A filmmaker accompanies Germany’s techno stars for two and a half years – privately, in the studio, on trips, at concerts. “FCK 2020” shows how scooters have to deal with the emergency stop caused by Corona.
A man with peroxide-blond hair is putting makeup on his eyebrows. Excited people are waiting for him and calling his name. He has to go on stage in a few seconds – the show is starting. He grabs the microphone and calls out to 80,000 fans in a distinctive smoker’s voice: “I hope this shit will be over soon.” It’s HP Baxxter, Scooter frontman and, for many, techno legend.
But HP Baxxter and his bandmates Sebastian Schilde and Michael Simon are not standing in a packed arena, but in an empty hall in front of a few cameramen and sound technicians. It is a streaming concert, in the middle of the Corona lockdown. A key scene in the documentary “FCK 2020 – Two and a half years with Scooter”, which will be broadcast on NDR television on Saturday at 11:15 p.m.
“I thought the whole documentary was ruined because we don’t even get on stage anymore,” HP Baxxter told the German Press Agency at his film premiere in winter 2022/2023 at the Hamburg Film Festival. “FCK 2020” tells the story of the music group’s success.
With over 30 million records sold and countless awards, the band is one of the most successful German acts. However, Scooter was not always considered cool with their music, which was often disparagingly referred to as “fairground techno”. But the band has now achieved cult status with songs like “Hyper, Hyper” and “How Much is the Fish?” – both at home and abroad.
Scooter is accompanied as they release their 20th album despite the pandemic and continue to find ways to perform. “Due to Corona, we suddenly needed a completely different filming concept. We had actually set out to accompany the Scooter tour,” said director Cordula Kablitz-Post.
Kablitz-Post, who had previously made a similar documentary about the rock band Die Toten Hosen, wanted to take a look behind the scenes. This convinced HP Baxxter, who had previously turned down every home story. “I immediately thought, cool, that fits. I also had such confidence that it would be good.”
The film focuses on the frontman, whose real name is Hans Peter Geerdes and who grew up in Leer in East Frisia (Lower Saxony). “At some point you completely forget about the cameras,” said Geerdes.
The TV audience gets an intimate look into the musician’s life. Among other things, it shows how he lives in Hamburg – according to his own description, like an “English landlord”. There are vintage cars in the garage, antique paintings hang on the dark green walls, the chairs have gold armrests and animal skins lie on the floor. “It’s a kind of perfect world. When people are acting strange, I have a place of calm at home.”
Filmmaker Kablitz-Post was impressed by the techno star’s openness. “It’s something very special when an artist lets you get so close to him.” At the end of filming, they had almost 150 hours of material. Also shown are shots from Geerdes’ childhood and youth – the young HP Baxxter with longer hair, eye-catching jewelry and heavy make-up.
But the film doesn’t just show a perfect world. Among others, Geerde’s girlfriend Lysann can be seen, with whom he split up during filming after a five-year relationship. And even when there are arguments in the band, the camera is there. HP Baxxter doesn’t seem to be an easy character – both in front of and behind the camera.
“It was sometimes quite exhausting to work together,” said Kablitz-Post. It quickly becomes clear: the East Frisian has clear ideas about his shows. After the performances, for example, tea, incense sticks, ice and – very important – a 0.3 liter glass must be ready.
Source: Stern

I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.