Maximillian Lenz
| Westbam | |
|---|---|
Westbam in 2004
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Maximilian Lenz |
| Also known as | Frank Xerox, It's 2 Hard, Mr. Y, Professor Taub-Karcher, Von Sternhagel, WB Loops |
| Born | 4 March 1965 |
| Origin | Münster, Westphalia, Germany |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | DJ, producer, remixer, label owner |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels | Low Spirit |
| Associated acts | Klaus Jankuhn, Marusha, DJ Dick, Afrika Islam |
| Website | www.westbam.de |
Maximilian Lenz (born 4 March 1965), known by his stage name WestBam, is a German DJ and musician from Germany. He is the co-founder of the record label Low Spirit.
Lenz started his musical career in 1978 in the punk scene of his birth town Münster under the moniker Frank Xerox. He then played bass, drums and synthesizer. Together with Andreas Bleckmann (alias Sally), he founded the band Anormal Null in 1979. Afterwards he founded Kriegsschauplatz, who were active until 1983.
The origin of his DJ moniker Westbam is a homage to Afrika Bambaataa, thus Westphalia Bambaataa. He started his career as a DJ in 1983 in the Odeon club in Münster. In 1984 he moved to his friend and mentor William Röttger in Berlin where he released his first record called 17 – This Is Not a Boris Becker Song, which was coproduced by Klaus Jankuhn. WestBam, his brother Fabian Lenz, William Röttger, Klaus Jankuhn and Sandra Molzahn later founded their own label Low Spirit.
In 1985 Westbam published his influential text "What is Record-Art?", in which he described DJ techniques and characterized the DJ as a musician that composes tracks with records. In 1988 the Goethe-Institut sent Westbam as part of the German art show Kunstdisco to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
He played at the first Love Parade rave party in 1989 at Ku'damm Berlin and also wrote the Love Parade Anthems from 1997–2008. He was the only DJ, who played at all Love Parades from 1989 to 2008 and planned to perform for a last time at the Loveparade 2010 but cancelled his performance in response to the Love Parade disaster. He later heavily criticized the decision to continue the event despite the death of 21 visitors.
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