Biography
Demos, AFM years (1992-2003)
Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of Steel. These tapes were sent to many record labels, all of whom rejected the band, believing they would be unsuccessful in the music business. Undeterred, they self released their ‘unofficial' debut album, Savage Poetry, in 1995. They signed with AFM Records shortly after, who offered to re-release Savage Poetry with more widespread distribution. The band rejected this proposal in favour of recording a new album, Kingdom of Madness, which was released in 1997, but drummer Dominik Storch left the band shortly after. 1998 saw the release of their second album, Vain Glory Opera, with friend Frank Lindenthal filling in on drums. This album helped expose Edguy to a wider audience, thanks in part to guest appearances from Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) and Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian). The band was joined by new drummer Felix Bohnke and bassist Tobias ‘Eggi' Exxel later that year, allowing Tobias Sammet to solely focus on vocals (he had previously played bass as well handling vocal duties).
In 1999, Theater of Salvation was released. That same year frontman Tobias Sammet conceived the idea for the Avantasia project, a metal opera featuring well known vocalists and musicians from the rock and metal scene. Whilst Tobias focused on Avantasia, the band took the opportunity to re-record Savage Poetry, to make it widely available to newer fans, as the original had become a much sought after rarity.
Following The Savage Poetry re-recording was the band's fifth album, Mandrake, in 2001. The album was accompanied by their first promo video, for the track “All the Clowns”, as well as the Painting on the Wall single. The Mandrake album also led to the band's first headlining tour. Three shows were recorded in Europe and were the basis for Edguy's first live album, Burning Down the Opera. The band's contract with AFM had expired by this point, which led to them signing with Nuclear Blast Records in late 2003.
Nuclear Blast years (2004-present)
Edguy's first release for Nuclear Blast was the King of Fools EP in 2004. This preceded the Hellfire Club album, released shortly after. The song "Lavatory Love Machine" was also released as a single. The band's productivity continued into 2005 with the Superheroes EP and DVD, the latter featuring footage of the band live and in the studio, as well as a making of documentary for the video of the title track. This was followed by the full-length album Rocket Ride in January 2006.
Sammet spent much of 2007 relaunching the Avantasia project. Edguy returned to the studio in 2008 and recorded Tinnitus Sanctus, with a video being shot for the track “Ministry of Saints” in Belgrade, Serbia. After a contract renewal with Nuclear Blast in late 2008, the band released their first live DVD, Fucking with F***, in 2009. This featured live footage of the band shot in São Paulo, Brazil, on their Rocket Ride world tour in 2006. The band supported Scorpions on the German dates of their farewell tour in 2010.
Edguy released their ninth studio album, Age of the Joker, in August 2011. The band toured Europe and South America in support of the record, including dates with Slash and Deep Purple, as well as an appearance on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise. In a recent interview promoting the latest release from his Avantasia project, Sammet revealed that a new Edguy album will be worked on in the summer of 2013, with a release tentatively scheduled for mid-2014.
On January 28, 2014 Edguy revealed that the album would be titled Space Police - Defenders of the Crown and released on April 18.
Style
Edguy's lyrics are often metaphorical, alluding to metaphysical or social themes: conformity ("The Headless Game", "Mysteria", "King of Fools"), dictation by the church ("The Kingdom", "The Pride of Creation", "Theater of Salvation"), and dangers of modern civilization ("Navigator", "The Devil and the Savant"). To express such themes, Edguy sometimes use esoteric and hermetic expressions. Yet some of their songs are light-hearted or comedic ("Das Reh", "Save Us Now", "Lavatory Love Machine", "Life and Times of a Bonus Track", "Trinidad"). Edguy does not claim to represent any ideology; Tobias Sammet claimed "[the band is] not political and we are not religious; at least there is no key message in our songs telling you what to think in terms of anything". Edguy also employs lengthy and epic sections in almost every album.
Hellfire Club revealed Edguy's interest in experimenting within music by integrating an orchestra into the production. The album featured a variation on Edguy's style, with a less grandiose, more progressive metal approach being embraced. The band's album Rocket Ride features even less power metal elements, and is arguably more oriented towards hard rock. Their next album, Tinnitus Sanctus, contains even more hard rock oriented songs; a large reduction of double bass drumming is evident, in contrast to Edguy's older albums such as Vain Glory Opera where there is very fast double bass which is common in the power metal genre.
When asked if the term "happy heavy metal band" applies to the band, Tobias rejected it and added:
We are a heavy metal band. We play angry, powerful, sometimes tongue-in-cheek metal. We are flamboyant and we don't take ourselves too seriously, but that goes for Van Halen too, right? Are they happy rock? No, they have a sense of humor and kick ass! Just like we do...
Studio albums
Savage Poetry (1995)
Kingdom of Madness (1997)
Vain Glory Opera (1998)
Theater of Salvation (1999)
The Savage Poetry (2000)
Mandrake (2001)
Hellfire Club (2004)
Rocket Ride (2006)
Tinnitus Sanctus (2008)
Age of the Joker (2011)
Space Police - Defenders of the Crown (2014)
Jerusalem
Edguy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rain pouring down when the last one arrives
So many stories telling of pain
Are told by the freaks they've been throwing away
Ride out, set off to the sea
Odd fellows, you and me
Sail on to a world far away
Torn and feathered
Put in the pillory my friend
Accused as a fool marching on
In quest for a place they don't know
To Jerusalem
The piper inside, can't you feel him calling
You don't be afraid of the horizon
To Jerusalem
Don't you give in to their fingers pointing
So don't be afraid, you won't crash at the horizon
The dwarf and the giant, children who stray
The dreamer who's walking far off their way
A jester cast out, he can't laugh anymore
Here comes the freakshow... Welcome on aboard
Torn and feathered
They'll never get what you say
Kill what they don't understand
Don't know and don't even try
[repeat chorus]
[solo: Both]
[repeat chorus]
The lyrics of Edguy's song "Jerusalem" convey a sense of loneliness, desperation, and a strong desire to break away from the mundane. The first stanza describes a bleak, cold and rainy night where lost souls with tragic stories gather to share their pain. The second stanza tells the story of two odd fellows taking a risk and setting sail into the unknown, perhaps to a world that does not exist. The third stanza depicts the main character as an outcast, being ridiculed, accused and humiliated as a result of his pursuit of a place he does not know, Jerusalem. The chorus is a call to all dreamers and wanderers to overcome the opposition they face, real or perceived, and follow their hearts to the horizon that awaits them, the holy city of Jerusalem.
The lyrics of "Jerusalem" juxtapose the very bleak atmosphere of the night where the story takes place with the glimmer of hope that lies in seeking an unknown destination. The song paints a picture of a world that often casts aside those who do not conform, labeling them as "freaks" and "fools." However, the lyrics also celebrate those individuals who refuse to give in to their critics and pursue their own paths, even if it means facing obstacles and ridicule. Ultimately, the song is a tribute to the human spirit of adventure and perseverance, as it urges the listener to take risks and pursue their dreams, no matter the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold is the wind, starless the night
The night is dark and the wind is calm, making the atmosphere desolate.
Rain pouring down when the last one arrives
When the last person arrives, it starts raining heavily, adding to the already dismal situation.
So many stories telling of pain
People recount tales of agony and suffering one after another.
Are told by the freaks they've been throwing away
These stories are narrated by individuals who have been rejected or abandoned by society and labeled as freaks.
Ride out, set off to the sea
They embark on a journey to the sea.
Odd fellows, you and me
The people on this trip are peculiar or unusual in some way.
Sail on to a world far away
They travel to a remote, unknown location.
That might not exist, we must be insane
The destination is so obscure that some may question its existence, deeming those who venture there insane.
Torn and feathered
The people traveling are mistreated and abused, resulting in physical wounds.
Put in the pillory my friend
One of the travelers is placed in the pillory, a device used for public humiliation and punishment.
Accused as a fool marching on
This person is labeled as a fool for willingly pursuing the journey despite its questionable legitimacy.
In quest for a place they don't know
The group is searching for a place whose existence and exact location are uncertain.
To Jerusalem
The group is headed to Jerusalem, a city of religious and historical significance.
The piper inside, can't you feel him calling
They are compelled to continue by the inner voice within them, urging them on.
You don't be afraid of the horizon
They are not scared of the unknown and what lies ahead.
Don't you give in to their fingers pointing
They are encouraged not to listen to the criticism or ridicule thrown their way.
So don't be afraid, you won't crash at the horizon
Despite the uncertainties, the group is reassured that they won't fail and will make it to their destination unharmed.
The dwarf and the giant, children who stray
The travelers include individuals of different sizes and abandoned children.
The dreamer who's walking far off their way
There is a wanderer with a vivid imagination, journeying for something that may not exist.
A jester cast out, he can't laugh anymore
The group has someone who was ridiculed to the point where he can't even find joy in laughter anymore.
Here comes the freakshow... Welcome on aboard
The journey is compared to a spectacle, and the travelers are invited to join in on this peculiar journey.
They'll never get what you say
The group is aware that society may never understand their motives or goals.
Kill what they don't understand
People may be tempted to eliminate that which they don't comprehend.
[repeat chorus]
The chorus repeats, describing their final destination and their perseverance through the journey.
[solo: Both]
A musical solo is played by both the musician(s) at this point.
[repeat chorus]
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the journey's conclusion and their resolve to continue against all odds.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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