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 disappeared from the music world soon after, but his album has since gained cult status in the 21st […]
Eela Craig was an Austrian rock band that made a 1971 post-psych album and the 1974 single “Stories.” They reemerged on Vertigo with the 1976–78 symphonic-rock albums One Niter and Hats of Glass, followed on different labels with the 1978–80 albums Missa Universalis and Virgin Oiland. Members: Hubert Bognermayer (keyboards, vocals), Harald Zuschrader (guitar, keyboards, […]
Michael Mantler is an Austrian trumpeter, composer, and arranger; active on the international avant-garde jazz/classical scene since the mid-1960s. Between 1973 and 1988, he made ten albums on EMI-subsidiary Watt, a label he co-ran with then-wife Carla Bley. Background Michael Mantler was born on August 10, 1943, in Vienna, Austria, where he studied trumpet and […]
Paternoster was an Austrian hard-rock/psych band that released a 1972 self-titled album on CBS. Members: Gerhart Walenta (drums), Gerhard Walter (guitar, vocals), Franz Wippel (organ, vocals), Haimo Wisser (bass) Formation Paternoster formed in 1970 in Wein (Vienna), Austria, where organist/songwriter Franz Wippel teamed with guitarist Gerhard Walter, bassist Haimo Wisser (b. February 10, 1952), and […]
Kyrie Eleison was an Austrian symphonic-rock band that released the 1976 album The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise on Merlin Records. Pre-LP tracks (circa 1974/75) later appeared on the 74-minute CD The Blind Windows Suite. Keyboardist Gerald Krampl headed the band Indigo for three albums between 1984 and 1993. Members: Gerald Krampl (keyboards, synthesizer, mellotron, backing […]
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 made a 1981 Kraftwerk parody album on Das Büro. Under the Xao Seffcheque und der Rest nameplate, he cut an EP on Rondo, followed by the 1981 album Ja, Nein, Vielleicht on Schallmauer. Background Xaõ Seffcheque was born Alexander Sevschek on January 5, […]
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, active on the international jazz scene for a half century. Between 1971 and 1986, he co-headed the multi-national jazz-funk/ambient ensemble Weather Report with American saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Background Joe Zawinul was born Josef Erich Zawinul on July 7, 1932, […]
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 […]
Cultural Noise was an Austrian electronic trio that released the 1980 CBS album Aphorisms Insane. Two-thirds of the band resumed as Bizarre Ko.Ko.Ko. Walter Heinisch appears on over 25 compilations on the Cosmos library label. Members: Gerhard Lisy, Karl Kronfeld, Walter Heinisch Inception Cultural Noise formed with synthesists Gerhard Lisy and Karl Kronfeld teamed with […]
Orange Power was an Austrian band from Wien, active from 1973 for two decades. They included singer/songwriter Gino Pertot on their 1977 Philips album. Across the 1980s, they made multiple instrumental library albums on their namesake Orange Power label. Members: Gino Pertot (acoustic guitar, vocals), Peter Janda (keyboards), Walter Kramer (guitar), Hans Schön (bass), Hardy […]
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)
Ginga Rale Band was 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 […]
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 […]
Gino Pertot is an Austrian singer, guitarist, and songwriter who appeared on 1973 titles by Milestones and German singer Sandra Haas. His singular solo album, Jew Nails, appeared in 1976 as a self-press. The album features keyboard work by Peter Janda of Orange Power, which Pertot joined for their single “For Stefanie Marrian” and 1977 […]
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 was an Austrian hard-rock/metal band behind the 1982 album Pegasus 1001 on Powerplay Music, followed by the 1984 EMI release The Shaber. 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) Background U8 formed in 1980 in Salzburg when guitarist […]
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 was an Austrian avant-jazz big band from Wien that released the 1980 album Tango From Obango on Art Records, followed by five albums apiece on Hat Hut and Moers Music. Members: Anna Lauvergnac (vocals), Tobias Weidinger (trumpet), Matthieu Michel (trumpet), Stephan Zimmermann (trumpet), Juraj Bartoš (trumpet), Adrian Mears (trombone), Robert Bachner (trombone), […]
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 was 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 is an Austrian new age musician who released five albums between 1980 and 1984 on WEA, followed by seven titles through 1990 on CBS and Seagull Music. As of 2024, he’s made thirty-eight studio albums. Background Gandalf was born Heinz Strobl on December 4, 1952, in Pressbaum, Niederösterreich, Austria. He and his brother Franz […]
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 (Feb. 19, 1957 — Feb. 6, 1998) was an Austrian new wave singer and songwriter who landed a national No. 1 with the 1982 NDW single “Der Kommissar,” popularized in the Anglosphere by After the Fire. In 1985, he scored a global hit with the rap-dance novelty “Rock Me Amadeus” from his third album […]
Chuzpe was 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” / […]
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. Background Karl Alfred Ratzer was born July 4, 1950, in Vienna, Austria. His father, Karl Stojka, […]
