Itchy

Itchy is a German three-piece band from Eislingen/Fils, formed in 2000. The group begins as a pop punk act and originally performs under the name Itchy Poopzkid before shortening its name to Itchy in 2017. Its members are Sibbi (Sebastian Hafner) on vocals, guitar and bass, Panzer (Daniel Friedl) on vocals, bass and guitar, and Max Zimmer on drums and vocals, who joins in 2011. Former members include guitarist Vlady Oszkiel, who leaves in 2001, and drummer Tobias Danne, known as Saikov, who leaves in 2011.

Early releases and live reputation

In its first year, the band mainly plays cover versions before beginning to write original songs in 2001. That same year it records its first demo album and releases the EPs Two Thumbs Down and Having a Time, along with the live CD Fuck-Ups … Live!. The band becomes known for switching instruments on stage and sharing vocals, while its spoken stage banter becomes a characteristic part of its live shows.

Albums, label and chart success

Itchy signs to Where Are My Records and releases its debut album, Heart to Believe, in 2005. A video follows for “Say No!”. The second album, Time to Ignite, appears in 2007, and the single “Silence Is Killing Me” becomes the band’s first German chart entry. In 2009, Dead Serious is released and becomes the first Itchy album to appear on vinyl.

In 2011 the band starts its own label, Findaway Records, and releases Lights Out London, which reaches number 35 in Germany. The label is also used to reissue the first three albums with bonus material. Ports & Chords follows in 2013 and reaches number 27 in the German album charts, with guest appearances from Charlotte Cooper of The Subways and Guido Knollmann of Donots. Six is released in 2015 and becomes the band’s highest charting album at that point, reaching number 5 in Germany, number 35 in Austria and number 80 in Switzerland. In 2023, Dive returns the band to English-language material and reaches number 10 in Germany.

Touring, collaborations and later work

The band tours widely in Germany and beyond, supporting acts including Donots, Yellowcard, +44, boysetsfire, The Bouncing Souls, Sum 41, MxPx, Marathonmann and Bad Religion. It also appears at festivals and competes in the international band contest Emergenza in 2002, reaching the final. The song “The Living” from Dead Serious is later used as the title track for a Suzuki television campaign.

Itchy releases its first German-language single, “Faust”, in 2019 and follows it with Ja als ob in 2020, its first fully German-language album. The band publishes the book How to Survive as a Rock Band in 2015 and the autobiography 20 Years Down the Road in 2021, alongside the double best-of set 20 Years Down the Road – Best Of. It also records “Womanarchist” with Cecilia Boström of The Baboon Show in 2022.

Activism and media projects

Itchy releases “The Sea” in cooperation with the environmental organisation Ocean Care and uses it to highlight plastic pollution in the oceans. Since 2018, the band acts as an Antarctic ambassador for Greenpeace, supporting efforts to create a marine protected area in the Weddell Sea. It also launches the podcast Itchy Deep Dive, in which it discusses its career album by album.

Work history

Across its career, Itchy plays around 1,000 concerts in Europe, releases nine studio albums and two books, and continues as an active German punk and pop punk band.