I
Austrobeat

Not that it went very fast, in comparison to other European countries it took very long before the influence of the  "British Invasion" (Beatles / Rolling Stones / Who) came out of the underground. Until that time Peter Alexander, Caterina Valente and Heinz Conrads ruled the Austrian charts. Austrian dialect was brought by the Worried Men Skiffle group (hit: ‘Glaubst i bin bled’). It was the EP ‘Melancholie’ from Die Bambis that for the first time gave Austrobeat a first push into the mainstream. This single was a mix between the Italian/German songs and beatmusic. This opened a door for more Austrian beat groups in 1966 that sounded much more ‘garage’. Groups like the Slaves (single ‘Slave time’), The Desperates (with their ode to LSD), Expiration and Brand Bothers all released singles between 66 en 68. These groups all sung in English. But then folksinger Walter Frey already kept the Wienerlied heritage alive and started to incorporate beatmusic since 1967. Inspired The Beatniks took this further on their B-side ‘Der Flo’ (the flea) in 1969. By then Austrian radio (ORF) turned were anti-German and began to form a platform for young Austrian talent (singing in dialect) amongst whom Wolfgang Ambros, Georg Danzer and more. The show gained more popularity and in 1970 Columbia jumped into this gap and released the Marianne Mendt ‘Wia a Glock'n’ (text: Gerhard Bronner) which is by many regarded as the true start of Austropop. Other early successes were by Wolfgang Ambros (Da Hofa), the ‘Lost Generation with Hau di steamer on Zwutschkerl’, the Madcaps (with Georg Danzer) ‘Und wem's ned gfoid’ and The Malformation with ‘I steh auf di’. By the time Wilfried had a hit with ‘Ziwui Ziwui’ in 1973 Austropop was in full swing.