Extrabreit

One of Germany's seminal Neue Deutsche Welle acts, Extrabreit far outlasted the early-1980s peak that claimed most of their peers. Together with outfits such as Hubert Kah, Marcus, Spliff, and Geier Sturzflug, the group fused punk, pop, and German schlager, laced the mixture with abundant swagger, and notched several singles that became enduring anthems still aired whenever Germans feel moved, after sufficient beer, to dance and bask in fond, euphoric reminiscence. Formed in 1978, Extrabreit began simply as a pressure valve for its creators. Schoolmates Stefan Klein and Gerhard Sperling, lacking skill on the soccer pitch that normally occupied German teenagers, turned instead to music. Recruiting Ralf Denz on bass and Horst Werner Wiegand on vocals, they assembled the first of the band's numerous line-ups. The four declared punk rock their chosen style and took the name Extrabreit (Extrawide) from a thick permanent marker found in their practice space. Notably, Wiegand persuaded the others to perform in German, a choice rare enough then to draw immediate notice from journalists and bookers.

Denz soon gave way to Ralf Teuwen, and Piet Worthmann joined as second guitarist. In an unexpected move, Wiegand departed for a solo path; Kai Schlasse, a cartoonist and committed eccentric who had never sung, stepped in after the others plied him with alcohol until he agreed. Following the punk custom of the day, Extrabreit adopted stage names, so Schlasse became “Kai Havaii” and Klein became “Kleinkrieg” (Guerilla Warfare). Several other members cycled through before earning nicknames: Carlos Karges, later known for his guitar work with Nena, replaced Worthmann but was himself succeeded by Ulrich Ruhwedel, who promptly styled himself “Public Uli” and remained for the long term.

The band’s debut album, prophetically titled Ihre Grössten Erfolge (Their Biggest Achievements), appeared in summer 1980. Although it included several tracks later regarded as their strongest, commercial breakthrough stayed elusive; sales proved dismal. Exhaustion from the ensuing tour prompted Schlasse and Karges to exit, leaving uncertain prospects. Extrabreit nevertheless pressed on. “Nopsy” Laumann took the microphone, Wolfgang “Hunter” Jäger replaced Teuwen on bass, and the group closed the year touring behind an album that already felt like a misstep.

Schlasse reclaimed the frontman role in early 1981 after concluding that taxi driving was not his destiny. Laumann stepped aside, later becoming tour manager. Following further relentless roadwork—once reaching seventy straight shows without a day off—the band entered the studio for its second album, Welch ein Land!—Was für Männer: (What a Country! What Great Men:), a fiercer, politically combative record. The opening single “Polizisten” unexpectedly became their first hit, its momentum only increasing when Bavaria banned the track for insulting the police. At that moment German critics identified the Neue Deutsche Welle movement, and acts such as Ideal, Trio, and Nena showcased fresh national confidence; Extrabreit’s rowdy, untamed stance aligned perfectly. More than a year after release, the debut album joined its follow-up on the charts, while “Hurra, Hurra, die Schule Brennt” rose into the Top Ten. By 1982 both LPs stood inside Germany’s Top Five album chart, making Extrabreit, against every expectation, the country’s most successful band of the year.

The momentum proved fleeting. As cultural currents shifted and Neue Deutsche Welle yielded to newer fashions, Extrabreit fought to retain attention. Their third album, Die Rückkehr der Phantastischen 5, issued at the close of their strongest year, disappointed fans. Disheartened, drummer Rolf Möller and guitarist Ruhwedel abandoned the group. Undeterred, the remaining trio issued albums in 1983 and 1984 that nevertheless saw them drift further from view; Europa and LP der Woche charted their gradual withdrawal. After a lengthy pause, they regrouped in 1986 to record the costly, ambitious Sex After 3 Years in a Submarine. Released in 1988 with all-English lyrics for the first time and featuring new members Michael Gassmann on drums and Peter Szimmaneck on keyboards, the album prompted their first tours in years, yet sales again faltered and the members dispersed once more.

After countless break-ups and reunions, Extrabreit continued releasing records and touring. The live set Das Grenzt Schon an Musik appeared in 1990, followed a year later by the studio album Wer Böses Denkt, Soll Endlich Schweigen. Hotel Monopol arrived in 1993 and Jeden Tag—Jede Nacht in 1996. Although Amen was issued in 1998, the band chose that year to disband permanently. A final series of farewell concerts was documented on the live collection Das letzte Gefecht, yet even this did not prove conclusive. Following another long hiatus, the group reconvened for Frieden in 2005 and, three years afterward, released Neues von Hiob in 2008.