Television - Leather Hides and Ancient Paintings: H.P. Baxxer Up Close
A man with hydrogen blonde hair combs his eyebrow. Excited people are waiting for him and calling his name. He has to go on stage in a few seconds - the show is about to begin. He grabs the microphone and calls out to 80,000 fans with a distinctive smoker's voice: "I hope this shit will be over soon" (German: "Ich hoffe, diese Scheiße ist bald vorbei"). This is H.P. Baxxter, frontman of Scooter and a techno legend for many.
However, H.P. Baxxter and his bandmates Sebastian Schilde and Michael Simon are not in a packed arena, but in an empty hall in front of a few camera men and sound technicians. It's a streaming concert, right in the middle of the Corona lockdown. This is a key scene from the doc "FCK 2020 - Two and a Half Years with Scooter", which airs on NDR Television on Saturday at 11:15 pm.
"I thought the whole doc was ruined because we didn't go on stage anymore," H.P. Baxxter told the German Press Agency at the film premiere in winter 2022/2023 at the Hamburg Film Festival. The doc "FCK 2020" tells the story of the music group's success.
With over 30 million records sold and countless awards, the band is one of the most successful German acts. However, Scooter's music, often dismissed as "carnival techno", was not always considered cool. But now, with songs like "Hyper, Hyper" or "How Much is the Fish?", they have achieved cult status - both in Germany and abroad.
Scooter is shown in the film as they release their 20th album despite the pandemic and find ways to perform. "Because of Corona, we had to come up with a completely different production concept. We had originally planned to accompany the Scooter tour," said director Cordula Kablitz-Post.
Kablitz-Post, who had previously made a documentary about the rock band Die Toten Hosen, wanted to give a glimpse behind the scenes. This convinced H.P. Baxxter, who had previously rejected every home story. "I thought, cool, that fits. I had an immediate feeling that it would be good."
The focus of the film is on the frontman, whose real name is Hans Peter Geerdes and grew up in Leer, Niedersachsen. "The cameras are forgotten at some point," said Geerdes.
The TV audience gets an intimate look into the life of the musician. Shown is, for example, how he lives in Hamburg - in his own words like an "English landlord". In the garage stand old timers, on the dark green walls hung ancient paintings, the chairs had golden armrests, and on the floor lay animal hides. "It's like a healing world. When people are funny again, I have a refuge at home."
Filmmaker Kablitz-Post was impressed by the openness of the techno star. "It's something very special when an artist lets you in like that." At the end of the shootings, they had almost 150 hours of material. Shown are also recordings from Geerdes' childhood and youth - the young H.P. Baxxter with longer hair, striking jewelry, and heavy makeup.
However, the film also shows a less idyllic world. Lysann, his girlfriend of five years, is seen separating during the shootings. And even if there are disputes in the band, the camera is there. H.P. Baxxter seems to be a complex character - both on and off camera.
"It was sometimes quite challenging to work together," said Kablitz-Post. It quickly becomes clear: The Ostfriese has clear ideas about his shows. After the performances, for example, tea, cigarettes, ice, and - very importantly - a 0.3-liter glass must be ready.
- Despite the Coronavirus restrictions, Scooter's streaming concert was captured by several camera men and sound technicians in an empty hall.
- In the doc "FCK 2020 - Two and a Half Years with Scooter", Sebastian Schilde and Michael Simon join H.P. Baxxter on stage, but the audience is replaced by cameras.
- H.P. Baxxter mentioned at the film premiere that he initially thought the documentarian's work was ruined due to the lack of a live audience.
- Kablitz-Post, the filmmaker, had an idea to give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Scooter, which convinced Baxxter to participate in the documentary.
- The documentary follows H.P. Baxxter's life, showcasing his apartment in Hamburg, filled with classic cars, old paintings, and animal hides.
- The TV audience gets an intimate look at the personal side of Baxxter, including recordings from his childhood and youth, showcasing his different appearance and style.
- Lysann, his long-term girlfriend, is seen separating during the shootings, adding a less idyllic touch to the film.
- The documentary "FCK 2020 - Two and a Half Years with Scooter" airs on NDR Television on Saturday at 11:15 pm, making the band's story available for German and international media viewers.
