Michael Breitkopf
| Die Toten Hosen | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Die Flinger Domspatzen, Die Gewissen Extras, Die Pebbles, Die Roten Rosen, The Evil Kids, Gebrüder Edelweiss, The Incredible T. H. Scratchers, Little Pepito And The Swinging Pesetas, Ricky Curl And The Standing Ovations, Tango Bros., Tangobrüder |
| Origin | Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Genres | Punk rock,hard rock, rock |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | JKP, Charisma (US) |
| Website | dietotenhosen.de |
| Members |
Campino (Andreas Frege) Andi (Andreas Meurer) Breiti (Michael Breitkopf) Kuddel (Andreas von Holst) Vom (Stephen George Ritchie) |
| Past members | Walter November (Walter Hartung; 1982–1983) Trini Trimpop (Klaus-Dieter Trimpop; 1982–1985) Jakob Keusen (1985–1986) Wölli (Wolfgang Rohde; 1986–1999) |
Die Toten Hosen (literally "The Dead Pants"; figure of speech "tote Hose" is pejorative for "dead boring event") is a German punk band from Düsseldorf.
The current members of Die Toten Hosen are Campino (Andreas Frege), Kuddel (Andreas von Holst), Vom (Stephen Ritchie), Andi (Andreas Meurer) and Breiti (Michael Breitkopf). All members except one are German, though Campino's mother, Jenny, was English. The drummer Vom comes from England. He joined in 1999, after previous drummer Wölli sustained injuries in a car crash. Wölli had played from 1985 to 1999 and was an honorary member of the band until his death in 2016. The drummer until 1985 was Trini Trimpop, who became the band's manager when Wölli joined.
The band is reputed to have played for free at private birthday parties or similar events in their early years, provided that the host provided them with unlimited beer and covered all damage caused by the band.
Die Toten Hosen formed in 1982 at the Ratinger Hof, a Düsseldorf bar frequented by punk musicians. Its founder members were Campino and Andreas von Holst, both from local punk band ZK, with Andreas Meurer, Michael Breitkopf, Trini Trimpop and Walter November. According to their friend and one time promoter Andrea Berzen, they chose the name Die toten Hosen – which literally translates as "the dead trousers" but connotes the German idiom "hier ist tote Hose" or "hier herrscht tote Hose" meaning "there is nothing going on here", "it’s boring here" – over Die Pariser. According to Andrea Berzen, Campino preferred the former because it implied that their concerts might not be sold out, but there might be "tote Hose" on the nights.
At their first concert at the Bremer Schlachthof over Easter 1982, the compère mistakenly introduced them as Die Toten Hasen (The Dead Hares). The debut single Wir sind bereit (We are ready) was released in 1982, and was followed by their first album, Opel-Gang, the next year.
Guitarist Walter November left the band in November 1983 due to his drug problems. One of the two A sides of the third single was the drinking song Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder (ice-cold Bommerlunder schnapps), which received considerable radio airplay and increased their fan base. The band released their first album titled Opel-Gang in early 1983 on their own label Totenkopf (skull).
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