I started writing poetry aged 14 and definitely fell in love with spoken word eight years later, at my first reading, I did with two poet friends of mine in 1978. During the break a young girl came up to me and asked, if she could handcopy one of the poems, I had read during the first set. While looking for the page, I asked her, why she wants to copy it. She held her breath for a second and said "I want to give it to my parents to read it." And as it was a poem about the authoritarian power, parents perform on their children, simply because they are the parents, I was knocked out and blown away. Aged 22 it felt pretty good to realize that my words can be an axe.
It did not take long, until I realized that all my poems are written to be recited. But back then there weren't that many chances, opportunities and venues to do so, in Germany. I worked with musicians, dancers, pantomime, painters, sculpturers and performance artists. So I already had my share and paid my dues when I witnessed my first poetry slam. Miguel Algarin and Bob Holman had invited me to take part in the Deutsch Nuyorican Poetry Festival on Manhattan Island, in November 1995. And before the first poet was done, I knew I would start a slam, when back home again. Because of my love for spoken word, to offer a platform to those, who care about how to "read" their stuff in front of audiences and to have some fun myself. So in September 1996, I became slammaster and mc of one of the first regular poetry slams in Germany.
andré
poet, percussionist & storyteller
