Maximilian Hecker
Encyclopedia
Maximilian Hecker is a German musician from Berlin
, known for ethereal pop music, similar to Radiohead
, Sigur Rós
, Tom Baxter
and Nick Drake
. He himself describes his songs as »melancholy pop hymns«.
Hecker grew up in Baden-Wuerttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia
. He learned to play the piano, the drums and the guitar and did his A levels at Freiherr-vom-Stein-Gymnasium in Bünde
in 1997. Having finished his alternative civilian service at Klinikum Schwabing in Munich
, he started training in nursing practice at the hospital Charité
in Berlin
in 1999.
in Berlin-Mitte. Thus he came in contact with Berlin's music- and cultural scene. In 2000, the demo
of his song »Cold Wind Blowing« was used for the score of German director Esther Gronenborn's movie alaska.de. Soon after that, the Berlin based record company Kitty-yo
, having released the movie's soundtrack, offered Hecker a record deal.
’ album of the year contest in 2001. Hence, Hecker's debut was to be found amongst albums of Bob Dylan
's, The White Stripes
' and Alicia Keys
'. Critic Neil Strauss
writes:
»In a long list of precious, fragile, heartbroken artists to emerge in the last two years (Tom McRae, Ed Harcourt, the Kingsbury Manx), Mr. Hecker, by legend an oft-disparaged Berlin street musician, whispers the most precious and fragile heartbreak of them all.«
From October 2001 to February 2002, Hecker went on his first European tour – at that time solo, with electric guitar, keyboard and groovebox
–, as a headliner
mostly, but also as an opening act
for Bill Callahan, the Walkabouts and others. Around that time, his song »Polyester« became a hit in Israelite mainstream radio and was considered a peace anthem. In April and May 2002, Hecker opened for Lloyd Cole
on his tour of France.
, who had previously worked with Depeche Mode
and Erasure
. In particular the British press praised the record. Dan Martin from British music magazine New Musical Express writes:
»In the first three minutes, a lovelorn Hecker bemoans how he’s spent seven days without a glance from Kate Moss. But if the former busker has something of the stalker about him, he’s not one of those men who have bad fringes and still live with their mum. "Rose", Hecker's second LP, is as beautiful and barbed as the flower itself and proves that sinister can also be suave and beautiful. While his sexless Germanic vocals threaten to get smothered in drippy melancholy, he’s wise enough to ease off with the string quartets as things progress, transmuting his snail pace into the kind of pin-drop quiet electro Fischerspooner would make after a pint of heroin. Lovely.«
Then Neil Tennant
from Pet Shop Boys
, having taken notice of Hecker, started to communicate Hecker's music to others on his website. In May and June 2003, soon after releasing »Rose«, Hecker went on his second European tour, followed by his third one in September and October of the same year, opening for Cat Power
in Clermont-Ferrand
, France, and this time supported by live musicians Jens Friebe on keyboard, Hans Narva on bass and Chris Imler on drums.
In September 2003, South Korean record company Pastel Music released Hecker's first two albums in South Korea, and from October 2003 to March 2004, Hecker and German musician Barbara Morgenstern
were sent on a worldwide tour through 34 cities by German cultural institution Goethe-Institut
.
about »Lady Sleep«:
»On 'Lady Sleep', his third album, the criminally underrated Maximilian Hecker returns to his recurring fascination with affairs of the heart. Although simpler (ie, less electronic) than his last album, 'Rose', 'Lady Sleep' is just as evocative: opulent orchestral symphonies sway with a shimmering elegance, the neo-Baroque chamber pop hints at stunning torch songs for the 21st Century and Hecker’s softly spoken vocals are gently affecting. Less camp than Antony And The Johnsons, although just as grand, Berliner Hecker, in anyone’s language, deserves to be a star.«
In July 2005, Hecker was invited to Seoul
, South Korea, to play two gigs, and in June 2006, he was sent to Taipei
, Taiwan, to give two concerts, after the Taiwanese record company Avant Garden Records had released his first three albums in Taiwan in August 2005.
and released his fourth album, »I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain« (again produced by Guy Sternberg) in Europe, South Korea and Taiwan in September 2006. Unlike his three predecessors, which Hecker had recorded on his own for the most part, the album was brought about with the aid of a number of studio musicians, amongst them Snorre Schwarz, Hecker's live drummer. Sharon O’Connell from British music magazine Uncut
reviewed »I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain« in the magazine's December issue 2006:
»Comparing Hecker to Chris Martin may be something of a backhanded compliment, but it’s an indication of the 29-year-old’s potential reach, rather than an indictment of aesthetic weediness. That said, "I’ll Be A Virgin…" is a hushed introspective affair, its sweetly mournful melodies augmented by tasteful string arrangements and carrying somewhat poetically strained lyrics ("Wilted Flower" distinguishes itself on that count). Toward the album’s close, a dreary sameness sets in; simpler songs like the folky "Messed-up Girl" are Hecker’s most effective.«
In October and November 2006, Hecker went on his fifth European tour, followed by concerts in Taipei and Seoul in November and December of the same year, and finally by him opening for Irish musician Duke Special
on his tour of Europe in March 2007. Around that time, Hecker's song »Dying« was chosen as background music for a commercial of electronics group Samsung
, broadcast in South Korea and China.
In early 2007, Hecker recorded an EP
, entitled »Once I Was«, especially for the East Asian market. The record contains cover version
s only, and was released, along with a best-of-compilation of his songs, in Taiwan, South Korea, and for the first time in Mainland China (there entitled »I Am Falling Now«) in May respectively June that year. The album offered the opportunity to send Hecker on his fifth tour of Asia, leading him through Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China in July of the same year.
In November 2007, Hecker's former record label Kitty-yo released the live album
»Live Radio Sessions« as a digital release, the majority of its titles recordings of a concert that Hecker had given at Radio Bremen
on March 2, 2005.
In the meantime, Hecker had started to write songs for other musicians, and his song »Miss Underwater« was chosen the first single of Taiwanese singer Faith Yang
's album »Self-Selected« in April 2009. At the same time, the fast food chain Dunkin’ Donuts took Hecker's song »Silly Lily, Funny Bunny« as background music for one of their commercials broadcast in South Korea.
In April/May 2009, »One Day« was released in Europe on Berlin based record label Louisville Records respectively on Roadrunner Records
, followed by Hecker's seventh tour of Europe in May and June 2009. Cracked Webzine about »One Day« in April 2009:
»[...] So, after all and taking all of the above into account, Hecker might be headed into a completely different direction and is straight on the way to become the James Taylor of the digital age. Nothing bad about that, actually, I like the first Taylor-albums as much as anybody (and also Carole King, Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell or Bill Withers, to be honest) and after all he has penned a few songs that will stay in the canon of modern songwriting for ever without ever becoming kitschy or pathetic. Which in itself is basically more than 99.9 % of all songwriters of the last five years have done. I cannot say which of the songs on “One Day”, if any, will ever reach that status, because that is for the next decades to show. [...]«
In October and November 2009, Hecker went on his eighth Asian tour through Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China. Inspired by a solo performance in the context of the concert series »FM4
Radio Sessions« at Radiokulturhaus in Vienna
, Austria, on March 26th, 2009, Hecker returned to performing his concerts solo, without live musicians, preferably on a grand piano.
, portrayed a return to Hecker's roots. In the course of the year, »I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son« was released in South Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Erin Lyndal Martin reviewed the album for PopMatters
in May 2010:
»[…] Perhaps the most startling, out of character moment is on the opening track, “Blue Soldier Night”, which is delivered in a robotic female voice. This is nothing new, but it shows some levity that one wouldn’t expect from Hecker. Paradoxically, the song becomes that much more moving for that aspect, especially when the robot delivers the title line, “I am nothing but emotion”, which would sound simply insipid had it been delivered by Hecker. When the formula works, it really works. The simply beautiful “Glaslights” is evidence of this, with its ambient piano and quiet vocals. There are some nice touches here as well, such as the sound of the piano pedals rising and falling, lending an intimate immediacy to the song. “There are angels in the glaslights”, Hecker sings soothingly. “The Greatest Love of All” (not a Whitney Houston cover—promise!) features quiet acoustic guitar arpeggios that augment the piano. On an album this piano-heavy, the guitar is a nice touch. Unfortunately, this is one of three songs that rely on angel imagery in order to survive. While one could claim this is a concept album about angels, that would still be a trite concept for any album that’s not contemporary Christian (and even then, it’d be a little dicey). “You’ll Come Home Again” is a highlight because of its perfect melody. Hecker displays less vocal monotony here than his usual, one-note-albeit-heartfelt one. […]«
In April and May 2010, Hecker played the first part of an extensive Chinese tour of 24 Chinese cities – he accomplished the second part in the autumn of the same year –, and his song »Kun Zai«, written along with Sodagreen
singer Wu Qingfeng
, was released as the first single of Taiwanese singer Wei Ruxuan's album »Graceful Porcupine« in Taiwan and Mainland China. In the course of his current release, Hecker went on a tour of Germany in June of the same year.
In November 2010, he released the two albums »Favourite Demos« and »Rare And Unreleased« digitally. These albums contain the demos of 27 songs from his first five albums, as well as twelve B-sides and other songs unreleased up to then.
On January 23, 2011, Hecker gave a double concert, along with American musician Rachael Yamagata
at Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul, South Korea.
Singles:
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, known for ethereal pop music, similar to Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
, Tom Baxter
Tom Baxter
Tom Baxter is an English singer-songwriter based in London. He was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, and grew up in Cornwall with his sister Vashti Anna, two brothers, Jo Spencer and Charlie Winston, and parents Jeff and Julie Gleave...
and Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
. He himself describes his songs as »melancholy pop hymns«.
Hecker grew up in Baden-Wuerttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. He learned to play the piano, the drums and the guitar and did his A levels at Freiherr-vom-Stein-Gymnasium in Bünde
Bünde
Bünde is a town in the Herford district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Bünde is situated between Osnabrück , Hannover and Bielefeld .- Waterways :...
in 1997. Having finished his alternative civilian service at Klinikum Schwabing in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, he started training in nursing practice at the hospital Charité
Charité
The Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is the medical school for both the Humboldt University and the Free University of Berlin. After the merger with their fourth campus in 2003, the Charité is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1999.
Career
Apart from his activities as a trainee nurse, Hecker continued pursuing his musical hobby busking in the area of Hackescher MarktHackescher Markt
The Hackescher Markt is a square in the central Mitte locality of Berlin, Germany, situated at the eastern end of Oranienburger Strasse....
in Berlin-Mitte. Thus he came in contact with Berlin's music- and cultural scene. In 2000, the demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of his song »Cold Wind Blowing« was used for the score of German director Esther Gronenborn's movie alaska.de. Soon after that, the Berlin based record company Kitty-yo
Kitty-Yo
Kitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
, having released the movie's soundtrack, offered Hecker a record deal.
Infinite Love Songs
In October 2001, Hecker released his debut album »Infinite Love Songs«, produced in cooperation with German producer Tommi Eckart. The album was critically acclaimed worldwide and even reached the top ten list of The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
’ album of the year contest in 2001. Hence, Hecker's debut was to be found amongst albums of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's, The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
' and Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
'. Critic Neil Strauss
Neil Strauss
Neil Darrow Strauss , also known by the pen names Style and Chris Powles, is an American and Kittitian author, journalist and ghostwriter...
writes:
»In a long list of precious, fragile, heartbroken artists to emerge in the last two years (Tom McRae, Ed Harcourt, the Kingsbury Manx), Mr. Hecker, by legend an oft-disparaged Berlin street musician, whispers the most precious and fragile heartbreak of them all.«
From October 2001 to February 2002, Hecker went on his first European tour – at that time solo, with electric guitar, keyboard and groovebox
Groovebox
The term Groovebox was originally used by Roland corporation to refer to its MC-303, but the term has since entered general use. It refers to a self-contained instrument for the production of live, loop-based electronic music with a high degree of user control facilitating improvisation.A groovebox...
–, as a headliner
Headliner (performances)
A headliner is the main act in a music, theatre, or comedy performance. Generally, the headliner is the final act in a performance, preceded by the opening act....
mostly, but also as an opening act
Opening act
An opening act or warm-up act is an entertainer or entertainment act that performs at a concert before the featured entertainer...
for Bill Callahan, the Walkabouts and others. Around that time, his song »Polyester« became a hit in Israelite mainstream radio and was considered a peace anthem. In April and May 2002, Hecker opened for Lloyd Cole
Lloyd Cole
Lloyd Cole is an English singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989, and for his subsequent solo work.-Early life:...
on his tour of France.
Rose
In May 2003, Hecker put out his second album »Rose«, produced by British producer Gareth JonesGareth Jones (music producer)
Gareth Jones is an English music producer and engineer notable for working with Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Wire and Erasure.-Background:Gareth Jones is married and currently living in North London....
, who had previously worked with Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
. In particular the British press praised the record. Dan Martin from British music magazine New Musical Express writes:
»In the first three minutes, a lovelorn Hecker bemoans how he’s spent seven days without a glance from Kate Moss. But if the former busker has something of the stalker about him, he’s not one of those men who have bad fringes and still live with their mum. "Rose", Hecker's second LP, is as beautiful and barbed as the flower itself and proves that sinister can also be suave and beautiful. While his sexless Germanic vocals threaten to get smothered in drippy melancholy, he’s wise enough to ease off with the string quartets as things progress, transmuting his snail pace into the kind of pin-drop quiet electro Fischerspooner would make after a pint of heroin. Lovely.«
Then Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
from Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
, having taken notice of Hecker, started to communicate Hecker's music to others on his website. In May and June 2003, soon after releasing »Rose«, Hecker went on his second European tour, followed by his third one in September and October of the same year, opening for Cat Power
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
in Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, France, and this time supported by live musicians Jens Friebe on keyboard, Hans Narva on bass and Chris Imler on drums.
In September 2003, South Korean record company Pastel Music released Hecker's first two albums in South Korea, and from October 2003 to March 2004, Hecker and German musician Barbara Morgenstern
Barbara Morgenstern
Barbara Morgenstern is a German electronic music artist who has released seven full-length albums and seven EPs.-Biography:...
were sent on a worldwide tour through 34 cities by German cultural institution Goethe-Institut
Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German...
.
Lady Sleep
In January 2005, Hecker released his third album »Lady Sleep« (produced by Israelite, Berlin based producer Guy Sternberg) in Europe and later that year in South Korea. In January and February, he went on his fourth tour of Europe, supported by Johannes Feige on electric guitar, Philipp Neumann on bass and Snorre Schwarz respectively Nicolai Ziel on drums. Jim Butler of BBC CollectiveCollective (BBC)
Collective was an "interactive culture magazine" hosted by the BBC's website, bbc.co.uk. Collective was launched in May 2002, becoming interactive in September of the same year. Collective editors included Rowan Kerek, Jonathan Carter, Alastair Lee, James Cowdery and Matt Walton who had the...
about »Lady Sleep«:
»On 'Lady Sleep', his third album, the criminally underrated Maximilian Hecker returns to his recurring fascination with affairs of the heart. Although simpler (ie, less electronic) than his last album, 'Rose', 'Lady Sleep' is just as evocative: opulent orchestral symphonies sway with a shimmering elegance, the neo-Baroque chamber pop hints at stunning torch songs for the 21st Century and Hecker’s softly spoken vocals are gently affecting. Less camp than Antony And The Johnsons, although just as grand, Berliner Hecker, in anyone’s language, deserves to be a star.«
In July 2005, Hecker was invited to Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea, to play two gigs, and in June 2006, he was sent to Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan, to give two concerts, after the Taiwanese record company Avant Garden Records had released his first three albums in Taiwan in August 2005.
I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain
In summer 2006 he changed from Kitty-yo to V2 RecordsV2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
and released his fourth album, »I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain« (again produced by Guy Sternberg) in Europe, South Korea and Taiwan in September 2006. Unlike his three predecessors, which Hecker had recorded on his own for the most part, the album was brought about with the aid of a number of studio musicians, amongst them Snorre Schwarz, Hecker's live drummer. Sharon O’Connell from British music magazine Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
reviewed »I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain« in the magazine's December issue 2006:
»Comparing Hecker to Chris Martin may be something of a backhanded compliment, but it’s an indication of the 29-year-old’s potential reach, rather than an indictment of aesthetic weediness. That said, "I’ll Be A Virgin…" is a hushed introspective affair, its sweetly mournful melodies augmented by tasteful string arrangements and carrying somewhat poetically strained lyrics ("Wilted Flower" distinguishes itself on that count). Toward the album’s close, a dreary sameness sets in; simpler songs like the folky "Messed-up Girl" are Hecker’s most effective.«
In October and November 2006, Hecker went on his fifth European tour, followed by concerts in Taipei and Seoul in November and December of the same year, and finally by him opening for Irish musician Duke Special
Duke Special
Duke Special, real name Peter Wilson, is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he has a distinctive look, with his long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic"...
on his tour of Europe in March 2007. Around that time, Hecker's song »Dying« was chosen as background music for a commercial of electronics group Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, broadcast in South Korea and China.
In early 2007, Hecker recorded an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, entitled »Once I Was«, especially for the East Asian market. The record contains cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s only, and was released, along with a best-of-compilation of his songs, in Taiwan, South Korea, and for the first time in Mainland China (there entitled »I Am Falling Now«) in May respectively June that year. The album offered the opportunity to send Hecker on his fifth tour of Asia, leading him through Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China in July of the same year.
In November 2007, Hecker's former record label Kitty-yo released the live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
»Live Radio Sessions« as a digital release, the majority of its titles recordings of a concert that Hecker had given at Radio Bremen
Radio Bremen
Radio Bremen , Germany's smallest public radio and television broadcaster, is the legally mandated broadcaster for the city-state of Bremen...
on March 2, 2005.
One Day
In May 2008, he made a flying visit to Mainland China and Hong Kong, and in autumn of the same year, he released his fifth studio album »One Day« in South Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China and, for the first time, in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore (on Hong Kong based record label Love Da Records). The record had again been produced by Guy Sternberg and had come into being with the participation of Hecker's live band. The release was followed by his seventh Asian tour, leading Hecker through South Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.In the meantime, Hecker had started to write songs for other musicians, and his song »Miss Underwater« was chosen the first single of Taiwanese singer Faith Yang
Faith Yang
Faith Yang is a rock musician and fashion model. She grew up in Sydney, Australia and studied biology and genetics at Sydney University. In 2000 Faith won the Taiwan Golden Music awards for Best Female Performer got nominated for Best Album ....
's album »Self-Selected« in April 2009. At the same time, the fast food chain Dunkin’ Donuts took Hecker's song »Silly Lily, Funny Bunny« as background music for one of their commercials broadcast in South Korea.
In April/May 2009, »One Day« was released in Europe on Berlin based record label Louisville Records respectively on Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, followed by Hecker's seventh tour of Europe in May and June 2009. Cracked Webzine about »One Day« in April 2009:
»[...] So, after all and taking all of the above into account, Hecker might be headed into a completely different direction and is straight on the way to become the James Taylor of the digital age. Nothing bad about that, actually, I like the first Taylor-albums as much as anybody (and also Carole King, Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell or Bill Withers, to be honest) and after all he has penned a few songs that will stay in the canon of modern songwriting for ever without ever becoming kitschy or pathetic. Which in itself is basically more than 99.9 % of all songwriters of the last five years have done. I cannot say which of the songs on “One Day”, if any, will ever reach that status, because that is for the next decades to show. [...]«
In October and November 2009, Hecker went on his eighth Asian tour through Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China. Inspired by a solo performance in the context of the concert series »FM4
FM4
FM4 is an Austrian national radio station, operated by the ORF. Its main target is the youth audience, and much of the music output is characterised by an alternative rock and electronic music slant....
Radio Sessions« at Radiokulturhaus in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria, on March 26th, 2009, Hecker returned to performing his concerts solo, without live musicians, preferably on a grand piano.
I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son
In January, Hecker established his own record label Blue Soldier Records, where, in March of the same year, he released his sixth album in Europe: »I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son«. This record, accomplished without producer or studio musicians, and, like his debut »Infinite Love Songs« mainly a home recordingHome recording
Home recording is the practice of recording in a private home, rather than in a professional recording studio. A studio set up for home recording is called a "project studio" or "home studio". Home recording is practiced by indie bands, singer-songwriters, hobbyists, podcasters, documentarians,...
, portrayed a return to Hecker's roots. In the course of the year, »I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son« was released in South Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Erin Lyndal Martin reviewed the album for PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
in May 2010:
»[…] Perhaps the most startling, out of character moment is on the opening track, “Blue Soldier Night”, which is delivered in a robotic female voice. This is nothing new, but it shows some levity that one wouldn’t expect from Hecker. Paradoxically, the song becomes that much more moving for that aspect, especially when the robot delivers the title line, “I am nothing but emotion”, which would sound simply insipid had it been delivered by Hecker. When the formula works, it really works. The simply beautiful “Glaslights” is evidence of this, with its ambient piano and quiet vocals. There are some nice touches here as well, such as the sound of the piano pedals rising and falling, lending an intimate immediacy to the song. “There are angels in the glaslights”, Hecker sings soothingly. “The Greatest Love of All” (not a Whitney Houston cover—promise!) features quiet acoustic guitar arpeggios that augment the piano. On an album this piano-heavy, the guitar is a nice touch. Unfortunately, this is one of three songs that rely on angel imagery in order to survive. While one could claim this is a concept album about angels, that would still be a trite concept for any album that’s not contemporary Christian (and even then, it’d be a little dicey). “You’ll Come Home Again” is a highlight because of its perfect melody. Hecker displays less vocal monotony here than his usual, one-note-albeit-heartfelt one. […]«
In April and May 2010, Hecker played the first part of an extensive Chinese tour of 24 Chinese cities – he accomplished the second part in the autumn of the same year –, and his song »Kun Zai«, written along with Sodagreen
Sodagreen
Sodagreen is a Taiwanese independent folk-rock-pop band formed in 2001. Its lineup has been unchanged since 2003. Sodagreen emerged in the Taiwanese indie music scene after receiving the Grand Jury Award in the Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival in 2004, after which it signed a contract with Willlin...
singer Wu Qingfeng
Wu Tsing-Fong
Wu Tsing-Fong is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter, and the main vocalist and songwriter of the indie band Sodagreen, of which he is a founding member. He has collaborated with other artistes such as Angela Zhang, Eason Chan and Rainie Yang...
, was released as the first single of Taiwanese singer Wei Ruxuan's album »Graceful Porcupine« in Taiwan and Mainland China. In the course of his current release, Hecker went on a tour of Germany in June of the same year.
In November 2010, he released the two albums »Favourite Demos« and »Rare And Unreleased« digitally. These albums contain the demos of 27 songs from his first five albums, as well as twelve B-sides and other songs unreleased up to then.
On January 23, 2011, Hecker gave a double concert, along with American musician Rachael Yamagata
Rachael Yamagata
Rachael Yamagata is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Arlington, Virginia. She began her musical career with the band Bumpus before becoming a solo artist and releasing four EP's and three studio albums...
at Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul, South Korea.
Discography
Albums:- 2001 - Infinite Love SongsInfinite Love SongsInfinite Love Songs is the debut album by German musician Maximilian Hecker. It was released by Kitty-Yo in 2001.-Track listing:#"Polyester"#"Sunburnt Days"#"Green Night"#"The Days Are Long And Filled With Pain"#"White"#"Cold Wind Blowing"...
(CD/LP) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name... - 2003 - Rose (CD/LP) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2005 - Lady SleepLady SleepLady Sleep is the third album by German musician Maximilian Hecker. It was released in 2005 by Kitty-Yo.-Track listing:# Birch# Anaesthesia# Summer Days In Bloom# Daze Of Nothing# Everything Inside Me Is Ill# Full Of Voices# Help Me# Snow...
(CD/LP) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name... - 2006 - I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain (CD/LP) - V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- 2007 - Once I Was (CD) - Pastel Music / Avant Garden Records
- 2007 - I Am Falling Now (CD) - Pocket Records
- 2007 - Live Radio Sessions (digital) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2009 - One Day (CD/LP) - Louisville Records
- 2010 - I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son (CD/LP) - Blue Soldier Records
- 2010 - Favourite Demos (digital) - Blue Soldier Records
- 2010 - Rare And Unreleased (digital) - Blue Soldier Records
Singles:
- 2001 - Infinite Love Song (CDM) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2001 - Polyester (CDM) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2003 - Fool (CDM) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2003 - Daylight (CDM) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2004 - Help Me (CDM) - Kitty-yoKitty-YoKitty-Yo is a German record label specializing in quirky pop and electronica. It was founded in 1994 in Berlin following the creation of an independent zine of the same name...
- 2006 - Silly Lily, Funny Bunny (CDM) - V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- 2009 - Misery (digital) - Louisville Records
- 2009 - The Space That You’re In (digital) - Louisville Records
Videography
- 2001 - Infinite Love Song (Magnus Winter)
- 2001 - Polyester (Jana Oberdörffer)
- 2003 - Fool (Miriam Yung Min Stein)
- 2003 - Daylight (Miriam Yung Min Stein)
- 2004 - Help Me (Liisa Lounila & Henri Tani)
- 2006 - Silly Lily, Funny Bunny (Christopher Weser)
- 2009 - The Space That You're In (Til Obladen)
- 2010 - Nana (Til Obladen)
- 2010 - No One's Child (Nuflicks)
- 2010 - Court My Eyes Alone (Ken-Tonio Yamamoto & Daniela Haitzler)
Songwriting for other artists
- 2008 - The Space That You're In (music and lyrics) - artist: Wei Ruxuan, album: La Dolce Vita
- 2009 - Miss Underwater (music and lyrics) - artist: Faith YangFaith YangFaith Yang is a rock musician and fashion model. She grew up in Sydney, Australia and studied biology and genetics at Sydney University. In 2000 Faith won the Taiwan Golden Music awards for Best Female Performer got nominated for Best Album ....
, album: Self-Selected - 2010 - Kun Zai (music) - artist: Wei Ruxuan, album: Graceful Porcupine
External links
- Official website
- Music player
- Interview Alternativmusik.de
- Chinese website about Maximilian Hecker