Hans Söllner

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hans Söllner

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Img_capt = Hans Söllner in Marburg, April 24 2005
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Johann Michael Söllner
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Born = Birth date and age|1955|12|24|mf=y
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Origin = Bad Reichenhall, Germany
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Genre = Reggae
Folk
Occupation = singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1980–present
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Johann Michael Söllner (born December 24 1955), better known as Hans Söllner, is a German singer-songwriter. Throughout German-speaking countries, especially in Germany and Austria, he is famous for publicly criticizing the German government and political systems in general to a vast extent. While Söllner sings in Bavarian dialect his music can be considered as Reggae, creating an extremely exceptional contrast. His lyrics are like stories, as they mainly deal with being in conflict with the law and everyday life problems.

Hans Söllner has been accused of character assassination and possession of small amounts of cannabis. By 2001 he was fined more than 150,000 Euros in total and is still sued regularly.

Biography

Söllner was born on December 24, 1955, to Johann and Therese Söllner in Bad Reichenhall. At the age of three he attended a Catholic kindergarten in Bad Reichenhall, Sankt Zeno. From 1961 through 1964, he went to the secondary modern school in Marzoll. In his youth he was a member of the Trachtenverein Marzoll, but later was expelled because of his long hair.

The completion of an apprenticeship as a cook at the age of eighteen was followed by a year of unemployment, until he had to attend mandatory military service. After three months of basic training he skipped to community service in Weilheim. Then he moved to Munich and, again, was unemployed for two years. His first song "Endlich eine Arbeit" ("Finally, a job") emerged from these two years. Later he completed another apprenticeship as a car mechanic. Within three years, he taught himself to play the guitar and wrote the songs for his debut album.

Another three years went by until he was able to release his first LP "Nachdenkliches zum Schmunzeln" because he had ranked first at a singing competition in Traunstein.

In the 1990s, he founded the Reggae group Bayerman Vibration along with other jobless musicians. At the same time he recorded solo projects, such as his most famous albums "Hey Staat" (1989) and "Der Charlie" (1992).

In August 1993, he resigned from the Roman Catholic Church and decided to become a Rastafarian, as well as being a vegetarian and pacifist.

In 1998, he got to know the Austrian Reggae group The Buccaneers and started to tour with them. By 2000 they changed their name to Bayaman`Sissdem; two years later, they also had some member changes.

Söllner took a one year break in 1999, primarily to mark the end of his career. However he returned to making music in 2000.

In 2004 Söllner published his first book "Bloß a Gschicht" ("Just a Story").

Discography

Albums

* 1982 - Endlich eine Arbeit - Nachdenkliches zum Schmunzeln ("Finally, a Job - Someting Worth Thinking About")
* 1986 - Für Marianne und Ludwig ("For Marianne and Ludwig")
* 1987 - Wos reimt se scho auf Nicki ...
* 1989 - Hey Staat! ("Administration, I Love You")
* 1990 - Bayerman Vibration
* 1991 - Live mit Bayerman Vibration
* 1992 - ...Ungehörtes und Unerhörtes ("Things Unheard and Unbeheard")
* 1992 - ...Unerhörtes ("Things Unheard")
* 1992 - ...Der Charlie
* 1993 - Fang ma do o wo ma neilich aufg`heat ham ("Let Us Start Where We Just Ended")
* 1994 - Endlich eine Arbeit - Die Erste neu aufgenommen ("Finally, A Job: My First One re-recorded")
* 1995 - Grea Göib Roud ("Green Yellow Red")
* 1997 - A jeda ("Everyone")
* 1998 - Endlich eine Arbeit (Re-recording)
* 1998 - Für Marianne und Ludwig (Re-recording)
* 1998 - Wos reimt se scho auf Nicki ... (Re-recording)
* 2000 - 241255
* 2001 - Babylon - with Bayaman`Sissdem
* 2004 - Oiwei I - with Bayaman`Sissdem ("Always Me...")
* 2005 - Live im Regen - with Bayaman`Sissdem
* 2007 - Viet Nam - with Bayaman`Sissdem

= Singles =

* 1984 - Mei Vadda hat an Marihuanabaum ... ("My Daddy Grows a Marijuana Tree ...")
* 1986 - Söllner »Spezial«
* 1988 - ˝... sogar der Wind liagt˝ ("Even the Wind is Lying")
* 1990 - Bayerman Vibration

DVDs

* 2004 - Wer bloss lacht, is ned frei! ("You're not Free if You're just Laughing")
* 2004 - Der bayerische Rebell ("A Bavarian Rebel")
* 2005 - Live im Regen - with Bayaman`Sissdem

Literature

* 2004 - Bloß a Gschicht ("Just a Story")
* 2006 - Bilderbuch ("A Picture Book")

External links

* [http://www.soellner-hans.de Official Site]
* [http://www.hanssoellner.at Austrian Fansite]