The Lords (German Band) - Style and Reputation

Style and Reputation

Rather than a serious music band, The Lords were more of a slapstick and comedy troupe especially on stage, probably akin to bands like The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in England at the time (and indeed Johnny Kidd & The Pirates whose Shakin' all over The Lords covered and which became their first hit single), overdoing the contemporary moptop hairstyle by making it look like a stereotypical Medieval haircut as portrayed in the modern comic Prince Valiant, taking the formal suit fashion introduced by The Beatles and turning them into waiters' clothing, and dancing like a girl group such as the 1920s Tiller Girls on stage. However, when looking at many rock and pop bands from the era, the level of musical skill is at least as good as most, and better than some. When viewing performances from the mid 60s, they appear to have been playing live on TV appearances in an era when it was almost a given that acts would play to a recording.

This rather lighthearted attitude led to a rivalry with Hamburg-based band The Rattles and especially their bandleader and producer Achim Reichel who took the contemporary British Invasion-influenced music played by both bands more seriously, obviously holding The Lords not in very high regard for their silly antics.

Beside their clownesqueries looked down upon by more ambitious proto-Krautrock artists such as Reichel, there was a notorious rumor that singer of The Lords, Ulli Günther ("Lord Ulli") spoke not a single word of English even though it was the language he sang in, and that therefore his German accent was much thicker than was usual in the German-produced but English-sung music scene at the time.

Towards the end of the 1960s, the band was increasingly influenced by psychedelia and brought more social commentary, serious or satirical, into their lyrics, effectually turning from a British Invasion-influenced pop band into a progressive Krautrock group. However, nothing of this development remained after the breakup of their classic line-up in 1971, nor did the 1976 re-formation go back to suits and slapstick. Instead, since their re-formation they foster more of a rough rocker and teddy boy image both in their instrumentation, arrangements, and their clothing, now appearing in jeans clothing and sunglasses, comparable to the new style 1970s glam rock band Slade took on during the 1980s, even though today The Lords often perform to playbacks of their old singles when on TV while dressed up in their new style.