Birth Control (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 in West Berlin, Germany |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
| Products | Progressive hard rock music |
| Website | birthcontrol |
Birth Control is a German rock ensemble known for its distinctive progressive hard rock style.
History
Originating in 1966 in West Berlin through the merger of the Earls and the Gents, the founding members were Bernd Koschmidder (bass), Reinhold Sobotta (organ), Rolf Gurra (saxophone, vocals), Fritz Gröger (vocals), Reiner Borchert (guitar), Hugo Egon Balder (drums), and Klaus Orso (guitar). Over the course of five years, every initial member departed, yet the band endured with drummer-turned-frontman Bernd Noske (who succeeded Balder in 1968) alongside guitarist Bruno Frenzel (who replaced Borchert in 1969).
Following Frenzel's passing in 1983, the band dissolved but reunited a decade later in 1993 with Noske as the only original participant. The revived lineup included Horst Stachelhaus on bass and vocals, guitarist Rocco Zodiak, and keyboard player Xaver Fischer.
Although Stachelhaus died in 1999, the group maintained its presence through touring across Germany and releasing new albums under Noske’s direction. Occasionally, former members like Peter Föller (bass, vocals) and Zeus B. Held (keyboards) rejoined as guest performers. After Noske’s death on February 18, 2014, the band halted activities. The final roster comprised Noske, bassist Hannes Vesper, keyboardist Sascha Kühn, and guitarist Martin Ettrich.
In 2016, Birth Control reassembled featuring returning members Peter Föller (vocals), Martin Ettrich (guitar, talkbox), Sascha Kühn (keyboards), Hannes Vesper (bass), and Manni von Bohr (drums). That year marked the release of Here and Now, their first studio album after a 13-year hiatus.
Current members
- Peter Föller – bass, vocals (1973–1977, 2016–present)
- Manfred von Bohr – drums (1977–1980, 2016–present)
- Hannes Vesper – bass, organ (1999–2000, 2002–present)
- Sascha Kuhn – keyboards (1999–present)
- Martin Ettrich – guitar, talk box (2011–present)
Past members
- Bernd Koschmidder – bass, vocals (1968–1973)
- Reinhold Sobotta – organ (1968–1972)
- Rolf Gurra – saxophone, vocals (1968–1969)
- Fritz Gröger – vocals (1968–1969)
- Reiner Borchert – guitar (1968–1969)
- Hugo Egon Balder – drums (1968)
- Klaus Orso – guitar (1968)
- Gerd Alsheimer – guitar (1968)
- Bernd Noske – drums, percussion, vocals (1968–1983, 1993–2014; died 2014)
- Bruno Frenzel – guitar (1969–1983; died 1983)
- Hartmut Schölgens - organ (1972)
- Wolfgang Neuser – organ (1972–1973; died 2018)
- Zeus B. Held – organ (1973–1978)
- Dirk Steffens – guitar (1973–1974)
- Horst Stachelhaus – bass, vocals (1977–1980, 1993–1999; died 1999)
- Wolfgang Horn – organ (1979–1981)
- Jurgen Goldschmidt – bass, vocals (1980–1983)
- Stefan Linke – guitar, vocals (1981–1983)
- Harald Meurer - keyboards (1981–82)
- Ulrich Klein – keyboards, vocals (1981–1983)
- Jörg Becker - keyboards (1983–84)
- Xaver Fischer – keyboards (1993–1999)
- Rocco Zodiak – guitar (1993–1995)
- Peter Engelhardt – guitar (1995–2011)
- Rainer Wind – bass (2000–2002)
Studio albums
- Birth Control (1970)
- Operation (1971)
- Hoodoo Man (1972)
- Rebirth (1973)
- Plastic People (1975)
- Backdoor Possibilities (1976)
- Increase (1977)
- Titanic (1978)
- Count on Dracula (1980)
- Deal Done at Night (1981)
- Bäng (1982)
- Two Worlds (1995)
- Jungle Life (1996)
- Getting There (1999)
- Alsatian (2003)
- Here and Now (2016)
- Open Up (2022)
Live albums
- Live (1974)
- Live 79 (1979)
- Condomium (1994)
- Live Abortion (2000)
- Live in Lachendorf (2000)
- Live in Fulda (2004)
- Live at Rockpalast (35th Anniversary Tour) (2005)
- We Are Family (40th Anniversary Tour) (2009)
- Two Eggs - Two Concerts - The Ultimate Live Collection (2013)
- Live Harmonie Bonn (2018)
Compilations
- Believe in the Pill (1972)
- Best of (1977)
- Best of Vol 2 (1978)
- Rock on Brain (1980)
- The Very Best of (1990)
- Definitive Collection (1996)
References