Brainticket was a Swiss Krautrock band the made the 1970–73 albums Cottonwoodhill, Psychonaut, and Celestial Ocean. Between the first two, keyboardist Joel Vandroogenbroeck performed with Drum Circus. He resurrected Brainticket for the 1980–82 albums Adventure and Voyage. Members: Joel Vandroogenbroeck (flute, keyboards, vocals), Ron Bryer (guitar), Werni Fröhlich (bass), Hellmuth Kolbe (keyboards), Cosimo Lampis (drums), […]
Patrick Moraz is a Swiss keyboardist and composer who emerged in the post-psych act Mainhorse, which issued a 1971 album on Polydor. He then teamed with the rhythm section of The Nice in the super-trio Refugee, which issued a self-titled album on Charisma in 1974. Months later, Yes hired him as Rick Wakeman‘s replacement for […]
Krokodil was a Swiss hard-rock/psych band that released five albums between 1969 and 1973 on Liberty/United Artists and Bacillus. Founded by drummer Düde Dürst and pianist Hardy Hepp, the band coalesced around guitarist Walty Anselmo, harmonica/flute player Mojo Weideli, and English bassist Terry Stevens. Their early albums Krokodil and Swamp combine blues structures with violin, […]
Circus was the Swiss symphonic-rock band behind the 1976–78 Zytglogge albums Circus, Movin’ On, All Stars Live, and the 1980 Illuminatus title Fearless, Tearless and Even Less. Members: Marco Cerletti (bass, bass pedals, guitar, backing vocals), Andreas Grieder (flute, alto saxophone, backing vocals, tambourine), Roland Frei (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone), Fritz Hauser (drums, vibraphone, […]
Container was a Swiss jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album in 1976 on local-press Image. Three members hailed from the Jazz Rock Experience. Saxist/keyboardist Bruno Spoerri became a prolific electronic musician. Members: Bruno Spoerri (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, sopranino saxophone, Lyricon, synthesizer, producer), Nick Bertschinger (piano, electric piano, Clavinet, synthesizer, strings), Thomas […]
Débile Menthol was a Swiss avant-garde new wave band that released the 1982–85 albums Émile au Jardin Patrologique and Battre Campagne on RēR-affiliate RecRec. Members: Cédric Vuille (clarinet, guitar, drums), Jean 20 Huguenin (guitar, percussion, vocals), Gilles Rieder (drums, bass, percussion, vocals), Patrice Dupasquier (saxophone), Marie Schwab (violin, vocals), Christian Addor (keyboards, bass, vocals), Yvan […]
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, […]
Toad was a Swiss hard-rock trio that scored a national hit with “Stay” and made the 1971/72 albums Toad and Tomorrow Blue on Hallelujah, followed by the 1975 release Dreams. Further live and studio tracks surfaced on archival discs from Arkama. Members: Vittorio “Vic” Vergeat (guitar, vocals, piano), Cosimo Lampis (drums, percussion, vocals), Werner Fröhlich […]
Flame Dream is the Swiss symphonic-rock band behind the 1978/79 Philips albums Calatea and Elements and the 1981/82 Vertigo titles Out in the Dark and Supervision. Members: Urs Waldispühl (guitar, vocals), Peter Wolf (woodwinds, vocals), Peter Furrer (drums, percussion), Urs Hochuli (bass, vocals), Roland Ruckstuhl (keyboards, sequencer, vocoder), Dale Hauskins (guitar) Inception Flame Dream formed […]
Mainhorse was a symphonic-psych band formed in 1969 by London-based Swiss musicians. They released a self-titled album on Polydor in 1971 and a film-theme single on Évasion in 1972. Keyboardist Patrick Moraz did brief stints in Refugee and Yes, then launched a prolific solo career. Members: Patrick Moraz (keyboards, vocals), Jean Ristori (bass, cello, vocals), […]
Refugee was an English symphonic-rock trio that released a self-titled album on Charisma in 1974. The band was essentially a reformed Nice with keyboardist Patrick Moraz in lieu of Keith Emerson. The project ended soon after the album’s release when Moraz was invited to replace Rick Wakeman in Yes. Members: Patrick Moraz (keyboards), Lee Jackson […]
Island was the Swiss symphonic-rock band behind the 1977 album Pictures on Round Records. In 1975, they home-taped a 40-minute composition titled “Pyrrho,” issued three decades later on Z-Records. Members: Benjamin Jäger (lead vocals, percussion), Güge Jürg Meier (drums, gongs, percussion), Peter Scherer (keyboards, bass pedals, vocals, crotales), René Fisch (saxophone, flute, clarinet, triangle, vocals) […]
Haze was the Swiss Krautrock band behind the 1971 album Hazecolor Dia on Bacillus Records. Members: Heinz Schwab (lead guitar), Christian Scherler (vocals), Hans-Jürg Frei (guitar, organ), Dietmar Löw (bass), Kurt Frei (drums) Inception Haze formed in 1969 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, and spent two years honing a heavy psych-blues sound through local concerts and regional […]
Tea was a Swiss hard-rock band that released the 1974–76 Vertigo albums Tea, The Ship, and Tax Exile. Members: Marc Storace (vocals, percussion), Turo Paschayan (bass, 12 string guitar, vocals), Volker Armand (guitar, vocals), Philippe Kienholz (keyboards, vocals), Roli Eggli (percussion, drums) Background Tea formed in 1971 as a powertrio when bassist-vocalist Turo Pashayan teamed […]
Nimal was a Swiss chamber-rock/folk band from Neuchâtel that released a 1987 self-titled album on local ReR-subsidiary RecRec Music, followed by the 1990 disc Voix de Surface. The band’s third and final album, DisTanz, appeared in 1992 on the French ReR branch Ayaa. Members: Jean-Maurice Rossel (guitar, hurdy-gurdy, bouzouki), Tom Cora (cello), Bratko Bibič (accordion), […]
L’ Ensemble Rayé was a Swiss chamber-rock/folk band from Neuchâtel that released two albums between 1989 and 1993 on Ayaa Disques: Même en Hiver: Comme un Pinson Dans L’eau and Quelques Pièces Détachées. A third disc, En Frac!, appeared in 1997 on LabelUsineS, followed by four discs on Kein & Aber Records and Les Disques […]
Starter was a Swiss minimal-wave synth trio from Bern that released a 1981 self-titled album on Repertoire Records. A change in lineup yielded three 1985–87 singles on Bariton Records and a final 12″ on Atina Records in 1989. Members: Francis Foss (keyboards, vocals), Claudine Chirac (saxophone, keyboards, 1981-84), Jet Harbour (keyboards, 1981-84), Pauchard (1985-89), Reto […]
Magog was a Swiss jazz-rock band that issued a live set on Evasion Disques, recorded at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival. In 1976, the band released a self-titled album on Japo Records. Members: Hans Kennel (trumpet, percussion, flute), Andy Scherrer (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, percussion), Paul Haag (trombone, percussion), Klaus Koenig (piano, electric piano, […]
Plamp was a Swiss jazz-rock band that released the album … und überhaupt … in 1978 on Canova Music. Members: Mario Giovanoli (flute, saxophone, vocals), Peter Tönz (electric guitar, vocals), Peter Streiff (Hammond organ, piano, vocals), Louis Streiff (drums, vocals), Andrea Thöny (bass, vocals), Fortunat Frölich (cello, piano, vocals, 1978), Marc Keller (acoustic guitar, vocals, […]
Welcome was a Swiss symphonic-rock trio that released a 1976 self-titled album on Columbia. Members: Tommy Stebel (percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals), Bernie Krauer (keyboards, vocals, 1975-80), Francis Jost (bass, vocals, 1975-77), Helmi Erdinger (bass, 1978-80), Jean De Anthony (guitar, 1979-81) Formation Welcome formed in 1975 in Basel, Switzerland, where multi-instrumentalists Francis Jost and Tommy Stebel […]
Blue Motion was a Swiss avant-classical keyboard trio that sprung from the ashes of Circus. They snuck into a Riehen studio on the night of October 1–2, 1980, and recorded their singular album, released that year on local-press Amos. The clandestine recording was later issued by archivists Laser’s Edge (1992) and Belle Antique (2013). Members: […]
Drum Circus was a Swiss Krautrock band whose 1971 live set constitutes Magic Theatre, a 2003 archival disc on Garden of Delights. Members: Peter Giger (drums, percussion, mridanga), Marc Hellman (drums), Alex Bally (drums), Joel Vandroogenbroeck (organ, piano, flute, sitar), Gerd Dudek (saxophone, flute), Isla Eckinger (bass), Carole Muriel (vocals), Polo Hofer (vocals) Formation Drum […]
No Secrets in the Family were a Swiss art-pop band that released the 1987 album In a Certain Light We All Appear Green on Ex Libris/Musikszene Schweiz, followed by the 1990–92 titles Play & Strange Laughter and Kleinzeit on local ReR-subsidiary RecRecMusic. Members: Annette Schönholzer (keyboards, synthesizer, vocals), Markus Schönholzer (guitar, vocals), Daniel Meienberger (bass, […]
Pyranha was a Swiss jam-rock/psych band from Yverdon that released a 1972 self-titled album on Epsilon, followed by a 1974 album of rock covers. Members: Henry Skippy (saxophone), Wy Wyss (guitar), Armand Bucher (organ), Jacques Riccio (drums), Beb Anhas (bass), Christian Scheder (vocals) Pyranha formed as a six-piece in Yverdon, Vaud, Switzerland. Pyranha Pyranha released […]
Cardeilhac was a Swiss post-psych band that released a 1972 self-titled album on Decibel Records (dbr). Members: Rinaldo Häusier (guitar), Denis Angelini (vocals), J.C. Balsinger (bass), Andrö Locher (organ), Gaston Balmer (drums) Cardeilhac formed around 1970 and took their name from a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. Cardeilhac Cardeilhac released their self-titled […]
After Shave was the Swiss hard-rock band behind the 1972 album Skin Deep on Splendid Records. Members: Pierre-Alain “Pakman” Kessi (guitar, vocals), André “Dédé” Pascal (drums, 1968-70), Bruno Zuest (vocals, 1968-70), “Noudi” (bass, 1968-70), Jean-Claude “Cacou” Fontana (vocals, bass, 1970-73), Rodolphe “Jötu” Baumgartner (drums, 1970-75), Barry James Brown (vocals, 1973-75), Sylvano “Gugus” Paroni (bass, 1973-75), […]
Trumpetmachine was a multinational jazz-rock collective of trumpeters assembled by Swiss keyboardist/bandleader George Gruntz. They held multiple sessions in mid-1977, compiled on the 1978 MPS release For Flying Out Proud. Members: Franco Ambrosetti (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jon Faddis (trumpet, flugelhorn), Palle Mikkelborg (trumpet, flugelhorn), Woody Shaw (trumpet, flugelhorn), Kenny Wheeler (trumpet, flugelhorn), Mike Zwerin (bass trumpet), […]
Round House was a Swiss-Hungarian brass-rock band behind the 1972/73 Harvest albums ‘Scuse Me and Down to Earth. Members: Bernd Heil (guitar, bass, vocals), Ralph Bloch (drums), Jean-Pierre Wuttke (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone), Gustav Csik (organ, tenor saxophone), Laszlo Juhasz (trumpet, bass), Kurt Weil (trombone, vibraphone) Background Round House formed in Zürich circa 1969 under […]
Four for Jazz was a Swiss post-bop/avant-jazz combo behind the 1970–72 albums A Land of Dolls, Power of Nature, and Sunday Child on Intercord and Spiegelei. Members: Gerd Dudek, Heinz Bigler, Isla Eckinger, Joe Haider, Peter Giger Background Four for Jazz formed in 1969–70 in Bern when drummer Peter Giger teamed with bassist Isla Eckinger, […]
The Floyd Hunchback Group was a Swiss jazz-rock band that released a 1978 self-titled album on Sunrise. Members: Thomas Müller (alto saxophone, percussion), Christoph Kunz (bass), Thomas Griesser (drums), Armin Surber (guitar), Pierre Kübler (keyboards) Background Floyd Hunchback Group formed in Winterthur with bassist René Bütikofer among the early players in the rotating lineup. Bütikofer […]
Eloiteron were a Swiss symphonic-rock band from Zürich that released the album Lost Paradise on their eponymous self-press in 1981. Members: Martin Frey (piano, organ, synthesizer, Mellotron, ARP Solina string ensemble), Dani Reimann (drums), Christian Frey (piano, organ, synthesizer, Mellotron, ARP Solina string ensemble, vocals), Harry Schärer (bass, guitar, vocals, synthesizer), Stefan Frey (flute, trumpet, […]
Sicher were a Swiss symphonic-rock band that self-released an eponymous album in 1981. Members: Markus Sibler (keyboards), Klaus Caspar (keyboards, tenor saxophone), Beat Lustenberger (drums), Kuno Müller (electric guitar), Peter Müller (bass, acoustic guitar), Stefan Sieber (cello, bass), Paul Sieber (flute), Catherine Graf (flute) Discography: Sicher (1981)
Om were a Swiss avant-jazz quartet from Luzern that debuted with a half-live/half-studio album on Indian Records in 1975, followed by four albums on Japo Records between 1976 and 1980. Members: Christy Doran (guitar), Fredy Studer (drums), Bobby Burri (bass), Urs Leimgruber (saxophone) Discography: Montreux (live) & More (1975) Kirikuki (1976) Om with Dom Um […]
Larsen Rupin were a Swiss avant-rock band that released the album A Ban on Ayaa in 1991, followed by two self-pressed discs during the 2000s. Members: Daniel Spahni (drums), Gilbert Ummel (saxophone, vocals), André Schenk (bass), Pier-Luigi Pision (guitar, 2007-08), Julien Baillod [aka Bio] (guitar, 2008-present) Discography: A Ban (1991) Contredanses (2003) Procès Verbal (2007)
Diethelm / Famulari were a Swiss avant-rock duo comprised of guitarist/keyboardist Thomas Diethelm and keyboardist Santino Famulari. The pair made a 1983 self-titled album on Polydor; reissued the following year as The Flyer on Philips. In 1984, they released Valleys in My Head on Mercury. Individually, Diethelm released the 1981 album Shaved on Spoon Records […]
Coroner was a Swiss heavy metal band that issued a 1986 cassette album on Rip Rec, followed by five albums on Noise International, including the 1987/88 titles R.I.P. and Punishment for Decadence. Members: Marquis Marky (drums, 1983-2014), Tommy Ritter (guitar, 1983-84), Phil Puzctai (bass, 1983-84), Pete Attinger (vocals, 1983-84), Oliver Amberg (guitar, vocals, 1984-85), Ron […]
Ping Pong was a Swiss new wave trio behind a 1982 self-titled album and the single “Destry Rides Again” on Accord. Singer Kurt Maloo later fronted the sophisti-pop combo Double. Members: Felix Haug (percussion, marimba, vocoder), Hazel Pazzi (bass, harmonium), Kurt Maloo (vocals, guitar) Background Ping Pong formed in Zürich in 1981 when singer-guitarist Kurt […]
Magic Spell were a Swiss art-rock band that released the album Is There Anywhere a Gas Station? on Musk Project in 1980. Members: Mengia Clavadetscher, Roman Spiess, Stefan Clavadetscher, Victor Waldburger Discography: Is There Anywhere a Gas Station? (1980)
Jigsaw was a Swiss jazz-rock band that self-released the 1981 album Puzzle on Soundshine Records, followed in 1984 by Jigsaw 2. Members: Michael Frey (guitar), Felix Huber (piano), Rainer Suter (electric bass), Franz Kneubühler (drums, percussion) Background Jigsaw formed in 1971 in Aarau, Switzerland; pianist Felix Huber co-founded the group while attending Kantonsschule Aarau. Huber […]
The Jazz Rock Experience was a Swiss brass-rock band that released the self-initialed 1970 album J.R.E. on Deram. Half the band reconvened as Container. Saxophonist Bruno Spoerri reemerged in electronic music. Members: Raffael Waeber (guitar), Kenny Schmidt (drums), Bruno Spoerri (saxophone), Hans Kennel (trumpet), Nick Bertschinger (Wurlitzer), Hans Foletti (bass) Background Jazz Rock Experience formed […]
Celtic Frost was a Swiss heavy metal band, formed in 1984 from the ashes of Hellhammer. On Noise International, they emerged with two EPs — Morbid Tales and Emperor’s Return — and the 1985 album To Mega Therion, followed with the Tragic Serenades EP and the 1987/88 albums Into the Pandemonium and Cold Lake. Members: […]
Vita Nova was a Munich-based symphonic/psych trio comprised of German multi-instrumentalist Eddy Marron, Yugoslavian keyboardist Sylvester Levay, and Swiss drummer Christian von Hoffmann. They released a self-titled album in 1971 on the Austrian Life Records label. Members: Eddy Marron (lead vocals, bass, zaz, guitar), Sylvester Levay (keyboards, percussion, vocals), Christian von Hoffmann (drums, percussion, vocals) […]
F.G. Experimental Laboratory was the electronic-music project of Swiss multi-instrumentalist Frédy Guye, who self-released the 1975 album Journey Into a Dream and its 1980 followup Hope. Background Frédy Guye was born March 9, 1947, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. In 1960, Guye moved to Chézard-Saint-Martin in the canton of Neuchâtel. He took piano lessons as a […]
George Gruntz (June 24, 1932 — Jan. 10 2013) was a Swiss pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader active for six decades from the late 1940s. Between 1971 and 2006, his namesake Concert Big Band recorded under multiple configurations, releasing over fifteen live and studio albums on MSB, TCB, and other labels. Background George Paul Gruntz […]
Skibbereen was a Swiss folk-rock band that released three albums and a shortplayer between 1976 and 1980 on Image and Gold Records. Members: Düde Dürst, Erwin Bucher, Jürg Steger, Kathryn Gurewitsch, Roland Ambühl, Ruedi Hoppler Background Skibbereen formed by 1972 in Zürich around singer Kathryn Gurewitsch and multi-instrumentalists Erwin Bucher and Roland Ambühl. Gurewitsch was […]
Rumpelstilz was a Swiss pop, folk, and blues-rock band behind the 1975–77 Schnoutz albums Vogelfuetter, Füüf Narre im Charre, and La Dolce Vita. Members: Polo Hofer (vocals), Hanery Amman (keyboards, piano), Samuel Jungen (bass), Hans Jungen (drums, 1971), Küre Güdel (drums), Jürg Werren (guitar, 1971), Schifer Schafer (guitar), Christian Ramseyer (bass, 1974-75), Urs Wirth (piano, […]
Shivananda was a Swiss jazz-rock band behind the 1977–79 Gnome Records titles Cross Now and Headlines, followed by the 1983 CSST release Comeback. Members: Kurt Baebi (keyboards), Roberto Biagini (saxophone), Peter Keiser (bass), Walter Keiser (drums), Carlo Milan (guitar, percussion), Chico Hablas (guitar), Larry Schneider (saxophone) Background Shivananda formed in Zürich under keyboardist Kurt Baebi […]
Nautilus was a Swiss symphonic-rock band behind the 1978 album 20,000 Miles Under the Sea on Turicaphon, followed by the 1980 Musk Project release Space Storm. Members: Urs Lerch (bass), Dieter Ruf (guitar, vocals), Peter Fibich (drums), Ralph Stucki (keyboards, vocals), Christian Bauer (guitar, vocals) Background Nautilus formed in the Aarau region in 1974 when […]
Lost Peace was a Swiss jazz-rock band that self-released a 1974 standalone single, followed by a half-credited 1977 album on Zytglogge. Members: Willy Müller (piano), Marc Hellman, Peter “Pudi” Lehmann (trumpet, violin), Martin “Tinu” Heiniger (wind instruments), Markus Küng (guitar), Claudio Bischoff (bass), Thomas Wild (drums), Jürg Lötscher (guitar) Background Lost Peace formed in 1970 […]
Kedama were a Swiss jam-rock trio that released a live in-studio album on the Sunrise label in 1976. The nameplate was reactivated for a string of self-pressed discs during the 2000s. Members: Christian Linder (guitar, keyboards), Richard Rothenberger (keyboards), Peter Suter (drums, 1972-?) Discography: Live at Sunrise Studios (1976)
Kjol was a Swiss jazz-rock quartet headed by saxophonist Brigeen Doran. Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik issued the band’s 1979 debut album Take It On, followed by the 1981 collaborative effort Sunny Day, recorded with American bassist Fernando Saunders and released on Roof Records. Members: Brigeen Doran (saxophone), Dave Doran (drummer, percussionist), Heinz Affolter (guitar), Walter Stricker (bass) […]
Dragonfly was a Swiss symphonic-rock band that made a 1982 album, self-released on Highfly. Members: Markus Husi (Hammond organ, clavinet, synthesizer, grand piano), Marcel Ege (electric guitar, acoustic guitar), Erich Isler (keyboards, 1975-77), Martin Weiss (drums, 1975-77), Stephan Kraushaar (bass, 1975), Klaus Mönnig (bass, bass pedals, backing vocals, 1975-77, 1979-82), René Bühler [aka Renato Capello] […]
Emphasis were a Swiss jazz-rock band that issued a self-titled album on the Pick label in 1975. Members: Renato Anselmi (piano, synthesizer), Pierre Cavalli (bass, guitar), Nick Liebmann (drums), Curt Treier (percussion), Fernando Vicencio (flute, saxophone) Discography: Emphasis (1975)
Double was a Swiss sophisti-pop duo behind the 1985–87 Polydor albums Blue and Dou3le. They scored a 1986 international hit with the piano-croon ballad “The Captain of Her Heart,” the only Billboard Top 20 single by a Swiss act. Members: Kurt Maloo (vocals, guitar), Felix Haug (drums, keyboards) Background Double formed in 1983 in Zürich […]
