The MO
Encyclopedia
The Mo, also known simply Mo, was a Dutch pop band best remembered for the 80's hit Asia. The band was known to be an experimental pop band at the peak of New Wave
.
Their debut album ('Mo), with Heili Helder as a singer and Harm Bieger as a drummer, had a separate instrumentation: the guitar was missing, instead testing instruments (such as Wurlitzer electric piano
, clavinet
) and a classical wind instrument: the bassoon
.
In February 1981 the album reached the top 10. Successful single was for 'Nancy' and above all for 'Fred Astaire'.
After the original group broke up in mid 1981, Harm made a new start with Mo.
With three new band members, including singer Linda Bloemhard, he tried to copy the original Mo and follow up the success. It was followed by two albums ('Ha! Ha! The Sound Of Laughing' and 'Stop Staring'), but those failed to compete with the original debut album.
The song 'Cheese' was a modest hit in halls circuit.
The single 'Asia' in 1984 became a major hit, but it failed to save the group.
The group disbanded right after their 1984 album 'Stop Staring' was released.
Band member 1981–1985
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
.
Biography
The Mo was founded in 1979 by brothers Clement and Huub de Lange.Their debut album ('Mo), with Heili Helder as a singer and Harm Bieger as a drummer, had a separate instrumentation: the guitar was missing, instead testing instruments (such as Wurlitzer electric piano
Wurlitzer electric piano
Wurlitzer 200A|250px|thumbThe Wurlitzer electric piano was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York...
, clavinet
Clavinet
A Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
) and a classical wind instrument: the bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
.
In February 1981 the album reached the top 10. Successful single was for 'Nancy' and above all for 'Fred Astaire'.
After the original group broke up in mid 1981, Harm made a new start with Mo.
With three new band members, including singer Linda Bloemhard, he tried to copy the original Mo and follow up the success. It was followed by two albums ('Ha! Ha! The Sound Of Laughing' and 'Stop Staring'), but those failed to compete with the original debut album.
The song 'Cheese' was a modest hit in halls circuit.
The single 'Asia' in 1984 became a major hit, but it failed to save the group.
The group disbanded right after their 1984 album 'Stop Staring' was released.
Members
Band member 1979–1981- Heili Helder – vocals
- Clemens de Lange – piano, keyboard, bass, synthesizer
- Huub de Lange – organ, keyboard, synthesizer
- Harm Bieger – drums
Band member 1981–1985
- Linda Bloemhard – vocals
- Ton van der Meer – synthesizer
- Hans Nieuwint – synthesizer
- Harm Bieger – drums
- Eddie Conard – percussion
- Willem Ennes – keyboards, producer
Albums
- Mo [Backdoor 1980]
- Ha! Ha! The Sound Of Laughing [Backdoor 1982]
- Stop Staring [Backdoor 1984]
- Remember Mo [Mercury 1993]