40 years of the music show "Formel Eins"

TV tip - 40 years of the music show "Formel Eins"

Kabel eins is celebrating the anniversary of a cult show this Thursday (8.15 pm). In "40 Years of Formula One", stars such as Matthias Schweighöfer, Thomas Anders, Markus Mörl, Lisa Feller, Nilz Bokelberg and Anastasia Zampounidis throw a party for the 1980s. The hosts are the former "Formel Eins" presenters Peter Illmann, Ingolf Lück and Kai Böcking. The format, launched in 1983 as an ARD program, was later also shown for a while as a retro program on Kabel eins.

Today, "Formel Eins" is considered a milestone in German music television, in which young German TV audiences were able to see artistic music videos by bands and acts such as Grace Jones, Depeche Mode, Madonna and Peter Gabriel week after week for the first time - while MTV was still more of a niche phenomenon in Germany. First Illmann hosted, later Lück, then Böcking. Stefanie Tücking (1962-2018), who died far too young, was also the face of the show for many years.

Peter Illmann still remembers the very first "Formel Eins" show well, as he told the broadcaster Kabel eins in an interview. "The first act was Rainhard Fendrich. And Kajagoogoo got the first prize for the number one - the headlight bulb of a turquoise Isetta, which we took apart bit by bit week by week." The colorful little car from the 1950s gradually became a car wreck.

He was "actually a bit disappointed at first", Illmann recalls. "I had thought to myself: now comes the big TV show with the show steps and me in a nice suit. And it wasn't like that at all. On the contrary!" says Illmann. "The suit was a smudged overall and the backdrop was garbage, in the truest sense of the word. It was only afterwards that I realized that "Formel Eins" deliberately wanted to be different from "Disco" with Ilja Richter, for example." Richter had presented slick disco pop in a tuxedo in the previous decade.

The music on "Formel Eins" was often edgier, which Illmann says gives it a special charm to this day. As a radio presenter on the 80s-heavy station "80s80s", he often gets feedback from young people today: "Then it's actually the music that interests them. They completely rediscover Prince or Peter Gabriel, for example. People whose music has lots of rough edges."

That's not necessarily always the case today. "The music is good too, but if I wanted to say something about Coldplay, I wouldn't know what to say," says Illmann. "It's all become a bit smoother."

For older people, it's also a way of life: "Firstly, you were younger, and secondly, from today's perspective, you think to yourself: oh gosh, not everything was always good back then either, but somehow it was at least understandable and felt easier."

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• TV tips on Tuesday

1. Nilz Bokelberg and Anastasia Zampounidis, both known for their music, will be among the stars celebrating the anniversary of "Formel Eins" on Kabel eins.
2. Peter Illmann, one of the original hosts of "Formel Eins", reminisces about the show's first episode, where Rainhard Fendrich performed and Kajagoogoo won the top prize.
3. In the early 1980s, ARD launched "Formel Eins", a music show that pioneered the airing of music videos by artists like Depeche Mode, Madonna, and Peter Gabriel.
4. MTV was still a niche phenomenon in Germany during this period, but German viewers could watch edgy music on "Formel Eins", hosted first by Peter Illmann, then Ingolf Lück, and later Kai Böcking.
5. The music on "Formel Eins" was often raw and uncensored, as opposed to the polished disco pop presented by Ilja Richter in the previous decade.
6. As a radio presenter on the 80s-heavy station "80s80s", Peter Illmann often encounters young fans who rediscover artists like Prince and Peter Gabriel, drawn to their distinctive sounds.
7. Today, the music on TV shows can sometimes feel too polished, according to Illmann, who finds it harder to comment on acts like Coldplay.
8. Older viewers, however, can still connect to "Formel Eins" as a symbol of their youth, recognizing both its imperfections and charm.
9. The 1980s were an era of change, not only in music but also in television, as shows like "Formel Eins" challenged mainstream broadcasting norms.
10. Depeche Mode, Madonna, and Peter Gabriel were some of the artists who rose to fame during the 1980s, their music and videos resonating with audiences worldwide.
11. Kai Böcking, one of the "Formel Eins" hosts, remembers the show's unique atmosphere and its dedication to promoting music that was different from the mainstream.
12. The anniversary special of "Formel Eins" will not only look back at its 40-year history but also feature contemporary German stars like Matthias Schweighöfer, Thomas Anders, and Markus Mörl.

Source: www.stern.de