Today, it is difficult to determine when the holstuonarmusigbigbandclub was actually founded. Johannes, Andreas and Bartholomäus already played music together when they were but 16 years old; singing, yodeling and improvising with traditional songs from the Bregenzerwald valley and beyond.
Stefan and Johannes are siblings, Bartholomäus is their cousin, Andreas used to be roommates and fellow students with Hörti, attended kindergarten and primary school with Bartholomäus and, as a teenager, played in a funk band with Bartholomäus and Ossi. Hörti also played with Ossi in a Tyrolean cover band back in the day and, for a few years now, has a big-band-project up and running with Bartholomäus and Andreas.
One knows another. For a long time. Sometimes, two guys play together and then three others meet in a different band. They drift apart, only to reunite years later because of a gig; or because life wanted it that way. It doesn’t matter.
What matters – then and now – is the joy at playing music. Playing what they enjoy, ranging from landlers to soul ballads; original compositions or covers or adaptions in which barely the lyrics of the originals are left unchanged. High German, Middle High German, Austrian dialect, English, Spanish or Italian with a heavy accent. Categorizations be damned.
The holstuonarmusigbigbandclub understands itself as an Austrian folk band, boy band and jazz ensemble, as well as a funk band, "Oberkrainer" group and wind orchestra. And everything in between. And more.