Interviews/Press

 

Falco was born as Hans Hoelzel at February, 19th 1957 in Vienna (Margareten). Already his birth was a small sensation because he was the single survivor of triplets. His parents early noticed his musical talent and gaved him a piano and sended him to the piano education . A professor of the music academy in Vienna named him " a small Amadeus (Mozart) " because he had never heard such a absolute pitch until. After the separation of his parents he growed up under care of his mother and grandmother .

16 years old Hans leaved school, made diffrent jobs to discover the bass-guitar as his instrument. A half year on the Viennese music-conservatory confirmed Hans to become pro-musician. He played in different band-projects (his first band incidentally was called "Umspannwerk" [Substation]) and tried to got established in the music-scene of west-Berlin. Stimulated through the GDR-Skier Falko Weisspflog 1977 Hans Hoelzel named himself Falco and his unstoppable height-flight started. The music-scene was in change in the late 70s . The punk-explosion sloshed from England to Europe, everyone who could hold a guitar established a band. Simultaneously cult-star David Bowie published his its innovative and potent "Berlin- trilogy", "Low", "Heroes" and "Lodger", even inspired through german bands like "Kraftwerk" and "Can". These records initiated a musical crucial experience with Hans Hoelzel too. Simultaneously the first rap-sounds from Grandmaster Flash or Kurtis Blow penetrated the growing "Neue Deutsche Welle" (New german wave) and this also had a very important influence on the music-conglomerate of Falco.

Back to Vienna Falco with other musicians from the viennese scene established the business interested band " Spinning Wheel " in order to be able to afford himself his actual " passion " the first viennese music theater (later " Hallucination Company "). Especially in Vienna the eccentric rock-theater boomed end of the 70s. The legendary band of chaots " Drahdiwaberl " was the next step on the job ladder of Falco. Although rather acting in the background as bass-player his solo "Ganz Wien" soon becamed the cult-hit of the New Wave scene in Vienna . Later the song appeared also on Falcos first album "Einzelhaft". No other song in Austria brought the mood of the early 80s better on point than " Ganz Wien " , it remained a fixed component in Falcos concerts - incidentally the first number of Falco, that should be covered with a radio-prohibition. Markus Spiegel, at that time boss of onliest austrian record-companyin private property "GIG Records" made a contract with Drahdiwaberl and Falco simultaneously . Spiegel: " As I saw Falco with Drahdiwaberl in concert for the first time with his number ,Ganz Wien' it was clear to me that I wanted to make a contract with him as solo artist . He has left an enormously charismatic impression on me. "

Markus Spiegel got in touch the very sucessfull producer and songwriter Robert Ponger. With this the headstone for the career of the only real austrian pop star was laid. With his first single " Der Kommissar" Falco finally succeeded the international and also the commercial breakthrough. Including all cover versions "Der Kommissar" selled worldwide near to 7 million records, 750.000 pieces alone in France . The first LP " Einzelhaft" produced by Ponger becamed a giant success too. In the languish Austropop was a quantum jump implemented also, the dominant buddy-types carried out from a cool, larger-than-life and style-conscious and urbane Falco.

The following record " Junge Roemer " induced critics to jubilation-hymns, admittedly it couldn't connect to the big selling success of " Einzelhaft". Nevertheless, "Junge Roemer", production Robert Ponger again, with its lithe dancebeats and the staccato of Falcos big-city-wisdoms is valid as at this time misjudged resourcfully thrick of austrian popmusic. Falco created also with his ORF TV-show "Helden von Heute" the first Longform-Video in german spoken popmusic.

 

Falco himself searched new partners, left Robert Ponger in order to work together with the dutch producers Bolland and Bolland. The first cooperation of the trio, the single " Rock me Amadeus ", immediately climbed at the top of the austrian charts. The LP " Falco 3 " and further singles " Vienna Calling " and " Jeanny " becamed a pan-european success. Falco seemed to arrived at the zenith of his success. And then happened that unbelievable for an austrian musician: In march 1986 "Rock me Amadeus " climbed at the top of the American charts for four weeks long, camed in first in England - the home of pop - world-wide from South America until Japan chart placement followed, the video appertaining to ran on MTV on heavy rotation. International the album " Falco 3 " reached high places and climbed on place 3 in USA too. Through the already longer cooperation with the video-producers Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher (DoRo) Falco developed his own metaphorical language. He was the first continental popmusican who knew to use the signs of the international video-clip-culture for himself and formed with world-wide. " Emotional " appeared 1987, produced again from the brothers Bolland. The singles from this LP: " The sound of music ", Emotional " and " Coming Home, Jeanny part 2,". However the following album "Wiener Blut " and a duet with Brigitte Nielsen " Body next to Body " flopped. The 88s tour bursted also the human being Hans Hölzel was at his end. Drugs and alcohol-excesses accompanied him and his daughter and wife couldn't changed nothing. In November 1988, he left Austria and went on a world-trip. Back again, he separeted from his wife and 1990 with "Data DE Groove", in cooperation with Robert Ponger again, he tried to docking on the current zeitgeist.

In autumn 1992, the falcon raised like phoenix from the ash with the LP " Nachtflug". The album - for Falco a summary of the 80s - stormed again for two weeks at the top of the austrian charts . Altogether, the album remained 18 weeks and the single "Titanic" 17 weeks in the austrian Charts. In May 1993, Falco for the first time after six years went on a tour that finished with an exciting appearance on the Viennese Donauinselfest (Danube-island-party). Afterwards it becamed more quietly about him and he devoted himself to the Viennese *Schule der Dichtung * (School of poem), also gaved a guest performence there as teacher. As it turned out that his daughter is not his daughter, it precipitated the human Hans Hölzel into deep depressions again..

Falco changed his residence to the Dominican republic in 1996 and in this summer he succeeded with the single "Mutter, der Mann mit dem Koks ist da", wich he published under the pseudonym TMA, a sensational entry on place 3 in the austrian Top 40 again. The pertinent video ran on VIVA in heavy rotation. His last publication up to now was the single "Naked", that took place four in Austrian Charts. Falcos artistic status however is not only defined by his charts positions , his music was always advanced his time. He was the inventor of the german spoken rap. The involvement of recitative into a context of pop, combined with melodious, planed refrains already took a trend ahead middle of the 80s with which many international stars fill the masses with enthusiasm today. Only a few weeks before his death he completed the production of his new album "Out of the dark" on which he worked since over 2 years and affiliated big hope for a comeback with it.

On February, 6th 1998 nearly 4 o'clock pm the life of Hans Hoelzel finished at a dusty crossroad in the Domenican republic with a tragic car accident. A week later thousands of people attended his funeral on the Viennese central cemetery. Falco lives on through his music......

Under Construction German Version