Dschinghis Khan Biography
Headed by producer Ralph Siegel and vocalist Peter Alexander, Germany's Dschinghis Khan offered a respite from standard pop music subject matter by spinning campy historical sagas in a shiny Euro-disco package. Partly inspired by the Boney M. hit "Rasputin," Siegel put together an elaborately costumed group featuring distinct characters (sort of like what the Village People might have resembled if they'd been Mongol invaders rather than gay archetypes), and entered his composition, "Dschinghis Khan," in the 1979 Eurovision music contest. Although it didn't win, Dschinghis Khan's stylized visuals and quirky lyrical preoccupations eventually helped make the song a hit in German dance clubs later that year. The accompanying self-titled album was a commercial success as well, but Dschinghis Khan abandoned the qualities that made the group so distinctive over the course of albums like 1980's Rom, 1981's Wir Sitzen Alle Im Selben Boot, 1982's Helden, Schurken & der Dudelmoser, and 1983's Corrida. By that time, they had already faded from the public eye. A collection of their best work, Die Großen Erfolge, was released in the U.S. in 1995. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Hate eternal Biography: Founded in the late 1990s, Hate Eternal is an amelodic, ultra-fast death metal/grindcore band that is led by former Morbid Angel and Ripping Corpse guitarist Erik Rutan. While those bands employed...
Roxy music Biography: Evolving from the late-'60s art-rock movement, Roxy Music had a fascination with fashion, glamour, cinema, pop art, and the avant-garde, which separated the band from their contemporaries. Dressed in...
U2 Biography: Through a combination of zealous righteousness and post-punk experimentalism, U2 became one of the most popular rock & roll bands of the '80s. Equally known for their sweeping sound as for their...
Fine young cannibals Biography: When the Beat (known as the English Beat in the U.S. only) split in 1983, it came as a surprise to guitarist Dave Cox and bassist David Steele. The first time they realized that the...
Girlschool Biography: Although the Runaways preceded them by several years, Girlschool was one of the first all-female outfits to emerge in the male-dominated world of heavy metal/hard rock, helping to pave the way for...
Etron fou leloublan Biography: French art-rock unit Etron Fou Leloublan -- roughly translated, "Mad Sh*t, the White Wolf" -- was formed in 1974 by vocalist Eulalie Ruynat, bassist/vocalist Ferdinand Richard, saxophonist Chris...
Enya Biography: With her blend of folk melodies, synthesized backdrops, and classical motifs, Enya created a distinctive style that more closely resembled new age than the folk and Celtic music that provided her...
My vitriol Biography: U.K. quartet My Vitriol was formed in 1998 when Sri Lankan-born singer/songwriter Som Wardner met drummer Ravi Kesavaram at college in London. With a name inspired by a character in the Graham Greene...