Oliver Damms – Composer of the Vienna Anthem

Oliver Damms – Composer of the Vienna Anthem

The Vienna fan shop offers a T-shirt featuring a special comic illustration. Above it are the words FREUD and We are Vienna. The shirt is an eye-catching piece and a special collector’s item. The design was originally used as the cover image for the single “We are Vienna”, the song that went on to become the Vienna anthem. The cover was designed by Thomas Koch, while the lyrics and music of the cult song were written by Oliver Damms, a long-time Vienna fan.

Oliver, what is your connection to Vienna?

• As a child, I wasn’t particularly interested in football until my father took me to the Hohe Warte in 1978. That was a key experience for me. The atmosphere, the excitement and, not least, the blue-and-yellow kit impressed me so much that I became a Vienna supporter. I still am to this day. I’m also a fan of Aston Villa, who play in the highest English division, and I sometimes fly to Birmingham to attend their matches.

You are a professional musician. How did you get into music?

• I grew up in a musical family. That probably influenced me, although my parents’ taste in music wasn’t really my thing. I was particularly inspired by the Beatles and British pop. My preferred instrument was the guitar, which I also played in a school band. My passion for music really took off in 1995, around the time of my wedding. Since then, music has become an important part of my life. It inspires me and fuels my enthusiasm for my band.

Can you make a living from your music?

• (Laughs) No. I work at the Ministry of Defence as an expert and translator specialising in military terminology. But music is more than just a hobby for me. I compose music and regularly perform with my pop band in clubs and at events.

Your band is called FREUD. How did you come up with the name?

• I was previously in a punk rock band called “The O5”. The code O5 was the abbreviation used by the resistance group during the Nazi era. When the band broke up, I founded a new band in 2007 consisting of five musicians. The line-up, with me on guitar, a keyboard player, a bassist, a drummer and a singer, has remained the same since 2013. Since we have our rehearsal room in Vienna’s 9th district, I was looking for a connection to the district for the band name. Berggasse and Sigmund Freud were an obvious choice. FREUD can also convey a positive emotional association.

How would you describe your music?

• We are rooted in pop, but also incorporate elements of punk, rock ’n’ roll, as well as 60s and 80s influences. We describe our style as “Pop’n’Roll” and want our music to create a good atmosphere while also encouraging people to think. Some of our lyrics are deliberately ambiguous. What matters is entertaining people. That includes a fun song everyone can sing along to, as well as one that gets everyone swaying along. You could describe FREUD as a fun band.

How did you come to compose an anthem for Vienna?

• That was in 2016. Hans Kleer was Vienna’s head coach at the time and had led the Döbling side to the Regionalliga Ost title. I was in the supporters’ section for every match. Vienna approached me and asked whether I could create a song for the club. I agreed, although I had high ambitions in terms of the production. I really wanted to involve both the players and the fans in the composition. That wasn’t easy, as we had to rent a large studio for the project. I also wanted “We are Vienna” to become known beyond the club itself. We achieved that. The song was presented at Chelsea in Vienna on 25 May 2016 and was subsequently played several times on FM4 and during UEFA Euro 2016.

Will your band be releasing more songs for the Döblingers?

• Yes. At home matches, they don’t just play “We are Vienna”, but also “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles. The hit was released in 1966 and later became the title song of the animated film of the same name. A real earworm. We will rearrange the song without infringing the original songwriter’s rights. And we want to involve players and fans in the musical version again. That should be exciting. And perhaps Vienna will once again print a special T-shirt, which could then be sold in the club shop.