75 years of Rio Reiser: A musical heritage that lives!

75 years of Rio Reiser: A musical heritage that lives!

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Deutschland - Today, on January 9, 2025, the influential musician and actor Rio Reiser, born as Ralph Christian Möbius, would have turned 75. Reiser was born in West Berlin on January 9, 1950 and played an important role in German-language rock music.

As a founding member of the band Ton Stone Site, which was launched in 1970, he combined rock music with German texts and politically committed topics. The band, which was active for 15 years, achieved cult status through its innovative mix of "Agitrock" and political messages. Reiser's provocative songs such as "Making you broken what breaks you" and his call to destroy the system.

music and influence

Reiser was known for his unique symbiosis of text and music, both in political and romantic songs. Most of his songs were created in cooperation with guitarist Lanrue. The producer Annette Humpe praised his singing as a combination of snotty and real feeling. Despite his complex and sometimes described personality, Reiser did not experience great commercial success compared to other artists during his lifetime, since he kept the broken glass away from the commerce.

his solo debut album "Rio I." From 1986 he gave him his breakthrough with hits like "King of Germany" and "Junimond". Reiser, who died of internal bleeding and circulatory failure at the age of 46 on August 20, 1996, remains a source of inspiration for many artists, including Herbert Grönemeyer, Danger Dan and Dota.

In addition, a plaque was unveiled for him in Berlin in 2013, and Heinrichplatz in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg was renamed Rio-Reiser-Platz in 2022, which made him the first queer after which a place in this district was named. Reiser's influence is still noticeable in many modern songs and tribute albums, and his music remains relevant, especially in the context of social and political issues. According to an analysis by SWR, Reiser's political message shapes the music of current bands such as Kraftklub and Feine Sahne Fischfilet, which also deal intensively with social issues.

The numerous influences that Reiser left are not only visible in the music of artists from the 1990s, but also show how timelessly his works remain and continue to shape German-language rock music.

-transmitted by West-Ost-Medien