German singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Achim Reichel sustained an extensive and diverse career that originated amid the beat explosion of the 1960s through his founding of the Rattles and extended deep into the following century, during which he continued issuing records and staging expansive rock performances. Born January 28, 1944, in Wentorf bei Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, he launched his musical path in 1960 by establishing the Rattles in Hamburg as singer and guitarist alongside bassist Herbert Hildebrandt. Together with the Lords, the group ranked among Germany’s foremost beat outfits, evidenced by a 1963 English trek supporting the Rolling Stones and a 1966 German trek supporting the Beatles. After multiple LPs—Twist im Star-Club Hamburg (1964), Liverpool Beat (1965), and Hurra! Die Rattles Kommen (1966)—Reichel exited the band in 1966 and entered the Bundeswehr. Following his military service, he assembled Wonderland, whose 1968 debut single “Mocow” reached the Top 15. He next pursued the experimental solo venture A.R. & Machines, which surfaced with Die Grüne Reise (1971) and then delivered a string of Krautrock-oriented releases: Echo (1972), 3 (1972), 4 (1973), and Autovision (1974).
Reichel issued Dat Shanty Alb’m in 1975, a strikingly direct set of sea shanties marking a complete reversal from the A.R. & Machines experiments; notably, the album appeared in German rather than English and carried his own name instead of a band title, traits that would characterize his subsequent solo work. His turn toward volksmusik of northern Germany persisted through the ensuing years via Klabautermann (1977) and the widely acclaimed Regenballade (1978). After Regenballade, Reichel and Frank Dostal launched the Ahorn label to promote German-language rock acts. Concurrently, Heiße Scheibe (1979), spotlighting both contemporary songwriters and Reichel’s own material, signaled his shift from historical styles toward current sounds. Throughout the mid- and late 1970s he also produced records for Novalis, Kiev Stingl, Neil Landon, and Emsland Hillbillies.
In the early 1980s Reichel delivered three critically lauded, German-language rock albums—Ungeschminkt (1980), Blues in Blond (1981), and Nachtexpress (1983)—and resumed touring, mounting support runs for Blues in Blond in 1982 and for Nachtexpress in 1984. Amid this activity, “Der Spieler,” drawn from Blues in Blond, became his first solo chart single at number 27 and earned a ZDF-Hitparade slot in 1983; “Boxer Kutte,” taken from Nachtexpress, likewise appeared on the program that year, during which Reichel made three total on-air appearances. In 1986 he portrayed bank robber Paul in the film Va Banque, released the album Eine Ewigkeit Unterwegs, and returned to ZDF-Hitparade with its title-track hit. After further touring he recorded the solo LP Fledermaus (1988) and rejoined the Rattles for the reunion album Hot Wheels (1988); another solo set, Was Echtes, and a second Rattles reunion, Painted Warriors, followed in 1989 and 1990.
The 1990s proved equally fruitful, marked by steady album releases, continued touring, and regular chart entries. Fresh studio efforts encompassed Melancholie und Sturmflut (1991), Wahre Liebe (1993), Oh Ha! (1996), and Entspann Dich (1999); singles that charted from these included “Aloha Heya He” (1991), “Kuddel Daddel Du” (1992), “Auf der Rolltreppe” (1992), “Amazonen” (1993), and “Wahre Liebe” (1993). Additional projects comprised the live album Große Freiheit (1994), a televised concert marking his 50th birthday, the solo compilation Herz Ist Trumpf (1997), and the A.R. & Machines retrospective Echos aus Zeiten der Grünen Reise (1998). Activity persisted into the next decade with Wilder Wassermann (2002), a return to volksmusik, the live CD/DVD 100% Leben (2004) celebrating his 60th birthday, and Volxlieder (2006), all of which charted. He also released the songbook 100% Leben through Gorilla Musik-Verlag.
