Alphaville

Biography

Alphaville is a German synth-pop group that gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd, and Frank Mertens. Initially, the band was named Forever Young, but they later changed it to Alphaville, inspired by Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 science fiction film.

Career Breakthrough

In 1984, Alphaville released their debut single, "Big in Japan," which quickly achieved international success. This was followed by "Sounds Like a Melody" and the iconic ballad "Forever Young." These singles were part of their debut album, Forever Young, released in the autumn of 1984. The album was a significant success in Europe, reaching the top of the charts in several countries. Despite their success, Frank Mertens left the band at the end of 1984 and was replaced by Ricky Echolette in January 1985.

Musical Style and Evolution

Alphaville's early music was characterized by synthesizer-heavy synth-pop, fitting the early 1980s music scene. Their sound was influenced by new wave acts like Ultravox!, OMD, and Kraftwerk. With subsequent albums such as Afternoons in Utopia (1986) and The Breathtaking Blue (1989), the band moved towards more complex musical arrangements. For The Breathtaking Blue, they collaborated with producer Klaus Schulze and created a film called Songlines, with various directors creating videos for each track.

Later Years and Lineup Changes

The band's lineup has changed over the years. Ricky Echolette left in 1996, and Bernhard Lloyd departed in 2003, leaving Marian Gold as the only original member. Alphaville continued to release albums, including Prostitute (1994), Salvation (1997), and Catching Rays on Giant (2010), which brought them back to the European top ten charts. Their later albums include Strange Attractor (2017) and Eternally Yours (2022), a symphonic album featuring their greatest hits. The current lineup includes Marian Gold, David Goodes, Jakob Kiersch, Carsten Brocker, and Alexandra Merl.