<p>"Speiche", was a cult figure of the blues scene in the East. He played bass with "Diana Show Quartett", coined the legendary blues rock band "Monokel" for many years and later founded "Speiches M.“.</p>
<p>He played among others in the support of "Molly Hatchet", "The Blues Band" u. "Status Quo".</p>
<p>On Sunday, June 19, 2022, many of his companions and friends will be together on stage at the Kesselhaus and play in his honor the concert awaited by bluesmen, customers, fans and music lovers</p>
<p><strong>BYE BYE SPEICHE!</strong></p>
<p>Bernd "Kuhle" Kühnert, BuzzDee Baur, Frank "Gala" Gahler, Bernd " Zuppe" Buchholz, Peter Schmidt, Heinz Glass, Jürgen "Jay" Bailey, Bodi Bodag, Big Joe Stolle, "Lello" Lojewski, Volkmar Große, Hannes Schulze, Ludger Wirsig and others.</p>
<p>BYE BYE SPEICHE</p>
<p>- Obituary by Michael Rauhut from 05/31/2020 -</p>
<p>Spoke said goodbye to musician heaven today at noon surrounded by his loved ones.</p>
<p>When souls wander</p>
<p>Sometimes I fetch the old photos from the attic and step into the time tunnel. The journey is not always easy. I see exuberant faces, long hair with which we fight for inches of freedom, the glass half full, never half empty. How young we were! Inevitably, music resounds. It is the fixed star around which our lives revolve. For many until today. We are the initiates, the children of an imaginary family, for the others this world remains hidden.</p>
<p>Who knows what would have become of me if Monokel had not crossed my path, back then, in the Brandenburg province. – I hitchhike after the band on many weekends, 1981 I'm even at the fifth birthday. It is celebrated on a wintry Sunday afternoon with a concert in the country hotel „Zum Stern“. A typical village hall, where beer is passed over the counter in half-full paper cups. Broiler, red wine and Korn are also on the menu. The tiled stove to the left of the stage doesn't need to be heated. I hardly remember the songs, but I remember the high that makes us fly for a few hours. On the way home we blare beery: „And I write, because I live!“</p>
<p>At some point later, I meet Speiche in person. I want to talk to him about the difficult but formative sixties. Spiche invites me to his apartment and patiently answers all my questions. He does not look back in anger and yet stands by his principles. Spoke's world view seems clear. It is borne of love, the desire for freedom and empathy. His feelings are rooted directly in the core of things, even if he shies away from the big words. He has a wonderful sense of humor that is dry yet never disrespectful. Only those without backbone he calls „mollusks“.</p>
<p>For the scene, Spiche is an integration figure, the indomitable authority, a gentle hero. People like to look up to him, although he has never put himself on a pedestal. His fans love him through all the ups and downs. He's someone you want to be around. When he plucks his bass, all hearts fly to him. He is „our spoke“. Then as now.</p>
<p>I know that a person is not an absolute, but always what you recognize in him. When I think of spoke, I feel warmth. I see him on stage and behind the counter, in his Berlin pub. it's well after midnight, the other guests have long since left. Spoke puts on the record „Black & White Blues“ by Eric Burdon and Jimmy Witherspoon. Jimmy wails „Well, I’m Drifting and I’m Drifting“, then Eric puts in: „Once upon a Time“… The song begins to flow, carrying us gently into another dimension. It doesn't matter what the two are actually singing about. We also hear such a clear message, feel the power of passion and love. When I think of Speiche, I relive this magical moment. I hear him singing along softly, his eyes get a special shine. Probably similar things went through our minds and under our skin at that time.</p>
<p>In July 2019, I meet spoke one last time, at the „Rock and Blues Night“ in Spremberg. He is asked to „Monokel All Star Session“ on stage. Gala finds the right words: You know, our spoke is not doing so well at the moment. All the more we are happy that he is here today. He plays a few songs with us now, maybe he has to sit down in between. spoke remains standing. Upright as ever, proud and yet soft. After the „child's dream“ he is seen off. It is an anxious moment, you can literally hear the hundreds of hearts pounding. No one is ashamed of his tears. And then spoke comes back after all. Monocle shifts up a gear, the crowd dances. „I Ain’t Gonna Work on Maggie’s Farm No More.“ Then the lights go out.</p>
<p>I will always miss spoke, continue to carry him in my heart. Dear spoke, thank you for your music, the many good words, the laughter and serious conversations, your friendship. What would I be without it?</p>
<p>Your Micah, May 31, 2020</p>
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