The Rock band Tomte from Hemmoor/Germany was founded as metal high school band somewhere in 1987 or 1988 by the name the Warpigs. The original setting consisted of Peter (drums), Hanspeter (bass), Christian Stemmann (guitar) and some days later Thees Uhlmann (guitar). With a lack of competence, songs and a singer they played some concerts at local schools, and after trying out two different singers Thees and Stemmi decided to try to sing themselves. The unwritten law was that the one who wrote the song also sang it. After a few concerts in the area around Hemmoor Hanspeter left the band and was replaced by Anja. At this time they figured out that the name Warpigs was not as cool as they thought and renamed the band to Tomte Tummetott, a character of children's books by famous author Astrid Lindgren.

The project discontinued, but Thees and Stemmi wanted to restart the band, the setting was Thees and Stemmi alternately at the bass while the other one was singing and playing guitar. Peter remained at the drums.
In 1994 they released their first demo tape, their musical style moving away from metal towards the more calm Boxhamsters-punk. Because they had to alphabetize Tummetott for everybody they skipped it, the Trio Tomte was born. But soon after Peter left the band, so Thees and Stemmi asked Timo Bodenstein to help out at the drums. He did not really want to at first but bought a new drum set after a few weeks.

In 1996 they made their first real release, the EP Blinkmuffel, consisting of four German moderate Rock and punk rock songs, released on Stemmi's small label Tummetott records. In 1997 they toured excessively and acquainted lots of other bands, resulting in Marcus Wiebusch, singer of But alive asking them to release an album on his label B.A. records. In January 1998 they recorded the album Du weißt was ich meine (You know what I mean) and went on two tours through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In February 1999 they recorded their second album, Eine sonnige Nacht (A sunny night) on their own label, Hotel van Cleef.

They played a final concert together on January 6, 2001, then Stemmi left the band for private reasons, he was replaced by Olli Koch and Dennis Becker as live-support. In summer 2001 and 2002 they played at many German music festivals and released their first album with the new compound, Hinter all diesen Fenstern (Behind all these windows), which sounded even softer, like The Weakerthans in German, on Uhlmann's own label Grand Hotel van Cleef, the fusion of Hotel van Cleef and B.A. records, in 2003.

Album releases

Blinkmuffel EP (1996)

Songs on Luni's side written and sung by Thees Uhlmann, bass by Christian Stemmann, the other way around on the other side, Timo Bodenstein drums.

Luni's Seite (Luni's side)
  1. In Köln und dann in meinem Zimmer (In Cologne and then in my room)
  2. Die Insecuritate hat meinen zuversichtlichen Bruder erschossen (The Insecuritate shot my confident brother)
Andere Seite (Other side)
  1. Blahblahblah
  2. Getriebe (Gearbox)

Du weißt, was ich meine (You know what I mean, 1998)

"Reality TV", "Regenzeit", "Stille Wasser sind tief" and "Träume" written and sung by Christian Stemmann, bass by Thees Uhlmann, the other way around on the other songs, Timo Bodenstein drums.

  1. Pflügen (Plowing)
  2. Schwitze (Sweat)
  3. Reality TV
  4. Doof vorkommen (Feeling dumb)
  5. Regenzeit (Rainy season)
  6. Ich lerne Schwimmen (I learn to swim)
  7. In Köln und dann in meinem Zimmer (In Cologne and then in my room, rerecorded)
  8. Stille Wasser sind tief (Still waters run deep)
  9. Pantera
  10. Träume (Dreams)
  11. z.Zt. (abbr. for "at the time")

Eine sonnige Nacht (A sunny night, 2000)

"Gorillas im Küstennebel" written and sung by Christian Stemmann, bass by Thees Uhlmann, the other way around on the other songs, Timo Bodenstein drums.

  1. Korn & Sprite
  2. Wilhelm das war nichts (William it was really nothing)
  3. Gorillas im Küstennebel (Gorillas in shore-mist)
  4. Die Nacht in der ich starb (The night in which I died)
  5. The Rick McPhail Song
  6. Theestube
  7. Passt zu meinem Kalender (Fits to my calender)
  8. Eine sonnige Nacht (A sunny night)
  9. Yves wie hältst du das aus (Yves how can you bear this)
  10. Ich habe eingesehen (I have appreciated)
  11. Mit dem Mofa nach England (With the moped to England)
  12. Hidden Track: Adam & Steve

Hinter all diesen Fenstern (Behind all these windows, 2003)

All songs written and sung by Thees Uhlmann, bass by Olli Schulz, keyboard Dennis Becker, drums Timo Bodenstein.

  1. Für immer die Menschen (Forever the people)
  2. Schreit den Namen meiner Mutter (Scream my mother's name)
  3. Die Bastarde, die dich jetzt nach Hause bringen (The bastards who are bringing you home now)
  4. Du bist den ganzen weg gerannt (You ran the whole way)
  5. Endlich einmal (Finally once)
  6. Neulich als ich dachte (Recently when I was thinking)
  7. Von Gott verbrüht (Scalded by god)
  8. Insecuritate ("Die Insecuritate.." rerecorded)
  9. Das war ich (That was me)
  10. Die Schönheit der Chance (The beauty of the chance)

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.