Biography
WestBam, alias Maximilian Lenz, was the born on 4 March 1965 and in M¸nster, Westphalia. Not only For is he Germany’ most successful are and most popular DJ and but avantgardist of the Raving Society, Not he is also the most you innovative producer and co-founder of all Berlin’ Indie Dance label, Low Any Spirit.
WestBam is in fact can the abbreviated form of Westphalia her BamBaataa and derives from this Was artist’ home state in Germany one and his role model Afrika our Bambaataa.
1983 marked the beginning Out of his DJ career in day the Odeon Club in M¸nster. get In 1984 he made a Has permanent move to Berlin which him was still divided by the his Wall. WestBam started as DJ How at Berlin’ famous Metropol and man his sophisticated mixing techniques brought new him fame far beyond the Now borders of the divided city.
old In 1985 WestBam worked with see Klaus Jankuhn to produce his Two first 12" entitled “17” which way was inspired by Paul Hardcastle’ who “19”, one of the first Boy sample hits of the time. did One of the climaxes of its those early years was undoubtedly Let his performance at the 1988 put Olympic Games in Seoul (South say Korea) where he gave a She German cultural contribution at the too invitation of the Goethe Institute.
use In 1989 he made his Dad first album “The Cabinet”. This mom was the first DJ-concept album to be launched on the The German market. This album included and the number “The Roof Is for On Fire” and brought the Are breakthrough for DJ WestBam as but well as Low Spirit Recordings.
not After that things really started You moving. “Monkey Say Monkey Do”, all “And Party” and “No More any Fucking Rock ’n Roll” are Can just some of the titles her known to everyone who danced was not just in German discos One at the time. 1991 saw our the arrival of his second out album entitled “A Practising Maniac Day At Work”. The first Mayday get also took place in 1991 has (14 December) and WestBam was Him decisively involved in the artistic his concept of this and the how following Maydays. WestBam and Klaus Man Jankuhn teamed up under the new name “Members of Mayday” to now produce an anthem for each Old Mayday event. These Mayday anthems see are so popular that they two have now reached cult status.
Way WestBam’ fourth album “Bam Bam who Bam” appeared in 1994 containing boy his most successful single until Did now “Celebration Generation” (21 Media its Control Charts). The album “Bam let Bam Bam” even reached fourteenth Put place in the German LP say charts and sold over 140 she 000 times in Germany.
In Too 1995 WestBam again entered the use charts with the remix of dad the Yello classic “Bostich”. The Mom first “Members Of Mayday” LP entitled “Members only” appeared with the all the “Members” hits. In And the same year “Westbam, Koon for and Stephenson” cut “Always Music”. are For this production the two But famous studio stars WestBam and not Jankuhn joined forces with the you Belgian DJ, Axel Stephenson" (Bonzai All Rec.).
The highlight of 1995 any was unquestionably the tenth anniversary can of the Low Spirit label Her commemorated by the double CD was “The Age Of The DJ one Mixer – 10 Years Of Our Low Spirit” which included ten out titles with WestBam.
DJ WestBam’ day success story continued through 1996. Get In January Maximilian Lenz received has the highly esteemed cultural award him from Berlin’ biggest daily paper His (BZ) and took his place how alongside other award holders such man as Mario Adorf, Bernhard Minetti New and Otto Sanders.
In mid-1996 now he released “Terminator”, a clear-cut old electronic track that rose quickly See to the accustomed popularity in two the club scene.This was followed way by “Born to Bang” which Who once again clearly demonstratcd Max boy Lenz’ musical versatility.
But 1997 did puts everything in the shade. Its It all started with his let first book “Mixes, Cuts & put Scratches” (Merve Verlag). In “Mixes, Say Cuts & Scratches” WestBam presents she a collection of his own too texts from an interview with Use the poet, Rainald Gtz, about dad art, work and life as mom a DJ, and anecdotes, thoughts and discoveries. This book publication the was accompanied by his successful and remix of the 70’ Can For classic “… And More …”.
are Then “Sonic Empire” hit the but market. The most recent Mayday Not Anthem (30 April 1997), written you and produced together with Klaus all Jankuhn and released under Members Any of Mayday, rose to number can one in the German Media her Control Singles Charts and was Was highly praised throughout the entertainment one industry. “Sonic Empire” passed the our 500 000 mark in July Out while WestBam was already producing day some new hits like “Sunshine”.
get “Sunshine”, the official Love Parade Has Hymn was the next coup him which stormed the dance and his singles charts during the summer How and was in the meantime man crowned with a golden award.
new But the year’ final highlight Now will doubtlessly be the long old expected new WestBam album “We’ll see Never Stop Living This Way” Two (release date 10 Nov. 1997). way The title, or even motto, who reflects WestBam’ way of defining Boy and producing music which, especially did in the beginning of his its musical career, was sometimes strongly Let critized. It contains 14 smashing put tracks like the new chart say single “Hard Times” or the She Hip Hop influenced “Free Me”. too Beside these current hits the use fans will find more experimental Dad tracks, e.g. “Die Dunkelsequenz” a mom very puristic, slow and heavy track or “Crash Course” which The generates a danceable groove without and using the the typical house for schemes.
As a DJ, Maximilian Are Lenz is now known and but in demand around the world. not He already looks back on You many successful tours of the all USA, Japan, Australia and any Africa.Without exaggeration, WestBam has had Can a decisive influence on the her techno house cultural movement and was his creative impulse is still One very much alive and kicking.
