Band
William Lee Self arose to prominence in the 80′s as the frontman of the Conny Plank produced band “Montanablue”. He also can look back on a career full of impressive collaborations with such artists as Blaine L. Reininger (Tuxedomoon), Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) or David Gamble (Method Actors). After a long hibernation he emerged to release a clutch of new recordings; the “SELF” EP in 2011 and in 2012 the critically acclaimed collaboration with longtime colleage and friend Blaine L. Reininger “The Hamburg Sessions” both on the Belgian Stilll/Off label. The band that was initially put together to support “The Hamburg Sessions” has developed a sound on “Wichita” that gives a big nod to Lee’s musical and geographic past as well as having clear influences from the legendary Athens Georgia music scene as well as 70′s New York punk icons like Richard Hell and the Voidoids or Television. Never the less the music sounds fresh and vital; William Lee Self and band deliver a bristlingly electric performance; whether live or on record they are not to be missed…
Members
William Lee Self: Guitar, Vocals
Maja Kim: Bass
Manuel Beutke: Drums
William Lee Self is perhaps known best for his work with his 80′s band “Montanablue” (whose initial releases on WEA were produced by the late great Conny Plank) and for his live work with his friend and colleague Blaine L. Reininger (Tuxedomoon) as well as his work with Micheal Stipe (their Tanzplagen band project).
Manuel Beutke is best known for his work with high energy punk band The Detectors and teaches drumming in Hamburg.
Maja Kim is a female bassist from Hamburg and best known for her work with Alphaville. She also plays in the Lys Lys project, and, among others, with artists like Carsten Pape or Terri Anker. She shares the position with talented young Hungarian Akos Bölcz, who played in a number of Hamburg sould bands before, and Hubert Steiner, who is probably best known as Thees Uhlmann‘s bassist or guitarist/bassist in the Carpetband or his Instruments-project.
Previous Line-Ups
Marc Balance is a multi-Instrumentalist from Hamburg. He was founder of the Sam Ragga Band and band-member of Jan Delay’s band. With him, he was manager of the Eimsbush Entertainment label. In 2012, Marc left the William Lee Self band to focus on his project Brakk. From September 2013 until March 2015, he rejoined the band.
David Mautz has studied filmscoring and drums at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is an accomplished multi instrumentalist and originally joined Lee as his new bassist when Marc left the band in 2012. When Marc rejoined the band in 2012, David became the new drummer until March 2015.
Julius Ramge is an up and coming Hamburg guitarist that also specializes in all types of guitar repair.
Lars Watermann is an established Hamburg session drummer perhaps best known for his work as a member of the Hamburger Band “Junges Glück”. Among others, he played drums for Peter Heppner and Blaine Reininger.
Cord Rehren is best known as the owner of Hamburgs finest vintage record store Slam Records and thereby has been involved for decades in shaping the Hamburg music scene… to paraphrase Ziggy Stardust: …and boy can he play guitar!