Son Goku (band)

Son Goku
Origin Germany
Genres Deutschrock
Years active 2002–2003[1]
Labels Four Music/EMI
Associated acts Die Fantastischen Vier
Website thomasd.net
Past members Thomas D
Komi Togbonou
Bertil Mark
Axel Hilgenstöhler
Jochen "Beat Down" Hornung
Paul J Greco

Son Goku was a German rock band. The music was a mix of hardcore punk, alternative, reggae and electronic sounds.[2] The band was named after the Son Goku character in the Dragon Ball series. Son Goku's first and only album, Crashkurs (English: Crash course), was released in 2002 and reached a peak position of 15 on the Media Control Charts.[3] Son Goku has since disbanded due to "dissension" amongst the members.[4]

History

Origins

Son Goku was a side project of Thomas D, of Die Fantastischen Vier fame. The band originated from the M.A.R.S. (Moderne Anstalt Rigoroser Spakker, or Modern Institute of Adamant Spakkers), a commune of artists and musicians founded by Thomas D in 1998.[2] Thomas D named the band after Son Goku, the protagonist of the Dragon Ball series (an animated Japanese anime series), as the character embodied the band's philosophy; Thomas D stated he was "fascinated by Goku's naïveté and cheerfulness, yet, at the same time, a great warrior saving the world".[5]

Music

Son Goku was formed with the "desire for a new form of expression and a fresh sound",[6] resulting in a mix of hardcore punk, alternative, reggae and electronic sounds. Established band members and access to their own recording studio at the M.A.R.S. commune allowed for experimentation with the genres.[6]

Son Goku's only single, Alle für Jeden, was released on June 17, 2002,[6] followed by the album Crashkurs on July 29, 2002. Son Goku disbanded on or before January 1, 2003,[1] due to "dissension" amongst the members.[4]

Band members

Thomas D

Thomas D

Main article: Thomas D

Thomas D is best known as a member of the German hip hop band Die Fantastischen Vier. Thomas D had also undertaken previous solo projects. Son Goku was the first in which he did not rap.[6] Thomas D founded Son Goku with Bertil Mark and provided vocals and lyrics for the band.[5]

Komi Togbonou

Komi Togbonou had played in the band Gajanaut and provided vocals and played digeridoo for Nina Hagen, Die Fantastischen Vier und Thomas D in both studio and concert settings. Togbonou provided vocals and lyrics for Son Goku.

Bertil Mark

Bertil Mark was born in 1976 and had his first performance experience in a youth theater production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Mark had worked with other German bands including, among others, 5 Sterne Deluxe and Fettes Brot. Since 1999, Mark had been producing for his own studio, Haus Erika Productions, and for the M.A.R.S. commune. Mark was Son Goku’s drummer and producer.

Axel Hilgenstöhler

Axel Hilgenstöhler was the guitarist of "Thumb" for 7 years and was involved in production and songwriting for Clueso, MC Lenny, Ferris MC, Tyree Cooper, Tyrone Rickets, Virginia Nasiamento and Africa Islam. Hilgenstöhler had also toured with bands such as Henry Rollins, The Prodigy, Foo Fighters and Bad Religion. Hilgenstöhler was a guitarist and producer for Son Goku

Jochen Hornung

Since 1999, Jochen Hornung has been a guitarist in several hardcore bands, most notably "Beat Down". Hornung has also been a columnist for Zap Magazine, a concert presenter and run his own record label. Hornung met Thomas D through his work with Die Fantastischen Vier.[6]

Paul J Greco

Born in 1966, Paul Greco toured worldwide as part of Chumbawamba from 1992 to 1999. Since 2000, Greco had been doing studio work in Germany with Clueso, Arj Snoek and Klaus Cornfield. Greco was the bassist for Son Goku.[6]

Discography

Crashkurs
Studio album
Released July 29, 2002[7]
Genre Deutschrock
Length 58:00
Label Four Music[7]
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
*Laut.de [8]

Crashkurs

Crashkurs (Crash Course) is Son Goku's first and only studio album. The album took six months to prepare and, of the approximately 16 to 18 songs written, 14 were chosen.[9] The album peaked at number 15 on the Media Control Charts (official German music charts) and 35 on Austrian charts.[3][10]

Track Length German Title English Translation
1. 4:43 An Alle To all
2. 3:38 Crashkurs Crash course
3. 3:52 Gebet Dank Give thanks
4. 2:40 Alle Für Jeden Everyone for all
5. 3:47 OM OM
6. 4:03 Hier Sind Wir Sind Hier Here are we are here
7. 3:51 Tut Mir Leid Sorry
8. 4:31 Ist Das Dein Leben? Is this your life?
9. 4:34 Wessen Schicksal Whose fate
10. 3:51 Sofort Aufhören Stop immediately
11. 4:05 Leicht Easy
12. 3:35 Läutet Alle Glocken Sound all [the] bells
13. 2:57 Wann Willst Du Leben Wenn Nicht Jetzt? When do you want to live, if not now?
14. 7:53 Space Space

Alle für Jeden

Alle Für Jeden (Everyone for all) is Son Goku's first and only single. The single peaked at number 86 on the Media Control Charts.[11]

Track Length German Title English Translation
1. 2:41 Alle für jeden (Original Mix) Everyone for all (Original Mix)
2. 3:50 Party für jeden (Hotel Sp. Mix) Party for all (Hotel Sp. Mix)
3. 4:23 Alle für jeden (DJ Friction RMX) Everyone for all (DJ Friction RMX)
4. 2:40 Alle für jeden (Instrumental) Everyone for all (Instrumental)

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Songoku.net. "Diary" (in German). Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Laut.de. "Biografie" (in German). Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 ThomasD.net. "Crashkurs" (in German). Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 FantaVier.net. "Son Goku" (in German). Archived from the original on 2008-02-03. Retrieved 2008-01-14. Leider war das Bandgefüge nicht von Dauer und so haben sich Son Goku, laut Thomas' Aussage wegen Uneinigkeiten, bereits wieder getrennt.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Munichx.de:. "Thomas D. und Bertil Mark im Interview" (in German). Retrieved 2008-01-14. so fasziniert, aufgrund seiner Naivität und Frohsinns und gleichzeitig wurde er zum großen Kämpfer und rettet die Welt.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Four Music Productions GmbH. "Son Goku" (in German). Retrieved 2008-01-13. Am Anfang war der Wunsch nach einer neuen Ausdrucksform und einem frischen Sound.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Discogs. "Son Goku - Crashkurs". Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  8. ↑ Laut.de review
  9. ↑ Neff, Karen. "Rockend Welten retten: "Son Goku" – Thomas D." (in German). Universal: Die Zeitung Der Studierenden Der Uni Paderborn. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  10. ↑ SwissCharts.com. "Son Goku - Crashkurs (Album)". Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  11. ↑ ThomasD.net. "Alle für Jeden" (in German). Retrieved 2008-01-20.