2023-05-18 11:03:00
“That’s a question we won’t even start with,” says Wolfgang Ambros and laughs. What’s going on? wanted to know how long the two legends have known each other white”, says Gert Steinbäcker – just as amused. The fact that the smear runs between and with the veterans of music in red-white-red (more to the right) can be felt immediately.
When they open the “Klassik am Dom” series on July 13, they share the stage as brothers, each playing a set. It might easily be that they perform a song or two together. Which one is still in the stars, under which the open-air series will take place in front of a large, sacred backdrop (more below).
“Are you going to put up with that?”
To communicate there, “then it certainly doesn’t take long. Because we know each other very well, we can keep any discussions to a minimum,” says Ambros. The “forefather” of Austropop is 71 years old, the STS veteran Steinbäcker is 70.
The PR documents read that the gig in Linz might be “one of the last chances to experience the two legends live”. Doesn’t that almost sound like an obituary? “You never know exactly at our age,” says Steinbäcker, audibly amused. Ambros: “Okay, but who writes something like that anyway?” “These days people like that kind of thing,” Steinbäcker says calmly. Ambros: “But do you put up with that?” Steinbäcker: “I don’t take things like that seriously anymore.”
But it wasn’t meant that way, counters Ambros. “We have to at least look like we’re upset.” They laugh in duet. But how do they feel regarding the thought that their spirit might crumble? Are you afraid? Ambros: “I’m not afraid at all. So I’m rather curious as to how it will be then.”
Steinbäcker: “You might even scale other heights. Of course there are forms of drifting that are anything but funny, I would like to be spared that. Also, I don’t think it’s appropriate to keep talking regarding retiring at 70. I think that’s pretty stupid.” As for death, “I don’t have the time to really think regarding it,” says Ambros. “I’m thinking regarding how I’m going to get over the next year. But not because I expect to die, but because I’m concerned regarding how everything I plan to do will turn out.”
Ambros is a father of three and a proud grandfather of “two sweet girls”, Steinbäcker has remained childless. “But I don’t argue with that: every path that arises can be a good one.” Ambros agrees: “As it is, that’s how it is.” You have to play with the cards that life gives you. And one thing has to be clear: In hindsight, you can’t change anything big.
But society can grow? “I found a letter from my staid neighborhood,” says Steinbäcker, “in my mailbox: Dear neighbors, we’re celebrating our daughter’s wedding with her long-term friend.” The duo think it’s “completely cool”. “In Tyrol, where I live,” says Ambros, “I can’t imagine that one hundred percent.” Steinbäcker: “We just need a little more.”
Although the motorcycle fan does not have a good feeling when he “looks at all the strange situations” in which the world has slid. “But you should always look for the positive aspects that keep you happy. And history has always proven that every generation has come up with solutions to its problems.” Steinbäcker doesn’t want to split things up, he doesn’t know himself what that might be. “But I’m convinced it will work.”
“Till I Drop Dead”
What he doesn’t envy to young musicians in “today’s flip-flop era” (meaning TikTok, note) is the “all-important digital speed”. You have to get to the audience much faster. With STS, the record company would have told them 35, 40 years ago that the band would have three long players in a while “to prove that it’s worth investing in you”. A young musician might only shake his head at that, “they might be given half a year these days”. Ambros was given almost ten years to make a name for himself.
A stress that both want to say goodbye to is that of the tightly scheduled tours. The past year was tough for Ambros, in which his 70s and 50th stage anniversary coincided. There was so much going on “that sometimes I didn’t really know my way around anymore, but I did it. But to play 16 gigs in a month, practically every other day – the madness has to stop.” Music and gigs that are interesting “I’ll do until I drop dead,” says Steinbäcker. Ambros agrees.
Ambros
With the dialect number “Da Hofa” (lyrics: Joesi Prokopetz), Wolfgang Ambros (71) brought Austria towards pop/rock.
His most striking hits include “Long live the Central Cemetery”, “Zwickt’s mi”, “Baba und foi ned” and “Du Schwarzen Afghane”. With “Schifoan” (1976) he gave alpine sports a kind of national anthem. With Georg Danzer and Rainhard Fendrich he continued to write music history as “Austria 3”. A fatal accident he caused, illnesses and family ups and downs shaped the Lower Austrian privately.
Steinbäcker
Anyone who hears “grandfather” or “And someday i’ll stay there” has the voice of Gert Steinbäcker (70) in their ears, the first “S” of the band “STS” (1975-2014). As a singer-songwriter and musician, the Austropop pioneer from Graz has released seven solo albums. Steinbäcker has also been living in Greece for 30 years.
“Classic at the Cathedral”: top-class performances in rows
- With her great voice Norah Jones on July 18th in front of the Linz Mariendom at “Klassik am Dom” and deny the opening, this show is already sold out.
- Eros Ramazzotti makes a stop with us on July 28th on his “Battito Infinito World Tour”. “It will be an opportunity to have a few hours of fun, dancing and singing together. In addition to the songs from my album ‘Battito Infinito’, you can hear all of my fans’ favorite songs,” the Italian told OÖN.
- world star Placido Domingo then makes a guest appearance on July 26th at “Klassik am Dom”. Armenian soprano Juliana Grigoryan will sing alongside him. You can hear opera classics (from “Macbeth”, “La Traviata”) and operetta highlights (“Yours is my whole heart”, “Lips are silent”).
- Stargeiger shows himself from a different angle David Garrett on August 4th, who reinterprets gems by legendary violinists with his new project ICONIC. Music by Bach, Dvorák, Gluck, Mendelssohn and Schumann, among others, can be heard in new arrangements for violin, guitar and orchestra.
- “Classic at the Cathedral” for children is also available on July 15th “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Harry Potter” and the Salzburg Philharmonic.
Infos:
klassikamdom.at
Discounts for OÖNcard holders
Tickets: nachrichten.at/tickets
author
Nora Bruckmuller
Editor Culture
Nora Bruckmuller
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