Peter Maffay: Being pelted by tomatoes – the hard way to success!

Peter Maffay: Being pelted by tomatoes – the hard way to success!

Peter Maffay, known as a rock icon, Tabaluga father and charity fighter, recently spoke in a podcast about a formative experience from his past. This memory refers to his engagement as the opening act for the legendary Rolling Stones at a concert in the Müngersdorfer Stadium in Cologne in 1982. Maffay was booked in front of around 50,000 people, but the situation turned into a real debacle for him.

As Maffay reports, he was extremely nervous and angry during his performance, which quickly spread to the audience. The fans' reactions were violent: tomatoes, eggs and other objects were thrown at him. Despite these humiliating experiences, Maffay stated that for him this episode was the "best lesson one could have." It taught him humility and remained in his memory as a valuable lesson.

Change of musical instruments and TV career

Maffay's musical journey originally began with the violin. However, his mother, who felt that the violin wasn't right for him, motivated him to switch to the guitar. With his guitar and his impressive voice, he quickly became one of the most popular rock musicians in Germany. In addition to his musical career, Maffay was also active as an actor. In 1986 he played the role of Inspector Jan Bogdan in the TV crime drama “The Joker” and was also seen in the thriller “Trapped in Yemen” from the 90s.

In order to get better rest, Maffay has turned to autogenic training over the years instead of resorting to sleeping pills. This form of relaxation contributes to the authenticity and down-to-earthness that characterize him. Many of his fans appreciate his versatility as an artist and person.

Looking back at the concert debacle

The concert, at which Maffay opened for the Rolling Stones, caused a lot of discussion on social media. Readers on Facebook discussed the reasons for the concert debacle. While some considered Maffay's performance to be good, others criticized the order of performances, which was perceived as awkward. Another opening act, the J. Geils Band, received positive feedback, which further strengthened the comparison.

An interesting comment came from a reader who reported a similar experience with Maffay in Hanover. There Maffay changed his program on the second day of the performance and was booed less as a result. In the '80s, it wasn't uncommon for opening acts to be booed, which adds more context to Maffay's experiences.

Overall, Maffay's review of this concert shows not only the challenges artists face in the early stages of their careers, but also how these experiences are formative and can contribute to the development of an authentic artist.

For more details on Peter Maffay's memoirs, visit Schlager.de and Rolling Stones.