Bio
There is music that sounds good – and there is music that touches you and stays with you. Brokof clearly belong to the latter. Early on, PRINZ noted: “When Brokof take the stage, it quickly becomes clear: these guys have something to say.”
The Berlin-based band released their first EP, “Sorry Gilberto vs Brokof” (2007), on their own label Goldrausch Records – a split EP with their friends Sorry Gilberto. This was followed by the EP “A/B” as a 10-inch vinyl release, and shortly after by their debut album “Softly, Softly, Catchee Monkey” (LP, 2010). At the time, MÄRKISCHE ALLGEMEINE described their sound as: “The Beatles in folk – that’s how what these four Berliners produce could be described.”
With their second album “Side By Side” (LP, 2012), Brokof further refined their distinctive take on folk rock. STERN.DE summed it up: “In short: With Brokof, one of the most interesting folk rock bands in this country is ready to be discovered.”
The EP “Eviction Notice” (2015) offered a first glimpse of their third full-length album and accompanied an extensive European tour, with the EP included as a bonus with concert tickets. On “Cool Fame” (LP, 2016), ROLLING STONE heard “ten songs, unadorned and beautiful,” and drew parallels to CSNY and The Who.
In 2018, Brokof released their fourth album, “Fore!”. ROLLING STONE wrote: “After their previous album (‘Cool Fame’, 2016) and the collaboration with Random Willson (‘Brother Equal’, 2017), yet another great record by Brokof: the Berlin quartet plays its folk rock more distorted and slightly less romantic than before (for example on the driving ‘You & I’), but in a wonderfully swaying, open-ended way; the small form triumphs over the grand design, in the spirit of Jeff Tweedy. Once again, you can hear how well Brokof play together and allow arrangements to breathe instead of cementing them…”
After a creative break, the band returned to the public eye in 2024 with “Blind Spot On The Bright Side Of Life” (LP, 2024). Since then, Brokof have been touring extensively again – across Germany, Europe and most recently the U.S.A. SOUNDS & BOOKS is convinced: “Blind Spot On The Bright Side Of Life” certainly has what it takes to “stand the test of time” – a potential grower.
In December 2024, Brokof released another EP, “Troublemaker”, featuring five new songs. Both a new EP and a new full-length album by the band are planned for 2026.
“Anyone who has ever been to one of their concerts knows how they turn catchiness, joy of playing and concept into something truly distinctive; how skilfully they counterbalance harmonies with grooves so they never drift into arbitrariness – and how they subvert what feels familiar until it seems entirely new.”
— Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten
Line-up
Arne Bergner (keys, guitars, vocals)
Fabian Brokof (vocals, guitars)
Puya Shoary (drums)
Rocco Weise (bass, vocals)
Discography
TROUBLEMAKER (EP, 2024)
BLIND SPOT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE (LP, 2024)
POSTCARD OF ROME (Single, 2023)
THE LOAD (Single, 2023)
ONLY A SONG (Single, 2023)
6842123 (Single, 2023)
NOT AT ALL (Single, 2022)
SHARE (Single, 2022)
FORE! (LP, 2018)
A RIDE (Single, 2018)
BROTHER EQUAL (LP w/Random Wilson, 2017)
COOL FAME (LP, 2016)
EVICTION NOTICE (EP, 2015)
SIDE BY SIDE (LP, 2012)
COOPERATE (Single, 2012)
SOFTLY SOFTLY CATCHEE MONKEY (LP, 2010)
A/B (EP, 2010)
SMILE (Single EP, 2010)
PROTECT THE CHILDREN (Single, 2007)
Videos
500 YEARS (2024)
POSTCARD OF ROME (2023)
THE LOAD (2023)
ONLY A SONG (2023)
6842123 (2023)
NOT AT ALL (2022)
SHARE (2022)
A RIDE (2018)
PART OF THE NEW AGE (2018)
HUSTLER (2016)
RUNNING AROUND (2016)
COOL FAME (2016)
EVICTION NOTICE (2016)
LOST IN THE CITY (2012)
SMILE (2010)
LONESOME TIMES (2010)
