Falco and Beyond
Neo Nothing Post of All
Ewa Mazierska [+–]
University of Central Lancashire
View Website
Ewa Mazierska is Professor in Film Studies at the School of Journalism and Digital Communication, University of Central Lancashire. Her publications include European Cinema and Intertextuality: History, Memory, Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011), Nabokov’s Cinematic Afterlife (McFarland, 2011), Roman Polanski: The Cinema of a Cultural Traveller (I.B. Tauris, 2007) and with Laura Rascaroli, Crossing New Europe: Postmodern Travel and the European Road Movie (Wallflower, 2006).
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny, with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist.
The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
Series: Studies in Popular Music
Table of Contents
Preliminaries
List of Illustrations [+–] ix – ix
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
Acknowledgements [+–] x – x
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
Introduction [+–] 1 – 4
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
PART I Falco and the Logic of the Neoliberal Culture Industry
1 The concept of the culture industry [+–] 7 – 14
In this chapter, the author discusses the concept of the culture industry as stated by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer.
2 The culture industry under neoliberal regime [+–] 15 – 24
In this chapter, the author discusses the idea of a culture industry under a neoliberal regime, when art becomes a full-time job and the artists become business men and women in order to make their creations sell more and more.
PART II Falco Synchronic: Romanticism and Intertextuality
This chapter introduces Falco’s various musical facets that we used by him as means to keep his career always on top.
In this chapter, the author explores the hybridization of Falco’s music which combines national and international influences. His lyrics mixed German and English, giving his music a both national and global character.
5 Falco’s many clothes and friends [+–] 43 – 46
This chapter focuses on clothes and costumes worn by Falco in order to express hybridisms as an artist and the music he performed.
In this chapter, the author concentrates on exploring the various musical styles used by Falco throughout his career and this element contributed to his music.
In this chapter, the author discusses whether Falco created scandals in order to keep his career always refreshed and on the media.
PART III Falco Diachronic: From Grace to Gravity
This chapter describes the origins of Falco’s career and Austrian musical background during the 70’s.
9 The 1980s: the stories of Brill(i)ant(in) Brutal [+–] 77 – 113
While Falco’s beginnings coincide with the swan song of Keynesianism, the early 1980s, when he achieved his early successes, mark the beginning of neoliberalism. Falco is a perfect lens to research neoliberal popular art, because his career began when this system was coming into existence.
10 The 1990s: return to monarchy [+–] 114 – 134
In this chapter, the author discusses the return of Falco to the show business after his album Wiener Blut, and how he had to adapt to the new musical scenery that was forming in the 1990’s.
11 Into the light [+–] 135 – 140
This chapter is dedicated to Falco’s death.
PART IV Falco Lebt: Mourning and Melancholia
12 Life beyond death [+–] 141 -142
In this chapter, the author concentrates on exploring Falco’s posthumous work and its meaning to his artistic relevance.
13 Torch bearers and vampires, or mourning and earning [+–] 143 – 146
This chapter discusses how Falco’s memory was kept alive due to the investment of several people who wanted to remember his musical and artistic heritage.
14 Burial and grave [+–] 147 – 150
This chapter describes how Falco’s funeral took place and what it represented to Austria to bury one of their icons.
15 The culture industry looks back at Falco’s career [+–] 151 – 155
This chapter discusses the main biographies written about Falco after his death.
16 Mourning as therapy [+–] 156 – 159
In this chapter, the author discusses two Falco biographies that became famous due to the way their authors presented intimate content, in order to mourn Falco’s death.
17 Mourning as an act of revenge and forgiveness [+–] 160 – 161
In this chapter, the author investigates the purpose of Falco’s daughter in writing his biography: was it an act of revenge or forgiveness?
18 Falco Symphonic [+–] 162 – 165
In this chapter, the author tells about the process of recovering and release of the DVD Falco Symphonic, recorded in 1994.
19 Falco schmolli-ed [+–] 166 – 168
In this chapter, the author discusses the work of DJ Schmolli who re-creates music by doing a mashup with videos and songs. Schmolli edited some of Falco’s music using this technique.
This chapter discusses the release of a movie about Falco’s career, Falco – Verdammt, wir leben noch! (2008), directed by Thomas Roth.
21 Falco (dis)covered [+–] 172 – 174
This chapter discusses the covers of Falco songs as means to keep his music alive.
22 Falco commented on by his fans [+–] 176 – 179
In this chapter, the author analyses fan responses to Falco’s music on You Tube and also compared them to other artists such as Kraftwerk, Eminem, David Bowie, Michael Jackson.
23 Falco and I [+–] 180 – 182
In this chapter, the author tells about her history with Falco’s music throughout her life.
Notes
Notes [+–] 183 – 185
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
Discography
Discography [+–] 186 – 189
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
Bibliography
Bibliography [+–] 190 – 197
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
Index
Index [+–] 198 – 203
Falco and Beyond is devoted to the most popular Austrian song-writer, singer and rapper of the twentieth century and one of the most successful European singers of all time. Falco was born in 1957, reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980s with songs such as Der Kommissar, Rock Me Amadeus and Jeanny , with mixed luck attempted to revive his career in the 1990s and died in a car crash in 1998. He sold over 30 million records worldwide and remains a successful posthumous artist. The book attempts to identify the most salient and contradictory features of Falco’s art, such as linguistic inventiveness and dexterity, rapping and adopting a posture of a romantic artist. It argues that Falco’s songs betray an apocalyptic imagination, picturing the image of an exhausted and unhappy world. It looks at Falco’s career and his phenomenon in the context of international and Austrian music business and politics, and investigates how his popularity has been maintained after his death, by means such as records released posthumously, cover versions of his songs, mashup songs and videos, biographies and Falco fandom.
ISBN-13 (Hardback)
9781845532383
Price (Hardback)
£75.00 / $99.95
ISBN-13 (Paperback)
9781845532352
Price (Paperback)
£24.95 / $29.95
ISBN (eBook)
9781781791523
Price (eBook)
Individual
£24.95 / $29.95
Institutional
£75.00 / $99.95
£24.95 / $29.95
Institutional
£75.00 / $99.95
Publication
01/04/2014
Pages
224
Size
234 x 156mm
Readership
students, scholars, general readers
Illustration
18 black and white photos
