Ryker’s haben eine neue Single mit dem Titel Survive The Survivors vorgelegt, die ihr euch am Beitragsende anhören könnt.
Bassist Chris zu den Song:
In 1993, we embarked on our first European tour with Detroit’s finest, PITTBULL, and a year later, in ’94, we hit the road again with NYC’s hardcore outfit SFA. Joining our crew was Kai Uwe—a one-of-a-kind character and the former drummer of a band called The Maniacs.
Known affectionately as the man who caught the golden condom, Kai Uwe came along as our drum tech, roadie, tour manager—whatever you wanted to call him—but above all, he was our friend and mentor.
He taught us how to survive life on the road: how to turn 5 Deutschmarks into a decent breakfast, how to dismantle a scooter with nothing but a screwdriver, how to locate a fortress-like squat somewhere in Milan—without a cell phone. He could transform last night’s stage into tonight’s bedroom, and if you suddenly felt the urge for a piercing, he was your guy—an eraser and a safety pin were all he needed.
More than anything, Kai Uwe was humble, hilarious, and full of life. His laughter still echoes in our memories, and we miss it deeply.
As I write these words, countless images flash through my mind. Those were innocent times.
During the strange quiet of the Corona years, I visited a small cemetery in a tiny village in northern Hessen, Germany, to finally pay him a long-overdue visit. A modest tombstone, his name engraved beneath a snare drum—that’s all that remains, aside from the memories we carry. It was a stark reminder: make the most of your time. It’s limited.
Let’s rewind to the mid-’80s. Growing up near the East German border during the Cold War, if you were into loud, wild music, you had to have heard of The Maniacs. They looked outrageous, sounded ferocious, and were—at least to us—Germany’s answer to GBH.
For years, I’ve carried the idea of paying tribute to that band, and especially to our friend Kai Uwe. This record feels like the right moment, and the right way, to do it.
Old friend—we miss you. I wish you could’ve been on this journey with us for a lot longer.
And while I’m in this reflective mood, I want to mention another person who meant just as much to us: Eric Woskowiak. To both of you—know that you’re always in our thoughts, and that one day, I hope we’ll meet again. Just give me a little more time.
So that’s the story behind this song. I hope you enjoy it.
We raise our glasses to the fallen and salute the survivors.
Die Band legte 2022 mit Ours Was A Noble Cause ihr bislang letztes Album vor, das über BDHW Records erschienen ist.
Auf dem Nachfolger von The Beginning… Doesn’t Know The End (2019) ist wieder Kid-D am Mic zu hören, der 2021, nach seinem vorherigem Ausstieg, wieder zur Band zurückgekehrt ist. Das Rykers-Gründungsmitglied hatte zuvor eine sechsjährige Pause beim Hardcore-Urgestein aus Kassel eingelegt.
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