Yello

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Yello
Dieter Meier (left) and Boris Blank
Dieter Meier (left) and Boris Blank
Background information
OriginZürich, Switzerland
Genres
Years active1979–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.yello.com Edit this at Wikidata
Members
Past membersCarlos Perón

Yello is a Swiss electronic music band formed in Zürich in 1979.[1] For most of the band's history, Yello has been a duo consisting of Dieter Meier and Boris Blank; founding member Carlos Perón left in 1983.

Their sound is often characterised by unusual music samples and a heavy reliance on rhythm, with Meier as vocalist and lyricist, and Blank providing the music. Among their best known singles are "Oh Yeah" (1985), which has appeared in many films and television shows including Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Secret of My Success, Uncle Buck and The Simpsons; and "The Race" (1988), which peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. The band has released 14 studio albums since 1980.[2]

Band history[]

The band was formed by Boris Blank (keyboards, sampling, percussion, backing vocals) and Carlos Perón (tapes) in the late 1970s. Dieter Meier (vocals, lyrics), a millionaire industrialist and gambler, was brought in when the two founders realised that they needed a singer. The new band name, Yello, was chosen as a neologism based on a comment made by Meier, "a yelled Hello".[3]

Yello's first release was the 1979 single "I.T. Splash". The LP Solid Pleasure, featuring the original short version of "Bostich" (extended to a hit dance single in 1981), was released in November 1980.[1] Yello's first video was made for the song "Pinball Cha Cha" in 1981; this was included in a 1985 video exhibit at Museum of Modern Art in New York.[4] In early 1983, just after release of "You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess", Perón left Yello in order to pursue a solo career.

The band's fourth studio album Stella went No. 1 in Switzerland in 1985 as the first album ever by a Swiss group to top the Swiss album chart. It also appeared inside the German Top 10 gaining Gold status. The song "Oh Yeah" from the album gained the band worldwide attention the following year, after it prominently appeared in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off[5] and then a year later in The Secret of My Success. The song was released shortly after and became the band's only single to chart in the US, reaching No. 51,[6] and their only top 50 hit in Australia, reaching No. 9.

In 1988, single "The Race" from the album Flag reached No. 7 in the UK as their only Top 10 hit there.[1] It featured in the film Nuns on the Run.

In 1995, a tribute remix album Hands on Yello was released featuring remixes by Moby, The Orb, Carl Craig, Carl Cox, The Grid and WestBam.[1]

In 2005, Yello re-released their early albums Solid Pleasure, Claro Que Si, You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess, Stella, One Second and Flag,[1] all with bonus tracks, as part of the Yello Remaster Series.

A documentary on Yello, Electro Pop Made in Switzerland, directed by Anka Schmid, premiered at the Riff Raff cinema in Zürich in September 2005.

Yello was commissioned to produce music for the launch of the Audi A5 at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2007 and for the Audi A5 commercial in May 2007.[7]

Musical style[]

Yello's sound is mainly characterised by unusual music samples, a heavy reliance on rhythm and Dieter Meier's dark voice. Yello makes heavy use of sampling in the construction of rhythm tracks, such as in "The Race" from 1988. Boris Blank has taken a couple of vocal turns; on "Swing" (from You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess) and "Blazing Saddles" (from Flag). Guest vocalists have included Rush Winters, Billy Mackenzie, Stina Nordenstam, Jade Davies, Shirley Bassey, Heidi Happy and FiFi Rong. The group has shared writing credit with Mackenzie, Winters and Happy.

Yello rarely uses samples from previously released music; nearly every instrument has been sampled and re-engineered by Boris Blank, who over the years has built up an original sample library of thousands of named and categorised sounds.[8]

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

Year Album Label SWI
[9]
AUS
[10]
GER
[11]
UK
[12]
US
[13]
Additional information
1980 Solid Pleasure Ralph Records (US)
Do It Records (UK)
Mercury/Vertigo (Europe)
1981 Claro Que Si Ralph Records (US)
Do It Records (UK)
Mercury/Vertigo (Europe)
1983 You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess Stiff Records (UK/Australia/New Zealand)
Elektra Records (US)
Mercury (Europe)
13 26 65 184
1985 Stella Elektra (US)
Mercury (Europe)
1 6 92
1987 One Second Mercury 4 95 11 48 92 Featuring Billy Mackenzie and Shirley Bassey
1988 Flag Mercury 3 94 11 56 152
1991 Baby Mercury/PolyGram 5 73 6 37
1994 Zebra Smash/Island/PolyGram 4 34
1997 Pocket Universe Mercury/PolyGram 7 17 Featuring Stina Nordenstam on "To The Sea"
1999 Motion Picture Mercury/PolyGram 13 23
2003 The Eye Motor Music/Universal 16 20 Featuring Jade Davies on "Don Turbulento", "Junior B", "Distant Solution", "Time Palace" and "Unreal"[14]
2009 Touch Yello Polydor 1 20 Featuring Heidi Happy on "You Better Hide", "Kiss In Blue" and "Stay"
2016 Toy Motor Music/Universal Music 1 2 84
2020 Point Polydor/Universal Music 1 6 Featuring FiFi Rong on "Siren Singing"

Other albums[]

Year Album Label SWI
[9]
AUS
[10]
GER
[11]
UK
[12]
US
[13]
Additional information
1986 1980–1985 The New Mix in One Go Mercury 18 99 20 Remix album
1992 Bostich Full Frequency Range Recordings/Ralph Records Remix album
Essential Mercury 14 34 Compilation album
1995 Hands on Yello Urban Records/Motor Music 24 35 Remix album
1999 Eccentrix Remixes Mercury 30 Remix album
2007 Progress and Perfection Audi A5 promo album
2010 Yello by Yello Polydor 14 24 Compilation album
2012 The Key to Perfection VW Golf 7 promo album
2017 Live in Berlin 38 Live album
2021 40 Years 5 6 Compilation album

Notable singles[]

Year Title Chart positions Additional information
SWI
[9]
AUS
[10]
GER
[11]
UK
[12]
US
[15]
US Dance
[16]
1981 "Bostich" 23
1982 "You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess/Heavy Whispers" 42
1983 "I Love You" 41 103 16
"Lost Again" 10 26 73
1984 "Pumping Velvet" 12
1985 "Vicious Games" 5 51 15 8
"Desire" 19 16
"Oh Yeah" 9 47 51 35 Re-released with new lyrics added in 1987. This version was added only in the original release of One Second.
1986 "Goldrush" 9 20 54 featuring Billy MacKenzie
1987 "The Rhythm Divine" 21 47 54 featuring Shirley Bassey
"Call It Love" 6 14 91
1988 "The Race" 8 56 4 7 33
"Tied Up" 38 60 9
1989 "Of Course I'm Lying" 30 123 48 23
"Blazing Saddles" 78 47
1990 "Unbelievable" 22
1991 "Rubberbandman" 9 29 58
1992 "Jungle Bill" 15 61 40
"The Race" (re-issue) 55 re-issued with "Bostich"
1994 "Do It" 32 46
1995 "Tremendous Pain" 7
1996 "How How" 29 96 59 28
"Jingle Bells" 34 44
1997 "On Track" 16
"To the Sea" 23 83 featuring Stina Nordenstam
1999 "Vicious Games" 110[17] Yello vs Hardfloor
2003 "Planet Dada" 75
2009 "Part Love" 15
2011 "Mean Monday" Included in the book "Yello - Boris Blank und Dieter Meier". Released on iTunes on 22 October 2011.
2016 "Limbo"
2020 "Waba Duba" Lead single off new album "Point". Released on YouTube on 19 June 2020.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 1283. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  2. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/yello-mn0000683795/discography
  3. ^ ""A Yelled Hello" at the World Premiere of the Audi A5". Audiusanews.com. 6 March 2007. Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  4. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/yello-mn0000683795/biography
  5. ^ https://www.avclub.com/meet-the-righteous-dudes-behind-ferris-buellers-oh-yea-1844162648
  6. ^ https://www.billboard.com/music/yello/chart-history/hot-100/song/332048
  7. ^ "Audi A5 In Verona - A Road Movie Becomes Reality". Audiusanews.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Boris Blank (Yello): Recording Zebra". Soundonsound.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2005. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c Swiss chart peaks:
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c Australian chart peaks:
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Suchen nach: "Yello"" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Official Charts > Yello". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b "Billboard Chart History > Yello > Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  14. ^ Album Cover
  15. ^ "Billboard Chart History > Yello > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Billboard Chart History > Yello > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Chart Log UK: Rachael Yamagata - Malik Yusef". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 30 March 2012.

External links[]

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