Uschi Nerke is a heroine to classic rock fans all over the Western world. She hosted the German popular music show "Beat-Club" from 1965 to 1972, and many clips from the show - among the finest TV appearances in all of rock and roll - have aired on cable music channels and are readily available on YouTube. The show developed a reputation for its innovative and colorful backdrops after it switched from black and white to color. It was one of the most important TV programs for British and American rockers to appear on.
Like "Entertainment Tonight"'s Mary Hart in the United States many years later, Ms. Nerke had a slew of male co-hosts on "Beat-Club," one of whom was John David "Dave Dee" Harman of the British pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich. She was the show's solo host in its last two years.
Among the acts that appeared on "Beat-Club" were the Beatles, Cream, the Who, the Bee Gees, Manfred Mann, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Ike & Tina Turner, Family, Alice Cooper, Richie Havens, Santana, Billy Preston, and too many more to list here.
Ms. Nerke, who turned 67 in January 2011, now hosts a radio version of "Beat-Club" on German radio and appears as a presenter at oldies events.
Fun fact: Uschi Nerke is also a trained architect, having studied architecture in Bremen.
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