Fischer-Z

Description

CELEBRATING WITH FISCHER-Z Passionately, politically, purposefully. And above all: artists. John Watts is Fischer-Z. A musical concept and creative vehicle that has experienced many incarnations. In 2026, Watts will celebrate half a century of music with Fischer-Z on stage: The “50th Anniversary Tour” offers a best-of set with highlights from the band's rich repertoire, complemented with current titles. 2026 will be a big year for Fischer-Z. The band was founded 50 years ago by singer, guitarist, and poet John Watts in the English town of Sandhurst. Under his leadership, Fischer-Z became a fixture in the New Wave and Post-Punk scene in the late 70s and early 80s. With classics like “The Worker,” “So Long,” “Marliese,” “Red Skies Over Paradise,” and “Room Service,” the band has left a lasting impact on multiple generations of music lovers. Fischer-Z was successful across Europe and sold more than two million albums. They recorded with Peter Gabriel, Steve Cropper, and Dexys Midnight Runners. They performed alongside James Brown in East Berlin and toured with The Police and Dire Straits. They also accompanied Bob Marley on his last festival tour through Europe and performed in the USA and Canada. In 1982, Watts disbanded Fischer-Z and pursued a solo career. He reactivated the name Fischer-Z in 1987 with a new lineup. John Watts has since released 26 albums and played around 4,000 concerts with his band or as a solo artist. To this day, new material is regularly released. Most recently, in May 2024, “Triptych” was published. The current Fischer-Z studio album marks a return to familiar sounds and themes with new freshness and offers an impressive retrospective of John Watts' life and career so far. Watts, as an ever-evolving artist, has realized that many of his works from the last 50 years of his musical career repeatedly deal with the same driving themes that are still as relevant today as they were 50 years ago: Love, Power, People - and how they interact. At the anniversary shows of the “50th Anniversary Tour” across Europe, Watts and his collaborators will present a best-of set with classics from Fischer-Z's extensive discography. Participants: Fischer Z