Lift (band) explained

Lift
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	Dresden, East Germany
Genre:	Art rock, jazz rock
Years Active:	1973 - present
Label:	Amiga

Lift are a German rock band formed in Dresden in 1973 and remains active at the present day.

History

The group was founded in 1973^[1] following the dissolution of the group Dresden Sextett. Their first concert was given on January 28, 1973. The group underwent a series of lineup changes in its early years; of the group's early members, only Werther Lohse, who joined the group in 1974, is still a member. Their first album was released in 1977; shortly after this, members Henry Pacholski and Gerhard Zachar were killed in a traffic accident while touring in Poland.^[2] Two further LPs were issued in 1979 and 1981, after which time the group fell from fame. Their 1987 album is now something of a rarity.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall they toured the newly reunited Germany, playing often with the groups Electra and Stern-Combo Meißen. They continued to tour and record into the 2000s.

Members

Founding members

• Gerhard Zachar - bass (died 1978)^[2]
• Konrad Burkert - drums
• Jürgen Heinrich - guitar
• Till Patzer - alto saxophone, transverse flute
• Manfred Nytsch - trombone
• Wolfgang Scheffler - keyboards^[3]
• Karl-Matthias Pflugbeil - trumpet
• Bernd Schlund - vocals
• Christiane Ufholz - vocals

Current members

• Werther Lohse - vocals, percussion (since 1974)^[3]
• Bodo Kommnick - guitar, vocals
• Yvonne Fechner - violin, vocals
• Peter Michailow - drums
• Jens Brüssow - bass

Former members

• Stephan Trepte - vocals (1973–75)
• Franz Bartzsch - keyboards, vocals (1973–74)
• Michael Heubach - keyboards (1974–1985)^[4]
• Henry Pacholski - vocals (1975–78; died 1978)^[2]
• Hans Wintoch - violin, keyboards, vocals (1984)

Discography

LPs

• 1976: Lift (Amiga)
• 1979: Meeresfahrt (Amiga)^[5]
• 1981: Spiegelbild (Amiga)
• 1987: Nach Hause (Amiga)

CDs

• 1992: Rock aus Deutschland Ost 6 - Wasser und Wein
• 1994: Spiegelbild / Nach Hause
• 1995: Best of Lift
• 1995: Meine Schulden
• 1996: Die schönsten Balladen
• 1998/2003: LIFT classics
• 1999: Nach Süden
• 1999: Sachsendreier live (with electra and Stern-Combo Meißen)
• 2000: Lift
• 2000: Meeresfahrt
• 2000: Lift Unplugged
• 2003: Classics & unplugged
• 2005: Tagesreise – Best (1976–2003)
• 2007: Sachsendreier live – die Zweite (with electra and Stern-Combo Meißen)
• 2008: Hits & Raritäten (Buschfunk)

DVD

• 2005: Sachsendreier Live (with electra and Stern-Combo Meißen)

Further reading

• Book: Balitzki, Jürgen . 2001 . Geschichten vom Sachsendreier: Lift, electra, Stern Combo Meissen . Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf . 9783896023230.

Notes and References

1. Book: Rauhut, Michael . 2002 . Rock in der DDR: 1964 bis 1989 . Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung . 1972 . 9783893314591.
2. Book: Bergholz, Wilfried . 2016 . Die letzte Fahrt mit dem Fahrrad: 19 Gespräche mit Matteo über Mut, Glück und Aufbegehren in der DDR . tredition . 451 . 9783734525056.
3. Book: Leitner, Olaf . 1983 . Rockszene DDR: Aspekte einer Massenkultur im Sozialismus . Rowohlt . 113 . 9783499176975.
4. Book: Hofmann, Heinz P. . 1983 . Rock: Interpreten, Autoren, Sachbegriffe . Lied der Zeit . 136.
5. Book: Freeman . Steve . Freeman . Alan . 1996 . The crack in the cosmic egg: encyclopedia of Krautrock, Kosmische musik & other progressive, experimental & electronic musics from Germany . Audion . 123 . 9780952950608.