Geier Sturzflug

Formed in Bochum, Germany in 1979, Geier Sturzflug  is an alternative rock band closely associated with  the unique German post-punk/new wave genre called Neue Deutsche Welle. They are best known for their hits "Bruttosozialprodukt", "Einsamkeit”, "Besuchen Sie Europa", and "Pure Lust am Leben”. Mixing rock, ska, reggae, and new wave, Geier Sturzflug were successful in their homeland but virtually unknown outside of Germany. The early line-up of the group featured vocalist and guitarist Friedel Geratsch, bassist Werner Borowski, drummer Uwe Kellerhoff, and guitarist Michael Volkmann. Geier Sturzflug released their debut album, Runtergekommen, in 1981, followed by Heiße Zeiten (1982), which featured their best-known single, "Bruttosozialprodukt". Between 1982 and 1986, the Neue Deutsche Welle musical movement was in full swing and was the most commercially successful period of their career. When the genre’s popularity died down, a lot of the bands lost their commercial momentum, including Geier Sturzflug. The group went on hiatus in 1986 and the band members went on to pursue other interests. Members of the group would reform sporadically and released several albums between 1999 and 2021 but never achieved the same amount of success as they had in the early 1980s. However, their musical legacy has been celebrated many time with compilation album and anniversary releases over the years.