Wolfgang Niedecken: "My wife is my main prize"

Wolfgang Niedecken (69, "full speed ahead") founded the band BAP in 1976 and is still one of the most successful musicians in Germany. As the only remaining founding member, the 69-year-old tours the republic with his band under the name of Niedeckens BAP and continues to shake stadiums with hits like "Verdamp lang her" (1981) or "Nemm mich met" (1983). On September 18th, the Kölschrock band's 20th studio album will be released with "Everything flows".

It features touching love songs, political statements and loud rock songs. The 14 tracks are bursting with lightness and self-confidence, as fans of Niedecken are used to. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, he reveals what the singer is grateful for after almost 40 years on stage, whether he will ever sing in Standard German and why he made his daughter Joana-Josephine cry.

One song on the album is called "Jenau jesaat: Op Odyssee". In it you sing about the early years of BAP. Do you sometimes look back at your beginnings?

Niedecken: The song is about our early days when we were totally amazed that we should suddenly be playing outside of Cologne. When the first inquiries came from the distant Wuppertal, we thought: "They don't speak Kölsch at all, how is that supposed to work?" And suddenly it was Hanover and suddenly Ludwigshafen. They heard our first album and wanted us to play with them. The piece "Jenau jesaat: Op Odyssee" is about these times. Because, to be precise, it wasn't on a tour, but on an odyssey into unknown areas.

Have you never thought about singing in Standard German?

Niedecken: Others thought about it. There were also people in the band who said we should sing in English. Then we could play worldwide. But that's all nonsense. Because then we would lose our characteristics. The dialect makes us unmistakable. I can also formulate better in Kölsch. In the meantime I would also be able to write songs in standard German. But I prefer to sing in the way that suits my soul. I think I even dream in Kölsch.

Do you miss the permanent occupation of BAP?

Niedecken: Inflexible occupations simply no longer work and you have to accept that. There are developments that cannot be stopped. I always try to get the best cast possible and to keep it. But sometimes you come to a fork in the road where you want to go in different directions. For a while you try to make compromises. Sometimes you have irreconcilable positions within a band. For example, I refused to sing in any other language. Anyone who wanted to continue playing with me had to accept that.

In "Hauptjewinn" you sing: "You don't have to prove anything to anyone, not even Florian Silbereisen". What do you think of the pop singer?

Niedecken: Such slogans sometimes come up at home. At some point I said that in a conversation. "I don't have to prove anything to anyone" and then afterwards: "Not even Florian Silbereisen". I thought that was funny – I wrote it down right away. That shouldn't be an affront to Florian Silbereisen either. I don't even know the man. The name just rhymed well. The pop singers should do what they want. I personally can't do anything with this music.

Who is your main win in life?

Niedecken: My wife is my main prize, definitely. I met you at a time when I wasn't feeling particularly well. Towards the end of my first marriage. I was no longer happy when I got home. On the other hand, you have two little boys who are waiting for dad to come. It was really bad for all of us. Lots of sleepless nights, lots of things done at that time, where today I say, "Shit, that wasn't good." But that's life. If you've lived through seven decades, there are of course also downsides.

"Meanwhile Josephine" is a magical declaration of love to her daughter. Have you already played the song for her?

Niedecken: Of course. I would never have dared to record the song without her permission. When she heard him, a few tears flowed. That was wonderful. But the song is actually for my two daughters. But you have to decide what name to give the piece. The younger is called Joana-Josephine and the big one is called Isis-Maria. Our guitarist wrote the piece and sent me the demo. It contained the name Rosie. And when I listened to that, I thought – it could also be called Josie. And that's how it started.

Isn't Isis-Maria jealous because the song was named after Joana-Josephine?

Niedecken: No, not at all. Isis even appears in the text – that they were like pitch and brimstone. I also mixed up the characters a bit. But the song is actually about Joana-Josephine, who was snotty.

In "Full Power Ahead" you sing about the carefree youth. Would you like to go back in time and be young again?

Niedecken: Who doesn't want that? But I can't complain. I will be 70 years old next year and my wife would say: Thanks to good care, I can still manage everything, thank God. You can't stop aging, so just come to terms with it. But I am also grateful for the life that I have been able to lead so far. When I played in a school band in the 1960s, I never thought that I would one day go on national tours. That I could feed my family with it one day. Where I've been everywhere and whom I was able to meet – one can be grateful for that.

BAP has been around since 1976 – have you ever thought about quitting?

Niedecken: No, not really. There were times when it wasn't much fun anymore because the atmosphere in the band was suboptimal. But I never thought of quitting. I do it much too gladly for that. When you are 70 years old you know that there are ups and downs in life.