Klaus Renft Combo

Klaus Renft Combo
Origin	Leipzig, Germany
Genres	Rock
Years active	1958–1975 and 1990–present
Website	www.renft.de
Members
Christian „Kuno“ Kunert Thomas „Monster“ Schoppe Marcus Schloussen Delle Kriese Gisbert „Pitti“ Piatkowski
Past members
Klaus "Jenni" Renft Heinz Prüfer Peter "Pjotr" Kschentz Peter "Cäsar" Gläser Jochen Hohl Gerulf Pannach

The Klaus Renft Combo is a veteran German rock band, formed in Leipzig, in what was then East Germany, in 1958. Founded by Klaus Renft, the band enjoyed significant success in East Germany until banned by the authorities in 1975. The band was reunited in 1990.

Ban

The group was very successful, but seen by the Stasi as far too radical. In September 1975, Renft were asked to play for the Ministry of Culture in order to have their license (a document necessary for any working musician or musical group) renewed. Klaus Renft decided to conceal a cassette player behind his guitar to record their session. However, the woman in charge of their meeting, Comrade Oelschlägel, informed them that they would not be performing because their music was insulting and libelous, and further told them that they "[didn't] exist anymore." She explained that it was not that they were banned, but that they simply did not exist any longer "as a combo."

Discography

• 1973 Klaus Renft Combo
• 1974 RENFT
• 1980 Rock aus Leipzig Renft-Combo live
• 1990 Renft - Die frühen Jahre
• 1990 RENFT LIVE 1990
• 1993 Renft - Zwischen Liebe und Zorn
• 1994 Das Erbe Renft - Wer die Rose ehrt
• 1996 RENFT die schönsten Balladen
• 1996 renft - live in concert
• 1997 40 Jahre Klaus Renft Combo
• 1999 Als ob nichts gewesen wär
• 2003 Unbequem woll´n wir sein
• 2008 Abschied und Weitergehen
• 2010 RENFT GOES ON Live 2010

External links

• Official website (German)
• article in Italian on Il Sole24 Ore