Shu-bi-dua is still an active live band, and they still produce a record once in a while. To date Shubidua’s discography is getting close to 30 albums. They have produced many hits in Denmark like Vuffeli-vov, Hvalborg, Står på en Alpetop, Stærk Tobak (to the music from The Beatles song Twist and Shout), Familien kom til Kaffe, Sex Chikane, We wanna be free, and many more. Shu•bi•dua or Shu-bi-dua is a Danish pop group which formed in 1973 in Copenhagen by vocalist Bundesen and members of (Hardingers´) Passport. Shu-bi-dua has changed its lineup many times. Bundesen has been with the band throughout - except for a gap between 1984 and 1987. Passport, which in the beginning of 1973 released the single Tomorrow/Everything’s Wrong, consisted of the guitarists Michael Hardinger and Poul Meyendorff, the drummer Bosse Hall Christensen, and bass guitarist Niels Grønbech. The group was extended with the singer Michael Bundesen and keyboard player Jens Tage Nielsen, and under the name Shu-bi-dua released the single Fed Rock/Tynd Blues, before the group again as Passport released the single Change of the Guard/Highway of Living. Shu-bi-dua was originally thought of as a one-off group, but when the debut single produced the hit Fed Rock, they chose to keep it. As Shu-bi-dua they quickly gained success, and the name Passport was dropped. In 1974 they released their first self-titled album Shu-bi-dua. After the first album, Poul Meyendorf left the group and was replaced by Claus Asmussen, who was technician on the first. Since then the group has had numerous changes in its lineup. Kim Daugaard replaced Niels Grønbech in 1977, Willy Pedersen replaced Jens Tage Nielsen, and Kasper Winding replaced Bosse Hall Christensen in 1981. In 1984 Michael Bundesen left the group to become station chief on the Copenhagen TV station Kanal 2, and simultaneously Kasper Winding left to be replaced by Paul Callaby. In 1987 Jørgen Thorup was made a permanent member in the group when Willy Pedersen left. Thorup had been singing backup vocals since Shu-bi-dua 11 in 1985. In 1987 Michael Bundesen returned as lead singer, while Søren Jacobsen also joined the band. In 1988 Peter Andersen replaced Paul Callaby as drummer, and shortly thereafter Søren Jacobsen left the band again. After having made the film Den røde tråd in 1989, they went on a sabbatical until their return in 1992 with the hit single Sexchikane. In the intervening years their back catalog was rereleased on CD in 1990, and in 1991 a Best Of album by the name Stærk Tobak was released. In connection to this they played live in front of 50,000 people on Bellevue Strand. In 1997 Michael Hardinger left the band after 24 years. He was replaced by Ole Kibsgaard, and in 2001 Jørgen Thorup left the band to be replaced by Jacob Christoffersen. In 2003 their 30th anniversary was celebrated with a 10-CD set called Shu-bi-dua 200 (each CD had 20 songs). In 2005 Claus Asmussen left Shu-bi-dua having been the only original continuous member in the group’s 30-year history. Shu-bi-dua started as a tongue-in-cheek act, rewriting beat and in particular rock´n´roll classics with danish lyrics using college humour and satire. Already on the first album - they combined this with original material - often writing in pastiche. Their sound developed from rock in the early 70s - to pop in the 80s and into entertainment (or dansktop) in later years - but often using and intermixing styles from bossanova and reggae over rockabilly to synthpop to underline their humour. Their lyrics have kept up the satirical tone throughout the years and although they have shied away from the direct political blurbs and kept up a fun and games attitude - they have nevertheless described danish middle class society, its beliefs and desires - to devastating effects. |
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