To call
a band "Army of Lovers" says everything about the band
in question. A band full of weirdness, crazyness and glamour.
A band like nothing you've ever seen, or heard. A band that you
simply can't miss, a band you just hate or adore. There is a thin
line between tasteful and tastless and Army of Lovers stands with
one foot on each side.
Army of Lovers sees no limits, because in their world there is
no such things as right or wrong, black or white, day or night.
Army of Lovers sees no limits.
Alexander Bard has always been a very unique person. He started
as a Kraftwerk-esque artist called "Baard" releasing
his debut single "Life in a goldfishbowl" After this
he carried on as the dragqueen "Barbie", releasing one
album and several singles. Together with his friends Camilla Henemark
and Jean Pierre Barda he performed his songs in small clubs and
other obscure places.
Soon Alexander and his friends changed their bandname. They called
themselves "Army of Lovers". The name taken from a documentary
about gay-people featuring model & singer Grace Jones in a
leading role.
Their first single was released back in 1988. It was called "Whe
The Night Is Cold".
The track was produced by Secret Service and backingvocals were
performed by the Swedish singer Tommy Nilsson.
However "When The Night is Cold" had little sucess and
the lovely army changed their sound. They went more underground
and started building songs by simply put diffrent sounds and samples
together to a big landscape of possible and impossible sounds.
In 1988 the army released "Love Me Like A Loaded Gun".
This contemporary clubsong was a minor hit and opened up the scene
for the band. The single was followed by their debut album "Disco
Extravaganza".
The album gave birth to some more singles including their first
big hit "Ride The Bullet", the sexy ballad "My
Army of Lovers" and the oriental-flavoured track "Supernatural".
"My Army of Lovers" was actually a re-recorded version
of the "Barbie" song "Barbie goes around the world".
Back then leadvocals were performed by Alexander alone.
The big breakthrough came with the Army's 2nd album "Massive
Luxury Overdose" released in 1991. This album was the peak
of their career , featuring their two biggest hits to date:
The camp-song "Crucified" and the ballad "Obsession".
Their single "Candyman Messiah" was released without
any bigger sucess.
Army of Lovers was now a big band in the european countries and
they went back in the studio to remix some tracks for the US version
of "Massive Luxury Overdose". They also recorded 3 new
songs for this version. However becoming famous made the members
arguing a lot. The members had all strong wills and it was decided
that frontwoman "La Camilla" would quit the band. After
a big TV fight (arranged by the evil TV host Stina Dabrowsky Lundberg)
the anger between Alexander/Jean Pierre and La Camilla was devastating.
For the US launch of the album the new singer Michaela Dornonville
De La Cour joined the band.
This blond, ambitious girl was the perfect new face for the band.
They now recorded a cover of ABBA's old hit
"Hasta Manana" for the release of "ABBA-the tribute".
Army of Lovers never had huge sucess in the US. However the
only song made famous over there was "Crucified".
Army of Lovers soon met a new 4th member. Dominika Peczynski
was a dary little girl. She had been working as a stripper and
sex-call operater and added some decadence to the band.
The first song featuring Dominika was the duet song "I,
Myself & Me" performed with Swedish singer Pernilla".
La Camilla was still angry with the Army and showed her rage
by releasing the single "Everytime You Lie" in which
she shows her hate for her previous friends.
Army of Lovers release a new album in 1993. "The Gods of
Earth & Heaven" is a bombastic collection of songs
and maybe the album that most fans like the best. Bard once
said that "This is THE album of Army Of Lovers. We will
never do a better one!".
This album is like a big musical featuring songs dealing with
issues like Anorexia, Judism, sexual preferences, the beaches
of St Tropez, Ukraine, the death of a close friend and a monk
with a glowing love.
However the album didn't work at all. The interest in the Army
had suddenly faded to nothing. In a later interview La Camilla
explains:
-When I was in Army everything was grey and boring and because
of this there was an interest in us. When I left glamour became
popular and with this Army of Lovers wasn't as special as before.
They were like anyone else. That's why my friends had a hard
time during these years.
Despite the fact that "The Gods of Earth & Heaven"
was a flopp, the album gave one minor hit "Israelism"
- a song that was banned in germany because of it's controversial
lyrics and video.
The other singles chosen were the summertune "La Plage
De Saint Tropez" and the egonamiac song "I Am".
Both failed to hit the charts.
Alexander and his friends carried on: in 1994 they returned
with a more dance-oriented album called "Glory, Glamour
& Gold". This album is a travel in music history mixing
diffrent genres to a kitchy work of art.
However the album and the singles "Lit De Parade",
"Sexual Revolution" and "Life Is Fantasic"
all fale to chart.
Alexander has by now started working on an another project with
his friend and co writer Aders Wollbeck. In secret thy write
songs for the upcoming sythband Vacuum.
Bard is now getting tired of Army of Lovers. He feels that he
has nothing more to give and the members show little interest
in the band. They all decide to release a greatest hits collection
called simply "Les Greatest Hits". They record some
new tracks for the release and get an unexpected hit in Sweden
with the latin flavoured song "Give My Life" (with
a video censored by MTV:). This collection is released in 1996.
For this album all members are asked to participate (even La
Camilla) but Michala feels she wants to move on.
The singles "Venus & mars" and "King Midas"
(later added to a 2nd edition of the album) are released with
little commersial sucess and the band break the news that they
won't be around anymore.
La Camilla starts to work on her never released solo album "Temper"
(SONET records). She later opens a club with her friend X-LT
Mark.
Alexander joins the new band Vaccum and get a hit with "I
Breathe" and starts writing for the glam-disco-act "Alcazar".
Dominika starts working as a TV host and gives birth to her
first child.
Michaela starts acting and makes scandal with her fake love
affair with Emma Thompson.
Jean Pierre becomes and actor as well as having his TV show.
He also becomes the face of "Renault".
The year 2000 Army of Lovers prepare their triumphant return.
At the nightclub "Tip Top" in Stockholm they meet
to discuss the future of Army of Lovers.
The members will from now be Dominika, Jean Pierre, La Camilla
& Alexander. They've started the recordings of a new album
(that will feature a cover of an old 80s hit) wich will be presented
for the audience this spring.
Camilla Thulin made their stagecostumes, Fredrik Boklund directed
their videos and Marie S Wollbeck designed their covers. Anders
Wollbeck is their longtime co writer and producer.
Now they'll return. Forever?
[ source:
armyoflovers.com
]
