Joy (band)
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Joy is a 1980s Euro disco band from Austria, best known for the hits "Touch By Touch" and "Valerie".
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[edit] History
The band Joy was formed in Bad Aussee, an Austrian town of 7500 citizens. Freddy Jaklitsch (born on 22.01.60), Manfred Temmel (25.02.59) and Andy Schweitzer were school friends, but after the graduation all three chose different careers. Freddy became German teacher in school, Manfred, a DJ, and Andy was serving in police. They met again in 1984 and founded the band. Their first single Lost In Hong Kong came to the light in February 1985. It was not a big hit, but the new band was mentioned in press. And that wasn't in vain - their next single Touch By Touch (September 1985) immediately reached European Top 20 Dance Charts. The first album of the band entitled Hello spent five weeks on the first position in several charts. That brought world-wide popularity to the band with their albums sold in more than 30 countries.[citation needed]
In the summer of 1986 Joy returned to their studio to record the second album Joy And Tears. The most successful song on this album is Japanese Girls. Probably because of this song Joy obtained some notoriety in Asia. Their concert tour of 1987 collected 60,000 spectators in total. In Seoul, South Korea they performed in front of an audience of 20,000 in the Jamsil stadium and sang an alternate version called Korean Girls. Meanwhile, concert activity was accompanied by the release of the compilation of best songs from first two albums. It has also appeared under the label OK-Musica. During the next year Joy gave a series of concerts in America and upon return to Europe performed in Germany, Portugal and Italy.[citation needed]
Shortly after that (in 1989) keyboardist and co-producer of the majority of Joy's songs, Andy Schweitzer, left the band to start the solo career. However, he was given a permission to use the original band name when recording his own album. This album was released by different companies under the different titles - either She's Dancing Alone or simply Joy.
During the following years of rap and techno boom in Europe Joy found less success. However, with the return of melodic songs, Best of Joy was released in 1991. In 1994 two members of the original group (Freddy and Manfred) published a new single called on BMG Hello, Mrs. Johnson. After that, having invited a new keyboardist, Johannes Groebl (born 30.01.60), they released one more single in 1995 - Felicidad. In 1996 the album Full of Joy was recorded at BMG. It includes 12 songs, however for unknown reasons the CDs were never printed, and the contract with BMG has recently expired.[citation needed]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1986 - Hello
- 1986 - Joy And Tears
- 1989 - Joy
- 2011 - Enjoy
[edit] Singles
- 1985 - Lost In Hong Kong (OK)
- 1985 - Touch By Touch (OK)
- 1986 - Hello (OK)
- 1986 - Japanese Girls (OK)
- 1986 - Touch Me My Dear (OK) (Portugal)
- 1987 - Destination Heartbeat (OK)
- 1987 - It Happens Tonight (OK)
- 1987 - Black Is Black (Remix)
- 1988 - Kissin' Like Friends (Polydor)
- 1989 - She 's Dancing Alone (Polydor)
- 1990 - Born To Sing A Lovesong (Polydor)
- 1994 - Hello, Mrs. Johnson (BMG Ariola)
- 1995 - Felicidad (Ariola)
- 1998 - Touch By Touch 98 (BMG Ariola Austria)
- 1995 - Touch By Touch (The Remake) (vs. Area 51!) (Turnaround Records)
- 2010 - Touch By Touch 2011 (Major Babies)
- 2011 - Love Is All Around (Promo) (Major Babies)
[edit] Compilations
- 1986 - Best (OK)
- 1987 - The Very Best Of Joy (Hong Kong) (Pacific Music)
- 1987 - Touch Re-Mix 87 (Hong Kong) (Face Records)
- 1991 - Best Of Joy (China) (Face One Records)
- 2000 - Best Of Joy (EAMS)
