Biography
Army of Lovers is a Swedish dance-pop group that formed in 1987 and gained international success throughout the 1990s. The founding members of the band were Alexander Bard, Jean-Pierre Barda, and Camilla Henemark (also known as La Camilla). They had previously worked together in a band called Barbie.
Known for their outlandish visual appearance and high camp music videos, Army of Lovers became famous for their catchy dance-pop songs. One of their biggest hits was Crucified, which charted for 31 weeks in the Eurochart and peaked at number 14 in 1992. Another notable success was Obsession, which charted for 32 weeks and peaked at number 29.
The band’s name is a reference to the documentary film “Army of Lovers or Revolt of the Perverts” by German gay rights activist Rosa von Praunheim, which in turn alludes to the Sacred Band of Thebes.
Throughout their career, Army of Lovers had many top 10 hits on the Eurochart, with Crucified being one of the best-selling European singles of 1991. Their total album sales reached seven million copies worldwide.
Despite their success in Europe, Army of Lovers had limited presence in the United States and the United Kingdom, with their popularity mainly confined to club chart successes. However, Crucified did manage to reach the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart in 1992.
The band experimented with various club sounds and samples on their first album, “Disco Extravaganza,” which was later re-issued as “Army of Lovers” in the US. They achieved greater commercial success with their album “Massive Luxury Overdose,” which included hits like Crucified, Ride the Bullet, and Obsession. The album sold 250,000 copies in Germany alone.
Army of Lovers released several more albums, including The Gods of Earth and Heaven and Glory, Glamour and Gold. They disbanded in 1996, but briefly reunited in 2001 to celebrate their 10th anniversary with the release of a best-of compilation called “Le Grand Docu-Soap.”
In 2012, the band reformed with Alexander Bard, Camilla Henemark, and Jean-Pierre Barda, and participated in the Melodifestivalen 2013 with the song Rockin' the Ride. However, internal conflicts led to lineup changes, with Dominika Peczynski replacing Camilla Henemark.
Army of Lovers continues to make live performances on special occasions, and they released a new best-of compilation called “Big Battle of Egos” in 2013. The band remains an iconic figure in the dance-pop genre, with their unique style and memorable hits.
