Biografie

(German version here) | 1960 — 2010

1960 Rattles are being founded by Herbert Hildebrandt and Achim Reichel
1962 Rattles win competition of “Best Beat Band “in the famous Beatle’s Star Club in Hamburg
1963 Rattles receive 1 pound per day salary, including food and accomodation during their first tour through England together with The Rolling Stones, everly Brothers and Little Richard. Due to the great success, The Ratlles are invited to the legendary “Cavern Club”, the most popular location after The Beatles in the club’s history 4 TV broadcasts in the Manchester TV channell. Originally, a longer trip through England was planned in order to enter the British charts. After all guitars were stolen out of their transporter, the trip came to an immediate end and they travelled back to Hamburg.
1964 The longest tour of The Rattles through Germany
“Hitparade 64”, together with Manuela and Drafi Deutscher. The Rattles are constantly listed in the charts in Germany
3-month long tour through England
1966 Tour through Germany together with The Beatles
Movie “Hurra die Rattles kommen” filmed with Germany’s beat band No. 1 – the Rattles
1969 Herbert Hildebrandt writes the world hit “The Witch”
1970 “The Witch” achieves second place in British charts, followed by a three weeks tour. In Germany this song achievs no. 4 of the charts and is sold in 23 other countries
1971 “Golden record” – one million records of “The Witch” have been sold
1972 Tour through Europe including Netherlands, Belgium, France and Italy
1986 Reuinification of all former founders of The Rattles by Dicky Tarrach to make new recordings and to enter a new era of The Rattles
1988 The Rattles are back with the new chart hit “Hot Wheels”, also written by Herbert Hildebrandt and followed by 21 TV broadcasts and a successful tour through Germany. The single as well as the album are represented in the German charts of Media Control for 20 weeks
1989 The comeback of the year 1989. The Witch again is listed in the Top 75
1990 Manne Kraski, solo guitarist and singer enters the band. All new songs are produced by Dicky Tarrach and Herbert Hildebrandt from now on.
1991 Loreley Festival (30.000 visitors)
The Rattles perform in front of a total of 800.000 people on different concerts and are being celebrated as “the cult band” throughout Germany
1992 Successful live performance in front of all important media in Germany at the famous “Medientreff” in Dieter Thomas Heck’s castle
1993 New record contract with production of “New Wonderland”
20 TV shows, f.ex. German “Musik liegt in der Luft!”, “ZDF Hitparaden Special”, “Tommi’s Oldie Night”, ...
The new song “Drove all night” is being played in the radio around 140 times per week
1994 World class singer Eggert Johanssen joins The Rattles
1995 Frank Seidel – keyboards and singing, joins the band Several great open aor festivals in formerly Eastern Germany
Four concerts in front of 30.000 people during the highly celebrated event “Bremer 6-Tage- Rennen”
Winner of the “Oldie Parade” of the North German TV channel – before The Beatles
1996 The Rattles write the music of the German Musical “Pico”
Same year about 100 concerts and first tour through England after 30 years
1997 First “Live on tour” record of The Rattles – Premier of the Star Club of the musical Pico, together with the so called CD record and TV broadcast in the “ZDF Sommergarten”
1998 Germany’s important music magazine “Oldie-Markt” elects the song “Still waters run deep” to CD of the month
German TV performance in “Elmi’s witziger TV show”
2000 The Rattles are being elected to the millenium band in Hamburg by the Berlin newspaper “Berliner Morgenpost”
Reproduction of “The Witch”
2001 Premiere of the Musical “The Kiss” and the related record “Kiss”
New recordings in Mallorca
2002 various TV shows, “Sommergarten”, “Peter Kraus Show”
2003 ADAC concert in front of 83.000 visitors on the “Schlossplatz” in Stuttgart, “Legends of Pop Tour SWR 1”, “Leute Heute Radio” and “TV Stuttgart”
2004 German TV ARD “Immer wieder sonntags”, various TV shows
record release “Masterpiece”
2005 “Legends of Pop Tour with German radio station SWR 1, first DVD release of The Rattles, 40th anniversary Beatclub, German TV show “Carmen Nebel”
2006 January: Planning of the new Rattles release “Say yeah” woh´gether with Aviator records Supershow at the German event “6 days in Bremen”
5 shows legends of pop for German radio station SWR 1 in Baden Württemberg
Concert at the public viewing event during the World Championship in Karlsruhe
August start of new recordings “say yeah”
Charity event in Hamburg for 400 people in need
Christmas show Landhaus Walter
After 18 years back at the annual event at th CCH Hambur
2007 The old Rattles are back with all former band members first concert in Hamburg
first concert with Top front mixer Norbert Dembski (Udo Lindenberg)
Start of the biography of “The Rattles”
Presentation of record “say yeah”
“Say yeah” tour through Germany
New Management located in Reutlingen, Germany
Long-term cooperation with Rainer Fritz from Susanna Marketing
2008 German TV show “ “Kult am Sonntag”
Further development of the book “The Rattles”
Concert – “Rock against cancer”
Presentation of the book “The Rattles on the Frankfurt book fair with live concert
2009 Start of record production “Rattles 50”
Performance 2x chart show with Oliver Geissen in German TV show
Concert at city event in Kassel in front of 5000 people with singer Max Mutzke (please see youtube videos)
German Touring Competition DTM – performance in front of 100.000 people
Live at German TV station WDR Köln
Cooperation with German charity organization SOS Kinderdörfer
2010 New Record deal with EDEL Records, Germany
Presentation of record “Rattles 50”
Premier at German TV show “SWR on tour”
“Rattles 50 tour” – anniversary tour through Germany
2011 Rattles 50 tour is continued with 60 shows in Germany and Austria
Live concert broadcasted by Hamburg NDR television
Publication of Rattles live CD
2012 release of new studio cd "Need 2 C You"
participation in numerous TV shows, 65 concerts
Record of new single CD together with Ireen Sheer
new studio CD "Need 2 c you"
2013 Porsche Music Night Stuttgart
16.000 visitors during 2 days. German "BILD" newspaper comments "rock band Rattles rock the arena"
Participation in various large events, christmas Show in Hamburg
Oldie Night Grugahalle Essen