BLAX - the ultimate oldie squad - compressed & firm! As the name, so the sound: extraordinary & concise, accented & concentrated. Totally "live" & without playbacks, diskettes, sequencers or other "up to date stage crutches". The positive blax-like attitude gets the spark across to the audience in no time.

Beat-Festival, aus Die Beat-Jahre von Gerd Augustin. Mit seiner freundlichen Genehmigung.BLAX grows from a historical background: the boys of the "old school" carry the original feeling for the rock & beat-era's great songs. They were amongst the founders of groups like Mushroams, Happy Times, The Times or Beathovens, & bands like Equation & Just Us (Stephan Remmler's 60ies beat band) were the epitome of high quality rock music during their co-operation. During gigs at Radio Bremen's TV Beat Club & other highlights bands aimed for the time, today's BLAX-members "made the tune", covering the legendary Hamburg Star-Club, the Weser-Ems-Halle in Oldenburg, & the Stadthalle Bremen with a capacity of 8.000 people.

BLAX was founded in the autumn of 1987 & gathered a fast growing fan community in an extremely short time. Already in the summer of 1988 the initially sworn close circle formed the first BLAX-Fanclub.

BLAX & the press: "Freshness, vitality and excellence on their instruments distinguish these five men..." is a quote from a Bremen daily newspaper. "Called the best oldie group in North Germany by connoisseurs", "Fun, the main incitement...", "BLAX is blaxing rocking blaxlike...", "The firmest oldie band of the region", "The Bremen rock legend is alive", & "like good wine, getting better & better during ageing", are just a few more examples of press commentaries (look as well under "press"). Also the picture media used BLAX & their delight in playing: Numerous performances in the ARD & at SAT1 caused lively interest & raised BLAX's reputation & popularity. & during their last gig on the time honoured Bremen Marktplatz during the "Stadtfest Bremen", 12.000 visitors joined in blaxomania-like during the refrains of the songs...

BLAX get under the skin & set a benchmark in the oldie scene with their committed live act. Different from the reunions of former top-groups or the in-numerous "revival-bands", BLAX are free in their programming. Thus BLAX sparkle with polyphonic vocal performance during their interpretations of beat- & rock-classics of the 60ies, 70ies & 80ies, with hits from The Beatles via Dire Straits to Manfred Mann, from the Cream via the Rolling Stones up to the Vanilla Fudge.

BLAX-Presentation (german only).

BLAX-Compact Demo von 2000/2001 (german only).

 

Patty 2005

Jocki 2005

Uwi 2005

Peter 2005

Patrik Gilbert "Patty" Arens - the "satyr of the strings", born 3rd January 1952 in Bremen, Capricorn..
...plays guitars, is the genius of improvisation amongst us. Likes everything that sounds like Hendrix or Clapton or otherwise nice in his ears. Joins in effectively on vocals during the chorus sections & behaves on stage more or less "noticeable inconspicuously". Is still waiting for the ideal song which he wants to sing solo with us. Is as well still waiting for his own hit which will enable him to dedicate himself only to music & to say farewell to the fight for filthy lucre. Thus he works in his spare time ceaselessly on his own songs, which he arranges & conserves for the music industry or the posterity. Without him our typical sound would never have been created & BLAX wouldn't be BLAX.

Jochen Günter Heinz Kurt Gerhard „Jocki“ Laschinsky - the "taxi-dancer" & senior, born 24th May 1946 in Bremen, Gemini...
...is essentially lead singer & leading dancer of the group. Remains at the helm however to take the opportunities to play guitar, blues-harp, percussion, flute, or even nose flute during divers songs. Is firmly convinced that everything is possible, if one really wants it. Went solo as "VISKY" 1997 with his friend Viktor Schwarz from Munich & some musician friends, & is now even more convinced that the band could have long been Mega Stars with own titles. Has his musical home in everything that he likes & like nearly everything - in short: without him & his rehearsal studio the band might even not exist at all & BLAX wouldn't be BLAX.

Harald Hedwig „Harry“ Bulmahn - the „dervish of the drums“ & junior of the band, born 30th May 1953 in Schwanewede, Gemini...
...brought beside the terrific strong beat also, as part of the typically lightness of his sign of the zodiac, the constant good spirit back into the band. Starting at filigree ethnic rhythms down to the original Star-Club hog-beat, he plays all rhythms down cold & is always ready for new musical excesses. Sings & drums solo from time to time as well & has completed or chorus on some songs quite refreshingly. Used to be constantly ready for rehearsals & used to scold us, if only one single rehearsal was cancelled. Had Fortuna, in her endless grace, not lead him to us, we might have disappeared in our basement again & BLAX wouldn't be BLAX.

Uwe Edgar Friedrich "Uwi" Hemken - the "belami of the bass", born 8th April 1948 in Bremen, Aries...
...covers the hights & depths with us. Autodidact on nearly every instrument. Plays from recorder & squeeze-box to guitar & down to bass everything with the effective nonchalance, which is typical for him. Was in former times lead guitarist with the Happy Times & is therefor good for the most sophisticated bass lines. Sings now & then falsetto-like higher than the second "C" & has so pulverised many a glass. Waits, like Patty, for the thrilling solo-song. Is the "stabilising influence" in the bunch & lets out the Aries very rarely. Perhaps no other bass man except him would endure us & BLAX wouldn't be BLAX.

Peter Gerhard "Pit" Baumgarten - the "goblin of guitars & keyboards", born 15th March 1948 in Berlin, Pisces...
...is our musical impresario & super active "controletti" - autodidact on keyboards & guitar. Plays many a nice solo in our repertoire. Staggers musically between neo rocker- & ultra softy-mentality & thus cares for this extra touch of sophisticated softness, even with our hardest rock songs.  Is knowledgeable from Rudi Schuricke to Cream & has nearly every world hit down cold. Sings as well many songs solo & otherwise nearly always the second harmony vocal. Could definitely amass Millions as solo entertainer or with his compositions of sentimental ballads, but then we would possibly play punk today & BLAX wouldn't be BLAX.