Biography
In Austria and Germany throughout the 1980s, few German-language rock acts matched the commercial achievements of Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung, commonly shortened to EAV. The group was generally viewed as an entertaining outfit whose humorous and deliberately absurd lyrics, paired with lavish stage productions, masked the political and social commentary embedded in their infectious pop songs. Within their home country the ensemble collected five gold albums and ten platinum or multi-platinum releases, among them the 1987 album Liebe, Tod & Teufel, which attained sixfold platinum status, while also placing three singles at number one—including “Küss die Hand, Schöne Frau,” which remained on the charts for 22 weeks—and landing eleven additional titles inside the Top Ten. Although their lyrics were steeped in Austrian dialect, the band also prospered in Germany and Switzerland, securing two platinum albums, four gold albums, and four Top Ten singles in the former and two gold albums plus one double-platinum album in the latter.
Thomas Spitzer assembled the group in 1977, serving as guitarist and principal songwriter alongside bassist Eik Breit, drummer Anders Stenmo, and keyboardist Nino Holm. Following the 1978 release of the self-titled debut album, saxophonist Günter Schönberger and vocalist Wilfried, who later pursued a solo career, joined the lineup; Wilfried was succeeded in 1979 by Gert Steinbäcker, who subsequently became a member of STS. Klaus Eberhartinger assumed frontman duties in 1981, and his outgoing vocal approach helped define the band’s signature sound. That same year they issued their second album, Café Passé, which earned both the German Record Critics’ Award and a Berliner Wecker in 1982. Their third effort, 1983’s Spitalo Fatalo, finally registered on the Austrian album charts, and A la Carte appeared the following year.
The 1985 album Geld Oder Leben! marked the decisive breakthrough, topping the Austrian charts for a total of 78 weeks while also succeeding in Germany and Switzerland. Five singles emerged from the record: “Go, Karli, Go,” “Ba-Ba-Banküberfall” (which charted briefly in the United Kingdom as the English-language version “Ba-Ba-Bankrobbery”), “Märchenprinz,” “Heiße Nächte (In Palermo),” and “Fata Morgana.” Four of the band’s songs were featured in the 1986 German film Geld Oder Leber!, which starred comedian Mike Krüger. The 1987 release Liebe, Tod & Teufel became their most commercially successful album, propelled by the single “Küss die Hand, Schöne Frau,” and attained platinum certification in Germany, sixfold platinum in Austria, and double platinum in Switzerland. Subsequent albums Neppomuk’s Rache (1990) and Watumba! (1991) yielded further gold and platinum honors, though they fell short of matching the preceding record’s performance.
Even at the peak of their popularity, observers tended to regard EAV primarily as a comedic enterprise, yet the ensemble consistently employed its burlesque style to convey pointed social observations through parody. The track “Wann Man Gehn Muß,” a direct parody of Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus,” lampooned Austrian Federal President Kurt Waldheim and the controversy over his wartime SS affiliation, prompting Waldheim to threaten legal action; likewise, the satirical “Wir Marschieren” drew bomb threats from neo-Nazis after a 1983 television appearance. Following Watumba!, the band entered a three-year hiatus, returning in 1994 with Nie Wieder Kunst (Wie Immer…), by which point their following in Germany and Switzerland had diminished. Moderate domestic success persisted despite repeated personnel shifts and limited media coverage, sustained by a loyal audience that enabled continued recording and touring. A 2005 retrospective double album, 100 Jahre EAV...Ihr Habt Es So Gewollt!!, featuring newly recorded versions of earlier material, sparked renewed interest through an extensive tour, and the 2007 studio album Amore XL reached platinum status in Austria.
Thomas Spitzer assembled the group in 1977, serving as guitarist and principal songwriter alongside bassist Eik Breit, drummer Anders Stenmo, and keyboardist Nino Holm. Following the 1978 release of the self-titled debut album, saxophonist Günter Schönberger and vocalist Wilfried, who later pursued a solo career, joined the lineup; Wilfried was succeeded in 1979 by Gert Steinbäcker, who subsequently became a member of STS. Klaus Eberhartinger assumed frontman duties in 1981, and his outgoing vocal approach helped define the band’s signature sound. That same year they issued their second album, Café Passé, which earned both the German Record Critics’ Award and a Berliner Wecker in 1982. Their third effort, 1983’s Spitalo Fatalo, finally registered on the Austrian album charts, and A la Carte appeared the following year.
The 1985 album Geld Oder Leben! marked the decisive breakthrough, topping the Austrian charts for a total of 78 weeks while also succeeding in Germany and Switzerland. Five singles emerged from the record: “Go, Karli, Go,” “Ba-Ba-Banküberfall” (which charted briefly in the United Kingdom as the English-language version “Ba-Ba-Bankrobbery”), “Märchenprinz,” “Heiße Nächte (In Palermo),” and “Fata Morgana.” Four of the band’s songs were featured in the 1986 German film Geld Oder Leber!, which starred comedian Mike Krüger. The 1987 release Liebe, Tod & Teufel became their most commercially successful album, propelled by the single “Küss die Hand, Schöne Frau,” and attained platinum certification in Germany, sixfold platinum in Austria, and double platinum in Switzerland. Subsequent albums Neppomuk’s Rache (1990) and Watumba! (1991) yielded further gold and platinum honors, though they fell short of matching the preceding record’s performance.
Even at the peak of their popularity, observers tended to regard EAV primarily as a comedic enterprise, yet the ensemble consistently employed its burlesque style to convey pointed social observations through parody. The track “Wann Man Gehn Muß,” a direct parody of Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus,” lampooned Austrian Federal President Kurt Waldheim and the controversy over his wartime SS affiliation, prompting Waldheim to threaten legal action; likewise, the satirical “Wir Marschieren” drew bomb threats from neo-Nazis after a 1983 television appearance. Following Watumba!, the band entered a three-year hiatus, returning in 1994 with Nie Wieder Kunst (Wie Immer…), by which point their following in Germany and Switzerland had diminished. Moderate domestic success persisted despite repeated personnel shifts and limited media coverage, sustained by a loyal audience that enabled continued recording and touring. A 2005 retrospective double album, 100 Jahre EAV...Ihr Habt Es So Gewollt!!, featuring newly recorded versions of earlier material, sparked renewed interest through an extensive tour, and the 2007 studio album Amore XL reached platinum status in Austria.
Albums
