As of: January 26, 2024, 5:49 p.m
By: Nicole Kalenda
Comments
Press
Split
Rehearsed the three new songs for the concert on February 24th in Planegg for the first time on Thursday: the Living Tones (from left) Dieter Winter, Marcus Schmitt, Ulli Schubert, Ursula Oswald and Andreas Urich.
© Dagmar Rutt
Markus Schmitt has been making music since he was 13.
The breakthrough hasn't happened, but the prices haven't.
Now the Kraillinger and his band Living Tones have been awarded best pop band at the 41st German Rock & Pop Prize for the album “Empathy”.
Krailling
– Markus Schmitt distinguishes between Markus with a K and Marcus with a C. As Markus, the 65-year-old has headed the “Music Institute Schmitt” on Kraillinger Dahlienstrasse since 1999.
Under his stage name Marcus, he and his band Living Tones and the album “Empathy”, released in 2023, won the “German Pop Prize” as best pop band at the 41st German Rock & Pop Prize in Siegen in mid-December.
The event took place in the Siegerlandhalle – without the Living Tones.
“I would have rented a car,” says Schmitt, but the majority of the band wasn’t interested.
“Maybe producers would have been there.” Schmitt only found out about the success when he received the certificate in the mail, which he has now framed.
“It’s just a price,” says Schmitt.
“I hope that this will increase awareness and bring in more performances.”
Deep lyrics
According to the jury, the profound song lyrics were decisive for the award.
They reflect society's relationship to today's reality and are in symbiosis with the complex musical genres.
In addition, Living Tones' fusion pop-rock repertoire extends beyond the rock and pop genres with jazzy elements, a soulful voice and some funk and Latin grooves.
Already in 2021, “That's Gonna Be Empathy,” a song from the album that was in progress at the time, was named best German pop song.
At that time it was still with Gudrun Zajicek as singer and violinist Alexander Sabo.
The two got out at the end of 2022.
Ursula Oswald took over the singing part.
Schmitt was also joined by saxophonist and flautist Dieter Winter, drummer Ulli Schubert and bassist Andreas Urich.
Schmitt wrote the music for saxophone and flute, then everything was re-recorded and the album was recorded in a studio in Unterschleißheim.
The bandleader believes that the change in line-up has paid off: “With Ursula I get a lot of compliments on the singing.” The saxophone and flute also fit better “than just the violin”.
He doesn't have a favorite piece.
“I think the overall package is great.
For me it’s important to write lyrics in a philosophical way that are in harmony with the music.”
“Land gigs”
The Living Tones are one of three music projects that Schmitt pursues in addition to guitar and bass lessons.
He founded the band in 2012, the Free Wave Jazz Band was added in 2014 and finally the two-man project Mister Mustard with two acoustic guitars.
Schmitt composes, writes lyrics, provides the rehearsal room in the basement of his house and tries to “land the gigs.
That’s the main work.”
“I am very grateful that I have seven performances with the Living Tones until the summer,” says Schmitt.
Appearances at festivals are still pending.
It is not possible to live on the income.
When the “Release Party” takes place on Saturday, February 24th, from 8 p.m. on the “Mistral” stage in the DJK Würmtal clubhouse, entry is free.
The band receives the donations.
The Living Tones will be presenting the songs from the album live for the first time that evening, as well as two songs from each of the two previous albums and three from the fourth album, which is currently in progress.
Schmitt has had several bands over the past decades.
The Living Tones have a future for him.
“I imagine that we will have a pianist at some point, but they are so rare in Munich.” He speaks of “friendships with the band members” and a “great collaboration.”
Singer Oswald, for example, contributes a piece to the new album.
“She writes great lyrics.”
At the age of 14, Schmitt, still living in Lochham, founded his first band: “Pop Revolution”.
Klaus Paulus, the landlord of the former Kraillingen cult pub Schabernack, who died in 2020 at the age of 61, sat on the drums.
The Ariola label showed interest at the time, but demanded changes to the line-up.
Nothing came of it.
Schmitt: “That was it.” Later, Schmitt, who studied classical guitar in Switzerland, earned extra money as a trained gardener when his income as a musician wasn’t enough.
“Empathy” is only available via streaming services such as Spotify or Apple Music.
CDs no longer sell, says Schmitt.
They are a loss-making business.
And only “well-known artists” earned money from streaming.
A little money comes in from the performances.
Music is a tough business.
But then Schmitt beams again: “When it's going well, it's such an energy.
What could be better for a musician.”