Kristoff Schreuf is dead. The musician and author died on Wednesday (November 9th) in Berlin.
From 1988 to 1991, Schreuf, who was born in Frankfurt on May 1, 1963, was part of the Hamburg indie band Kolossale Jugend as a singer and lyricist and thus a pioneer of the so-called Hamburg School, which later produced bands such as Blumfeld, Die Sterne and Tocotronic.
The news of his death was spread among others in the “taz” and “junge world”, for which he has repeatedly worked as a journalist since the 1990s. the “taz” wrote about him, among other things: “Kristof Schreuf’s singing had infinite fun with the noise, was almost a whirring, a siren-like insistence and quite angry adjustments. Like everyone else, he was Anglo-American socialized and tried to clarify the liberating aspects of rock ‘n’ roll – despite all the lies and myths – for himself, so he sang in German: “Morning hour/Lautlos reichen”; “My, my/Say again/Not exactly and clear at the end”, “The lyrics are my party”.”
the “Young World” wrote: “His enthusiasm was contagious. Whenever Kristof Schreuf called, you could tell through the receiver how passionate he was about his particular concern. One could hardly resist this joy, but it was paired with a special sensitivity that betrayed the artist. Naturally, it was mostly about pop music.”
The label and booking agency Buback have commented extensively on Schreuf and his death via Instagram:
Tocotronic have via Facebook said farewell to Schreuf and describe him as “a role model and a heartily uncomfortable companion. […] His enthusiasm was contagious and sometimes there was a curtain sermon. He was somehow always there and never stopped making noise until the very end. Let there be Rock, dear Kristof, wherever you are now.”
Thorsten Nagelschmidt, author and singer and guitarist of Muff Potter, remembers Facebook and Instagram as follows: “I told him about the upcoming Muff Potter reunion and about my occasional doubts that it would be so cool, a band reunion. Kristof grabbed my shoulders and said, “Nail! You have to do this! you are a band! Bands are the greatest thing, not everyone has that!” He told me about past fights in his bands BRÜRLEN and KOLOSSALE JUGEND, and how he still appreciated every moment to have found these people with whom he plays loud rock music can. People came and warned us that we were too loud, the event was already underway, but I just thought: Yes man! Thanks”. Nagelschmidt describes Schreuf as “strong opinions, melodramatic, sensitive, alert, interested and incredibly warm. He was a great musician and lyricist. Above all, he was incorruptible. He was a giant.”