Yello -

Yello is a Swiss electro-pop combo from Zürich that emerged on Ralph Records with the 1980/81 albums Solid Pleasure and Claro que Si. In 1983, they scored a crossover hit with “I Love You” from their Stiff release You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess. Trimmed to the duo of Boris Blank and Dieter Meier, they charted worldwide with their 1985 album Stella and its single “Oh Yeah,” heard in the 1986 teen comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Members: Boris Blank (electronics, vocals), Dieter Meier (vocals), Carlos Perón (effects, tapes, 1979-83)

Background

Yello formed in Zürich in 1978 when keyboardist/composer Boris Blank teamed with tape technician Carlos Perón. Their name is a portmanteau of “yell” and “hello.”

Blank (b. 1952) first worked with tape loops and sound effects as a teenager. While working as a truck driver, he made new age recordings comprised of water sounds and flute melodies. He eventually met Perón (b. 1952), who also worked with tapes and affects. They founded TRANCEONIC studio in Zürich, where they devised the Yello sound.

In 1978, the pair flew to California to pitch their concept to record companies, including mega-label RCA and the independent Ralph Records. The latter, primarily known for cryptic conceptualists The Residents, signed Yello as part of its expanding international roster (Snakefinger, Nash the Slash).

Back in Zürich, Yello added vocalist Dieter Meier (b. 1945), a millionaire private banker and gambler who’d worked as a performance artist during the 1960s. In 1978, Meier cut two punk singles with the Aarau band Fresh Color. Yello issued its first single, the 12″ “I. T. Splash” (b/w “Glue Head”), on local small-press Periphery Perfume in January 1979.

Solid Pleasure

Yello released their debut album, Solid Pleasure, on October 15, 1980, on Ralph (US). In 1981, the album appeared on Vertigo (Germany), Celluloid (France), and Robin Scott‘s Do It Records (UK).

Keyboardist Boris Blank lone-wrote three tracks (“Magneto,” “Massage,” “Coast to Polka”) and sings on the fourth (“Eternal Legs”). Tape-effects player Carlos Perón co-wrote “Blue Green,” “Stanztrigger,” and “Assistant’s Cry.” Singer Dieter Meier lyricized the latter and the six remaining tracks, including the singles “Bimbo,” “Bostich,” and “Night Flanger.”

Solid Pleasure features guest input by Ping Pong drummer Felix Haug and two members of Shivananda: guitarist Chico Hablas and drummer Walt Keiser.

A1. “Bimbo” (3:38)
A2. “Night Flanger” (4:53)
A3. “Reverse Lion” (1:21)
A4. “Downtown Samba” (2:37)
A5. “Magneto” (2:47)
A6. “Massage” (1:37)
A7. “Assistant’s Cry” (1:40)
A8. “Bostich” (2:13)

B1. “Rock Stop” (2:31)
B2. “Coast to Polka” (1:55)
B3. “Blue Green” (5:26)
B4. “Eternal Legs” (4:16)
B5. “Stanztrigger” (2:49)
B6. “Bananas to the Beat” (3:03)

Sessions occurred in Zürich at the trio’s namesake Yello Studio. Additional work took place with Ganymed soundman Ursli Weber at Platinum One Studio, where Meier cut his 1978 punk single “Cry for Fame” (b/w “The Hook”) for Periphery Perfume.

Artist Nick Urbaniak created the Solid Pleasure cover art, which shows a purple/pink toddler on orange grid-back in a green gargoyle mask.

Ralph released “Bimbo” as a 1980 US single (b/w “I.T. Splash”). This was the label’s twelfth 7″ release (cat #YL-8058-S) after singles by The Residents, Fred Frith, MX-80 Sound, Snakefinger, and Tuxedomoon.

Do It issued “Bimbo” on May 29, 1981, as Yello’s first UK single, backed with their earlier Swiss a-side “I. T. Splash.”

In September, “Bostich” became their second UK single, backed with “She’s Got a Gun,” a track from their second album. In France, Celluloid issued “Night Flanger” as an a-side (b/w “Bostich”).

In the US, Stiff Records issued “Bostich” on a 12″ EP with “Downtown Samba,” “She’s Got a Gun,” and “Daily Disco,” the lead track from their second album. “Bostich” reached No. 23 on the US Dance chart.

Meier directed the “Bostich” video, which showcases him alone (suspenders, shirt, tie) in a dark setting with dual deep-color highlights (red/blue, green/yellow, blue/pink) interspersed with animated wrenches, moving machine parts, and a cameo by New York scenester Dianne Brill with a blonde beehive hairdo.

Claro que Si

Yello released their second album, Claro que Si, in 1981 on Ralph (US), Do It (UK), and Vertigo (Europe). The title is Spanish for “of course.”

Claro que Si contains ten songs by Boris Blank and Dieter Meier, including “Daily Disco” and the singles “She’s Got a Gun” and “Pinball Cha Cha.”

Carlos Perón does tape effects to Blank’s electronics and Meier’s vocals. Chico Hablas returns as Yello’s auxiliary guitarist, joined by drummer Beat Ash of the Motz-Art Ensemble.

A1. “Daily Disco” (4:32)
A2. “No More Roger” (3:18)
A3. “Take It All” (1:48)
A4. “The Evening’s Young” (4:53)
A5. “She’s Got a Gun” (3:40)

B1. “Ballet Mecanique” (3:44)
B2. “Quad el Habib” (3:24) features vocals by one Zine el Abedine.
B3. “The Lorry” (3:35)
B4. “Homer Hossa” (5:16)
B5. “Pinball Cha Cha” (3:40)

Sessions occurred at Yello Studio in Zürich and Powerplay Studio in Maur, Switzerland, where Blank co-produced Claro que Si with engineer Ursli Weber.

Claro que Si features cover art by Jim Cherry, whose image depicts Memphis-style letters and sentient appliances against a teal backdrop with a flying keyboard overhead. The back cover shows illustrated robot heads (one for each member) against the ventilation panel of a stereo component.

Ralph pressed alternate covers with orange and red backgrounds. Vertigo copies have a greener backdrop.

Cherry also did the detective illustration for the picture sleeve to “She’s Got a Gun.” His distinct style also appears on the 1977 album Hep Hep! by the New Deal Rhythm Band (a retro-Forties Seattle band with Cheryl Bentyne, pre-Manhattan Transfer) and later titles by Mass Production and Zapp.

On February 12, 1982, Do It lifted “She’s Got a Gun” as a UK single, backed with “Bluehead,” a non-album original. The 12″ contains two alternate b-sides: “The Evening’s Young” and “There Is No Reason,” another exclusive.

B. “Bluehead”
B2. “There Is No Reason”

On June 4, “Pinball Cha Cha” became the second Do It single, backed with “Smile On You,” which later reappeared on Yello’s third album. The single appeared in a yellow sleeve (a pun on the phonetic pronunciation of their name). The 12″ contains a watercolor rendering of the sleeve illustration (a woman’s leg crossed with a man’s) against a mint background.

In the “Pinball Cha Cha” video, Dieter plays the tuxedo-clad host at a vintage toytown pinball bar, where Boris breaks sweat at one machine while game-room figurines spin, roam, and mingle with claymation formations. As Boris smokes off the stress, the figures line dance with giant saxophones against flashing green/red backdrops.

In September 1982, Do It issued the Yello promo single “Zensation,” which reappeared as “No More Words” (4:03) on their third album along with the b-side “Heavy Whispers” (5:00).

Though it remained a deep-cut, Meier directed a video for “The Evening’s Young” with trademark color lighting. Yello appear collectively as silhouettes against red and blue backdrops, alternated with scenes of Boris (red-tinted, overlaid with moving green strips) and Dieter, whose debonair profile sings into a vintage Shure microphone against a purple backdrop. In the US, the video received light rotation on the fledgling cable music channel MTV.

You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess

Yello released their third album, You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess, in June 1983 on Stiff (UK, Australia), Vertigo (Europe, Argentina), and Elektra (North America). The cover features a gorilla finger-painting by Swiss artist Ernst Gamper.

Another Excess contains eleven songs written, arranged, and produced by Boris Blank, including their breakthrough international hit “I Love You” and followup single “Lost Again.”

Dieter Meier lyricized everything through “Pumping Velvet,” the penultimate track with guitarist Chico Hablas. Drummer Beat Ash plays on the title track and most of Side B. Cassette copies include a bonus twelfth track, “Two Worlds.” This was Yello’s last of three albums with co-founder Carlos Perón.

A1. “I Love You” (3:14)
A2. “Lost Again” (4:18)
A3. “No More Words” (3:58)
A4. “Crash Dance” (2:08)
A5. “Great Mission” (2:56)
A6. “You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess” (2:08)

B1. “Swing” (3:26)
B2. “Heavy Whispers” (3:56)
B3. “Smile on You” (3:09)
B4. “Pumping Velvet” (3:18)
B5. “Salut Mayoumba” (4:40)

B6. “Two Worlds” (cassette only, 4:12)

“You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess” first appeared in October 1982 as a Stiff US 12″ single (4:47) backed with “Heavy Whispers.”

In May 1983, “I Love You” appeared as their fifth UK single and second US 7”, both backed with the “Rubber West,” a non-album Blank original.

B. “Rubber West”

“I Love You” reached No. 41 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 16 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In the song’s video, a gray-tux Boris serenades a bespectacled dame in a Fifties pink convertible. Meier interspersed double-color facial lighting (pink/blue, yellow/pink) with scenes of dancing slingbacks and Gamper’s gorilla at various stages of composition. Blank’s lady spin dances as he works on their subsequent blue convertible, in which she takes him for a high-speed donut ride.

In mid-October, “Lost Again” became the second UK/European single, backed with “Base for Alec,” another Blank exclusive.

B. “Base for Alec”

“Lost Again” reached No. 10 in Switzerland and No. 26 in Germany. In the video, Dieter’s somber, sad-eyed profile sings with red and blue tints against blue backdrops as a vintage redhead wanders sullen and blank-faced through bars and streets of the city night. She passes him on a suspension bridge and pauses momentarily, then walks on as he croons into darkness. Midway, Meier (in a style reminiscent of 1920s experimental film) employed translucent tinted multiples of the woman’s shadowy face.

In November, Elektra issued a 12″ with extended dance remixes of four tracks.

A1. “Pumping Velvet” (5:03)
A2. “No More Words” (5:45)
B1. “Lost Again” (7:11)
B2. “Bostich” (4:32)

In the Philippines, Vertigo issued “Pumping Velvet” on 7″ (b/w “No More Words”).

You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess reached No. 13 on the Swiss Hitparade, No. 26 on the German GfK Entertainment chart, and No. 36 on the Dutch Albums Chart.

Blank and Peron worked with one Pierre-Michel Haussmann on the 1984 single “Zero Zero Dead Mickey,” credited to “Robert Zimmermann” on Mickeymausetot Records.

Stella

Yello released their fourth album, Stella, on January 28, 1985, on Elektra (UK), Vertigo (Europe), and Mercury (US). This was their first of eleven studio albums as a duo.

Stella contains eleven Boris Blank originals, including the European hits “Vicious Games” and “Desire,” plus the earlier “Let Me Cry.” Dieter Meier wrote the lyrics to everything apart from “Koladi-ola,” a Blank-sung track.

Guitarist Chico Hablas plays on “Domingo” and all of Side A (barring “Stalakdrama”). Beat Ash plays hi-hat on the first and final tracks. Carmel backing vocalist Rush Winters sings on “Vicious Games” and “Angel No.”

In 1986, “Oh Yeah” became Yello’s signature song to US audiences after its use in the teen comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

A1. “Desire” (3:42)
A2. “Vicious Games” (4:20)
A3. “Oh Yeah” (3:05)
A4. “Desert Inn” (3:30)
A5. “Stalakdrama” (3:02)
A6. “Koladi-ola” (2:55)

B1. “Domingo” (4:30)
B2. “Sometimes (Dr. Hirsch)” (3:33)
B3. “Let Me Cry” (3:34)
B4. “Ciel Ouvert” (5:20)
B5. “Angel No” (3:06)

Sessions spanned mid-1983 to mid-1984 at Yello Studio with a projected October release date. In post-production, Yello turned to Hartmann Digital Studio in Untertrubach Germany, where engineer Tom Thiel (a recent soundman for DAF, Marc Almond, and The Three O’Clock) gave the Stella tracks digital mix-downs. Yello found the results sterile and returned to Zurich, where Blank painstakingly remixed the tracks to satisfaction, thus postponing the finish date.

Vertigo first issued “Let Me Cry” in August 1983 as a German standalone 12″ (4:15), backed with the non-album “Haunted House.”

B. “Haunted House” (4:28)

“Vicious Games” followed Stella as a February 1985 single, backed with the non-album “Blue Nabou.” The 12″ contains a “Vicious Games” vocal remix (6:45) and an instrumental version (4:06).

B. “Blue Nabou” (3:19) features piano by erstwhile Mamba Annie Hogan.

“Vicious Games” reached No. 5 on the Swiss Hitparade, No. 15 on the German GfK Entertainment chart, and No. 8 on the US Dance Club Songs chart.

In June, Yellow lifted “Desire” as the second single, backed with “Oh Yeah (Indian Summer).” The 12″ contains an extended “Desire” (7:00) and a lengthened b-side subtitled ‘The Stella Suite Pt 2’ (5:32).

“Desire” reached No. 16 on the Germany GfK chart and No. 19 on the Swiss Hitparade.

Stella became the first No. 1 album on Switzerland’s album chart (the Schweizer Hitparade) by a Swiss act. The album reached No. 6 in Germany and went Top 30 in Austria and Sweden.

“Oh Yeah” appeared as a US single after its inclusion in director John Hughes’ summer 1986 blockbuster Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a teen comedy starring Matthew Broderick as a high school senior who fakes illness to spend the day in Chicago with his girlfriend and best friend.

In 1987, “Oh Yeah” gained further stateside exposure in The Secret of My Success, a business comedy starring Michael J. Fox. The song plays during the cab scene where ‘Auntie’ Vera (Margaret Whitton) seduces Fox’s character, Brantley Foster. “Oh Yeah” appeared as a subsequent a-side in Germany and Australia, where it reached No. 8 on the Kent Music Report.

Discography: