| Wolfgang Michels | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Date: | 15 July 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Delmenhorst, West Germany |
| Origin: | Hamburg, West Germany |
| Death Place: | Hamburg, Germany |
| Occupation: | Singer-songwriter, musician, producer |
| Instrument: | Vocals, guitar |
| Years Active: | 1967–2017 |
| Label: | ferryhouse/Warner |
Wolfgang Michels (15 July 1951 – 14 September 2017) was a German singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer.
In May 1968, Michels recorded a song under pseudonym "One Plus None" and scored a No. 2 BBC radio hit with "Desert Walker", a song produced by himself, topped only by the Rolling Stones at No. 1. English blues musician Alexis Korner invited Michels to London and introduced him to the local scene.
Michels founded the psychedelic rock band Percewood's Onagram in 1969 and served as singer, guitarist and composer. In the early 1970s, the band became the first German independent band releasing four albums on their own label (Onagram Records) with lyrics and music all provided by Michels. After the band's split in 1974, Michels returned to London to pursue a solo career where he appeared at the Marquee Club among other venues.
In 1975, he moved to San Francisco, California, where he subsequently recorded two solo albums in collaboration with Neil Young and producer/engineer John Nowland as the first German musician. For the album "Full Moon California Sunset", Michels was awarded the "Deutscher Schallplattenpreis", the predecessor of the Echo Music Prize, in 1978.
From 1981 until 1985, Michels released three solo albums in German, written and produced in collaboration with renowned German singer/composer Rio Reiser. This period was followed by 1990 hit "Dancing on the Edge of Life" released under the pseudonym "Percewood". The song became a chart hit Michels presented on German television shows. In the 1990s, all Michels and Percewood's Onagram albums were rereleased by Warner Brothers in Germany.
1993, Michels was invited by Joan Baez to perform as her support act in the "Philharmonie" concert hall in Munich, Germany.
In 2003, Warner Strategic Marketing/Warner Music Germany had released the complete Michels/Percewood's Onagram back catalogue as digitally remastered CDs with previously unreleased bonus tracks and alternative takes. Two best-of albums were also released. In the same year, German hip hop group Fettes Brot scored a chart hit with the Michels–Reiser song "Ich bin müde" ("I'm tired"). The national daily newspaper the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung praised it as one of the best songs of the year.
In April 2008, Michels released a new studio album Zuhause ("At home") with 14 new songs recorded at Franz Plasa's home studio. German singer Udo Lindenberg called it a "world class" album while German music magazine Musikexpress claimed the album to be "A dozen songs for eternity". Michels promoted the album with a concert tour, supporting Neil Young in Hamburg in August 2008. He also played with Beth Hart and Joan Armatrading. In 2009, Michels continued his concert and television promoting activities and touring with Young in June on the German leg of his European tour.
On 14 September 2017, Michels died after a long-term disease.[1]
A: You're Looking So Good / Please Be FaithfulB: Drive Me Somewhere (1st Version) / Religion And Love / Death of Mr.G.
A: Do You Still Dig It / B: Ramona from Roma
A: Now I Know You / B: Crazy Enough
A: Bitte Sehr (Wenn die dunklen Wolken…) / B: Unten im Keller
A: Tanz auf dem Vulkan / B: Irgendwas stimmt hier nicht
A: Kleiner Träumer / B: Zukunft der Vergangenheit
A: Dies könnte unsre Heimat sein / B: Keine Probleme
A: Bei Mondschein… / B: Brechen kannst du mich nie
A: Love Letters to the Moon / B: Herzverloren
A: Dancin' on the Edge of Life / B: Lover and Friend
(Charts: #45 D – Media Control)
Lebenslange Reisen / Bring Me Water / Bring Me Water (Acoustic Version)
Bring Me Water / Take Me Back into Your Arms / 100 Beats Per Minute / Bring Me Water (Acoustic Version)
Deal Together
+ Digital remastered, with unreleased bonus-tracks and alternative-versions