What was Falco’s real name?
When did his career begin and how did it end?
Where is he buried?
With which No. 1 hit did he make it into the US charts?
What remains of one of Austria’s greatest musicians?
On February 19, 1957 , a certain Johann “Hans” Hölzl was born in Vienna. He lived at Ziegelofengasse 37 from 1974 to 1982, where a plaque commemorates his former place of residence . The “Altes Fassl” restaurant, where Falco was often a guest, is also located at this address.
His first world hit “Der Kommissar” was therefore written in Ziegelofengasse.
He grew up as an only child in modest circumstances in the working-class district of Margarethen .
He was actually a triplet, but unfortunately the two other fetuses only lived until the third month of pregnancy.
His musical talent and good hearing were recognizable early on. The separation of his parents led to a close relationship with his mother, Maria Hölzl . Falco attended the Piaristengymnasium and transferred to the Rainergymnasium in Margarethen, but left school early.
He also dropped out of the apprenticeship as an office clerk that his mother wanted.
Interestingly, studying music at the music academy was not for him either.
He was certainly not the type of “conformist” student and had had enough after one semester. His motto in life was to become a “real musician” .
At the age of 17, he volunteered for military service in the army and began playing bass in the rock band “Dradhiwaberl”, whose founder was Stefan Weber .
He changed his stage name to Falco in 1978 . He was inspired by the German GDR ski jumper Falko Weißpflog . He founded his own band “Spinning Wheel” at the same time . His song “Ganz Wien” was boycotted by the radio because it dealt too much with Vienna’s drug scene . However, this song helped him get his first record deal . The breakthrough came with the catchy tune “Der Kommissar” in the Fall 1981.
Suddenly Falco was known throughout Europe and even as far as Canada and the USA . And with lyrics in German, the first rap song by a white man! A productive time began with music videos for his Singles.
A fruitful collaboration was created with DoRo Production (Hannes Rossacher and Rudi Dolezal.
The first album Einzelhaft reached the top of the Austrian charts and became a worldwide hit. The second album “Junge Römer” followed in 1984, which was less successful .
He switched to the Dutch producer brothers Bolland and produced album no. 3 with the biggest worldwide known hit – “Rock me Amadeus” . His success was now unstoppable and he made his international breakthrough from 1985-87, with the song spending three weeks at No. 1 in the US charts in March 1986 . No German-language song had ever achieved this before. Falco became an international superstar , which at the same time put him under great pressure to succeed.
Songs from this album were “Vienna Calling” and the controversial song “Jeanny”. The video for Jeanny was thought to glorify an act of violence, but the song was nevertheless successful. After the fourth album “Emotional” , Falco went on World tour.
Homesickness plagued him more than the allure of going to America . He once said in an interview “I would often have had the opportunity to go to America.
I didn’t, because the best thing about the American flag is the red, white and red stripes.
In 1988 , he produced the album “Wiener Blut” , which was unable to match his earlier successes.
The album ” Data de Groove” in 1990 also achieved only moderate fame.
A comeback was in the offing from 1992 to 1994.
With the album “Night Flight” and the single “Titanic” he was successful again in Austria.
In 1993, he played in front of 150,000 fans at the legendarily rainy Donauinselfest.
Another unexpected hit followed in 1995 with the song “Mother the man with the coke is here”, which, adapted to the times, went in the direction of techno . Drugs, especially cocaine, were a major theme throughout his life.
Alcohol and private problems were always present.
He was only married once, briefly, after his girlfriend gave birth to his daughter. Later, a paternity test revealed that he was not the real father. “Out of the Dark” was one of his last songs.
The refrain “Do I have to die in order toto live?” possibly foreshadows something bad. On February 6, 1998, Falco died under mysterious circumstances in a car accident near Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic . The Caribbean island had become his adopted home. Large quantities of alcohol and drugs were found in his blood.
He was transferred to Austria and given an honorary grave at Vienna’s Central Cemetery . His mother Maria was later buried next to him.
The grave has become an international pilgrimage site.
A few weeks after his death, the album “Out of the Dark (Into the Light”) was released and quickly became a huge success.
Further albums were released posthumously, such as “Damn it, we’re still alive”. His life was made into a movie – in 2008 the movie “Falco – Damn it, we’re still alive” with the Austrian musician Manuel Rubey in the leading role.
There is also a Falco musical of its own. With his so-called “Wiener Schmäh” (Viennese humor) , he has conquered the whole world like no other before him. The Falcostiege and Falcogasse in Vienna were named after the pop star.
A statue of Falco was erected in the Lower Austrian spa town of Gars am Kamp . Time Travel Tip: The “Altes Fassl” restaurant in Ziegelofengasse, where Falco once lived, is a great place to dine. The Alt-Wiener Backfleisch or the classic original– Viennese veal schnitzel taste excellent there.
You can also commemorate Falco there! Image sources: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wien_-_Falco-Graffiti_von_Lush_Sux.JPG?uselang=de
