As of: January 29, 2024 12:01 a.m
Achim Reichel played with the Rattles and Wonderland in the 1960s and released many solo records. On Sunday he celebrated his 80th birthday. But his age doesn’t stop him from going on an extensive tour.
“Hurrah, the Rattles are coming” was the name of the film that catapulted Achim Reichel and his band into cinemas in 1966. The four Hamburg boys had previously played at the Star Club, performed in England with the Rolling Stones and were allowed to accompany the Beatles on their Bravo Blitz tour in Germany. But then there was a sudden awakening: Achim Reichel was drafted into the Bundeswehr.
Achim Reichel: On stage for 60 years
After this time, the singer, guitarist and composer initially founded the short-lived group Wonderland, despite the early success with the Rattles, and then started his solo career. Over time, Reichel devoted himself to psychedelic music, rocky shanties, set contemporary literature to music and sang ballads from Goethe to Theodor Storm to Ina Seidel: “What a rare blessing in life! It’s a gift from heaven, with what once began as a hobby “To fill your life and develop skills that you didn’t even know you had,” says Reichel.
Further information
38 Min
Whole halls rock, a boat trip following in his father’s footsteps, on tour with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. He saw the world and John Lennon naked in the Star Club. 38 mins
“Aloha Heja He”: Number one in China through TikTok
After a career as a musician spanning around 60 years, Achim Reichel is now satisfied and still amazed by unexpected events such as a hit in distant China – with “Aloha Heja He”. “I did something wrong with that song,” says Reichel. “It’s been gilded, and so has the album. 30 years later I thought: Dude, who’s pinching me now? Am I dreaming or waking? I actually had a number one in China with a German-language pop song! I didn’t want it at all believe.” Thanks to the new medium TikTok, “Aloha Heja He” suddenly became a cult favorite among young people in Asia.
Further information
Achim Reichel never dreamed that his song “Aloha heja he” would be a hit for decades. In 1991 he wrote the song in a hurry. more
Tour through Northern Germany and new live album
His old fans can look forward to a tour that Achim Reichel will take across northern Germany in March. The motto of the new live album is: “But it was nice”. “If I do a farewell tour now, it doesn’t have to mean that I’ll never go on stage again,” explains Reichel. “But longer tours? After three concerts at the latest it becomes exhausting.”
Further information
Achim Reichel is celebrating his 80th birthday. We look back with him on his life and 60 years of music business. more
“Feel Hamburg” is about the attitude to life in the city – this time Daniel Kaiser speaks with the rock musician Achim Reichel. more
The legendary Star Club in St. Pauli opened on April 13, 1962. The Beatles are also on stage on the first evening. more
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NDR Culture | The Sunday | 01/28/2024 | 14:00 clock
2024-01-29 00:37:36
#Achim #Reichel #Germanys #longestserving #pop #musician
