Polo Hofer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Polo Hofer
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Hofer performing in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Born | 16 March 1945 Interlaken, Switzerland |
| Died | 22 July 2017 (aged 72) Oberhofen am Thunersee, Switzerland |
| Genres | Swiss-German Rock and Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Years active | 1961–2017 |
| Associated acts | Rumpelstilz, Schmetterband |
Polo Hofer was a famous Swiss rock musician. His real name was Urs Alfred Hofer. He was born on March 16, 1945, and passed away on July 22, 2017. Many people see him as one of the first and most important rock musicians in Switzerland. He was even called a "national treasure"!
Contents
Music and Career
Polo Hofer wrote and sang his songs in Bernese German. This is a special dialect spoken in Switzerland. He became one of the most popular singers of Swiss-German rock and pop music. This style of music is often called Mundartrock.
He helped start two popular Swiss rock bands: Rumpelstilz and Schmetterband. Throughout his career, Polo Hofer released 18 music albums. He also wrote about 350 songs! Besides music, he wrote poems and books. He even acted in Swiss movies. Polo Hofer continued to tour and sing until he passed away.
The Band Rumpelstilz
The pop music group Rumpelstilz started in 1971. It was founded by Hanery Amman, who played piano, and Polo Hofer, who sang and wrote the lyrics. Other members included Jürg Werren on guitars, Sami Jungen on bass, and Hans Jungen on drums.
Soon after, Küre Güdel replaced Hans Jungen. A few months later, René "Schifer" Schafer took over from Jürg Werren.
Early Songs and Success
The band's first song, Warehuus Blues, came out in 1973. It means "department store blues" in Swiss German. It wasn't a big hit at first. In 1975, they released their first album, Vogelfuetter, which means "bird seed".
Rumpelstilz played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975. This performance helped more people discover their music. Their song Teddy became a huge success in 1976. Soon after, Kiosk became their biggest hit ever!
Both Teddy and Kiosk were from their album Füüf Narre im Charre. This means "five jesters in the wheelbarrow". A German version of the album was released later. The song Kiosk even made it onto the music charts in Germany.
In 1978, they released their fourth album. It was a double album called Fätze u Bitze vo geschter u Jitze. This album included music from a movie called Kleine frieren auch im Sommer. It also had a live concert recorded in Basel.
Band Break and Reunion
After this, the band members decided to work on their own projects for a while. In 1989, Rumpelstilz got back together for three concerts. They then released another live album and went on a very popular tour in Switzerland. After that tour, the band officially split up for good.
Polo Hofer's Life
Polo Hofer was born as Urs Alfred Hofer in Interlaken, Switzerland. He had two brothers. He lived in a town called Oberhofen am Thunersee. He passed away on July 22, 2017, when he was 72 years old.
Awards and Honors
Polo Hofer received many awards for his amazing work in music. Here are some of them:
- 1995: Prix Walo
- 2011: Swiss Music Awards for his lifetime of work
- 2015: Named "Swiss of the year"
