Iviron were an Austrian jazz-rock/folk band that released a self-titled album on Silent Sun in 1981. Members: Fritz Schoisswohl, Helmut Scherner, Ingo Schleicher-Atanasov, Karl Takats, Peter Hackspiel, Ronald Bergmayr, Thomas Gang Discography: Iviron (1981)
Xao Seffcheque was the performance moniker of Austrian musician Alexander Sevschek, who released a Kraftwerk parody album on Das Büro in 1981. Under the Xao Seffcheque und der Rest nameplate, he released an EP on Rondo, followed by the 1981 album Ja, Nein, Vielleicht on Schallmauer. Discography: Deutschland nicht über alles (EP, 1980) Ja, Nein, […]
Richard Schönherz (born 1947) is an Austrian keyboardist, composer, and arranger who emerged in the hard-rock/soul act Gipsy Love, playing on that band’s 1971 self-titled album. In 1975, he cut the symphonic/choral album Victor in collaboration with drummer/lyricist/arranger Manuel Rigoni. In 1978, Schönherz issued the album What a Night under his surname on Warner Bros. […]
Joe Zawinul (July 7, 1932 — Sept. 11, 2007) was an Austrian keyboardist, composer, and bandleader who was active on the international jazz scene for half a century. Between 1971 and 1986, he co-headed the multi-national jazz-funk/ambient ensemble Weather Report with American saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Discography: To You With Love (1961 • Joe Zawinul Trio) […]
Isaiah were an Austrian jazz-rock/psych sextet from Innsbruck, Tirol, formed in 1971. The band released a self-titled album in 1975 on CBS and recorded a followup for the label before folding in 1977. The lost album has since surfaced as a bootleg. Members: Gerd Raabe (lead vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, percussion), Michael Bornhorst (tenor saxophone, […]
Bizarre Ko.Ko.Ko was an Austrian synthesizer duo that issued the album 00 Time in 1984 on self-press Synoptik Records. The duo consisted of label-head Karl Kronfeld and cover-artist Walter Heinisch, both of whom had earlier been in the electronic trio Cultural Noise, which issued the album Aphorisms Insane in 1980. Heinisch’s name has also appeared […]
Michael Mantler (born Aug. 10, 1943) is an Austrian trumpeter, composer, and arranger who has been active on the international avant-garde jazz/classical scene since the mid-1960s. Between 1973 and 1988, he released 10 albums on EMI-subsidiary Watt, a label he co-ran with then-wife Carla Bley. Discography: No Answer (1973) 13 & 3/4 (1975 • Michael […]
Cultural Noise were an Austrian electronic trio that released the album Aphorisms Insane in 1980 on CBS. Two-thirds of the band would record again as Bizarre Ko.Ko.Ko. Walter Heinisch — who plays Mellotron in addition to synthesizers on the album — has the most credits outside these projects, having appeared on at least 25 various-artist […]
Orange Power were an Austrian band from Wien that was active for nearly two decades, starting in 1973. The band was briefly joined by singer/songwriter Gino Pertot for a Philips single and eponymous album circa 1976/77, both in the symphonic/hard-rock vein. During the 1980s, the band released a series of numerically titled instrumental/library albums on […]
Paternoster were an Austrian hard-rock/psych band that released a self-titled album in 1972 on CBS. Members: Gerhart Walenta (drums), Gerhard Walter (guitar, vocals), Franz Wippel (organ, vocals), Haimo Wisser (bass) After the band folded, bassist Haimo Wisser issued a folk/psych solo album in 1976 on Preiser Records. Guitarist/vocalist Gerhard Walter later surfaced in Viennese punk […]
Kombinat M were an Austrian avant/space-rock quintet that was active for six years, starting in 1987. The band released its singular album, Hybrid Beat, in 1993 on Cuneiform and disbanded soon thereafter. Members: Andreas Heidu, Andreas Leikauf, Erwin Redl, Lukas Ligeti, Walter Hollinetz Discography: Hybrid Beat (1993)
Kyrie Eleison were an Austrian symphonic-rock band that was active during the second half of the 1970s. The band released their singular album, The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise, in 1976 on self-press Merlin. A group of 1974/75 recordings were later released on the 74-minute CD The Blind Windows Suite. Keyboardist Gerald Krampl would head the […]
Hermann Szobel (born 1958) is an Austrian keyboardist, composer, and arranger who was briefly active on the New York jazz-rock scene during the mid-1970s. In 1976 at age 18, he released the album Szobel on Arista. He dissappeared from the music world soon thereafter, but his album has since gained cult status in the 21st […]
Ginga Rale Band were an Austrian space-rock band that was active between 1979 and 1984. The band debuted with a 300-copy pressing of the album Wir bedauern… in 1980 on Reibo Records. Two singles and a second album, Information, appeared over the following three years on the self-run Rockdream and Rote Hosen labels. Members: Paul […]
Gino Pertot is an Austrian vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter who was active during the 1970s. In 1973, he appeared on recordings by the band Milestones and German singer Sandra Haas. His singular solo album, Jew Nails, appeared in 1976 as a self-press. The album features keyboard work from Peter Janda of Orange Power, which Pertot […]
Gipsy Love was an Austrian soul-rock band that was active for two years during the early 1970s. The band released back-to-back albums on the BASF and PAN labels in 1972. That same year, organist Peter Wolf and guitarist Charly Ratzer recorded the soul-psych soundtrack album Gorilla-Gorilla. Prior to the band, Wolf cut the post-bop/jazz-rock album […]
Eela Craig were an Austrian symphonic-rock band that was initially active for 11 years, starting in 1970. The band debuted with an eponymous album in 1971 on self-press Pro Disc. A half-decade pause in recording activity — broken only by the 1974 single “Stories” / “Cheese” — would precede their popular 1976 album One Niter […]
Art Boys Collection were an Austrian psych-rock band from Andorf, Oberösterreich, that released a standalone single on Interpop in 1969, followed by three 1970/71 singles and the 1972 album Stoned Wall on Lesborne. Members: Walter Holz (organ), Hans Joachim Holz (vocals, drums, percussion, piano), Gerhard Bauer (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar), Johann Aigner (bass guitar), Gerhard […]
Gollum were an Austrian jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album on Bellaphon in 1982. Members: Erich Bachträgl (drums, percussion), Uli Rennert (keyboards), Jeff Wohlgenannt (bass), Mike Gottwald (percussion) Discography: Gollum (1982)
Die Knödel were an Austrian chamber-rock/folk band from Tirol that released three discs on RecRec Music between 1993 and 1995, followed at decade’s end by a collaborative effort with American composer Amy Denio. Members: Christof Dienz (bassoon), Alexandra Dienz (bass), Julia Figl (violin, vocals), Margret Köll (harp), Cathi Aglibut (viola, vocals), Walter Seebacher (clarinet), Michael Öttl […]
Lazarus were an Austrian hard-rock/psych band from Neunkirchen that released a self-titled album on Rex Record in 1973. Members: Peter Glatzl (guitar,vocals), Peter Fischer (bass), Alvin Waldner ( guitar), Walter Spacil (drums), Helmut Sacher (lead vocals) Discography: Lazarus (1973)
Atlas were an Austrian soul-funk band that released a self-titled album on Bacillus/Bellaphon in 1977. Members: Rainhard Ploil (vocals), Thomas Böröz (drums, congas, string ensemble, piano), Reinhard Kühne (guitar), Hannes Seidl (piano, clavinet), Helmut Pichler (bass), Helmut Plattner (trumpet), Franz Berka (saxophone), Gereon Wolter (trombone) Formed in 1975, Atlas was active for three years on […]
U8 were an Austrian hard-rock/metal band from Nussdorf, Salzburg, that released the album Pegasus 1001 on Powerplay Music Records in 1982, followed by The Shaber on EMI in 1984. Members: Günter “Schwammerl” Maier (guitar, vocals), Erich “Lemmy” Enzinger (vocals, 1982-88), Andreas Rescheneder (bass, 1987-88), Helmar Hill (keyboards, 1987-88), Manfred Krenn (drums, 1987-88) Discography: “Living for […]
Freak Out were an Austrian brass-rock band from Knittelfeld, Steiermark, that released the album Life with a standalone b-side on Cosmos in 1971. Members: Robert Musenbichler (guitar), Peter Musenbichler (guitar, vocals), Max Weißenbäck (saxophone), Charly Dienes (drums), Mike Gärtner (bass), Ivan Miholic (percussion) Discography: Life (1971) “Jaming Brother” / “Crazy Colours of Life” (1971)
Desert Harvest were an Austrian art-rock band from Linz that released the album Schwarz oder Rosa on self-press Ixthuluh Records in 1981. That same year, they issued a single under the truncated name De Ha. A further shortplayer followed on OK Musica in 1982. Members: Franz Weger (Bass, Vocals), Arno Hemala (Drums, Percussion), Johann Kühnl […]
Der Eiserne Vorhang were an Austrian New Wave band from Niederösterreich that issued a single apiece on Panza-Platte and Philips in 1981, followed by the album Ohne Ausweg on Ariola in 1982. Members: Fred Cornet (trumpet), Ronald Fleischmann (vocals), Michael Jürs (drums), Thomas Rabitsch (keyboard) Discography: Ohne Ausweg (1982)
Vienna Art Orchestra were an Austrian avant-jazz big band from Wien that released the album Tango From Obango on Art Records in 1980, followed by five albums apiece on Hat Hut and Moers Music between 1981 and 1988. Members: Anna Lauvergnac (vocals), Tobias Weidinger (trumpet), Matthieu Michel (trumpet), Stephan Zimmermann (trumpet), Juraj Bartoš (trumpet), Adrian […]
Wolf & Wolf were an Austrian synthpop duo comprised of multi-instrumentalist Peter Wolf and his then-wife, vocalist Ina Wolf. The pair released two albums on Polydor and Morocco Records between 1982 and 1984, followed by a third as Vienna on Warner Bros. in 1987. Industry-vet Peter Wolf hailed from early ’70s soul-psych legends Gipsy Love. […]
ZYX were an Austrian coldwave duo that released the album Trust No Woman on OK Musica in 1981. Members: Inge Graf, Walter Zyx Discography: Trust No Woman (1981)
Minisex were an Austrian New Wave band from Wien that released a self-titled album on Extraplatte in 1980, followed by three albums with accompanying singles on Schallter between 1982 and 1984. Members: Thomas Böröcz (drums), Ernst Czettel (bass), Michael Egger (keyboards), Bernd Lange (saxophone), Walter Marchart (bass), Alex Munkas (drums), Rudi Nemeczek (vocals), Rudi Olschelda […]
Klockwerk Orange were an Austrian symphonic-rock band from Zams, Tirol, that released the album Abrakadabra on CBS in 1974. Members: Hermann Delago (guitar, organ, synthesizer, vocals), Markus “Wak” Weiler (organ, electric piano, synthesizer), Guntram Burtscher (bass, guitar, vocals), Wolfgang Böck (drums, tubular bells, timpani) Discography: Abrakadabra (1975)
Hans Koller Free Sound were an Austrian avant-jazz/rock super-band that released the album Phoenix on MPS/BASF in 1972, followed by For Marcel Duchamp in 1977. Members: Hans Koller (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), Alex Bally (drums), Albert Mair (electric piano), Adelhard Roidinger (bass), Jürgen Wuchner (bass), Janusz Stefański (drums), Wolfgang Dauner (keyboards), Zbigniew Seifert […]
Ganymed were an Austrian space-funk band that released three albums on Bacillus/Bellaphon between 1978 and 1981. Members: Yvonne Dory (vocals), Gerry Edmond (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), Ernst Nekola (drums), Gerhard Messinger, Daniele Prencipe (synthesizer), Rudolf Mille (synthesizer) Discography: Takes You Higher (1978) Future World (1979) Dimension No. 3 (1981)
Gandalf (born Dec. 4, 1952) is an Austrian New Age musician from Pressbaum, Niederösterreich, who released five albums on WEA between 1980 and 1984, followed by seven further titles on CBS and Seagull Music during the subsequent half-decade. Discography: Journey to an Imaginary Land (1980) To Another Horizon (1982) Visions (1982) Magic Theatre (1983) More […]
Topas were an Austrian-German art-rock band that released a self-titled album on Polydor in 1980. Members: Heinz-Dieter Brand-Gudat, Frithjof Landvogt, Rolf Oppermann, Siegfried Miensok Discography: Topas (1980)
Opús are an Austrian art-rock/pop band from Graz that formed in 1973 and played the live circuit for seven years before releasing their first album, Daydreams, on Philips in 1980. The album Eleven followed on RCA in 1982, after which the band released three albums apiece on OK Musica on Polydor during the ensuing seven-year […]
Falco — aka Johann Hölzel (Feb. 19, 1957 — Feb. 6, 1998) — was an Austrian New Wave vocalist and songwriter from Wein. Discography: Einzelhaft (1982) Junge Roemer (1984) Falco 3 (1985) Emotional (1986) Wiener Blut (1988)
Chuzpe were an Austrian New Wave Band from Wien that debuted with a standalone single on Schnazz-o-phone Records in 1979, followed by three 1981 singles and the 1982 album 1000 Takte Tanz on GiG Records. Members: Robert (guitar, vocals), Stephan (synthesizer, vocals), Christian (bass, vocals), Gunulf (drums, vocals) Discography: “(They Can’t Beat) The Beat” / “I […]
Aardvarks were an Austrian hard-rock band from Salzburg that released four albums on namesake self-press Aardvarks Records between 1982 and 1990. Members: Kurt Deixler (guitar, 1980), Michael Wagner (bass, vocals, 1980), Rico Pucher (guitar, vocals, 1980-82), Robert Jansky (drums, 1980), Johann Kastinger (keyboards, 1980-85), Horst Trattnig (vocals, blues harp, 1980), Paul Hochrainer (guitar, 1987), Heimo […]
Karl Ratzer is an Austrian guitarist who cut a 1972 album with the post-psych band Gipsy Love. He made numerous solo albums of instrumental jazz-rock, starting with the 1978–79 Vanguard titles In Search of the Ghost and Street Talk. Discography: In Search of the Ghost (1978) Finger Prints (1979) Street Talk (1979) Dancing on a […]
