The band consists of three main singers and performers, who are credited by the band through their individual nicknames. The trio is made up of Sam (real name Sven Budja), Digger (Rüdiger Brans) and Basti (Sebastian Raetzel). The trio have made a huge name for themselves through their hit covers: their cover of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ was a huge hit in, not only their native Germany, but also in Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and even Norway. It managed to chart in all ten countries. Other famous covers the band is well known for include Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’, Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call me Maybe’ and Katy Perry’s ‘Hot n Cold’.
The band’s debut album ‘Strike!’ was released on 15 May 2009 by the music label Warner and went straight to Platinum in several European countries. It peaked at number six in Germany, four in the UK and took the number one spot on the album charts in Belgium, Finland, Norway and Sweden. ‘Strike’ was soon followed by the imaginative follow up album ‘Strike! Back’ on 27 August 2010 and then by three more albums as of 2014. However, none of their subsequent albums have managed to achieve the success of their debut.
It fascinates me to think what a teenager from the 50’s would think of The Baseballs if they saw them today. Sixty years on, a lot of us don’t, or maybe can’t, realize that rockabilly, quiffs and double basses were all part of an edgy counter-culture of the time. To wear your hair up and play that kind of music was to mark you out as mad, bad and dangerous to know, a corrupting influence on a generation of teenagers. Not so much anymore, as the Baseballs themselves easily show, so it must sting for someone to see their rebellion and release turned into some teeny-bop caricature, but for the rest of us it’s quite simply hell of a lot of fun. Sven Budja (nicknamed Sam), Rüdiger Brans (Digger) and Sebastian Raetzel (Basti) are a true delight to watch, the three of them doing their best Elvis impersonations in front of a legitimately rocking backing band. The band are proudly a novelty act, but their covers of acts as diverse as Rihanna, Snow Patrol, 50 Cent, Meredith Brooks and Roxette are by and large genuinely inspired. It may not have much substance but for one night it’s a pretty spectacular ride, leave your inhibitions at the door and you might just surprise yourself!
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