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Christian "Flake" Lorenz


Member

1983-1993 Die Magdalene Keibel Kombo - bass, keyboards, vocals  
1983-1993 Feeling B - keyboards  
1994- Rammstein - keyboards, samples  

Personal information

Born on: 16.11.1966

Christian "Flake" Lorenz (born 16 November 1966), sometimes called "Doktor Lorenz") is a German musician, notable as the keyboardist for the German Tanz-Metall ("Dance Metal") band Rammstein. He is also known for his role in the band Feeling B.

In 1994, Till Lindemann, Richard Z. Kruspe, Oliver "Olli" Riedel and Christoph "Doom" Schneider entered and won the Berlin Senate Metro beat contest that allowed them to professionally record a four track demo. Paul H. Landers formally joined the band, then finally Flake. He was initially reluctant to join his five bandmates and had to be pestered into becoming a member of Rammstein. He thought they would be too boring. Eventually he agreed to join, and the group began work their first album, Herzeleid (Heartache).

In the band's performances and videos, Flake is often cast as the outsider of the group, possibly due to his relatively unusual presence as a keyboard player in a heavy metal group. This varies from playing the part of a scientific genius, aloof from the rest of the group, to playing a gimp role, to being left alone at the end of the "Keine Lust" video, and being bullied by the rest of the band, particularly Lindemann. These distinctive roles in the band's theatrical presentation have led to him becoming a very popular member of the group among fans.

Flake is probably best known for his part in the controversial live performance of the song "Bück dich" ("Bend down" or "Bend over"), where he and vocalist Till Lindemann would engage in simulated sodomy with a liquor-squirting dildo. On September 23, 1998 in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA) Lindemann and Flake Lorenz were arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior. A statement from Sergeant Thomas Radula of the Worcester Police Department stated that Lindemann was simulating sex with Flake onstage "using a phallic object that shot water over the crowd". They were held and released the following day on $25 bail. After months of legal debate, they were eventually fined $100.

His role in "Bück dich" is not the only live act he is known for. Up until 2002, Flake would surf the audience in a boat during the performance of "Seemann" ("Seaman"). Ollie took his place in 2002. According to Flake, the change occurred because he was injured too often. Also, during a 2001 concert in St. Petersburg, Flake was tipped out of the boat by the crowd and almost completely undressed. When performing "Mein Teil" ("My part"), Flake is "cooked" with a flame-thrower by Till in a giant cauldron. Flake used to do a dance during "Weißes Fleisch" ("White flesh"). In the video for "Keine Lust" ("No desire" or "Don't feel like it"), Flake is seen in an electric wheelchair. He is seen about to jump off of the top of a burning building (trying and failing to land safely on a trampoline) in the video for "Benzin" ("Gasoline" or "Petrol"). In the video for Ich Will (I want) song, Flake is tied to a bomb that explodes in the end of video. Flake was also the lead vocalist for Rammstein's cover version of "Pet Sematary", originally by The Ramones.

During a concert in Gothenburg, Sweden on July 30, 2005, Till Lindemann suffered a knee injury when Flake accidentally ran into him with the Segway he rides during the performance of "Amerika" ("America"). This caused concerts scheduled in Asia to be cancelled.

In 2005, Flake suffered from an infection that caused concerts in South America to be cancelled.