H-Blockx

Biography

H-Blockx is a German rock band founded in Münster in 1991. After the success of their debut album in 1994, Time to Move×Time to Move22 August 1994 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Pour Me a Glass4:172Revolution4:363Say Baby3:174Move4:575Fight the Force4:196Little Girl4:427Risin’ High3:588H-Blockx2:439Real Love3:2910Do What You Wanna Do (Dave Don’t Like It)4:4911Go Freaky2:5012Fuck the Facts4:0313Time to Fight2:15, the band received a nomination for Best Breakthrough Artist at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards. In 1999, the World Wrestling Federation contacted them to record a song, "Oh Hell Yeah", for wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin, and their song "Countdown to Insanity×Countdown To Insanity1 January 2007 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Countdown to Insanity3:502Selfconversation4:053Countdown to Insanity (Steddybeats remix)3:51" appears in the European version of the 2007 music video game Rock Band. Between 1994 and 2012, H-Blockx released seven studio albums.

History

The band's name is a tribute to the 1981 Irish hunger strikers of HM Prison Maze, colloquially called the 'H-Blocks', though Henning Wehland has stated the band is not political. The band rose to fame with their successful debut album, Time to Move×Time to Move22 August 1994 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Pour Me a Glass4:172Revolution4:363Say Baby3:174Move4:575Fight the Force4:196Little Girl4:427Risin’ High3:588H-Blockx2:439Real Love3:2910Do What You Wanna Do (Dave Don’t Like It)4:4911Go Freaky2:5012Fuck the Facts4:0313Time to Fight2:15, released in 1994 on Sing Sing Records, and produced by Ralph Quick and Chris Wagner. The music videos for "Risin' High" and "Move" received considerable airplay on MTV. The band earned a nomination for "Best Breakthrough Artist" at the following MTV Europe Music Awards, however, the award went to Dog Eat Dog. With the help of the singles "Risin' High", "Move", and "Little Girl×Little Girl1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Little Girl (video version)4:312J F K (original version from 1992)3:313Do What You Wanna Do4:494Pour Me a Glass (live)5:08", their debut spent 62 weeks in the German album chart, selling over 750,000 copies worldwide, and earning the band their first gold album. Their first major tour followed. In 1999, World Wrestling Federation contacted the band to record a song, "Oh Hell Yeah", for wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin. Although it was never used as his theme song, it became synonymous with Austin and was released on WWF The Music, Vol. 4. A reworked version of "Oh Hell Yeah" was featured on the 2002 WWE Anthology album The Attitude Era.
None of their following albums have been as successful as Time to Move was. However, with the release of Get in the Ring in 2002 on Supersonic Records in association with BMG they did have a minor hit with their cover of "The Power" featuring rapper Turbo B; Turbo B also performs the original version with Snap!
In 2004, the band's album No Excuses×No Excuses7 June 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Leave Me Alone!3:412I Believe3:213No Excuses4:204Celebrate Youth3:095Hollywood3:526Push Me3:457Kiss Me3:488Intuition3:349Nothing Left at All3:3410Where's the Message3:4611Come Along With You4:0112Anything (But Gone)3:1813Seeking the Sun3:2714Leave Me Alone! reached No. 14 on the German album charts. It was then supported by an extensive European tour. In early 2005 and 2006 in Malmö, Sweden, their 2007 album Open Letter To A Friend×Open Letter to a Friend24 August 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Cliché3:422Here I Go Again3:563Countdown to Insanity3:524I Don’t Want You to Like Me3:485Yesterday3:106Leaving4:017Selfconversation4:088Stay3:319Ordinary Man4:3510… And I Wonder3:5311Bring It On3:0712Open Letter to a Friend4:01Disc 21Video 'Countdown to Insanity'4:042The Roadtrip - Making Of12:253The Roadtrip - Slideshow was recorded. They were accompanied by H-Blockx producer Andreas "Boogieman" Herbig who was with them in 1994 when Time To Move was completed. Their single "Countdown to Insanity×Countdown To Insanity1 January 2007 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Countdown to Insanity3:502Selfconversation4:053Countdown to Insanity (Steddybeats remix)3:51" from the album is one of the playable tracks included on the European version of the game Rock Band, and is available to download with the US version. Ending a five-year absence from the recording studio, the band released their album HBLX in May 2012.
In 2013, the band's song "Gazoline" was used for the trailer and soundtrack for the video game Sunset Overdrive, along with several other rock and metal songs.
After appearing only sporadically in preceding years, the band played at some festivals between 2022 and 2024. In October 2024, they embarked on a headliner tour to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of their debut album Time to Move, for which also former singer Dave Gappa joined to perform on a couple of songs. They played a new song called Fallout and hinted at more new music and a tour in 2025.
A new single Straight_Outta_Nowhere including a music video was released in August 2025, followed by Lights_Out at the end of September. In October 2025, they embarked on the Fillin_the_Blank tour, while announcing a new album of the same name for release in March 2026.

Current members

Henning Wehland – vocals (1990–present)
Tim "Humpe" Tenambergen – guitar (1990–present)
Stephan "Gudze" Hinz – bass (1990–2003, 2007–present)
Steffen Wilmking – drums (1999–2001, 2003–present)

Past members

Johann Christoph "Mason" Maass – drums (1990–1998)
Dave Gappa – vocals (1992–2001, 2003–2005)
Marco Minnemann – drums (1998–1999)
Martin "Dog" Kessler – drums (2001–2003)
Fabio Trentini – bass (2003–2007)

Guest appearances

2001 – Brennstoff by Das Department (V2 Records, "Tinitus")

Compilation appearances

1994 – White Magic – Soundtrack (BMG Ariola München GmbH, "Move")
1995 – Always Music '95 (BMG Ariola Special Projects, "Move (The Radio)")
1995 – De Afrekening Volume 9 (Columbia Records, "Move")
1995 – Internationale Hits 95 (Ariola Records, "Risin' High")
1995 – Just the Best Vol. 4 (Polystar Records, "Risin' High (Video Cut)")
1995 – Just the Best Vol. 6 cassette (Polystar Records, "Little Girl (Video Version)")
1995 – Just the Best Vol. 6 CD (Polystar Records, "Little Girl (Video Version)")
1995 – Popcorn – Hyper Dance Power (Ariola, BMG Ariola Media GmbH, "Risin' High")
1995 – Rockgarden Vol. 3 (EVA Belgium, "Risin' High")
1995 – Rockgarden Volume 3 (EVA Records, "Risin' High")
1995 – Stop Chirac (RCA Records, "Revolution")
1995 – Top of the Pops 1 (Columbia Records, "Move")
1995 – Wild CD 02 (Wild Magazine, "Move")
1995 – Crossing All Over! - Vol. 3 (GUN Records, BMG, "Revolution")
1996 – Fresh (Sonet, PolyGram Finland Oy, "Little Girl×Little Girl1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Little Girl (video version)4:312J F K (original version from 1992)3:313Do What You Wanna Do4:494Pour Me a Glass (live)5:08")
1996 – Jam – Vol. 3 (BMG Ariola Hamburg GmbH, "How Do You Feel×How Do You Feel1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1How Do You Feel (video version)2:152How Do You Feel (club mix)5:023Welcome Tomorrow5:094Kid Anger3:02?")
1996 – Quote 97 – Niemals Einer Meinung (Eastwest Records, "Little Girl")
1996 – Zoo Magazine CD Sampler 04 (Zoo Magazine (DK), "How Do You Feel?")
1997 – Bravo Super Show 1997 – Volume 4 (BMG Ariola Media GmbH, "Step Back×Step Back1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Step Back (video version)3:312Step Back (loop version)3:563Step Back (P-Pack remix)4:104Twisted Faith3:21")
1997 – Radio FM4 Soundselection (BMG Ariola Austria GmbH, "Step Back (Loop Version)")
1997 – Vivamania Volume 1 (Sony Music Entertainment (Germany), "Move")
1999 – Crossing All Over! - The Classix (Supersonic Records, BMG, "Risin' High")
1999 – Pop 2000–50 Jahre Popmusik Und Jugendkultur In Deutschland (Grönland Records,"Risin' High)
1999 – WWF the Music Vol.4 – Oh Hell Yeah (Stone Cold Steve Austin)
2000 – Bravo Hits 29 (Warner Special Marketing GmbH, Bertelsmann Club, "Ring of Fire×Ring of Fire3 April 2000 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Ring of Fire (video version)3:072Ring of Fire (radio version)3:043Ring of Fire (club mix)4:394Ring of Fire (Blunt Runners remix)3:465Ring of Fire (Get No Sleep mix)3:52")
2000 – Lords of the Boards 2000 (Modul Records, "Time of My Life×Time of My Life1999 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Time of My Life3:202B.L.O.C.K.X. FM4:003Let It Go3:144Going Down5:185Til’s Theme1:086Hell of a Guy (Whatever)4:087Fly3:348Take Me Home4:009It Is4:10")
2000 – The Dome Vol. 14 (BMG Ariola, "Ring of Fire")
2000 – Viva Hits 9 (Polystar Records, "Ring of Fire (Video Version)")
2001 – Monsterhits (EMM (EMI Music Media), "Ring of Fire (Video Version)")
2002 – Chart Boxx – Second Highlights (Top 13 Music-Club, "The Power (Single Version)")
2002 – Fetenhits – New Rock Party (Polystar Records, "The Power")
2002 – Pepsi Chart Album (Oy EMI Finland Ab, BMG Finland, Universal Music (Finland), "The Power")
2002 – Rock Zone Special (BMG Russia, "How Do You Feel?")
2004 – Off Road Tracks Vol. 80 (Metal Hammer (Germany), "Where's The Message?")
2006 – American Chopper (EMI Electrola, "Leave Me Alone")
2007 – Dynamit Vol. 57 (RockHard Records, "I Don't Want You To Like Me")