Helge Schneider continues to tinkle: Cheers to the singing gentleman's cake

With musical talent, anarchic wit, and a lot of hard work, Helge Schneider has become a cult star, even if his sense of humor isn't everyone's cup of tea. Now the "singing gentleman's cake" is celebrating his 70th birthday – and continues to play the "jingling clown."

He is one of the most popular comedians in Germany and is arguably the only one who also makes films, writes books, and plays around a dozen musical instruments. Helge Schneider is often described as an all-round artist; he doesn't fit into any category. He often calls himself a clown, or "Klimperclown," as his current film, with its autobiographical elements, is called.

On August 30th, the man with the absurd sense of humor turns 70. And what is he doing on his birthday? Nonsense, of course—on an open-air stage in Hamburg's Stadtpark.

Schneider hails from Mülheim an der Ruhr, still has his roots in the Ruhr region city today, and even has his studio there – jam-packed with instruments. He played the piano and cello as a boy. After ninth grade, he finished school. Afterward, he tried all sorts of jobs – including interior decorator, architectural draftsman, and horticulture. He quickly gave up on the music conservatory.

Passion for improvisation

Schneider began his career as a jazz musician in the 1970s, solo and with a band—and with a great love of silly, anarchic humor. As a self-proclaimed "singing gentleman," he made audiences laugh. "Katzeklo" (Cat's Toilet) became a huge hit, released from his double album "Es gibt Reis, Baby" (1993). His appearance on TV's "Wetten, dass..?" (Wetten, dass..?) in 1994 made him known to millions of viewers. The album "Sommer, Sonne, Kaktus!" (Summer, Sun, Cactus!) reached number one in the charts in 2013.

Typical of Helge Schneider: He has a passion for improvisation. He has now performed several thousand shows in around five decades on stage. He is currently touring Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with "Ein Mann und seine Musik" (A Man and His Music). His film "The Klimperclown" has been shown in cinemas as an ARD documentary since the beginning of August.

His garish outfit with colorful ties, garish colors, and often messy hairpiece are among his trademarks, as is his occasionally mumbled pronunciation. Not everyone appreciates his sense of humor. But his broad skills as a jazz musician—he plays Hammond organ, piano, guitar, drums, cello, accordion, many wind instruments, and more—are highly respected. He has no shortage of awards. The composer and musician also received the NRW Art Prize in 2023—"as a legendary musical talent."

Six children from four women

The multi-talented artist has taken on a number of roles as an actor and made several films, including "00 Schneider - Jagd auf Nihil Baxter" (1994). He is the author of numerous books, including the quirky novel "Eiersalat: Eine Frau geht seinen Weg" (1999). He also created a crime series featuring his alter ego, Inspector Schneider, as an investigator – most recently "Stepptanz" (2023). However, he quickly ended his own WDR talk show in 2012.

What he doesn't like: Being asked about his private life. The artist protects that; it's taboo. He has six children by four women. Schneider offers some insights in "The Klimperclown" – with old photos and videos in which he can be seen with his two sisters and parents. His mother was a secretary at the tax office, his father a telecommunications auditor. "They were quite decent people."

Many film clips of crazy performances from his youth can be seen in the documentary – as can Helge Schneider later on at the grand piano, with his band, at his Hammond organ, on the saxophone, and in the studio. Old companions like pop singer Peter Kraus make small cameos in his film. Schneider also describes Spain as a second home to him in "The Klimperclown." However, one shouldn't take everything he reveals about his life in the production – without a script, of course – at face value.

The comedian keeps fit by walking to combat arthritis. And he does this as early as possible, "when no one's looking," as he recently explained. He can also be in a bad mood. He dropped out of the "Strandkorb Open Air" series about five years ago because he was annoyed by the drinks being served near the stage. He has a real problem with the internet. Artificial intelligence in art bothers him.

So, on his 70th birthday, Helge Schneider will be on stage in the north of Germany. No party? At his 65th, he revealed that because he doesn't like cleaning up for days on end—like he did after his 50th birthday party—he won't have a big party until his 100th birthday.