untergang 2 (Soundtracks for the Downfall, Vol. 2) marked Böhse Onkelz's first widely distributed recording and featured left-wing punk acts. However, as the scene shifted towards anarchism, the band lost enthusiasm and increasingly engaged in conflicts related to football culture.

Originally affiliated with the apolitical Oi! subgenre, the group adopted more right-wing political stances during the early 1980s. Their 1984 album Der nette Mann, released by Rock-O-Rama, a label that had transitioned from punk to far-right and neo-Nazi artists, was 'banned' in 1986 due to accusations of sexism and violent content. The record contained nationalist songs such as "Stolz" ("Pride") and "Deutschland" ("Germany"), which attracted far-right followers. The subsequent album, Böse Menschen – Böse Lieder (1985), along with the Mexico EP, preceded their departure from Rock-O-Rama amid royalty disagreements and apprehensions about the label's extremist connections.

In 1985, Böhse Onkelz featured in the ZDF co-produced television film Zagarbata, directed by Christoph Dreher, which portrayed skinhead and punk subcultures of the early 1980s.

1986–1992: Censorship and public scrutiny

After Der nette Mann was banned in 1986, the band distanced itself from the skinhead movement. Following a charity event, they halted live performances until 1989. Albums like Onkelz wie wir... (1987) and Kneipenterroristen (1988) demonstrated more complex musical arrangements and lyrical themes despite continuing references to drinking and violence. Although Russell battled alcohol and heroin addiction, nearly resulting in his death, the band continued its work. The media largely overlooked them until increasing sales of Es ist soweit, Wir ham’ noch lange nicht genug, and Heilige Lieder brought them greater attention.

On 16 June 1990, their close companion Andreas "Trimmi" Trimborn was stabbed to death in Frankfurt's Sachsenhausen. The perpetrator, a Bundeswehr soldier whose father held a high-ranking position, was acquitted on grounds of self-defense amid allegations of violence involving Böhse Onkelz's group. This tragedy plunged Russell into deep depression worsened by substance abuse that nearly cost him his life. The band paid tribute to Trimmi through songs such as "Nur die besten sterben jung" ("Only the best die young") and "Der Platz neben mir" ("The place beside me").

1992–1997: Commercial achievements and controversy

In 1992, the album Heilige Lieder climbed to No. 5 on the German LP charts without any promotional efforts. Although their commercial appeal increased, the band continued to face a negative reputation due to alleged right-wing links, resulting in radio stations refusing to play their tracks. Many remained skeptical about their claimed separation from the skinhead movement, interpreting it as a strategy to circumvent bans and legal issues. The unfavorable press coverage damaged their image, leading Weidner to address critics through songs such as "Fahrt zur Hölle" ("Go to Hell") on Weiß and "Danke für nichts" ("Thanks for Nothing") on Hier sind die Onkelz.

Initially, prominent retailers like Media Markt, World of Music (WOM), and Saturn declined to stock their albums. By the late 1990s, Media Markt and WOM had lifted this restriction; however, Saturn upheld its ban until the release of the band's final album, Adios (2005), which dominated the charts for several weeks, along with subsequent releases.

Starting in the early 1990s, Onkelz openly rejected all forms of extremism, presenting themselves as politically neutral outsiders. Their 1993 album Weiß, inspired by the Riot of Rostock-Lichtenhagen, featured "Deutschland im Herbst," a direct denunciation of right-wing extremism. The lyrics condemned "braune Scheiße" ("brown scum")—a clear reference to the NSDAP—and highlighted senseless hatred and violence. The 1998 release Viva los Tioz contained "Ohne mich," which disavowed both right- and left-wing extremism while reflecting on their skinhead background with the line: "Ihr seid dumm geboren, genau wie ich. Doch was ich lernte, lernt ihr nicht."

In 1994, the group signed with Virgin Records, marking their first partnership with a major label, and released Hier sind die Onkelz in 1995, achieving a No. 5 chart position. The follow-up album in 1996, E.I.N.S., reached No. 4; its title sparked controversy as it was interpreted as Eigentlich immer noch Skins ("Still Skins"). This album included "Enie Tfahcstob rüf Ediona-RAP," which addressed such accusations directly. Although not their highest-selling record, E.I.N.S was voted among the top 10 Best Metal Albums of All Time in reader polls by Rock Hard and Metal Hammer. From the mid-1990s onward, the band cultivated fan loyalty by referring to their audience as "nephews" and "nieces," reinforcing communal themes found in "Danke" from Ein böses Märchen...aus tausend finsteren Nächten.

1997–2004: Chart-topping success

Recognized as one of Germany’s leading music acts, Böhse Onkelz sold approximately 300,000 copies of Viva los tioz within just two days of its 1998 launch. In 2000, now signed with rule23 Recordings, they released Ein böses Märchen and debuted their first music video aired on MTV for the single "Dunkler Ort". Despite an MTV Masters feature dedicated to them, they issued the diss track "Keine Amnestie für MTV" in 2002, signaling no intention of future collaborations with the network. That same year, they recorded the album Dopamin in Ibiza and had it mastered at London's Abbey Road Studios.

On 8 August 2003, amid some controversy, Böhse Onkelz performed as an opening act for The Rolling Stones at an open-air venue within the Hanover Fairground. Later that year, they toured various German clubs using the pseudonym "Los Tioz," Spanish for "The Onkelz."

2004–2005: Band Dissolution

Following the conclusion of their contract with Virgin in 2003, Böhse Onkelz collaborated with SPV GmbH to release their concluding studio album, Adios. The group officially disbanded on 24 May 2004. After performing at Wacken Open Air in August and completing the sold-out "La Ultima" tour, their farewell concerts were held on 17 and 18 June 2005 at EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Brandenburg. This event, titled Vaya Con Tioz, drew an audience of approximately 120,000 people, establishing it as the largest open-air performance by a German band. The lineup featured supporting acts such as Motörhead, Machine Head, JBO, In Extremo, Psychopunch, Children of Bodom, Pro-Pain, as well as Onkelz tribute bands Enkelz and Kneipenterroristen.

2005–2013: Post-Breakup Period

On 16 February 2007, the band issued a four-DVD set entitled Vaya Con Tioz, capturing their final concert; the title is a play on the phrase "Vaya con dios" and translates to "go with the Onkelz". This release earned an Echo (music award) in 2008 for Musik-DVD-Produktion (national). In November 2007, they re-released the album Onkelz wie wir... to reclaim their musical rights, which had previously been controlled by Metal Enterprises. Band members Weidner and Röhr have since produced two solo albums along with one live album.

On New Year's Eve 2009, Kevin Russell was involved in a drug-influenced hit-and-run incident that severely injured two individuals. Subsequently, on 4 October 2010, a Frankfurt court sentenced him to two years and three months imprisonment.

Since 2006, events such as G.O.N.D. (Größte Onkelz Nacht Deutschlands) have been held across Germany, attracting roughly 20,000 attendees by 2011.

2014: Reunion

Towards the end of 2013, Matthias "Gonzo" Röhr and Peter "Pe" Schorowsky established E.I.N.S GmbH to manage and organize concerts. Speculation about a reunion began on 20 January 2014. On 1 February, the band released a promotional trailer announcing a reunion concert scheduled for 20 June at the Hockenheimring race circuit. They also suggested that additional projects, including tours or new recordings, could follow depending on fan interest.

Music and lyrics

Böhse Onkelz's sound initially drew heavily from punk rock influences such as Sex Pistols, Ramones, and Oi! groups like Sham 69, before transitioning into hard rock and heavy metal genres. The unique vocal style of Russell played a significant role in defining their musical identity.

Their later albums showcased a broader range of styles: "1000 Fragen" serves as an homage to The Doors with its metaphysical themes and organ instrumentation; Viva los tioz combines elements of hard rock with electronic music; while "Einmal" from Adios incorporates the sound of an Indian sitar. Guitarist Gonzo’s moniker is inspired by Ted Nugent's Double Live Gonzo, reflecting his musical influences alongside Stevie Ray Vaughan, who is honored in the instrumental piece "Tribute to Stevie" featured on their 1993 album Weiß.

Many opening tracks serve to introduce the band itself. Numerous songs address criticism and media scrutiny—for example, "Danke für nichts", "Zeig mir den Weg", and "Jaja". Earlier compositions often included drinking anthems such as "Heute trinken wir richtig" and "Freibier".

In later works, lyrical themes shift toward exploring life's purpose ("Finde die Wahrheit"), personal autonomy ("Wenn Du wirklich willst"), self-exploration, and self-acceptance ("Das Wunder der Persönlichkeit", "Ich mache was ich will"). The murder trial of Andreas "Trimmi" Trimborn inspired several songs that confront themes of loss and injustice.

The band revisits its history in tracks like "Erinnerungen", which reflects on their exit from the skinhead scene. Songs such as "Ein langer Weg", "Scheiße passiert", and "Deutschland im Herbst" continue to explore these motifs.

Allegations of far-right extremism

The group has been accused of harboring far-right extremist views, particularly due to their 1981 track "Türken raus," created during their punk era as a response to altercations with a certain Turkish gang. While some critics claim the song targets Turks in general, the band has explained it reflected their immature perspective at that time. In a similar vein, the 1983 song "Deutschland den Deutschen" ("Germany For Germans") was drawn from their experiences on the streets.

The 1981 piece "SS-Staat," featured on Kill the Hippies – Oi!, is characterized by the band as a deliberately provocative anti-Nazi message; however, its poor audio quality caused many to misunderstand the lyrics.

Neither "Türken raus" nor "Deutschland den Deutschen" were officially published and only circulated through demo tape sharing. Weidner admitted that the lyrics were "stupid" and confirmed there would be no formal release of these songs.

Their initial two albums were released under the Rock-O-Rama label, which during the mid-1980s was known for distributing material by neo-Nazi groups such as Skrewdriver.

From 1985 onward, the band has consistently rejected any right-wing associations, creating music that opposes extremism, authoritarian regimes, and racial hatred. Their subsequent political messages encourage independent thinking and denounce intolerance.

Current members

Studio albums

Since 2001, albums released under Bellaphon have been distributed by SPV/regel23. Releases from the Metal Enterprises period have been reissued with alternate artwork by SPV/regel23 starting March 2005. The album Onkelz wie wir… was re-recorded and re-released on November 2, 2007. A remastered version named Onkelz wie wir (Black Edition) was issued in December 2009 by Reflex Distribution & Media following their acquisition of rights from Metal Enterprises.

Singles

  • 1981: Kill the Hippies – Oi (I EM OI; limited to two copies)
  • 1992: Ich bin in dir
  • 1995: Finde die Wahrheit
  • 1998: Terpentin

Awards

Year Awarding Body Category Outcome
1999 Echo Awards National Rock/Pop Group of the Year Template:Nom
2001 Echo Awards National Rock/Pop Group of the Year Template:Nom
2003 Echo Awards National Rock/Pop Group of the Year Template:Nom
2005 Echo Awards National Rock/Pop Group of the Year Template:Nom
2006 Echo Awards National Music DVD Production: La Ultima / Live in Berlin Template:Nom
2008 Echo Awards National Music DVD Production: Vaya Con Tioz Template:Won
2015 Echo Awards National Music DVD Production: Nichts ist für die Ewigkeit – Live am Hockenheimring 2014 Template:Nom

Certifications

Gold Certifications[1]

  • Template:DEU
    • Between 1995 and 2006, several albums such as Heilige Lieder, E.I.N.S., Hier sind die Onkelz, plus video releases including Live in Dortmund and Live in Vienna received gold status.
    • In 2020, the album Memento was awarded gold certification.
  • Template:AUT
    • In 1998, gold certifications were granted for Viva los Tioz, Hier sind die Onkelz, and E.I.N.S. albums.

Platinum Certifications[1]

  • Template:DEU
    • Albums like Ein böses Märchen aus tausend finsteren Nächten and E.I.N.S., along with DVDs such as La Ultima / Live in Berlin and 20 Jahre – Live in Frankfurt, achieved platinum status.
    • Numerous live video releases earned multiple platinum awards between 2003 and 2006.

Triple Gold Certification[1]

  • Template:DEU
    • DVDs including La Ultima / Live in Berlin and 20 Jahre – Live in Frankfurt each attained triple gold certification.

Double Platinum Certification[1]

  • Template:DEU
    • The DVD La Ultima / Live in Berlin received double platinum recognition in 2007.
Country Gold Awards Platinum Awards
Template:DEU 24 9
Template:AUT 3 0
Total 26 9

Further Reading

  • Edmund Hartsch, Böhse Onkelz, Danke für nichts, ISBN 3-00-001743-7.
  • Klaus Farin, Buch der Erinnerungen, ISBN 3-933773-13-X.
  • Cornelius Peltz, Hesse trifft Hesse – Eine Reise ins Universum der Persönlichkeit mit Hermann Hesse und Stephan Weidner, accessible via Archiv der Jugendkulturen.
  • Matthias Gonzo Röhr, Ralph Larmann: Meine letzten 48 Stunden mit den Böhsen Onkelz, I.P. Verlag Jeske/Mader, 2006, ISBN 3-931624-36-6.

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ausz
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