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Thu 5 Jun, 2003 01:27 pm
Stones in row over 'racist' band
5 June 2003
HANNOVER - A radio station Wednesday scrapped plans to help publicise a concert by the Rolling Stones in Germany in a row over a controversial support band alleged to have a racist past.
The NDR 2 radio station said it was ending an agreement to cooperate in publicising the concert in Hannover on August 8 in protest over the German support band, Boehse Onkelz.
A spokesman for the Norddeutsche Rundfunk said the appearance of the German group on the bill "fitted neither the image nor the musical direction of the programme".
The Rolling Stones, who Wednesday evening in Munich started the European stage of their world tour, were reported this week to be considering whether to go ahead with the Boehse Onkelz as support act in Hanover, the only date in which the band feature.
However tour promoters Deutsche Entertainment AG said both the British rock legends and the German band would appear as billed.
The Stones - who condemn racism - were said to be unaware of the past reputation of the Boehse Onkelz, a German misspelling which translates as Evil Uncles.
Founded in 1980 as a punk band, the Onkelz had a skinhead following for a time and have admitted writing racist lyrics at the start of their musical career.
But the band have longed moved into mainstream rock, and have written anti-fascist songs and joined concerts against neo-Nazism.
The band's bassist, Stephan Weidner, has admitted the band had written a song called "Turks Out" in 1980 when they were about 16, but said they "never played for fascist parties and were never members of a fascist or right-wing party".
He told the British Broadcasting Corporation the song had only been performed live once in front of about 25 punk rock fans.
"It was never released on vinyl or CD. It was only recorded on a tape that was never meant to have been heard outside the band's inner circle of friends from the punk scene," he said.
"It was a reaction to fights with Turkish neighbours. No excuse, but maybe an explanation."
The band renounced the skinhead scene when it became linked with the political far-right, altering their image and attracting a new following. They are now reported to be Germany's fourth best-selling rock band.
source: DPA/Expatica
It is most likely that the Stones had no clue about the opening act, if my wife's past experience in the music industry has taught me anything about touring. All that stuff is handled locally, and the band is rarely involved. Sounds like those kiddies woke up and smelled the coffee...they probably shouldn't be punished for crimes of an ignorant youth.
cav
As far as I know (and that's from the website of that band), the Stones got translation of their old and new somgs.
True, their hateful songs are stories from yesterday. But their 'fans' are still alive.
Hmm, unfortunate them then....I have no idea who this band is, so I am talking from an uninformed position. Strangely, the Stones were once called racist for the song 'Paint It, Black', as some people thought that referred to the people, not the colour. Also, it was most likely a publicist for the Stones who received the translated lyrics, and they may not have even read them.
In a way the whole story is a bit funny. The Stones have been accused of being both racist and sexist on several occassions. Maybe they should be scrapped too.
Brown sugar, how come you dance so good?
Guess somebody blew a fifty-amp fuse . . .
cjhsa, let's get facts straight here....Brown Sugar was written about high-grade heroin, not a hot chocolate mama...
Cav, just about all the Stones work was supposedly about drugs. "I'm just waiting on a friend".
It's a hard day's night here! :wink:
Yeah, and let's not get started on the Beatles....
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