Alcatraz, a German rock crossover band, was formed in March 1970 on the Hamburg Elbe island of Finkenwerder. The original lineup consisted of Rüdiger Berghahn (vocals, keyboard), Klaus Holst (guitar), Klaus Nagurski (saxophone, flute), Ronny Wilson (bass, vocals), and Jan Rieck (drums). Their debut album, Vampire State Building, was released in 1972 under the Phillips label. Throughout the 1970s, Alcatraz evolved through various lineups and stylistic phases, incorporating elements from Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, and King Crimson. Notable albums from this period include Energie Programm In Rock (1978) and Live - Trockeneis Zum Frühstück (1980). The band continued to explore different musical directions, including jazz and new wave influences, throughout the 1990s and beyond, culminating in releases like Holm (1998) and Made In Germania (2013).
