Christian Lorenz
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Flake Lorenz (born November 6, 1966 as Christian Lorenz) is a German musician, best known as keyboardist in the German industrial metal band Rammstein.
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Biography
Early Years
His family background is vague. There is thought to have been a brother. As well, there are some rumours of him being adopted into the Lorenz family. He was brought up and still lives in the Prenzlauer Berg area of Berlin, where he still passes his old school building on the way to band rehearsals.
Lorenz learned the piano after being given one for his 15th birthday, and he is consequently a well-educated pianist, though he doesn't consider himself very good. Flake says he chose to play the piano because a childhood friend of his did.
At the age of 16, he apprenticed as a toolmaker, an apparently short-lived career.
Feeling B
Beginning in 1983, at age 17, he began to play in the band Feeling B with Paul Landers. He stayed with the band for about ten years.
Flake squatted/lived in an apartment with Paul during their early years. When they weren't playing gigs, Landers and Flake would sell jackets made from cut-up bed sheets and dusters on the black market. Two jackets a month meant as much money as an average salaried worker. "It was quite easy to make a living; not to work and stay out of trouble," says Landers, "You only got problems if you were caught."
There is a book available about Feeling B. [1] (http://www1.buch24.de/1040-0/3-483562-1.html)[2] (http://www.ostmusik.de/feeling_b.htm)
Rammstein
In 1994, Till Lindemann, Richard Kruspe-Bernstein, Oliver Riedel and Christoph "Doom" Schneider entered and won the Berlin Senate Metro beat contest that allowed them to professionally record a four track demo. Paul Landers formally joined the band, then finally Flake. He was initially reluctant to join his five bandmates and had to be pestered into becoming a member of Rammstein. He thought they would be too boring. Eventually he agreed to join, and the group produced their first album, Herzeleid (Heartache). It's well documented that all the band members had women problems about the time Herzeleid was written, which explains the title of the album. Herzeleid was released in September 1995. Two years later, in August 1997, the band's breakout alblum, Sehnsucht (Longing), was released.
Flake is probably best known for his part in the controversial live performance of the song Bück Dich (Bend Down), where he and vocalist Till Lindemann would engage in simulated sodomy with a water-squirting dildo. On 1999-06-05 in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA) Lindemann and Flake Lorenz were arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior. A statement from Sgt. Thomas Radula of the Worcester Police Department stated that Lindemann was simulating sex with Flake onstage "using a phallic object that shot water over the crowd." They were held and released the following day on $25 bail. After months of legal debate, they were eventually fined $100.
In April 2001, the album Mutter (Mother) was released and a European tour followed, ending on the 13th of July 2002. It has been reported that at this time the members of Rammstein were seriously discussing whether to continue or not in their present form. It was decided that they should all take some time off and then reconsider whether to continue.
In 2003, Rammstein started work on the fourth album, which was to prove a turning point in Rammstein's sound and maturity. September 2004 saw the fruits of this work in the release of Reise Reise. Tour was in November, followed by hugely successful sold out European tour of ten countries lasting four months.
After completing the Ahoi tour in February of 2005, Rammstein is due to play four dates in Berlin, and four in the UK, returning to the Wuhlheide open air arena almost exactly seven years after their sell-out concerts of August 1998. They are scheduled to release a new album, containing new songs and songs remaining from the recording of Reise Reise, in late 2005 or early 2006.
Marriage and Children
Flake has been divorced once and has one child, a girl named Annie. His current marital state is unknown, since there is very little information available about his personal life outside of his musical career.
Personal Characteristics
Physical Appearance
Lorenz is the second tallest in the band, approx. 6'6 "/1.98 m, just under Oliver Riedel, who's 6'8". His weight is approx. 70 kgs/155 lbs. Brown is his natural hair colour, but he has dyed it various times. His eyes are blue.
Beliefs
Flake, an atheist, is opposed to religion. He is quoted to have said, "I disapprove of religions which are made into rigid institutions. I also think that religious fanaticism and missionary work are dangerous."
Flake seems to dislike America and most of American culture. He calls it a "sick nation with no culture"
Likes & Dislikes
He likes the net (but is no longer able to access it from home), Poland, and Polish food. He despises McDonalds.
He likes to listen to Coldplay, Placebo, Johnny Cash, PJ Harvey, System of a Down, Ministry, Prodigy and once remarked that he would've liked to have been the sixth Rolling Stone.
Nicknames
Christian Lorenz commonly goes by the nicknames "Flake" (pronounced as "Flocke" in German) and "Doktor." Doktor came about because at one point he wanted to be a surgeon. As for Flake, the reason he is called this is unknown. He says that people began calling him Flake at a young age and it just stuck.
Other
He's an amateur painter and likes classic cars. He has a Mercedes and is involved in vintage car hire business. [3] (http://www.classicdepot.de/)
Lorenz used to write frequently (and is much missed) in the Fanarea logbook on the official website fanclub, which closed September 2004.
Quotes/Interview
"On Bück Dich"
Interviewer: "So the sodomy act is supposed to be funny?"
Flake: "Ja, but for me it's not so funny," Flake says, giggling. "Nobody does that, except us- that's why we do it."
"On Religion"
"I disapprove of religions which are made into rigid institutions. I also think that religious fanaticism and missionary work are dangerous."
"On communism"
"Communism wasn't so bad. Of course, we're glad the wall fell."
"On music"
"We feel the music and love the music and give the music."
"On Mutter"
“At first, we wanted to produce a much more experimental album with seriously wicked electric punk. After Herzeleid and Sehnsucht, it seemed foolish to us to record a third album that sounded exactly the same. I'm glad that you see the changes because I wouldn't be happy with everybody saying, "Sure, Rammstein, those guys again..."
"On race relations"
"I'm not a racist. I hate everybody."
"On America"
“It's a sick and decadent country with no culture.”
"On his social life "
Interviewer: “Whom out of popular people dead or living would you like to hang out with?”
Flake: “I prefer to be alone.”
"On hobbies"
Interviewer: “How do you spend your leisure time? Do you have any hobbies?”
Flake: “eating, drinking, sleeping....”
"On East German security"
Interviewer: “You're from East Germany. From the end of WWII, the East German security service Stasi had made files from everybody in Germany. What do you think about that?”
Flake: “There has been a file set up about me, which I was allowed to look into for eight weeks. It precisely reported the concerts I've been to and the band's I'd played in.”
"On the song Nebel (from Mutter)"
Nebel is, of course, the most dramatic song on the album and completely new for us. With Nebel musical influences like massive attack are instilled and I must confess that Nebel was my personal favorite. I love a musical challenge and Nebel was one.
"On the recording process"
“It would be a shame if I released a song in my ego phase without knowing the band's reflections... I see myself, among other things, as a diplomat and a helper in this world. What is all important is music for a young person that helps them find the borders between themselves and society and their parents. That is to say, it must simply allow the parents to say 'Oh God, what is that hottentot musik?’ For that I accept hostility, misunderstanding and swipes in my private life. If the parents also find the music good, it's function wouldn’t be fulfilling any more. I am, among other things, for this purpose that children and teens will become adults.”
See Also
External Links
- Official Rammstein Site (German) (http://www.rammstein.de)
- Official Rammstein Site (English) (http://www.rammstein.com)
- Christian Lorenz Pictures (http://www.rammimages.com/galleries/index.php?cat=9)
- IMDB Biography (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0520704/)
References
- [4] (http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Rink/8664/flake_facts.html)
Interview Sources:
- [5] (http://ca.geocities.com/sally_axon/)
- [6] (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bonaria.blackie/)
- [7] (http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/review/album/s1225288.htm)
- [8] (http://verboten.rammimages.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=5)da:Christiaan Flake