Der W

Der W
Der W, an alias of Stephan Weidner, is a singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. Der W is noted distinctly for leading the German hard rock band Bohse Onkelz for several decades. Bohse Onkelz was founded in 1980 as a punk band and released well over a dozen albums.

Because of its right-wing themes, the band's albums have been topping the German albums chart multiple times. Bohse Onkelz existed from 25th November 1980 until 18th June 2005. After the dissolution of Bohse Onkelz, Der W came up with the songs revealing that has everything in him.

Stephan Weidner was born on 29th May 1963 in Alsfeld near Kassel. In 1980, Weidner founded the band Bohse Onkelz at just the age of 17.

He enlisted Kevin Russell and Peter 'Pe' Schorowsky. Der W first played the electric guitar. After enlisting Matthias 'Gonzo' Rohr as guitarist, he began playing the bass and the band quickly evolved into one of the most popular bands on the Frankfurt punk circuit.

Bohse Onkelz were one of Germany's most successful yet most controversial rock bands. The Bohse Onkelz, meaning the Evil Uncles, were formed in Hosbach in late 1980. Bohse Onkelz bills itself as a punk band in tradition of Slime or Abwarts.

In 1981, Bohse Onkelz made their recorded debut on the compilation Soundtrack zum Untergang 2, but as German punk began embracing the political leanings of the left, their music turned in the opposite direction. They issued their debut LP, Der Nette Mann, which was widely considered the first German LP to explicitly celebrate skinhead values.

Issued on the right-wing label Rock-O-Rama, anthems like 'Stolz', 'Vereint', and 'Deutschland' made the album to ban in September 1986. Bose Menschen -- Bose Lieder was the band's second album. The album featured themes of substance abuse and violence, but found it impossible to shed its skinhead ties.

In the following year, the Bohse Onkelz abandoned their punk origins in favor of an approach closer to heavy metal. That makeover earned them their greatest commercial success to date.

With 1995's Hier Sind die Onkelz, the band signed to major label Virgin. Around the same time, they assigned confidant Edmund Hartsch to write their official biography in an effort to dispel the rumors swirling around their politics.

The book titled Danke fur Nichts appeared in 1997. It saw strong sales and received surprising critical acclaim. In his foreword Hartsch wrote, 'No other German band was ever so 'used as a means for simple-minded political agitation.

The Evil Uncles released Viva Los Tioz in 1998, selling more than 300,000 copies in its first 24 hours of release. This phenomenal retail success debuted atop the German charts and forced many stores to rethink their ban on the Bohse Onkelz catalog. After the album's release, the band mainstream popularity became so great that they founded their own label, rule23.

They released their 2000 follow up Ein Boses Marchen...Aus Tausend Finsteren Nachteren under their own label. In the wake of 2002's Dopamin, the Bohse Onkelz accepted an invitation to open for the Rolling Stones. However, with the release of their final album, Adios, the band announced their pending breakup on May 2004.

When the Bohse Onkelz's five year contract with Virgin ended in 2003, they signed to SPV GmbH for their 2004 Adios. After the release of Adios, a gig on the Wacken Open Air and the sold-out tour La Ultima, the farewell show took place on 17th and 18th June 2005 at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz.

Approximately 120,000 fans came to say goodbye to the band. After breaking up, Weidner made his recording debut as Der W in 2008 with the full-length album Schneller-Hoher-Weidner. This massive hit charted at number two in Germany. It spawned the number five hit single 'Geschichtenhasser'.

The album charted in neighboring countries as well including Austria and Switzerland. Der W's living standard is to remain faithful himself and his own way, independently from outside influences.

His conflict with the media culminated in many songs such as 'Meister der Lugen', meaning Master of lies and'Danke fur nichts', meaning Thanks for nothing. Der W has truly proved his single star status, almost celebratory. 'Schneller-Hoher-Weidner' is indeed worth to listen, so do the right thing and get yours one today!