Lords

The origins of this German ensemble trace back to 1959, when they first assembled under the name Skiffle Lords. Four years afterward they shed the opening word once their sound shifted toward the British beat style then in vogue. Their victory in a Battle Of The Bands competition held at Hamburg’s celebrated Star Club in September 1964 earned them a recording deal. Although the debut single “Hey Baby, Lass Den Ander’n” appeared in German, later efforts showcased the group’s distinctive take on English-language material. Even without much nuance, the tracks “Shakin’ All Over,” “Poor Boy,” and “Boom Boom” displayed considerable skill. Lineup at the time consisted of Ulrich “Ulli” Gunther (b. 24 July 1942, Berlin, Germany, d. 13 October 1999, Potsdam, Germany; vocals), Rainer “Gandy” Petry (b. 5 July 1944, Berlin, Germany; guitar), Klaus Peter Lietz (b. 31 December 1943, Hammerstein, Germany; guitar), Knud Kuntze (bass), and Peter Max Donath (b. 11 August 1944, Berlin, Germany; drums). Before long the act was regarded as Germany’s premier band, prompting successful tours across neighboring European countries. Kuntze departed in 1965, his place taken by Bernd Zamulo (b. 16 August 1946, Cuxhaven, Germany). Subsequent releases such as “Have A Drink On Me” (1966) and both “John Brown’s Body” and “Gloryland” (1967) signaled a clear drop in quality that squandered the promise of earlier recordings. The Lords did explore psychedelia on Ulleogmamaxbe, yet they could not restore their standing and were soon overtaken by emerging progressive rock outfits. Periodic reunions have since capitalized on retro interest. The name should not be mistaken for that of the unrelated UK punk blues band.