Roger Melcher (lead vocals & harmonica)
profession: electrician with own company
start singing and playing harmonica at 16
Influences:
Muddy Waters, Steve Marriott, Dr Feelgood, Lee mc Bee, The Rolling Stones
James Harman, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Duke Ellington
Bands:
1982-1992: Stoker as Vocalist
1998-2001 Five Pack. First band with mastermind Roland Meyer on guitar
The Winklepickers
2001 – 2002 first lineup as a Rhythm ‘n’ Blues band with Roland Meyer, Paul Keltesch (dr) and Michel Mangen (bass guitar)
2002 – 2006: Roland Meyer, Sylvain Schrantz (bass ) Tommy Lehnert (dr)
2006 – 2009: Roland Meyer, Paul Lebrun (bass), Tommy Lehnert
2009– until today: Roland Meyer, Paul Lebrun, Paul Neuen (dr)
Background vocals on cd for nazz nazz, gollo steffen
Gigs as guest harp player for the Sayre Brothers Bluesband, the Little Bluesband, Out of Tune
Equipment:
Harmonicas: Hohner, Silvertone
Amplifiers: Homebrew tube amps 5,15,40 watts, Weber Speakers
Mics: Shure Bullet, JT 30
it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing
Roland Meyer (guitars)
Born in 1963, started to play the guitar at the age of 13.
Bands:
Highliner (1st schoolband)
Driving Force
The secret life of Raufaser
Pause (Wife & Kids & House & …)
2nd Breath:
Out of Tune
Five Pack
Then he got the blues:
The Winklepickers (since 2001)
Equipment:
Keep it simple: Fender & Marshall
Paul Neuen (drums)
Born November 1963, since early days fascinated by the drums, the cool moves from the drummer, the sound, the shiny chrome and the ingenious mechanics (hi-hat pedal!) …
Wanted to start playing drums at the age of 9, but got forced to play bugle/fluegelhorn, … just because there was no need for a drummer in that music school at that time …
- What instrument would you like to play?
- Drums Sir!
- Sorry boy, momentary no need for a drummer in the Marching Band, you’ll play the bugle …
- … ahem … terrific … !
Played bugle for several years in a Marching Band and Big Band but rapidly switched to the drums!
Bands:
Red Rose (1st school band & 1st concert on rockstage 1981)
Just Married (Luxemburg winner 1987 for “Printemps de Bourges” contest)
Robert Stephen Band
Stoker (1st time playing with Winklepickers singer Roger)
Bernie Z (Bernie Zeches, Thierry Kinsch, Sergio Soares)
Blue Swallow (Lyne Kuffer, Petra Lisa Bernard, Jos Seil, Dan Cremmer, Thierry Kinsch)
and since 1991 mainly Nazz Nazz (Thierry Van Werveke, Dan Kries, Fern Clees, Rico Winandy, Ander Thilges, Claude Kiefer, Dan Wagner, Claude Gorjanc) momentary not playing anymore, singer died in January 2009
Winklepickers since 2009
Influences:
The late 60’s early 70’s beginning of Rockmusic :
Beatles (White album), Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Doors, Who, Rory Gallagher, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple
The 70’s Fusion/Rockjazz “phase”
Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, Return to Forever, Al di Meola, Chick Corea, Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, John Mc Laughlin, Passport , …
All time favorites :
AC/DC, Clash, Deep Purple, Motörhead, Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Ray Vaughn,Stevie Wonder, Van Halen, ZZ Top
Equipment :
Kits: Ludwig, Yamaha, DW
Snares: Ludwig! (Supraphonic LM 411 6.5×14”, Bronze LB550 5×14”) sound as delicate as Vivaldi or as strong as a Mack truck
Heads: Toms Evans G2, Snare Remo Ambassador, Bass Remo Powerstroke
Cymbals: Zildjian, Istanbul, Meinl Byzanz
Hardware: DW pedals, Pearl-Yamaha-mix stands
Paul (Low B) Lebrun (bass & vocals)
Born August 1954 started playin’ guitar at the age of 10 and played in garage bands until the age of 17. Started playin’ bass after a short time as he got more and more fascinated by the instrument. After finishing school he got more and more involved in Rock music and had the opportunity to play with the local Rock heroes and to do some studio work as a session player as well as with various bands he played with as a regular bassman and vocalist.
Bands: Candy, Mainline, Luke Haas Gang, Luke Haas and Friends, Midlife Crisis, and most of all the Chis Birch Band, and many others.
Uses old Ampeg SVT amps and fat Hiwatt 200 and 400 valve Heads. Smaller locations get the bottomy Ashdown 500 Klystron sound. All Amps are used with various enclosures, but mostly 8 x 10 Ampeg or a Hiwatt 4 x 10 1 x 15 cabinet.
Basses used: absolute favorite: a custommade 35’ Hot Wire 51 XXL 5 string bass with Pyramid strings.
Other basses used:
Playing the bass is a matter of philosophy!
The older you get, the better you play!