Stefan Zauner
Stefan Zauner | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo Stefan Zauner in 2018 | |
| Born | 30 June 1952 Göttingen |
| Nationality | Germany |
| Citizenship | German |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
Stefan Zauner (* 30th June 1952 in Göttingen) is a German musician, composer and producer. He became known as singer of the band Münchener Freiheit who use simply the name Freiheit for their English-language albums.
Early Life and Career
He was born in 1952 as son of the film director, and later science-fiction author, Georg Zauner (Author). After finishing school, Zauner studied graphic design in Munich and Basel. He spent one year in the United States, hoping to pursue a musical career there, but returned to Germany in the late 1970s. He lived on the island of Ibiza from 1991 until 2009 and now calls the Bavarian town of Töging am Inn his home. In 2012 Zauner remarried after his first wife had died in 2002.[1]
Musical career
Zauner gained first musical experiences together with composer and producer Harold Faltermeyer with whom he played in a beat-band.
In the late 1970s Zauner was a member of the legendary "Krautrock" band Amon Düül|Amon Düül 2, where he for instance co-wrote the song "Kismet", published in 1978. [2] Upon returning from the United States in the late 1970s, he produced his first solo albums "Narziss und Goldmund" and "Prism & Views". Jordan Rudess, keyboard player of the progressive-rock band Dream Theater considered "Prism & Views" as being among the best progressive rock albums of all time.[3]
Münchener Freiheit
In 1980 Stefan Zauner, together with Aron Strobel founded the band Münchener Freiheit where he was the main singer, and, together with Strobel, wrote and produced most of the songs. In the 1980s and 1990s Münchener Freiheit were among Germany's most successful bands. Until 2010, Zauner and his band published 20 studio albums, three of which in English. They are best known in the English language world for their single "Keeping the Dream Alive". This song became a #14 hit single in the UK Singles Chart when released in December 1988, making Münchener Freiheit a one-hit wonder there.[4] In November 2011 Zauber announced that he had left the band in order to pursue projects on his own.[5]
Deuces Wild
In 1991 Zauner and mit Aron Strobel published the album Living in the Sun using as a band name Deuces Wild (Band)|Deuces Wild. [6]. In order not to get confounded with Münchener Freiheit, the credits to the songs mentioned Steven Fencer (a translation of his German name) and Nora Le Borts (a mirror image of Aron Strobel) as pseudonyms.
Solo career
Following the pre-Münchener Freiheit solo albums, Zauner produced another solo album in 1995: Some Other Language, using as band name "S.O.L". Collaborators on S.O.L were, among others Queen (Band)|Queen-Guitarist Brian May and the band The Hooters.
After leaving Münchener Freiheit, Zauber produced the albums Zeitgefühl (2012), FABELhaft (2014),[7] Mensch, ärgere Dich nicht (2016) and the compilation So weit, so gut (2017). The album Persönlich was published in 2019. For his 2020 album Die Freiheit nehm ich mir Zauner re-recorded a selection of earlier Münchener Freiheit songs that had not been released as singles. [8] Several songs on these albums feature Zauner's wife Petra Manuela as additional vocalist.
One of the songs from the album "Zeitgefühl" was also published in English as "What about time", using as band name "Random Heart" and composer credits "Steven Fencer".
Collaboration with other artists
Zauner has collaborated with, among other, the following artists:
| artist | function | title | year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artists United for Nature | Vocals | Yes We Can (Single) | 1989 |
| Charade | Producer, composer | Charade (Album) | 1992 |
| Die Fantastischen Vier | Backing Vocals | Ernten was wir säen (Single) | 2007 |
| Jasmin Wagner | Remix, Backing Vocals | Gib mir noch Zeit (Single) | 1997 |
| Joy & The Hitkids | Composer | Feelin’ | 1969[9] |
| Maggie Reilly | Producer, composer, keyboards | Echoes (Album) | 1992[10] |
| Nicki | Composer | Endlich bist du da (Song) | 1986 |
| Nicole | Composer | Gib dich nicht auf (Song) | 2001 |
| Orlando Riva Sound | Composer | Moonboots (Single) | 1976 |
| Isabel Varell | Composer, producer | Alles neu (Album) und einzelne Singles | seit 2011 |
| Virginia Jetzt! | Arranger, backing vocals | Blühende Landschaften (Album) | 2009 |
Discography (Solo)
Albums
- 1976: Narziss
- 1978: Prism & Views
- 1995: Some Other Language (als „S.O.L.“)
- 2012: Zeitgefühl
- 2014: FABELhaft
- 2016: Mensch ärgere Dich nicht[11]
- 2019: Persönlich (with Petra Manuela)
- 2020: Die Freiheit nehm ich mir
Singles
- 1978: Hooked On The Groove
- 1995: Gumbayea (als „S.O.L.“)
- 1995: Something For Beginners (als „S.O.L.“)
- 2012: Tick Tack (feat. Petra Manuela)
- 2012: Liebe besiegt die Zeit
- 2012: What About Time? (as „Random Heart“)
- 2013: Wunderbar
- 2013: Man kann
- 2014: Fang an (feat. Petra Manuela)
- 2014: Wenn der Tag beginnt (feat. Petra Manuela)
- 2014: Nur mit ihr (geht die Sonne auf)
- 2014: Wir werden seh’n (feat. Petra Manuela)
- 2015: Das was man am meisten will (feat. Petra Manuela)
- 2015: Die Odyssee geht weiter (feat. Petra Manuela)
- 2016: So wie wir leben (feat. Petra Manuela)
References
- ↑ Er hat still und leise „Ja“ gesagt bunte.de vom 16. September 2012
- ↑ https://secondhandsongs.com/work/5107
- ↑ http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/dream-theaters-jordan-rudess-the-10-greatest-prog-rock-albums-of-all-time-544264/11
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 214. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/muenchner-freiheit-band-saenger-1.1221249 "Solange man Träume noch Leben kann", Süddeutsche Zeitung, 29 November 2011
- ↑ http://www.radioswisspop.ch/de/musikdatenbank/song/7865da45b5fbf83b602e0e1113d1a39ba5b7
- ↑ https://www.da-music.de/Pop/Kuenstler/Stefan-Zauner/Biografie
- ↑ https://www.schlager.de/news/2020/09/11/ex-muenchener-freiheit-saenger-stefan-zauner-er-verraet-den-wahren-grund-der-trennung/
- ↑ "Stefan Zauner - Deutsche Mugge".
- ↑ http://www.radioswisspop.ch/de/musikdatenbank/song/61403d310aaccd8092b2570d72f4c52e589e
- ↑ Alben-Discographie St. Zauner, discographien.de
External links
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