Dream a little Cream
How Rock'n'Roll came to Frankfurt
Jochen Hasmanis
In 1900, instrument maker Heinrich Hummel and his wife Babette came to Frankfurt. His music store Heinrich Hummel – later “Cream-Music” – was founded on Taunusstraße 24 in 1904. In addition to self-made zither instruments they sold mandolins, violins, harmonicas, drums, brass and woodwind instruments. After the end of World War I, the music house moved to Taunusstraße 43, where the guitar and bass section could be found until 2018. Next door was the so-called drum cellar. As a result of the Allies’ presence, the newest music from the US found its way across the pond and influenced the local music scene. In his documentary, Jochen Hasmanis tells the story of the legendary music shop that not only accompanied generations of musicians but also attracted world stars like Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones. Along for the ride are stars like Markus (“Ich will Spaß”), Gerd Knebel and Henni Nachtsheim from Badesalz, and guitarist Ali Neander. Jochen Hasmanis is a musician himself and has known the shop for many years. Initially, he only wanted to shoot a short video clip in the old Cream abode just before its relocation – with Badesalz’s Gerd Knebel and Henni Nachtsheim behind the shop counter. “And then more and more stories came up.” For example, the story of a grandmother who helped around the shop and kept a wary eye on customers even in her old age. Or that of the music studio “Cream Recording Studios”, which the family ran in a cellar in Oberrad.
27 April 2025
19:30 h, Mal Seh'n Kino
More information
| Direction | Jochen Hasmanis |
| Country | Deutschland |
| Year | 2024 |
| Duration | 97 min |
| Language | Deutsch |
| Language version | OV |
| Production | Jochen Hasmanis |
| Cast | Mit Ali Neander, Henni Nachtsheim, Gerd Knebel, Jürgen Zöller, |
| Camera | Jochen Hasmanis |
| Script | Jochen Hasmanis |
| Music | Badesalz, Lord Zero |
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Press reviews
Journal Frankfurt: A special highlight in the film is the depiction of Grandma Babette and the daughters Irene and Louise, who sold plucked instruments, accordions, and flutes for many years. Their dedication to music and their expertise are symbolic of the tradition that still distinguishes the shop. “Times change, but Cream has stayed”, Hahn says with a bit of pride. Even after the relocation to Seehofstraße in Sachsenhausen, the shop’s character has remained. With a lot of patina.
FR: The international star customer base included The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, Billy Idol, and Police guitarist Andy Summers. On the national and regional level, names like Albert and Emil Mangelsdorff, Michael Sagmeister, Ali Neander from the Rodgau Monotones, Jürgen Zöller from BAP or the New German Wave surge Markus from Bad Camberg (“Ich will Spaß”) should be mentioned, as well as David Kirby from the event technology manufacturer Adam Hall, situated in Neu-Anspach. Many of them get a chance to speak in the film, in addition to the Cream team managing the business nowadays.
FAZ: Hasmanis presents the times gone by means of numerous black-and-white photos. An Odeon-branded single, rotating on a record player, is intercut with photos of the staff and owners of the music house. It was founded in 1904 by Heinrich Hummel and his wife Babette as a specialty shop for music instruments and similar items, first located at Taunusstraße 24. All employees wore white work coats in these early days. In short inserts, Hasmanis lets Gerd Knebel and Henni Nachtsheim from the Frankfurt comedy duo Badesalz clown around as pretend shop keepers. But most of all, he shows instruments, amps and music speakers by esteemed brands such as Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Vox, Rickenbacker, Hagstrom, Marshall, Hiwatt, Orange, Echolette, Hammond and Ludwig - coveted bestsellers then and now still.
FNP: There is a beautiful scene in the film, where NDW singer Markus visits the abandoned studio: Nena, Geier Sturzflug, Costa Cordalis, Nazareth and himself used to produce music here. Now it is only a place full of memories. Back in the days, Berlin was not the only music capital; Frankfurt was the place to be in the old federal republic, musically speaking. The drum section branched out and moved into its own store two houses down the street. In the cellar. Filmmaker Hasmanis brought all this to light, in a years-long meticulous process.
Regional Feature Film Program
