Schürzenjäger

The Schürzenjäger, formerly known as Zillertaler Schürzenjäger, were founded in 1973 and are one of the most successful Austrian bands. Like Slavko Avsenik and his Original Oberkrainer came out of the adjustments of the changed conditions of the media culture. They developed in the course of time from interpreters of traditional music with modern instruments to a band with a repertoire from folk music to Pop music to Rock music. Their first big hit was their "Zillertaler Hochzeitsmarsch," an interpretation of a traditional folk dance melody. Since then, they began to introduce more rock elements, inspired by new drummer Patrick Cox, who joined them in 2006. After "Zillertal Hochzeitsblues" (1990) they moved to the wider German audience under Montana (later BMG Ariola) in 1991. With their commercial success, the "Schürzenjäger" became the epitome for filling the gap between rock and "Volksmusik" in Austria, establishing the genre of "Alpen Rock" (Alpine Rock). The success of the "Zillertaler Hochzeitsmarsch" was seen by the folk music community as abuse of the cultural inheritance rather than success of regional traditional music. Every August, at the end of their tour, they celebrate one of the biggest open air concerts in Austria. Since 1999 these big "Alpen Air" concerts have taken place every other year, with the most recent being on 06 August 2005, in Hintertux, Zillertal. This was the last concert of the tour "Hinter dem Horizont" They split in 2007. Tyrol, Austria