Paul Landers

Biography

Paul Landers (German pronunciation: [ˈpaʊl ˈlandɐs]; born Heiko Paul Hiersche [ˈhaɪkoː ˈpaʊl ˈhiːɐ̯ʃə]; 9 December 1964) is a German musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist of Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein, and punk rock bands Feeling B and First Arsch. Landers has released eight studio albums and three live albums with Rammstein.

Early life

Landers was born in East Berlin, East Germany, son of Anton and Erika Hiersche. His mother comes from Lyck in Masuria, today Ełk, Poland. His father is from Böhmisch Kahn, today Velké Chvojno, Czech Republic. Both parents had to leave their home after the Second World War and met during their studies in Halle (Saale). Landers briefly lived in Moscow as a child and can speak some Russian.

Career

In 1983, at the age of 18, Landers became part of the East German punk band Feeling B, which was founded by singer Aljoscha Rompe and drummer Alexander Kriening. The band later recruited 16 year-old Christian "Flake" Lorenz to play bass, though he could only play the organ at the time and used it to create bass sounds for the band. Feeling B had various temporary drummers in their line-up, including Christoph Schneider later in their career. Landers also played in a number of other bands, such as Die Firma and Die Magdalene Keibel Combo.
In the late 1980s, Landers met Till Lindemann during a showing of the GDR documentary flüstern & SCHREIEN, which focused on varieties of youth music culture in the GDR. He also met Richard Kruspe, a friend of Lindemann, during this period. Landers would later play guitar in Lindemann and Kruspe's band First Arsch. In 1992, that band released their only album, Saddle Up.
In 1993, Lindemann, Kruspe, Schneider, and bassist Oliver Riedel formed a new band called Templeprayers. They won the Berlin Senate Metrobeat Contest in 1994 that enabled them to have a four-track demo professionally recorded. Landers and Flake soon joined the band, which then changed their name to Rammstein.

Personal life

Landers married his first wife, Nikki Landers, in 1984 at the age of 20. He subsequently took his wife's surname, having already switched his middle and first name, making his full name Paul Landers. Landers has two children, a son and a daughter.

Rammstein

Herzeleid (1995)
Sehnsucht (1997)
Mutter (2001)
Reise, Reise (2004)
Rosenrot (2005)
Liebe ist für alle da (2009)
Rammstein (2019)
Zeit (2022)

Feeling B

Hea Hoa Hoa Hea Hea Hoa (1989)
Wir kriegen Euch alle (1991)
Die Maske des Roten Todes (1993)