Dissidenten

German rock band

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Dissidenten

Origin| Berlin, Germany
Genres| World music
Years active| 1981–present
Members| Friedo Josch
Uve Müllrich
Marlon Klein
Past members| Michael Wehmeyer
Hamid Baroudi
Website| https://www.dissidenten.com

Dissidenten are a German rock band known for their collaborations with Middle Eastern, African and Indian musicians. In a 1988 article for The New York Times, music critic Stephen Holden acknowledged the band as being among the leaders of what he termed "the 'world beat' movement ... in which ethnic styles are contemporized with electronic dance rhythms".[1]

## History

[edit]

Around 1981, "Embryo's Dissidenten" were founded in India by Friedemann "Friedo" Josch (b 21 July 1952, Mainz, wind instruments, keyboards) and former Embryo band members Uwe "Uve" Müllrich (b 7 December 1947, Rügen, bass, oud, guitar, vocals) and Michael Wehmeyer (keyboards, piano). Still in 1981, Marlon Klein (b 13 December 1957, Herford, drums, perc, keyboards, vocals) replaced Wehmeyer, and the band renamed themselves to Dissidenten.[2][3] 1982/83, they founded their own record label Exil in Berlin.[4]

Following a one-year tour of Asia, the group decided to stay in India to produce their first album Germanistan, with the help of the Karnataka College of Percussion, female singer R.A. Ramamani and percussionist Ramesh Shotham. The live line-up was joined by Indian pianist Louis Banks and American saxophonist Charlie Mariano. Concerts in Calcutta, Madrid, Casablanca and Stockholm are documented on the live album Germanistan Tour 83.

They then moved on to Morocco to record Sahara Elektrik in 1982 at the Palace of Abdesalam Akaaboune in Tangier with the help of friend Paul Bowles and local sha'abi band Lem Chaheb. The track "Fata Morgana" became a dance hit in Europe (especially Spain and Italy) and Canada, and the group toured worldwide[5].

In 1986 the Dissidenten moved to Spain, producing Life At The Pyramids and began to receive recognition in the US and UK.

In 1989 they moved back to Morocco, recording Out Of This World with the Royal National Orchestra of Morocco, and other leading North African musicians including Cherif Lamrani and other members of Lem Chaheb. The album was released worldwide and the band toured around the globe to promote it. In 1991, the album Live In New York was released, and the following year The Jungle Book was recorded, weaving recordings of Indian life into dance tracks[6].

In 1995, Klein stayed in the US to work as producer for two albums by singer Gary Wright, featuring George Harrison. In 1996, the group reunited to produce the album Instinctive Traveler, their first album with mostly English-language songs sung by Müllrich's daughter Bajka, which was followed by a tour of international festivals. Two years later they appeared at the Glastonbury festival and released their second live album, Live in Europe.

In 2000, with American composer Gordon Sherwood, video artist Stefanie Seidl and the Bratislava Orchestra under Petr Feranec they created The Memory of the Waters, a "documentary opera" about the River Danube, debut performed at the International Danube Music Festival in the city of Ulm. The following year, they issued an album of remixes, A World Beat Odyssey, which they then performed live with accompanying DJs.

In 2005, the opera "La Memoria de las Aguas" with the choir and orchestra of Pamplona under the direction of conductor Tomas Garridoand was broadcast by the Spanish National Radio at the Navarra Festival. In 2006 the group worked on a new Moroccan project, The Tanger Sessions, with the legendary Moroccan cult group Jil Jilala.

In 2007, Dissidenten toured North Africa with Jil Jilala. Between concerts they worked together in Tangier and Casablanca to complete The Tanger Sessions. Also in 2007, the band composed and arranged the musical program for the final party of Germany's spectacular CREOLE-Award for World Music. French/German TV ARTE and German TV WDR broadcast a lengthy feature about Dissidenten's Moroccan experiences, "The Hippie Trail".

In 2008, The Tanger Sessions was released and they toured Europe and North Africa. The first gig of the tour was broadcast live and online by German National Radio SWR in April 2008. Since summer 2008, Dissidenten & Jil Jilala performed live in Europe and North Africa. 2009 sees them again at various festivals around Europe/Northafrica and North America.

## Discography

[edit]

### Albums

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | Notes

|
|
|

1982  | Germanistan | Exile/Indigo, Germany  | With the Karnataka College of Percussion
1983  | Germanistan Tour | Exil, Germany  | Live recording with the Karnataka College of Percussion
1984  | Sahara Elektrik | Exil Musik, Germany  | Further releases: Amok Canada (1986), Materiali Sonori Italy (1987)
1985  | Life at the Pyramids | Exil Musik, Germany  | Further releases: Dro Spain & Materiali Sonori Italy (1986), Melodie France (1987), Amok Canada (1988)
1986  | Sahara Elektrik / Life at the Pyramids | Exil Musik, Germany  | CD release; further releases: Globestyle UK (1989), Exil Germany/World (1990)
1986  | Arab Shadows | Nuevos Medios, Spain  | Further release: Materiali Sonori Italy (1987)
1987  | Dissidenten & Lem Chaheb | Mexico  | Collaboration with Lem Chaheb
1990  | Out of This World | Sire / Warner Bros. World  | CD release
1990  | Life at the Pyramids | Exil Musik Germany/World  | CD release
1991  | Live in New York | Exil Musik Germany  | CD release, live recording
1992  | The Jungle Book | Exile/Indigo  |
1992  | Germanistan | Exil Germany/World  | CD release
1993  | The Jungle Book | Exil Germany/World  | CD release
1997  | Instinctive Traveler | Exile/Indigo  | CD release
1998  | Live in Europe | Exil/Indigo  | CD release, live recording
2005  | La memoria de las aguas | Exil  | CD release, with Orchestra & Choir Pamplona
2008  | Tanger Sessions | Fuego/Exil  | CD release, with Jil Jilala
2013  | How Long Is Now? Unplugged Live in Berlin | Fuego/Exil  | CD release, live recording
2014  | The Memory of the Waters (Live at Brucknerfest) | Fuego/Exil  | CD release, live recording with Gordon Sherwood
2017  | We don't shoot! | Exil  | CD release, live recording with Mohamed Mounir
2022  | Live Series - Zurich/Fabrik (12/1984) | Fuego  | Live recording
2022  | Live Series - Berlin/Fabrik (10/1984) | Fuego  | Live recording
2022  | Live Series - Amsterdam/Melkweg (04/1984) | Fuego  | Live recording
2023  | Live Series - Rome (05/1985) | Fuego  | Live recording
2023  | Live Series - Festival San Pedro de Alcantara (1982) | Fuego  | Live recording
2024  | Live Series - Göttingen (06/1987) | Fuego  | Live recording
2024  | Live Series - Bari (05/1987) | Fuego  | Live recording
2025  | Live Series - Barcelona 'Fiesta de la Mercè' (09/1986) | Fuego  | Live recording

### Compilations and EPs

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | Notes

|
|
|

1985  | Casablanca | Exil Musik, Germany  | EP
1985  | Fata Morgana | Ginger, Spain  | EP; further releases: Golden Denia France & Materiali Sonori Spain (1986), Sigem Brazil (1987), l'escargot France (1988)
1986  | Special Compilation | Exil, Germany  | CD
1986  | Inshallah | Ginger, Spain  | EP; further release: Materiali Sonori Italy
1987  | Hits Collection | Globo, Brazil  |
1988  | Polo Mix/Album | Ginger, Spain  |
1994  | Love Supreme Remix | Exil Germany/World  | CD
1994  | Jungle Book remix | e-que, WEA World  | EP
1996  | Mixed Up Jungle | Exil/Indigo  |
1997  | Mixed Up Jungle | Exil Musik, Germany/World  | EP
2001  | Dissidenten Remix.ed: A Worldbeat Odyssey / 2001: A World Beat Odyssey | Exil/Indigo  | CD
2003  | Dissidenten Remx.ED 2.0: A New World Odyssey | Exil/Indigo  |
2003  | 2003: A Worldbeat Odyssey | Exil  | CD
2022  | Live Series - Barcelona/Angel-Casas-TV-Show (11/1985) | Fuego  | EP; live recording

### Soundtracks

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | Notes

|
|
|

1988  | Sassa Ricando | TV Globo, Brazil  |
1989  | Wild Orchid | Warner Brothers  |
1991  | Great Journeys | BBC  |
1992  | Pankuj Parahar | Louis Banks Bombay  |
1993  | Dissidents - Live in India | VOX TV  | Live recording
1995  | Air India | Air India |
2007  | The Hippie Trail | ARTE TV  |
2016  | Haja Coração | TV Globo, Brazil  |

### Videoclips

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | Duration  | Notes

|
|
|
|

1985  | Telephone Arab - Cairo | Exile Music  | 3:50  |
1985  | A Worldbeat Odyssey - Berlin | Exile Music  | 7:00  |
1989  | Out of This World | Sire/Warner Bros.  | 4:15  |
1989  | Live in New York | Exile Music  | 45:00  | Live recording
1990  | 20 Minutes from the Life of Dissidents | Exile Music  | 20:00  |
1991  | Live at the Pow Wow | Exile Music  | 5:00  | Live recording
1995  | Jungle Book Remix | Exile Music  | 4:00  | Remix
2000  | The Memory of the Waters - Ulm | Exile Music  | 10:00  | Live at Brucknerfest
2005  | La memoria de las aguas - Pamplona | Exil Musik  | 15:00  |
2008  | Morock'n Roll | Exile Music  | 6:00  | Collaboration with Jil Jilala
2008  | Gun Factory | Exile Music  | 7:00  | Collaboration with Jil Jilala
2009  | Truth is the only Religion | Exil Musik  | 6:00  | Collaboration with Jil Jilala
2025  | Live Series - Barcelona 'Fiesta de la Mercè' 09/1986 | Fuego  | 61:07  | Live recording

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Holden, Stephen (April 27, 1988). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
2. ^ Charlie Mariano Tribute | Bands & Leaders
3. ^ Musikvideos, News & Interviews - MTV.de Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ Biography at www.dissidenten.com
5. ^ Michael Hann about Sahara Elektrik - theguardian.com
6. ^ Interview with Uve Mullrich by Jay Dobis (April 2022) - furious.com

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* YouTube – "Fata Morgana" with collage of band images
* YouTube – "Fata Morgana" (original video) U.S. Radio Mix
* discogs Dissidenten at discogs

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* 2
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data

Artists|

* MusicBrainz