Georg Danzer

Biography

Georg Franz Danzer (7 October 1946, in Vienna – 21 June 2007, in Asperhofen, Lower Austria) was an Austrian singer-songwriter. Although he is credited as one of the pioneers of Austropop (most famous are his comic songs "Jö schau×Jö schau1975 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Jö schau3:212Ihr kennt's mi3:11" (about a streaker at the Café Hawelka) and "Hupf' in Gatsch×Hupf' in Gatsch1976 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Hupf' in Gatsch3:242Ruaf mi net an2:47", both in Viennese German), he always refused to be part of this genre.
Danzer was successful as a solo artist, but also in the group Austria3, along with Wolfgang Ambros and Rainhard Fendrich. Besides his music, he translated two books from Spanish into German, and was strongly involved in highlighting social inequalities, opposing racism and any form of societal discrimination, and the lifestyle of the bourgeoisie for all his life. Danzer was romantic, funny, socially engaged – and often a misfit. Having been a strong smoker for decades, he abstained from smoking after being diagnosed with lung cancer, but nevertheless died from the disease. His legacy includes some 400 songs.

Early life and education

Georg Danzer was the son of a communist Viennese magistrate. After his Matura (high school leaving certificate) he hitchhiked through Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. In autumn 1966 he applied for admission to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, but was not accepted; so instead he started studying Philosophy and Psychology in Vienna. In a 1968 ORF-Interview he stated his intention to study journalism, to which moderator Gerhard Bronner replied: "Shift to music soon, young man“.

Beginnings; „Jö schau“, 1967–1979

In 1967 Danzer had started to write and play music after he returned from a longer hitchhiking tour of Crete, Hamburg, and Sweden. The next year he released his first single, Vera, and appeared on Austrian broadcast, but did not get a contract. Hitradio Ö3 editor Eva-Maria Kaiser took notice of him in 1970, and suggested that he could make a living by writing lyrics for "almost everybody in Vienna". During the next three years he wrote texts for Marianne Mendt, Margot Werner, Erika Pluhar, André Heller, Wolfgang Ambros and the singer Wilfried. With Heller, Mendt and other young musicians, „Schurli" often met in Gerhard Bronner's Cabaret Fledermaus.
During this time, singer-songwriters began to sing in Viennese German or even slang, exemplified by hits such as Wia a Glock'n (Marianne Mendt 1970; lyrics: Gerhard Bronner) and Da Hofa (Wolfgang Ambros 1971; lyrics by Joesi Prokopetz. For a while, Danzer was a member of the band The Madcaps and wrote a couple of their songs, among them Schneemensch, Sommer is, John Wayne.
In 1973, Danzer released the album Honigmond×Honigmond1973 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksA1Introduction: Der Regenmacher0:40A2Honigmond3:41A3Der Funke der Revolution3:11A4Einfach für immer2:59A5Was wäre mit dir2:22A6Schau doch, Mama2:28A7Wenn London schläft4:10B1Emil3:26B2Regen3:19B3Manchmal2:37B4Sanft2:26B5Könntet ihr mich lieben3:08B6Und so bin i5:35, which Danzer×Danzer1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Wien3:372Denkmal2:483Tango (der Vorstadt)3:094Mädchen aus dem Osten3:195Du fehlst mir so3:106Johnny komm nach Casablanca4:477Wut (habt ihr immer noch nicht genug?)3:188Terroristen3:259Zeitgeist, o yeah3:4110Ratten und Matrosen3:3511Die Königstochter und der Musikant4:0312Joschko2:06 partially financed himself and flopped. In 1974, the concept album Der Tätowierer und die Mondprinzessin×Der Tätowierer und die Mondprinzessin1974 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Kleine gelbe Mondprinzessin3:59A2Valerie3:35A3Heute Nacht machen wir es gut4:08A4Kann sein3:55A5Und die Zeit vergeht4:04B1Es blutet und tut nicht weh3:18B2Mein Freund, der Skorpion3:17B3Bahamas - Nassau Bay3:23B4Ich liebe dich3:23B5Der Tätowierer und die Mondprinzessin3:27 was released together with a book which he illustrated. In 1975 Jö schau, a comic song about a streaker at the Café Hawelka, became a No 1 in the Austrian charts and stayed there for 20 weeks. In the same year the album Ollas leiwand (Slang for "Everything's all right") was released.
1976 brought good news for Danzer: his first daughter, Daniela, was born, and he got a contract with a major label Polydor. Furthermore, English Music Week "Star of the Year", and five of his songs formed the soundtrack for the first Kottan ermittelt TV series.
Danzer moved towards Germany. In Berlin, the album Unter die Haut×Unter die Haut1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Sex-Appeal3:00A2Ich verlaß dich4:05A3Komm, zieh dich aus3:07A4Du mi a4:45A5War das etwa Haschisch4:55B1Israel3:13B2Elfi4:03B3Maria4:40B4Militärisches Geheimnis3:18B5Janosch4:25 was produced in 1977.

Popularity and crisis, 1979–1990

In 1979, the "Georg Danzer Tournee 79" included 32 shows, all of which had sold out. A double live album appeared in the following year. More successful albums soon followed (Traurig aber wahr×Traurig aber wahr1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Vogelfrei / Der Schrei6:35A2Deppert's Kind3:45A3Ich will nicht mehr5:47A4Traurig aber wahr5:50B1Der alte Wessely (gewidmet 140.000 Österreichern)8:00B2Ich steig aus4:58B3Zerschlagt die Computer / Diese riesige Maschine5:45B4Zu spät2:00 1980, Ruhe vor dem Sturm×Ruhe vor dem Sturm1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Fieber6:21A2Schule2:26A3Bist was dann hast was3:41A4Monika3:18A5Griechenland5:02B1Ruhe vor dem Sturm3:57B2Frieden6:07B3Mein Leb'n6:10B4Traum2:43 1981). Even Austrians began to realize that Danzer was more than Jö schau. The ORF produced a 45-minutes feature, Danzer Direkt. In 1981, Danzer played 47 concerts solo (Live-Album Direkt×Direkt1981 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Ich bin ein Kriecher2:542Elfie4:493Ruhe vor dem Sturm4:304Frieden6:395Traum4:486Vogelfrei7:507Tango2:068Diese riesige Maschine2:099Bitte, paß gut auf5:4010Roadie-Lied (Load Out/Why Don't You Stay -- Medley)6:35), followed by an Open-Air-Tournee with Ludwig Hirsch, Konstantin Wecker, Chris de Burgh and Georges Moustaki. in 1982 he published Die gnädige Frau und das rote Reptil, a book with lyrics and prose. In 1983, Danzer was among the first German-language musicians who created a CD-album (…und so weiter×Und so weiter1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Und so weiter6:18A2Gesichtskontrolle4:27A3Zombieball4:41A4Wer bist du ???3:25A5Fort von dir3:27B1Auf Tournee5:01B2Die Türken5:09B3Rund um die Uhr3:38B4Wieder normal4:16B5Künstlerpech4:36).
In the summer of 1984, Danzer dissolved his band and went to Munich to produce Weiße Pferde. During the production of its video clip by Rudi Dolezal in Andalusia, he suffered a serious bike accident and had to be flown back to Vienna because of heavy injuries. In 1985, his wife Dagmara filed for divorce, his former manager disappeared, he got in trouble with the financial revenue services, and his contract with Polydor came to an end.
In 1986 he was signed by Teldec, which belonged to the Time-Warner group, and went to Spain to study Spanish, among other reasons. In 1988, he moved to Hamburg, travelled to Egypt and Kenya and was infected by malaria. In 1989, Danzer and his new life partner, Bettina, moved to a farm in Werl-Holtum (Westfalen), where he spent most of his time until 1994, and where he translated two works of the Spanish author Manuel Vicent.

Back to Vienna, 1990

From 1990, Danzer spent again some time in Vienna and produced the album Wieder in Wien×Wieder in Wien1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Wieder in Wien4:192Mit'n Kopf durch die Wand4:373Fiesta Criminal4:064Du kannst nix dafür3:235Du warst ma immer scho a Rätsel3:206Schau Schazi3:257Sag, was hast scho zum Verliern3:418I bin ned dei Mausi3:059I fang di auf4:3310Sei imma höflich!3:2511Elfi4:0012Wann da Mond am Himmel stehd4:17 ("Back to Vienna"), with Peter Cornelius (guitar), Marianne Mendt (vocals) and Wilfried (vocals). The following tour of Austria was successful. In 1992 he married Bettina and his son Jonas was born.
His CD Nahaufnahme (featuring Hans Theessink, Dorretta Carter and others) was followed by a three-month tour of Austria, Germany and Switzerland in 1993. In 1994, another son, Jakob, was born, and the family moved to Austria. In 1995, the album Große Dinge×Große Dinge1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Am Ende der Zeit1:082Leuchtturm4:333Matala3:334Anplaggd4:005Große Dinge5:056Nua da Noa is wirklich frei3:367Fernweh4:168Da Chineser3:519Erdäpfelsalat bleibt Erdäpfelsalat4:3410Daham bleibt daham2:4211Es is nua da Wind (für Jonas)3:4312Nebenan schlaft a Kind3:5813Mei' Gitar'2:3614A oama Schlukka4:0915Und es is guad ...3:51 (featuring Ulli Bäer, Gary Lux, Thomas Morá and Peter Barborik) was released, as well as an album of Viennese songs, Liada ohne Grund (with Adi Hirschal and Lukas Goldschmidt).
10 December 1997 was the birth of Austria3. Rainhard Fendrich had gathered two friends for a single charity event for homeless people and thereby created one of the most successful Austrian groups. In the same year, Danzer was the first European musician to publish a CD-Extra with multimedia content ($ex im Internet). Whilst touring with Austria3, he still produced solo albums.
In 2000, Danzer became president of the human rights organization "SOS Mitmensch". In 2002, the double CD Sonne & Mond was released, a retrospective of his 30 years on stage. In 2004, the album Persönlich×Persönlich23 February 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Es ist leicht4:332Ich liebe Dich mehr ...3:303Über meine Seele führt mein Weg (El camino)4:204Weil Du nur so bist ...3:545Hier sind wir nicht zu Haus4:246Sie3:497Nie mehr kalt3:568Wir sind die Antwort4:319Himmelherrgottkruzifix4:0210Verrückt5:0211Für eine Ewigkeit5:0812Thema (Instrumental)2:1313Kein Thema6:19 was published with Wolfgang Puschnig (saxofone), Achim Tang (bass) and Christian Eigner (percussion), also featuring the singer Zabine and Katja Riemann.

Lung cancer, 2006–2007

In September 2006 Danzer informed the public that he was suffering from lung cancer. He had to cancel two concerts scheduled for the following October, one in Wiener Stadthalle, the other one in Circus Krone, Munich. In December 2006 he was one of the supporters of activities alerting to the dangers of smoking (Österreichische Lungenunion). The previously cancelled Vienna concert took place on 16 April 2007, and his friends, Ambros and Fendrich, joined Danzer for a few songs to rekindle the spirit of former days. The concert was a perfect success, but also Georg Danzer×Danzer1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Wien3:372Denkmal2:483Tango (der Vorstadt)3:094Mädchen aus dem Osten3:195Du fehlst mir so3:106Johnny komm nach Casablanca4:477Wut (habt ihr immer noch nicht genug?)3:188Terroristen3:259Zeitgeist, o yeah3:4110Ratten und Matrosen3:3511Die Königstochter und der Musikant4:0312Joschko2:06's last appearance in public.
Danzer died at home on 21 June 2007, and was cremated the next day. He wanted to keep his burial place secret; almost none of his friends were invited to the funeral, except his long-time manager Franz Christian "Blacky" Schwarz, whose duty it was to inform the press a few hours after the burial had taken place. Danzer had stated before his death that, if it were offered to him by Viennese authorities, he would refuse an honorary grave ("Ehrengrab") usually bestowed to artists of high calibre .

Literature

All books are in German.
By Danzer:

Die gnädige Frau und das rote Reptil. Erzählungen, Lieder, Gedanken, Betrachtungen, Heyne 1982, ISBN 3-453-01585-1
Auf und davon, Edition Tau 1993, ISBN 3-900977-43-7
Translations by Danzer (from Spanish)

Manuel Vicent: Mein Name ist Kain, Residenz Verlag, Salzburg 1991, ISBN 3-7017-0695-6
Manuel Vicent: Der Flug der erloschenen Schönheit, Residenz Verlag, Salzburg 1992, ISBN 3-7017-0739-1
On Danzer

Kathrin Brigl (Interviews) und Siegfried Schmidt-Joos (Edition): Selbstredend… Rowohlt, Reinbek 1985, 252 S., Ill., Interviewporträts mit Gerorg Danzer, Klaus Hoffmann, Peter Horton, Heinz Rudolf Kunze, Reinhard Mey, Erika Pluhar, Hans Scheibner, Stephan Sulke
Beate Dapper (Hrsg.): Liedermacher. Ulla Meinecke, Klaus Hoffmann, Georg Danzer, Hannes Wader, Reinhard Mey. Bund-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1998, 75 S., Ill., ISBN 978-3-7957-5685-7
Georg Danzer: Jetzt oder nie. Im Gespräch mit Christian Seiler. Amalthea Signum, Wien 2006, 152 S., Gebunden, ISBN 978-3-85002-584-3