Tommy Finke
Encyclopedia
Tommy Finke is a singer-songwriter of Indie, German rock and pop music, and a composer of electronic and computer music.
songs, and later his own material. Bands like The Beatles
, The Cure
, Rio Reiser
and The Police
are the main influences in his work, as well as German Indie bands like Tocotronic
and Die Sterne.
Finke was the lead singer of different project bands before he finally started his own band, called "Stromgitarre", in 1999. However, since he wrote all the music and lyrics, the band was renamed "Tommy Finke & Stromgitarre" in 2003. The band was later renamed again and became "Tommy Finke & Band".
Tommy Finke studied "Elektronische Komposition" at the renowned Folkwang Hochschule in Essen from 2003 on. In 2008 he graduated but decided to continue his studies in order to learn more about modern music.
In 2007, Tommy Finke founded his own record label, "Retter des Rock Records", in order to release his debut album "Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht!", which was released as a vinyl record in 2007 and re-released as a CD Version in 2008.
Tommy Finke and his band took second place at the nationwide German "Jugend kulturell Förderpreis 2008" on the 11th of November.
In August 2009, Tommy Finke announced there will be a new record entitled "Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes" in early 2010 due to a record deal with German label Roof Music. The recording sessions for this album started in October 2008.
"Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes" was released as a double album on January 29, 2010. It contains 13 songs, each recorded in German and English. This is unique for a German singer/songwriter. On the title track of the album, well-known skeptic James Randi
is heard speaking an introduction.
Bio
Tommy Finke was born Thomas David Finke in Bochum, Germany. Since 1998 he has been on stage, first playing cover versions of OasisOasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
songs, and later his own material. Bands like The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, Rio Reiser
Rio Reiser
Rio Reiser , was a German rock musician and singer of the famous rock group Ton Steine Scherben. He was born Ralph Christian Möbius in Berlin and died at the age of 46 in the little German town of Fresenhagen. Rio Reiser was politically active during his whole life...
and The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
are the main influences in his work, as well as German Indie bands like Tocotronic
Tocotronic
Tocotronic is a German rock band founded in 1993 . Similar to Blumfeld or Die Sterne they are considered a part of the Hamburger Schule movement...
and Die Sterne.
Finke was the lead singer of different project bands before he finally started his own band, called "Stromgitarre", in 1999. However, since he wrote all the music and lyrics, the band was renamed "Tommy Finke & Stromgitarre" in 2003. The band was later renamed again and became "Tommy Finke & Band".
Tommy Finke studied "Elektronische Komposition" at the renowned Folkwang Hochschule in Essen from 2003 on. In 2008 he graduated but decided to continue his studies in order to learn more about modern music.
In 2007, Tommy Finke founded his own record label, "Retter des Rock Records", in order to release his debut album "Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht!", which was released as a vinyl record in 2007 and re-released as a CD Version in 2008.
Tommy Finke and his band took second place at the nationwide German "Jugend kulturell Förderpreis 2008" on the 11th of November.
In August 2009, Tommy Finke announced there will be a new record entitled "Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes" in early 2010 due to a record deal with German label Roof Music. The recording sessions for this album started in October 2008.
"Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes" was released as a double album on January 29, 2010. It contains 13 songs, each recorded in German and English. This is unique for a German singer/songwriter. On the title track of the album, well-known skeptic James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
is heard speaking an introduction.
Discography
- 2008 Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht! (10 Songs, Retter des Rock Records, Vinyl, CD and online)
- 2010 Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes (13 songs (26 tracks in German and English), ROOF Music, Indigo)
Singles/EPs
- 2004 1000 Meilen (8-Track-EP, 5 Lieder, Baukau Media/Rough Trade)
- 2007 Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht! - Single (2-track online release, Retter des Rock Records)
- 2010 Halt' alle Uhren an / Stop the Clocks (digital Release, ROOF Music)
Remixes for other artists
- 2006 R.M.X. 3000 Tommy Finke Remix of the song O.S.T. 3000 of German band Helter Skelter (Band)
- 2007 Fieber (Discofox Remix) Tommy Finke Remix of the song "Fieber" of German band Tele (Band)Tele (band)Tele is a German Rock/Pop-band from Freiburg .- Band history :Tele produced their debut album 1001 Verdacht themselves in 2000. At first they played typical Indie rock guitar sound and arranged their songs in a post rock way....
- 2007 Monkey Fingers (Tommy Finke Remix) Remix of the song of the same name by German band Atomic
- 2007 The Shelter (Tommy Finke Remix) Remix of the song of the same name by German band Atomic
- 2008 "Mausen (Tommy Finke and the cat in the hat Remix)" Remix of the song "Mausen" by German Band MIA.MIA.MIA. is a German rock/pop band from Berlin.-Biography:MIA. originally formed in 1997 when TV host Sarah Kuttner introduced schoolmates Mieze and Andreas Ross to Robert Schütze and Ingo Puls...
- 2009 The Bomb Song (Tommy Finke Didn't Start The Fire Remix) Remix of the song of the same name by German band Verlen
- 2009 Become (Tommy Finke Near The Dunes Of Neverland Remix) Remix of the song of the same name by German band Verlen
- 2009 I Sold My Heart Today (Tommy Finke Wake Up Mix) Remix of the song of the same name by German band Morning Boy
- 2009 Oh Suzanne (Tommy Finke Put Your Make Up On Remix) Remix of the song of the same name by German band Atomic as a free download
Soundtracks
- 2004 Wer braucht schon ein Sektfrühstück bei Real Madrid? (Filmsoundtrack, Baukau Media/Rough Trade)
Released on compilations
- Rock'n'Roll - Leben on 1Live Zukunftsmusik, 2005
- 1000 Meilen on Aufnahmezustand Vol. 4, Zyx Music, 2005
- 1000 Meilen (Live) and Um den Schlaf gebracht (Live) on HypoVereinsbank - Jugend kulturell Förderpreis 2008 "Popmusik", HypoVereinsbank, 2008
Film scores
- Lemmingsfrühling, 2001. Director: Daniel Nipshagen
- Bar Las Jornadas, 2003. Director: Martin Brand
- Lurie, 2003. Szenenmusik. Director: Martin Brand
- Wer braucht schon ein Sektfrühstück bei Real Madrid?, 2004. Director: Ben Redelings
- 100 Stunden nonstop, 2005. Director: Ben Redelings
- Unterholz, 2005. Director: Jan Kretschmer
- Nordstadt, 2005. Szenenmusik. Director: Michael Kupczyk
- Die 11 des VFL, 2007. Director: Ben Redelings
Installation art / Musical compositions
- Meine kleine Nachtmusik, 2005. 4-channel electronic piece, based on samples of a recording of Mozarts Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Produced at the ICEM of the Folkwang Hochschule, Essen-Werden.
- Driver, 2005. Cooperation with video artist Martin Brand.
- Attack, 2006. Cooperation with video artist Martin Brand.
- Bleach, 2006. Cooperation with video artist Martin Brand.
- light emitting idiot, 2007. Cooperation with Florian Mattil, Jan Rusch and Christof Schnelle.
- Swell, 2007. Cooperation with artist Ulrich Ostgathe. Looping Installation.
- Was Es Nicht Ist 1 (Aura-Varianten), 2008. 7-channel electronic piece for 4 loudspeakers and 3 guitar amplifiers, with light composition.
- Wenn ein Werk die Form einer Birne hat, ist es nicht mehr formlos!, 2008. 2-channel tape musicTape MusicTape Music is an experimental 10" vinyl release by Jack Dangers. The vinyl release was coupled with the album Sounds Of The 20th Century No2 when released as a flexi disc vinyl....
, dealing with certain aspects of the music of Erik SatieErik SatieÉric Alfred Leslie Satie was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde...
.
Coverversions
- Du erkennst mich nicht wieder originally performed by Wir sind HeldenWir sind HeldenWir sind Helden is a German Alternative Rock band from Berlin, established in 2001 in Hamburg. The quartet is composed of lead singer Judith Holofernes and musicians Pola Roy, Mark Tavassol, and Jean-Michel Tourette. The group's style has often been considered similar to that of the Neue Deutsche...
and Judith HolofernesJudith HolofernesJudith Holofernes is a German musician and lyricist who is most widely known as the lead singer of the German Pop-Rock band Wir sind Helden....
, 2006 - Ohne dichOhne dich"Ohne dich" is a power ballad by German band Rammstein from the album Reise, Reise. It is seen as expressing mourning over the loss of a loved person. It was released as the third single from the album on 22 November 2004 in Germany , Switzerland and Austria. Other countries' releases followed up...
originally performed by RammsteinRammsteinRammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, 2007
Released as producer / audio engineer
- Hosenkrebs Etüde by Hummelgesicht, recorded, produced, and mixed, 2002
- Ich verstehe mein Leben by Sandrakete, mixed and partly recorded, 2007
- Demo by Johannes Zaster Band, recorded, produced, and mixed, 2007