| Army of Lovers | |
|---|---|
Army of Lovers, 1991. L-R: Jean-Pierre Barda, Camilla Henemark, and Alexander Bard |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Genres | Eurodance |
| Years active | 1987–2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011 |
| Labels | Stockholm Records Giant Records (US) Reprise Records (US) Polydor Records (UK) |
| Associated acts | Bodies Without Organs, Vacuum, Nouveau Riche, Alcazar |
| Past members | |
| Alexander Bard (1987-2009) Jean-Pierre Barda (1987-2009) Dominika Peczynski (1992-2009) Camilla Henemark (1987-1991, 1995-2001) Michaela Dornonville de la Cour (1991-1995) |
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Army of Lovers are a Swedish dance music group formed in 1987.
The name of the band alludes to a documentary Armee der Liebenden oder Revolte der Perversen[1] about the German gay rights activist Rosa von Praunheim, the title of which in turn alludes to the Theban Band.
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The founding members, who had all worked together in a band called Barbie, were Alexander Bard, Jean-Pierre Barda and Camilla Henemark (aka La Camilla).
Army of Lovers had many Top 10 hits on the Eurochart, the biggest being "Crucified", which was one of the biggest selling European singles of 1991, and stayed at #1 on the Eurochart for eight consecutive weeks. Their total album sales were seven million copies worldwide.[2]
While Alexander Bard was the "brain" behind the band, Jean-Pierre Barda was the lead vocalist on hits such as "Crucified" and "Israelism". Bard and Barda were the only two band members who were present throughout all of the band's various line-ups. When La Camilla left the band in 1991, she was replaced by Michaela Dornonville de la Cour. In 1993, Dominika Peczynski joined, making the band a four-piece. In 1995, Dornoville de la Cour left and Henemark returned.
Although both "Obsession" and "Sexual Revolution" reached the top spot of the Eurocharts, their presence in the US and the UK was limited to club chart successes (though "Crucified" reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1992).[3] They released five studio albums, made over twenty music videos, and became successful across Eastern Europe before Bard disbanded the group to concentrate on his new group Vacuum in 1996. The band reformed briefly in 2001.
They also joined forces again in 2007 for two shows, one at G-A-Y in London and one in Moscow. Bard, Peczyniski and Barda were present, but Henemark was replaced by an inflatable doll.
During their time together, Army Of Lovers became famous for their outlandish visual appearance (many of their costumes were created by Camilla Thulin), and their high camp music videos directed by Fredrik Boklund (some of which were banned by MTV).
Two members of Army Of Lovers (La Camilla and Dominika) reunited in June 2011 with the release of new single Don't Try to Steal My Limelight, on which they are guests, by Swedish drag artist and blogger Miss Inga.[4]
| Year | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Official band releases | ||
| 1990 | Disco Extravaganza | Issued in the U.S. as Army of Lovers |
| 1991 | Massive Luxury Overdose | |
| 1993 | The Gods of Earth and Heaven | |
| 1994 | Glory, Glamour and Gold | |
| 1995 | Les Greatest Hits | Hits compilation album |
| 2001 | Le Grand Docu-Soap | Hits compilation album |
| Le Remixed Docu-Soap | Remix album | |
| Other compilations | ||
| 1997 | Master Series 88-96 | Hits compilation album |
| 2004 | 14 Klassiker | Hits compilation album |
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GER | AUT | SWI | FRA | SWE | FIN | UK [3] |
U.S. Dance |
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| 1988 | "When the Night Is cold" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Single only, later released on Master Series |
| "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Disco Extravaganza | |
| 1989 | "Baby's Got a Neutron Bomb" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Ride the Bullet" (remix) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "My Army of Lovers" | — | — | — | — | 9 | - | — | — | ||
| "Supernatural" (re-recorded version) | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | ||
| 1991 | "Crucified" | 5 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 8 | — | 47 | 6 | Massive Luxury Overdose |
| "Obsession" | 7 | 12 | 5 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 67 | 11 | ||
| "Candyman Messiah" (remix) | — | — | — | — | 22 | 20 | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Crucified" (re-issue) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | — | |
| "Ride the Bullet" | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | 67 | — | ||
| "Crucified" / "Ride The Bullet" (re-recorded version) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Ride the Bullet" (re-recorded version) / "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun" (re-recorded version) | 22 | 4 | 40 | - | 32 | 6 | 67 | — | ||
| "Judgment Day" | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Gods of Earth and Heaven | |
| 1993 | "Israelism" | 32 | — | 36 | — | 10 | 5 | — | — | |
| "La Plage de Saint Tropez" | 87 | — | — | - | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I Am" | — | — | — | - | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994 | "Lit de Parade" (remix) | 84 | — | — | - | 13 | 12 | — | — | Glory, Glamour and Gold |
| "Sexual Revolution" (remix) | — | — | — | - | — | 15 | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "Life Is Fantastic" (remix) | — | — | — | - | — | — | — | — | |
| "Give My Life" | — | — | — | - | 6 | — | 135 | — | Les Greatest Hits | |
| 1996 | "Venus and Mars" / "Megamix" | — | — | — | - | 30 | — | — | — | |
| "King Midas" | — | — | — | - | 31 | — | — | — | ||
| 2001 | "Let the Sunshine In" | — | — | — | - | 24 | — | — | — | Le Grand Docu-Soap |
| "Hands Up" | — | — | — | - | 44 | — | — | — | ||
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