After finishing his training as a carpenter, Reinhard hitch-hiked around Spain, France and Morocco, eventually ending up in Munich. He earned himself money as, among other things, a track construction worker, driver, newspaper deliverer, printer and carver of Jesus and Mary figures.

He had his fun as a street musician at the Stachus and in a band with Lisa Fitz, her Persian husband, Ali, and with his own project Stranzinger, that elected to play hard rock with German lyrics and were the support act for Eric Burdon and Roger Chapman among others. When Stranzinger was in a crisis, HvG introduced himself. He had heard about the ethnic guitar creature through common acquaintances. Reinhard was involved as a studio musician (just like Sabine) in the recordings for Aufgeigen stått Niederschiassen. In the spring of 1992, he constructed his last roof truss, then he was signed up very quickly.

After the Alpinkatzen were disbanded, Reinhard launched his solo project Stranzinger, and released his solo album Ois oda nix. He has also performed with other groups such as Drahdiwaberl and Irish Steirisch - and also played guitar on Hubert von Goisern's 2002 album Iwasig. However, the Stranzinger project still lives and the group performed at the Donauinselfest in 2004.

Reinhard Stranzinger's solo album, Ois Oda Nix was released on 21st July 1997.
CD 74321475942

1. Da Teifi sois hoin	8. Deine roten Hoar
2. Ois oda nix	9. Rastlos
3. I hoit di	10. An Schritt z'weit
4. Rock 'n' Roll Star	11. Woat auf mi
5. Di Sunn	12. Voda
6. Es geht auf	13. Das Tier in mir
7. Working Class Hero

X-Act Nr 37 February 1999

Ois oda nix is the name of the first solo CD from Reinhard Stranzinger, perhaps better known by many as guitarist with Hubert von Goisern. With songs like Da Teifi sois hoin, Deine roten Hoar and the Springsteen cover Ois oda nix, he proves that there is life after Hubert von Goisern. The change of year presents itself as an opportunity to both take stock of the last year and to give his fans prospects for 1999.

Just before the end of the year the following question naturally comes up: What were the musical highlights of the past year for you?

The musical highlights were definitely the festivals and open air concerts in the summer. We appeared with so many different artists like Wolfgang Ambros, the Spider Murphy Gang and with Brazilian bands too. The concerts led us through half of Germany and into Switzerland. And at the end we played in Munich in small clubs, which among other things got us very good concert reviews in a few well known newspapers in Southern Germany.

Photo: Soulshine

That sounds almost like the prophet in his own country. Live in neighbouring countries you are playing live and in your own country you were hardly ever to be seen live.

That's not just to do with the prophet in his own country. Because of my Bavarian origins and also because Munich is my old hometown, I like playing in Germany. Apart from that at the moment in Austria there is a musical change. In my opinion, young people are more keen on "raves" and "dances" than "handmade music". But better times are coming again for this sort of this music.

For the new year, concerts by Reinhard Stranzinger's Powerpoint have already been announced in Switzerland.

Reinhard Stranzinger's Powerpoint is a parallel project for me. Together with the former guitarist of the Hot Pants Road Clubs and Goisern's drummer I play soul standards from James Brown to Joe Cocker. A second leg to stand on, simply because I find playing live so much fun. That is not to say that I shall neglect Stranzinger. I have already written a few numbers with Klaus Kircher and Thomas Fend (former drummer with Twist of Fate).

Does that mean that there will soon be a new Stranzinger CD?

There is no firm date yet. But I certainly have a Stranzinger CD planned for 1999. But as the saying goes: good things take time.

What was it like after Hubert von Goisern's withdrawal from the music business. Were you faced with nothing, or did you already have concrete plans regarding your further musical career?

A few songs had already emerged during the final stage with von Goisern and I just reworked them. After finishing with von Goisern, I actually made an attempt to reactivate the Alpinkatzen and to go further along this track, but after a short time I let the idea drop. I would rather go my own way and that was a crossover between rock, rock 'n' roll and Blues.

In your opinion, what were the reasons for this sort of music falling asleep again after Hubert von Goisern?

I think there are several different reasons. For one thing, we played live to our audience and lived the music too. I believe we also had the right attitude to the music. Many bands who then wanted to jump on this bandwagon and just used the folk music elements to make a quick buck could not continue to exist in the long term. The audience is not going to be led up the garden path and very likely notices whether someone stands by their music or whether they just want to sell it.

And what are your expectations for 1999?

I'm looking forward to some open air concerts and festivals. Expectations for 1999? Since my music is not so in with young people at the moment, more popular with those in their late 20s and over, you have to keep both feet on the ground when concerned with expectations of success. However, the main thing is that I can make a living with my music and I have the opportunity to be able to practise my hobby as a profession. The concerts in Munich were tremendous fun for me. They were real club gigs, like in the 70s and 80s with direct audience contact.

We hope all your expectations for 1999 are fulfilled and that we can also announce a few Stranzinger concerts in Austrian lands. Thank you for the interview.

Michael Stecher

X-Act Nr 45 Winter 99/00

One thing must be said immediately, this evening Stranzinger and his excellent band played incredibly well. For this statement experiences Blues and Mayall fans wish I would drop dead, but I don't care, because for me he was far and away better, fresher and more energetic than John Mayall, who also played really well with his superb band - and that's saying something! Stranzinger has proved live, that for him there is more than just a life after Hubert von Goisern and both his singing as well as his outstanding guitar playing are really worth hearing. His set consisted mostly of his first solo album. The audience was enchanted by his powerful songs and whenever Stranzi began a solo, the people in the audience grinned madly with joy. Incredible and brilliant. If Stranzinger should be playing in your area anytime, don't miss him!

Tom Proll

Concerto Nr. 5 October/November 1997

Ascent! After all the years of despairing hope, Austria has at last made the ascent into the topmost international division. No, just this once, we're not talking about football, but of handmade, classic rock music. This memorable event was given to us by a man whose face and guitar playing will be familiar to many, but not so many his name.

Reinhard Stranzinger made a considerable contribution to the unmistakable sound of Hubert von Goisern and his Alpinkatzen. When the Goiserer Hubert said goodbye to the music business, the whole world didn't collapse around him. He was already musically active before his time with the Alpinkatzen, among other things, he was in a trio with the ex-husband of Lisa Fitz for ten years, it was suggested to venture the attempt of a solo album. Ois oda nix is the name of doubtless the best Austrian rock production of the 90s (at least!), a record that sets the standards, deeply rooted in the American rock of Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar Mellencamp or Southside Johnny too, admittedly a trace harder.

After the split with the Alpinkatzen, Reinhard Stranzinger was next drawn to California, where he looked around the club scene in Los Angeles and San Francisco. "Back from this journey, I decided to go "back to the roots", that is, to rock'n'roll and blues, something which I had actually always done and something I just feel. That is indeed not the trend at the moment, but you shouldn't neglect the 'hand-made art'," says Stranzinger.

Ois oda nix is now one of those rare productions which, as a "saturated" music consumer, you always hunt for, but which you seldom catch. You imagine this specific feeling - listening to an album in a record shop without any special expectations and after just a few beats, having a delighted smile on your lips, "that's exactly it". After a few verses, the irrevocable decision to buy will have been made, and after the second song, the certainty has taken hold that you have found something special . This reaction is pre-programmed into Reinhard Stranzinger's first solo album, for alone just the opener Da Teifi sois hoin, a dryly humourous rocker about the hectic nature of our time, is worth the money for the CD. The second track, the title song, turns out to be a successful cover version of Bruce Springsteen's All or Nothing At All and after that, follow eleven own compositions whose quality need not shrink from any comparisons. The spectrum reaches from classic rock numbers to sensitive ballads and with Voda, there is an insistent warning against further growth of right-wing extremism and xenophobia. The album is carried by Stranzinger's first-class guitar work and his powerful voice. The perfect band work is also surprising, the excellent production and how harmoniously the Innviertler dialect fits in.

Although the CD is supplied with a sticker "Hubert v. Goisern's guitarist", Reinhard Stranzinger had to resist the temptation - as it was given anyway - to continue the Alpinkatzen concept on Ois oda nix. "I have tried to realise myself with this record. The story with Hubert was new for me too and - like the rest of the band - I pushed ahead with full intensity. 'Win or lose' was the motto and we put in our full energy and all our enthusiasm. But when you have stood on stage with somebody who has the charisma and meaningfulness that Hubert has, then you would seem ridiculous to yourself if tried to copy that. To rehash it as a cheaper or rougher version would perhaps have worked, but I simply wouldn't have done it. I wanted to bring the good, old rock'n'roll that I feel to the record," Stranzinger unequivocally persists.

Stranzinger is not content with support through an especially large amount of airplay, as with many other native artists with claims to quality. The individual interpretation of the public service broadcast of this prospective cultural commission, evades any long rational attempts at explanation anyway. Therefore, it is left to the open-minded music lover to take care of the well-deserved spreading of Stranzinger's music, by buying his records and going to his concerts. There will be quite a few opportunities and live gigs from Stranzinger and his band ("all special") in the next few months, so that for true rock fans, there are no excuses. At a total of twenty-five evenings in Austria and Germany, you even get a concert from John Mayall as a "deposit". And so the circle closes with football again as there the audience is an uninsured element as the "twelfth man". So it's down to us, whether or not Austria will once more be relegated in the rock regional league!

PS: For professional moaners and similar ignorants of the homeland music scene, Ois oda nix is recommended as therapy, especially the first song: Da Teifi sois hoin!

Dietmar Hoscher

Salzburger Nachrichten 26th April 1997

Ex-Alpinkatzen guitarist presents new solo work

Salzburg-Stadt (SN). The "disorientation" and "the large hole thereafter" are past. "Stranzinger is here", he opened his appearance. And how. With crystal clear, direct rock music, Reinhard Stranzinger, the former guitarist of Hubert von Goisern, announces his return to the stage. As support for Iron Butterfly ("it is an honour to play before men who contributed a substantial part to the rock scene") the man from Braunau presented his new project in the Rockhouse. He does with his new songs what he did before as a member of the Alpinkatzen. "I provide the steam."

"After the dissolution of the Alpinkatzen, there was no point in it any more", says the Braunauer of the long break. Approximately 500 shows in three years took their toll. Even if the "Sideman" existence "was substantially more pleasant" than being in front. "Now have I the responsibility and understand many things better, about which I argued with Hubert." The music is also completely different, "everyone is waiting for the accordion, but it does not come". What comes, is hard rock. The dialect remains the same.

Expectations for the new project are "modest". "Something like that with Hubert is an exception. What I do is pure rock'n'roll, and this is in fact an old thing." And because it is most important for "a live musician" and an "absolute rock 'n' roller " to be on the stage, there will be many concerts. The next time in Salzburg, Stranzinger might be to found at the Egelsee Open Air in Golling.

Bernhard Flieher