Das Holz

"Die Band mit der obskursten Instrumentierung der Stadt (The band with the most obscure instrumentation in town)" (taz, Berlin). Das Holz, a most charming German pop group on Chrom Records consisting of two violin players (Christian Komorowski, Kati Gramß) and one percussionist/drummer (Hermann Beesten jr.), is now effectively defunct. The band was founded in 1993 by Komorowski, Beesten jr. and Anja Clarissa Gürke (violin) in order to create something seemingly impossible: pop music without guitars. With dry wit, Komorowski told repeatedly that their music benefited from this focussed approach: "je weniger, desto besser (the less, the better)". After three releases which received much acclaim among critics and audience alike, numerous concerts alongside well-known bands such as Deine Lakaien, Inchtabokatables and Element of Crime, Das Holz turned largely inactive around 1999/2000.