Fischer-Z

CELEBRATING WITH FISCHER-Z

Passionate, political, determined. And above all: an artist. John Watts is Fischer-Z. A musical concept and creative vehicle that has already gone through many incarnations. In 2026, Watts will celebrate half a century of music on stage with Fischer-Z: the “50th Anniversary Tour” offers a best-of set featuring highlights from the band’s rich repertoire, complemented by current songs.

2026 will be a big year for Fischer-Z. Fifty years ago, the band was founded in the English town of Sandhurst by singer, guitarist and poet John Watts. Under his leadership, Fischer-Z became a mainstay of the new wave and post-punk scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. With classics such as “The Worker”, “So Long”, “Marliese”, “Red Skies Over Paradise” and “Room Service”, the band has left a lasting mark on several generations of music lovers. Fischer-Z enjoyed success throughout Europe and sold more than two million albums. They recorded with Peter Gabriel, Steve Cropper and Dexys Midnight Runners. They performed alongside James Brown in East Berlin and toured with The Police and Dire Straits. They also accompanied Bob Marley on his final festival tour through Europe and toured the USA and Canada. In 1982, Watts disbanded Fischer-Z and pursued a solo career. He revived the name Fischer-Z in 1987 with a new line-up. John Watts has now released 26 albums and performed around 4,000 concerts with his band or as a solo artist. New material continues to be released regularly. Most recently, “Triptych” came out in May 2024. The current Fisher-Z studio album marks a return to familiar sounds and themes with a fresh perspective and offers an impressive retrospective of John Watts’ life and career to date. As an artist who is constantly reinventing himself, Watts has observed that many of his works from the past 50 years of his musical career repeatedly address the same driving themes, which remain just as relevant today as they were 50 years ago: Love, Power, People – and how they interact with one another. At the anniversary shows of the “50th Anniversary Tour” across Europe, Watts and his fellow musicians will present a best-of set featuring classics from the extensive Fischer-Z discography.