Born To Be Wild - Eine Band namens Steppenwolf (Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf)
Canada/Germany 2024

Opening 4 Jul 2024

Directed by: Oliver Schwehm
Writing credits: Catherine Bainbridge, Oliver Schwehm

A month before his birth, German Joachim Fritz Krauledet loses his father in World War II. At birth he suffers eye problems resulting in limited vision. His German mother eventually immigrates with her nine-year-old son to Canada.  Karl Klaus Kassbaum had a similar beginning—also born in Germany and immigrating with his family to Canada. Joachim changes his name to John Kay. Karl changes his name to Nick St. Nicholas.

John Kay learned about rock music as a youngster when listening to the American Armed Forces network on the radio. In 1965 he played in a band called The Sparrows, where a year later he meets Nick St. Nicholas. Ventura, California, seems to be their main contact point. The Sparrows changed its name to Steppenwolf in 1967 and the first single of this five-member band was “Sookie Sookie.” The first hit was “Born to be Wild” in 1968; it is included in the film Easy Rider in 1969. Now both in their eighties, elderly John and Nick share the history of their band, supported by many historical films, as well as comments from John’s wife Jutta and daughter Shawn, Nick’s former wife Randee, and band members i.e., Dennis Edmonton.

Born To Be Wild - Eine Band namens Steppenwolf is a documentary full of facts and commentary, with very original credits in the end. We meet other band members and follow their performances almost exclusively in the United States and Canada up to 2018 when John played in his last concert. They continuously separate and reorganize. There is reference to the band the Scorpions and once John sings in German for our pleasure. This story is especially interesting for me since I was an exchange student in Germany when they originated in the 1960s, but I had no knowledge of them. Now I know and eagerly look forward to seeing the film a second time. (Becky Tan)