Herbert Grönemeyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herbert Grönemeyer
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Grönemeyer in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Herbert Arthur Wiglev Clamor Grönemeyer |
| Born | 12 April 1956 Göttingen, West Germany |
| Origin | Bochum, Germany |
| Genres | Rock, pop rock, soft rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician, producer, composer, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Labels | EMI, Grönland |
Herbert Grönemeyer (born April 12, 1956) is a famous German singer, musician, and actor. He is very popular in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Herbert is known for his music and for acting in the 1981 film Das Boot. His albums 4630 Bochum (1984) and Mensch (2002) are among the best-selling records in Germany. This makes him one of Germany's most successful artists, with over 13 million albums sold.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Herbert Grönemeyer was born in Göttingen, Germany, on April 12, 1956. He spent most of his childhood and youth in Bochum, which he often calls his home. His brother, Dietrich Grönemeyer, is a medical professor.
Herbert became interested in music when he was 8 years old. He started taking piano lessons, which helped him later in his career.
Music and Acting Career
Early Career and First Albums
Herbert's piano skills led him to work at the Schauspielhaus Bochum, a local theater. He was a pianist and composer there. In 1979, he acted in a play called The Merchant of Venice in Cologne. Even without acting school, he appeared in several TV shows.
In 1978, Herbert released an album with a jazz group called Ocean Orchestra. He also wrote music for a film that year. His first solo album, Grönemeyer, came out in 1979. It was jokingly called the "ugliest album cover of the year." His second album, Zwo, was released in 1981. Neither of these early albums became popular.
Breakthrough with Das Boot and 4630 Bochum
In 1981, Herbert starred in the successful movie Das Boot. He played Lieutenant Werner, a war correspondent. He also acted in Spring Symphony as composer Robert Schumann. For this role, he spent six months in East Germany.
After these films, Herbert focused more on music. His albums Total egal (1982) and Gemischte Gefühle (1983) were not very successful. Many of his concerts had to be canceled.
However, in 1984, everything changed. His album 4630 Bochum became a huge hit. It was the best-selling album in Germany that year. Songs like "Männer" and "Flugzeuge im Bauch" became very popular.
Expressing Views and International Steps
In 1985, Herbert appeared in the TV movie Väter und Söhne. He also supported Germany's first major AIDS charity event. His next album, Sprünge (1986), showed his views on important issues. He performed at the Anti-WAAhnsinns Festival against nuclear power. He also won an award for his music in the TV film Sommer in Lesmona.
His album Ö (1988) was also released in English as What's all this. He toured Canada, where the English version did well. After the Berlin Wall fell, he released Luxus. This album talked about the feelings in East and West Germany. Over 600,000 people attended his tour for this album.
Later Success and Personal Challenges
In 1994, Herbert Grönemeyer was the first non-English-speaking artist invited by MTV for an unplugged concert. Four years later, he moved to London. He released Bleibt alles anders (Everything Remains Different) and started his own record label, Grönland Records.
In 1998, Herbert faced a very difficult time. His brother and his wife both passed away from cancer within days of each other. It took him a year to return to his music. In 2000, he recorded a concert with an orchestra. He released the DVD Stand der Dinge (State of Affairs).
In August 2002, he released his album Mensch (Human). It was so popular that it went Platinum even before it was officially released. The song "Mensch" became his first number one hit in Germany. About 1.5 million people saw his two-year tour for this album.
Herbert also recorded songs for major sports events. He made "Everlasting" for the Olympic Games in Athens (2004). He also created "Celebrate the Day" for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Recent Works and Recognition
In March 2007, Herbert released his 12th studio album, 12. This was followed by a big stadium tour. He also played smaller concerts in cities like Amsterdam and London.
His English re-recorded albums, What's all this, Luxus, and Chaos, did not sell as well internationally. He had planned his first American concert in New York City in 2007, but it was canceled.
In 2010, Herbert performed the song "Komm zur Ruhr." This was for the opening ceremony of "RUHR.2010." The city of Essen was the "European Capital of Culture 2010."
In March 2011, he released Schiffsverkehr, which became a number-one album in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The tour for this album had an audience of 550,000 people.
His English-language album, I Walk, was released in the U.S. in February 2013. He played his first American concerts in Chicago and New York. This album featured guest artists like Bono from U2.
In 2005, TIME magazine called him a "European Hero." This was for his important humanitarian work.
Herbert's 2014 album, Dauernd jetzt, won the Goldene Kamera award. This award was for the best German language album of 2014 and 2015. He also won an Echo award for this album in March 2015.
In November 2016, he released Live aus Bochum. This album has live recordings from his concerts in Bochum's Ruhrstadion in July 2015.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1979 Grönemeyer
- 1980 Zwo
- 1982 Total egal
- 1983 Gemischte Gefühle
- 1984 4630 Bochum
- 1986 Sprünge
- 1988 Ö
- 1990 Luxus
- 1993 Chaos
- 1998 Bleibt alles anders
- 2002 Mensch
- 2007 12
- 2011 Schiffsverkehr
- 2014 Dauernd jetzt
- 2018 Tumult
- 2023 Das ist los
Filmography
- 1976: Die Geisel as Volunteer
- 1978: Von Tag zu Tag
- 1979: Uns reicht das nicht as Gerd
- 1979: Zuhaus unter Fremden as Bernd
- 1980: Mosch as Erster Kabarettist
- 1981: Das Boot as Lt. Werner
- 1982: Doctor Faustus as Deutschlin
- 1983: Spring Symphony as Robert Schumann
- 1984: Die ewigen Gefühle as Heinrich Anderer
- 1985: Väter und Söhne – Eine deutsche Tragödie as Georg Deutz
- 2007: Control as Local GP
- 2008: 8 as himself
- 2010: The American (film score by Herbert Grönemeyer)
- 2014: A Most Wanted Man (film score by Herbert Grönemeyer) as Michael Axelrod
See also
In Spanish: Herbert Grönemeyer para niños
