Fifty years ago, the band Fischer-Z was founded by singer, guitarist, and poet John Watts in the English town of Sandhurst. Under his leadership, Fischer-Z became an integral part of the New Wave and Post-Punk scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. With classics like "The Worker," "So Long," "Marliese," "Red Skies Over Paradise," and "Room Service," the band has had a lasting impact on several generations of music lovers. Fischer-Z enjoyed success throughout Europe and sold more than two million albums. They recorded with artists such as 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 of Europe and toured the USA and Canada. In 1982, Watts disbanded Fischer-Z and pursued a solo career. He revived the Fischer-Z name in 1987 with a new lineup. Watts has since released 26 albums and played around 4,000 concerts with his band or as a solo artist. New material continues to be released regularly. The most recent album, "Triptych," was released in May 2024. The latest Fischer-Z studio album marks a return to familiar sounds and themes with renewed freshness and offers an impressive retrospective of Watts' life and career to date. As a constantly reinventing artist, Watts has observed that many of his works from the last 50 years of his musical career repeatedly address the same driving themes, which are as relevant today as they were 50 years ago: Love, power, people—and how they interact. In 2026, Watts and Fischer-Z celebrate half a century of music on stage: The "50th Anniversary Tour" offers a best-of set with highlights from the band's rich repertoire, complemented by current tracks.
Tickets are CHF 55.

Website
z-7.ch/event/fischer-z-2026/

Where
Z7 Konzertfabrik
Kraftwerkstrasse 7
4133 Pratteln

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