AlΩfus
The AlΩfus Story
This website's purpose is to pay tribute to all the members that were part of my musical journey and to those, who supported the band and the incredible times we had.
I must explain, Alofus was not always Alofus....
It all started very humbly, but with lots of passion, when I attended the Gymnasium at Frechen, my home town, or did it actually start way earlier? Well, if you have time for a story, please read on.
Part 1
The Early Years
By the time I was 5, I doodled around on a used upright piano that my parents purchased from a local musician. I quickly got the hang of it and used my own idea of finger movement to play the keys. Our next door neighbors got used to excessive noise coming from our living room that eventually, thankfully, turned into controlled improvisations, more pleasant to the ear.
Miraculously, I could always remember what I created musically and could recall it anytime.
A few short years later, my sister gifted me with an acoustic guitar: Ahh, a new challenge! I was told later that I picked up the instrument and weeks later was able to recite various tunes, including my own inventions.
Of course, my picking was not considered the 'real' technique, but it sufficed.... even today.
I am guilty of betraying my parents, and I suppose myself as well, by avoiding piano lessons... Instead, I sneaked past my piano teacher's house to attend soccer scrimmages. The time had come, when I transferred from Public School to Gymnasium. My parents had expectations and changes were in the making.
Part 2
The Gymnasium Years
Attending this school brought out the best and worst in me.
Needless to say, my parents' expectations were undermined, and I repeated a few classes thanks to my total failure to respect Latin and also because of my deep ignorance to math.
Give me Music, Art and Sport instead... Please!
They did and I excelled in Music, thanks to Professor Lorenzen, who gave me confidence early on and picked me to perform my music in front of the class almost every Friday.
Professor Retzlaff encouraged me in my painting, drawing and sketching skills. I owe these gentlemen my destiny.
Part 3
The Lightless Fellow Ltd.
With the encouragement of my wonderful teachers, I toyed with the idea to form a band. I found 3 willing students my age (maybe 14 or 15?), that were up to the challenge (after a lot of parent-convincing): Thomas Struth on drums, Klaus Gremmler on guitar and Heinz Schnitzler on bass. At that time, I played also guitar and tried myself as a singer. We covered a few tunes, from Donovan to The Animals' House of the Rising Sun and an original called 'Overland'. None of us were skilled musicians, but we made it work. 'Overland' made us 'runner up' at a local song contest and we received recognition as the youngest band in Frechen and Koeln. The eventual winners of that contest, The Stowaways', became famous years later as the well-known 'Koelsch Band 'The Black Foess'.
Soon school started to dominate our creativity and the band seemed doomed.
Part 4
The Transformation
Another drummer was waiting in the wings, or shall I say the school hallways.
I did not know too much about him, but he surely advertised heavily for himself and that rightfully so. Magnus Augustin took the place behind the band and it became evident that he was, already then, a brilliant player.
His style varied between Ginger Baker, Charly Watts and Bill Bruford. Hence, the band changed into a more rhythmic than melodic entity.
Meanwhile, I was in desperate need to improve my studies in Latin at the Gymnasium, so my parents hired a student tutor from another school to help me out. That student was Gottfried Krieger (aka Pax Dei Miles). Unfortunately, I did not improve under his tutelage, instead I convinced him to become our bassist, because Heinz was not available anymore. As well, Klaus Gremmler had to leave, but I did not want to see the band dissolved.
So, Gottfried brought in two of his schoolmates. Wolfgang von Gallera and Elmar Theiss.
All of a sudden, Magnus and I were the youngest ones in this formation.
Not long and after a few beers, we decided on the name 'All of Us'.
Our pledge was that everyone should bring his ideas to the table and every creation should entail the collaboration of all of us.
Part 5
Alofus is born
With the arrival of the 3 new musicians, I reclaimed my place behind the keyboards. Our music took many directions, if not to say there was no particular style. But it was entertaining and always challenging.
In those days we did not cover too many, if any, of my own compositions.
And as time went on, Gottfried and his friends went to University, leaving Magnus and myself in an all so familiar position: Survival. As it happens, Gerd Kuerschner, a skinny but highly artistic individual stepped in. He took over as bass player and we never looked back. Now a Trio, we took to the Koeln countryside with our own music that reflected influences of Emerson Lake and Palmer, Egg, Procol Harum, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, to name a few. During our gigs, it was Gerd's creative angle to experiment musically introducing 'Kaputte Musik' which involved an amplified transistor radio. It did not go over so well.
I should mention that our transportation to and from gigs was provided by Roman Sikorsky, our super fan and friend. At that time, he was a truckdriver for Lindt Chocolate... so if on any Saturday you saw a Lindt truck in a theatre parking lot, you could bet that Alofus had a high energy gig... on a sugar high.
By this time our band name had mutated into 'Alofus'.
One of my best memories was rehearsing at the 'Bachemer Schloss'. It was leased by A. Kirilowitsch, a famous sculptor who graciously let us practice in his studio between his pieces of art. No, we never damaged any of his creations. Instead, after the session, we usually crossed the street for a pint in a conveniently located pub. That's when songs were discussed and ironed out.
It was FotoKina time in Koeln (a trade show in the Koeln Messe Halle that also featured many established live bands.
Somehow, the three of us managed to get accepted to participate. We were to perform right after a German band called 'Wind' and right before 'James Brown'! Because of a scheduling error, we never got to perform. But it should still prove to be our first ever 'paid' non-gig, thanks to my then girlfriend now wife Gabriele. The organizers accepted that they made a mistake and covered our fee. In a way we were lucky not to play. 'Wind' was hard to follow and 'James Brown' hard to open up for, him being the 'Sex Machine'... We were definitely no 'Sex Machine' and no soul brothers either. Maybe we had some funk?
I was now 19 years old. It became clear that Alofus had to retire. I was about to immigrate to Canada.
Part 6
Welcome to Canada
No music, no writing, a forced hiatus from the keys and strings... until I met Gary Hoag, who introduced me to Richard Cox, Pete Gianou and Rick Astin.
We managed a few songs and gigs as 'Twice Shy' in Toronto covering Beatles, Hollies, Rolling Stones songs etc.
Richard Cox was a genius song writer who still impresses me, long after he passed away. I think I owe some of my guitar playing to him. His vocal range was impeccable. His Irishness always came through.
Rick Astin was incredible on bass and had cutting vocal chops.
Pete still is a solid drummer, Ringo and Charlie style. No fooling around... until I challenged him with some reggae beats which intrigued him at the time.
With life taking different turns for all of us in those days, only Richard † remained to collaborate with me on a multitude of our own works.
None were ever completed. As time allows me, I will attempt to remix and master some of our favorites. 'Mickey Mouse with a Gun' is the first song from that time that I managed to master. That song also earned us 'runner up' at a CFNY song contest in the eighties.
At the same time, I met James Maden, a great singer and songwriter. He had a slew of beautiful pop songs I helped him with. His demos were in the direction of INXS, George Michael, Crowded House, etc. I loved that challenge. Unfortunately, he moved away and resides now in Florida. No, he is not a 'Red Neck'. Richard † moved back to Ireland. Soon after I received a message from Pete Gianou that he had passed away.
Part 7
Now what
I call myself blessed in my musical journey. Every time I write a song, a little bit of the history I share with my musician friends manifests itself in my work. I was lucky to have found friends that participated in these creative passages of my life.
In my musical mind, I never walk alone.
And the music keeps on coming....