Die Paldauer: Austria's Schlager Quasi-Rockers

Die Paldauer

Started as a group of neighborhood kids in the tiny Styrian town of Paldau in 1968, the sextet, Die Paldauer emerged as one of the most prominent schlager groups of the past 25 years.

They certainly had a long and interesting climb to the top which included everything from a schizophrenic drummer who went nuts on stage to a celebrated Caribbean booze cruise to the Dominican Republic with 400 of their fans in 1999.

Their big break really came in 1974 when they were heard performing by the Austrian Defense Minister who had a little vacation home near Paldau. He liked them so much that he told them that they could spend their mandatory Army service time playing for the troops. He even let them all room in the same barracks so that they could practice more easily.

This would be the thing of scandal in the US, of course, but what could it really hurt in the Austrian army, which, after all, hasn't had a serious raison d'etre since the Hapsburgs were still around? Why does Austria even have an Army?

Anyway, Paldauer spent the 70s playing smaller venues throughout Austria and Switzerland and self-produced a few records.

They were signed to a recording contract and made their first TV appearances in '84 but really came into their own in '88 with their first German TV appearance and first #1 hit,  Tanz mit mir, Corinna -- Dance with me Corinne.


Since then they have had an ongoing succession of hit records and concert tours. Die Paldauer has settled in as one of the mainstays of the schlager/pop world.

Here is a hit from one of their more recent CDs, Du,Du,Du from a live 2009 performance:



Here is one of their recent releases, Rock 'n Rose: