Supermax - 30 years on stage

the 1970ies

1977
In its year of inception, Kurt Hauenstein, multi–instrumentalist and forward thinking musician founds SUPERMAX in the city of Frankfurt am Rhein, and he releases his first Album "Don't stop the music". After his first tour through Germany’s biggest concert venues, SUPERMAX changes gear into the club-scene and introduces his exocentric, monotone (aficionados will know…) and smooth sound to a new flair oriented towards the European and American Underground-scene.

1978
The second album "World of today" yields a barn-burner hit after eleven months. SUPERMAX breaks all sales records and becomes "Best selling Artist" of WEA-Records. SUPERMAX receives its first Golden album, including the "Golden Aphax-Tape" award. Over 160 feverish concerts were played in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Belgium and Spain. Born from this album was and still is the ambient disco-hit "Lovemachine", which excels SUPERMAX into galaxies of ephemeral disco heaven. Towards the end of 1978, Kurt Hauenstein leaves the European mainland to seek new inputs in the Caribbean Islands.

1979
The third album "Fly with me", containing the hit "It ain’t easy" is finally the international break-through for SUPERMAX. Kurt Hauenstein flies to Los Angeles, where he returns with two promising new background singers. In Frankfurt’s Hotline-studios he produces and promotes three girls from Surinam and then announces their global project as "BAMBOO". All this followed by concerts all over Europe and the former East Block with a finishing touch crowning a spectacular Sylvester-gala in Tunisia.

the 1980ies

1980
Kurt Hauenstein is changing his theme - getting out of the commercial side of the business and disappearing to some Caribbean roots…. ”Jamaica’s good vibrations - giving me new inspirations”. Back to Frankfurt, back in the studio, and the launch of "Types of Skin", which induces sales to stop at 230.000 copies. The record company declares this adventure as a “flop” Apparently not for commercial use in “our” days, this project became a real cult album. Kurt Hauenstein ignores reactions of industry and press – consequently turning his face to the East. And what a market presents itself…. As the first Western group breaking through the Iron Curtain - touring in Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, CSR and Bulgaria. Following that, SUPERMAX dropped into France, Italy and Greece, to name a few. And then… Jamaica - it’s waiting again! Enough touring for now

1981
SUPERMAX tours as the first mixed-race band through South-Africa and Venda. 21 concerts were played by the band, causing total chaos in the entire surrounding and imminent countryside. Against all warnings and even death threats, Kurt Hauenstein finishes the SUPERMAX tour, which caused him “No entry” status in some countries and consequently they were black-listed by some political organizations. Kurt Hauenstein returns to Europe and releases his fifth album "Meets the Almighty“ . He forms a new group and plays over 30 concerts in the DDR and CSSR.

1982
A time of isolation and silent reflection. Kurt Hauenstein withdraws and builds a first studio with his keyboard player Tommy Schmidt. It’s name: "Nowhere land". Whereof a first production, featuring a new, exciting voice from Surinam – “Glen” - stems from. Following, Kurt Hauenstein writes the script and the music to the accompanying named film "A Planet Called Earth”. (WEA releases the SUPERMAX Collection). In the fall of 1982 Kurt Hauenstein turns his back on Germany and goes to Italy, where he settles down on the island of Ischia… Bella Italia.

1983
A dream comes true, as the first white musician ever, Kurt Hauenstein with his group SUPERMAX receives an invitation to the legendary
“REGGAE SUN SPLASH”
in Montego Bay on the sun-splashed island of Jamaica. When they announced him beside Rita Marley, Third World, Yelloman, Black Uhuru ,Massive Dread and Gregory Isaacs on the last day of the 5-day Reggae-Marathon with the words: " Rastafari, and now we have for you the first band from the old European Continent ever played at Reggae Sun Splash ....... SUPERMAX ", well then Kurt Hauenstein was finally on top of his ideological carrier. SUPERMAX changes over to Ariola records, returns to Frankfurt and releases their sixth album “Electricity“

1984
Kurt Hauenstein produces with his back-vocalist and percussion player Larry London the album "London- Aircraaft”. Of fruition comes said first solo album “A Planet Called Earth”. Besides his own musical reflections, Kurt Hauenstein’s hobbies flowed into the automotive genre, building artistically advanced cars and tricycles, such as only seen in very strange, yet specific places...

1985
SUPERMAX signs on with CBS Records and releases the maxi-single. "Number One in my heart". It follows T.V. shows and concerts all over Europe with Falco. Kurt produces and records new songs for the new Falco-album in Frankfurt’s Europasound-studios.

1986
Kurt Hauenstein returns after 18 years of exile from Vienna, and under the direction of Christian Kolonovits he creates his new masterpiece "Something in my heart". Kurt Hauenstein reforms his beloved and trusted band with new musicians, and behold, SUPERMAX is back on the road again!

1987
Kurt Hauenstein produces with his two daughters Judi And Nicola – the result being “Rubber Dub Dance” as Crazy Coconuts. In August of 1987 Kurt Hauenstein takes flight bound for Los Angeles in order to work with Gipsy Love - keyboard player Peter Wolf joins consequently on his new album. SUPERMAX goes on ’’Tha Big Nightmare Tour’’ through Austria.

1988
Kurt Hauenstein forms his own record company and releases the eighth album "Just before the nightmare". SUPERMAX is as such invited to Belgrade’s annual Song - contest " MISAM " - Festival and performs with Yugoslav (homefront-star) Oliver Mandic on stage. Consequently, many large-scale concerts in East-Europe follow the SUPERMAX doctrine.

1989
Kurt Hauenstein and the SUPERMAX concept returns to the place where it all began in 1977 – Frankfurt - Hotline-studios. For eleven months there is nothing but blood, sweat and pain. The result of which integrates old stalwarts such as Curt Cress, Johann Daansen, Rainer Marz and Brad Howell. Well, with an addition of percussionist Bob Conti (of former Diana Ross ilk) and flamenco guitarist Jose Feliciano – so, where could this go but up? A new sound-scape and a new (old) producer by the name of Peter Hauke creates the sought-after lift to fly again.

the 1990ies

1990
The new album "World of Tomorrow" brings excellent “SUPERMAX” feedback from the market and media channels all over Europe, motivating Kurt Hauenstein to push for new ideas. Concerts follow in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and on the Canaries. This allows the band to take on the road again, until the following stint in Russia turns out to be a complete nightmare – and some…. Here’s SUPERMAX stuck between two borders – just this time it partakes in Europe, of all places. And then there’s the “Wall” – jubilantly disassembled, as only the German Culture can – SUPERMAX is unfortunately stuck between the borders and celebrations. Between Kiev and Tiflis, to be exact. Five tons of equipment, plus mayhem all over the Eastern hemisphere of the so-called Iron Curtain. Two weeks beyond, SUPERMAX arrived as a whole in Vienna – though over and out.

1991
Out of Frankfurt’s Hotline studios comes another new groove: "Tha Max is gonna kick ‘ya" Ladies and gents, SUPERMAX is hosting and serving up “la crème de la crème“.

1992
A new formation, a new outfit, and that’s how the group goes on tour: A new sense of force, resulting in a plethora of gigs, such as “White Night Festival" in Saint Petersburg. Such are the highlights of a successful tour across Europe and the Baltic. Then there’s Piff - Paff - the first total Reggae-Album of SUPERMAX "One & All" .

1993
Kurt Hauenstein is pissed off. (!) In January of 1993 he leaves Europe with his family and moves to the Canary Islands. Are they really all yellow?... The island changes his life completely. Single concerts in Russia are all that follow. Returning immediately to his island. Six months later Kurt opens the Mega-Disco" Supermax – Musicworld" in Puerto Rico Gran Canaries, where he films his new video clip "Shine on me".

1994
Kurt Hauenstein had enough of the business and chose to live life to the max. 12 months of sun, sea and never - ending parties… thus total silence in the house called home, and this in the middle of nowhere………………………………Life is Beautiful

1995
SUPERMAX releases 3 CDs: “Spirits of love”, “Living in a world”, “Magnetic rhythm”. What follows is Kurt Hauenstein goes to Germany. At the "MAC WORLD" in Frankfurt he presents his Virtual-Reality-Project "THE GROOVEMASTEr". As another bonus, from a production heralding from the stables of Vienna comes the Jazz-Virtuoso of Karl Ratzer, featuring Chaka Khan. And not to be sidetracked, the opening of SUPERMAX – Musicworld makes another chalk mark on the board.

1996
SUPERMAX plays at the "Atlantica 96", the biggest World-music festival in Las Palmas. Then in Moscow "Moscow Olympsky-hall", and to boot "Dynamo-Moscow Stadio’’ (large concert halls, to say the least) - then in Samara and Siergev Pasad, the legendary Monastery.

1997
This denotes the 20th anniversary of SUPERMAX. Congratulations and salutations. SUPERMAX presents a new double album, and they start their "20th Anniversary Tour" in Baku- Azerbaijan, followed by many stints, gigs and dog-legs across the European countryside. In Sofia, Kurt Hauenstein opens his record label "Venus Records". In December of the fated year, SUPERMAX finishes the "Double-Decade Anniversary Tour" at Vienna’s P1 with a private concert only for friends under the heading" Vienna stay out, we’re partying "

1998
The island’s getting too small for Kurt. In Sofia, the Project, "YAKU" was born with the Album "Total Immigration" - this in cooperation with the Bulgarian multi-instrumentalist Yavor Roussinov and keyboarder Kosio Stoyanov. Kurt creates a new dimension of World-music mixture, blending traditional and dance-music, featured by the voices of "Cosmic voices of Bulgaria" and the best Folk-Virtuosi of the country. Kurt Hauenstein makes a realization of " The Future is in the East ". Hence, Bulgaria is becoming his second home and with concerts at the Black Sea in Varna and Burgas he moves into the hearts of the whole nation.

1999
A change of scene is necessary… After his co-production with Hamburg’s Hip-Hop Cult-Group "Fuenf Sternedeluxe" and some concerts in Moscow, Kurt Hauenstein says good bye to the Canaries (the Islands, that is). Seven years island life is taxing to the point - even for SUPERMAX, who has fallen into obscurity, though loyal following still abpund. Looking for new creative inspirations on his trip through Europe, the road finally ends up in "Excalibur-City" between the borders of Austria and the Czech Republic. He builds the Concert hall and studio "SMX Terminal 2002". New year’s eve 1999 SUPERMAX opens his new project with a Millenniums-Concert.

the 2000's

2000
In the SMX-Studios in Excalibur-City and Sofia, Kurt Hauenstein searches for new sounds and waves for a new album... As time goes by, he starts to lose more and more of contact to the rest of the world. Solitude is prescribed and solitude is taken.

2001
After two years of work in progress, culminating in December 200!, the new CD is finally released as a well anticipated piece of SUPERMAX – known as "Terminal 2002”. One more time will Kurt Hauenstein find a viewpoint to modern, booty-shaking soundscapes.

2002
SUPERMAX is back on the scene with a new band formation - new instruments and techniques give the group new impulses. Kurt Hauenstein works on many different projects. An anniversary pack of 6 CD's + Booklet and Merchandising.

2003
Kurt Hauenstein moves to Bulgaria and starts the World-Music Project: "YAKU II". And on this knowledge the soundtrack for “The Land Of Flies” is produced.
A substantial tour across Russia brings SUPERMAX from St .Petersburg up to Vladivostok, which inserts the needed shot of adrenalin. With it comes a scene of new and novel virtual instrumentation and a stage performance that will leave all agape.

2004
Here it is… a finishing of the new maxi-single: "Lets send a Message" … a new classic remix of the globally known superhit "LOVEMACHINE" (even incorporated by Snowy Red at an earlier time).
Release of the Biography of SUPERMAX from 1977 -2004.
Concerts in Moscow, Krasnodar, Volgograd, Samara, Ufa, Perm, Ekatarinburg (the place where the last Czar and his family was executed),
After more than 30 years on the road Kurt Hauenstein returns back to Europe and his roots in Vienna.

2005
SUPERMAX signs over to Universal.
New CD remixes and new DVD’s are in the pipeline. A new and live performance is spreading across Europe an Asia under the simple knowledge and understanding of SUPERMAX.
A new project: "Atlantis - das Geheimniss der versunkenen Seele" with Manuel Rigoni and Stefan Tauber - available after autumn 2005.

2006
Kurt meets the Sound-alchemist Taliesin - they create a new SUPERMAX-sound and work on new remixes as well as a brand new show for 2007 – "The 30th Anniversary-tour.”

2007
One more time around the world

"What ever happens in life and what it may bring,
don’t ever loose your dreams and your fantasy..."

Kurt Hauenstein.

I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror. Otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you.