The petards

The petards
	General information
Genre (s)	Beat , rock
founding	1964, 2002
resolution	1972
Website	www.thepetards.com
Founding members
Guitar , vocals	Horst Ebert (1943-2014)
Guitar , vocals	Klaus Ebert
Drums	Hans-Jürgen Schreiber
bass	Rudiger Waldmann
Current occupation
Drums	Arno Dittrich (1967–1972, since 2002)
Keyboard	Martin Großkurth (since 2002)
Guitar , vocals	Bernd Kühl (since 2003)
former members
bass	Mick Brehmen (2005-2010 †)
Guitar , vocals	Bernd Wippich (1971–1972, 2003–2014 †)
bass	Norbert Drews (2002-2005)
singing	Rolf Hellweg (2002-2003)
singing	Ray King (1972)
guitar	Uwe Müller (2002-2003)
Drums	Franz Binder (1967)

The Petards are a German beat and rock band that were active in the 1960s and early 1970s.

history

The beginnings

The beginnings of the band can be found in the Melanchthon School Steinatal in Willingshausen near Schwalmstadt . During their school days, the brothers Klaus and Horst Ebert played under the name Magic Stompers in a band that played free jazz and cover pieces. At the end of 1962 there was a noticeable turn to beat and twist music. In the same year Rüdiger “Roger” Waldmann joined the band as bassist.

In 1964 they were called The Petards . Horst Ebert had discovered the name, which comes from French and means crackling frog , in a lexicon. With Hans-Jürgen Schreiber as the drummer , the original formation of the band was now complete.

In 1966 the band had to answer for a concert at the Schwalmstadt district court: the charge was "noise pollution". The judge's finding of evidence was probably unique in the history of law: He asked the band to pick up the instruments in the courtroom - this was the only way to determine whether the concerts were "noisy". The “unbearable roar” of the demonstration in court was the evidence and resulted in a fine of over 50 D-Marks .

The "Wald Beat Show", which took place in the community forest of Schrecksbach in 1967 and, in retrospect, is regarded as the forerunner of the Burg-Herzberg Festival , falls during this period .

Further career

Klaus and Horst Ebert began to write their own pieces. Her first own composition, recorded during the semester break, appeared in August 1966: "Baby Run, Run, Run" and "Pretty Miss".

The band's popularity grew, and the first radio interviews followed the live performances. After the release of their second single, "Right Time / She Didn't", the band became better known and noticed them on television: in 1967 they appeared in the with their third single, "Shoot Me Up To The Moon" TV show " Die Drehscheibe " on ZDF . In the same year they were also guests on the SWF program “ Talentschuppen ”.

In early 1967 Hans-Jürgen Schreiber left the band and was replaced by Franz Binder for a few months. In June 1967 the final formation of the Petards was formed: With Arno Dittrich a new drummer was won. The Petards won the SWF's youth competition and were able to record their first LP . It was called "A Deeper Blue", was recorded in the Maschen recording studio by Joe Menke and was released in November 1967 on the cheap Europe label for 5 D-Marks.

Her single "Shoot me up to the moon" was number 1 on the "Frankfurter Schlagerbörse" of HR and in the SWF hit parade, the successor "Golden Glass" was in no way inferior.

The Petards realized early on that not only the music, but also the stage show and clothing are important. So they presented themselves - in the style of the hippie and beat music times - in a flower power outfit and with a stage and light show that was extravagant for this time.

The band now changed the record company and went to the Liberty company. In 1968 her second LP, "The Petards", was released with the number one hit "Pretty Liza". The band toured Germany and also gave several concerts in what was then the ČSSR .

In 1969, The Petards were voted first in the Musikexpress pop-poll in the “best young group” category. Her LP placed fifth in the "LP of the Year" category.

The Petards published some titles under pseudonyms . Under the name "Zonk" they covered titles from " Creedence Clearwater Revival " for the album "Creedence Clearwater Revival Hits Done By A Group Called Zonk ". This album was released in Germany, USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Under the pseudonym "Flitter Mouse", the Petards released two singles with the CCR cover songs "Green River" and "Commotion" as well as "Fortunate Son" and "Down on the Corner". A rarity is the solo album by Horst Ebert, who tried his hand at being a singer / songwriter in 1971 and released his “First Album” under the name “Johannes” in an edition of only 100 pieces.

On January 1, 1970, the Petards' third long-playing record called "Hitshock" was released. It contained the songs "Good Good Donna" and "Baby Man". On the inside of the cover of this LP it says: "Because Petard's music is not a rumble beat, but a strong musical statement, individual interpretation of the original compositions of this avant-garde group."

Appearances on French television with a recording from the Olympia in Paris followed; the single "Blue Fire Light" placed in the top ten of the French and Belgian charts.

Musical in Bremen and Herzberg festivals

The Petards are involved in the musical “Do what you want”, which - loosely based on Shakespeare's “What you want” - is performed at the theater of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen in the 1969/1970 season. In the 1971/72 season the play was also performed at the Landestheater Darmstadt, where the Petards played alongside the Fassbinder actress Barbara Sukowa .

In addition, the Petards organized the events that later became the Burg-Herzberg Festival : This festival offered German bands the opportunity to perform all forms of progressive rock music . The first event, the Burg Beat Show 1968, was organized as a band competition at Burg Herzberg . At the festival from May 1st to 3rd, 1970, the band's visitors could experience such as Guru Guru , Jeronimo , Can and Amon Düül II , live. Because of bad weather, the event was moved from the Burghof to the Alsfeld “Festhalle” (town hall).

The year 1970 ended with the fact that the last LP was recorded, on which Klaus Ebert participated. Ebert then went to Hamburg as a label manager for the record company Metronome Records . The double album "Pet Arts" came out in early 1971.

On July 3rd and 4th 1971 the second "Burg Herzberg Festival" organized by the Petards took place. I.a. appear frumpy , embryo and Achim Reichel on. It was the last festival organized by the Petards.

The end of the band in 1972

As the successor to Klaus Ebert, the band selected guitarist and singer Bernd Wippich (later with Randy Pie ) from around 60 applicants . With him the LP "Burning Rainbows" was recorded at the end of 1971, which, in addition to style elements of underground music, contains many style elements of hard rock and thus shows a further development direction of the band. However, no record company wanted to release this album because the emerging "disco fever" did not see any great market opportunities for rock music. Only the label Bear Family Records brought the LP onto the market in 1981.

A last offensive was started in 1972 with Ray King from England: The Petards recorded the single "Hand of Fortune / Free" and hoped for support from the record company - but without success. Without much perspective, The Petards disbanded. The last of over a thousand appearances took place on September 3, 1972 in the "Western Saloon" in Wiesbaden . Then it was over and each member of the band went their own way.

“We have been making music for more than five years without making the longed-for 'really big' breakthrough. And our hope that this could come in the next few years has become rather small, ”the Petards wrote in a farewell letter to their many fan clubs. And further: “That's why - and partly because of dissatisfaction with the current situation on the German pop market - we split up. We would be happy to keep in touch with you ... All the best, your petards. "

In 1984 the band got together one last time for an interview on the third program on HR television, but they no longer played together.

The reform in 2002

Original drummer Arno Dittrich formed the band again in 2002 and has been touring the country ever since. Rüdiger Waldmann (as a guest musician) also occasionally appears from the original formation. Berd Wippich, active since 2003, died on March 31, 2014, founding member Horst Ebert on October 12, 2014.

Discography

Albums

A Deeper Blue ( Europe E 313)
Same (Liberty LBS 83204 I), with enclosed poster
Hitshock (Liberty LBS 83325 I), partly with poster insert
Pet Arts (Liberty LBS 83481/82 X), double LP
Burning Rainbows (Bear Family BFX 15088)

as Zonk :

Creedence Clearwater Revival Hits (Sunset SLS 50122)

Tribute album

Tribute to The Petards (Zun Records, EAN 4033758032173)

Singles

Baby Run, Run, Run / Pretty Miss (CCA 5021)
Right Time / She Didn't (CCA 5033)
Shoot Me up to the Moon / Lazy Moon (1967) (Somerset S 1007)
Golden Glass / Tiger Rider (1968) (Parade S 1008)
A Deeper Blue / Drive (Discostar DST 5002)
Pretty Liza / Rainbows And Butterflies (1968) (Liberty 15130)
Misty Island / Tartarex (1968) (Liberty 15206)
Everybody Knows Matilda / Blue Fire Light (1969) (Liberty 15259)
My World / Pictures (1970) (Liberty 15278)
Keep On / Stone By Now (1970) (Liberty France Lbf 15327)
Baby Man / On the Road Drinking Wine (1970) (Liberty 15343)
Don't You Feel Like Me / Rainy Day (Liberty 15399)
Good Good Donna / Willy's Gun (Liberty 15431)
Hand of Fortune / Free (United Artists UA 35331)

as Flitter Mouse :

Green River / Commotion (Ariola 14458 AT)
Fortunate Son / Down on the Corner (Ariola 14479 AT)

literature

Florian Tennstedt : Rock music and group processes. Rise and Descent of the Petards , Munich 1979.