Heinz Ratz, born on July 16, 1968, in Bad Godesberg, Germany, is a German poet, singer-songwriter, actor, and writer. His early life was marked by frequent relocations across multiple countries, including Peru, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Switzerland. After a period of living on the streets and working as a street artist, Ratz began his music career in 1994 by composing and performing his own lyrical texts while teaching himself to play the bass. In 2002, he formed the band Strom & Wasser, with which he performed over 1500 concerts in nearly a decade. The band's music was characterized as a blend of ska, punk, polka, waltz, and rock, often with a cabaret edge. He has also released notable solo albums, including Klabund - Leuchtet ihre Uhr des Nachts? (2006) and Billy the Kid (2013).
