Rock Me Amadeus

The Zoo Crew is spinning the wild vibes of "Rock Me Amadeus" by Edguy, a track from their 2014 album Space Police: Defenders of the Crown, and the Zoo Freaks are surely grooving to its quirky energy. This song is a cover of the 1985 hit by Austrian artist Falco, reimagined with Edguy’s signature power metal flair. Frontman Tobias Sammet, a lifelong Falco fan, initially considered covering Falco’s "Der Kommissar" but was persuaded by producer Sascha Paeth to tackle "Rock Me Amadeus" instead. Sammet described the track as embodying Edguy’s tongue-in-cheek, self-ironic, and slightly arrogant spirit, calling it a song that could almost be an original Edguy creation. It’s the first time Sammet rapped and sang in German on an album, adding a playful twist to the band’s heavy metal roots. Some critics found the cover a bold, if polarizing, choice—The Metal Observer noted it as comic relief, while others, like Blabbermouth, called it a “throwaway” but acknowledged the band’s commitment to fun.

The recording process for "Rock Me Amadeus" wasn’t without its challenges. Sammet admitted in a BraveWords interview that the song was tough to sing due to Falco’s distinctive style, which he worked hard to emulate while keeping Edguy’s edge. The track’s funky-metal vibe, as described by Amazon reviews, stands out on the album, blending 80s new wave nostalgia with Edguy’s modern metal swagger. Fans on Edguy’s Facebook have praised the cover for its audacity, with some calling it a highlight of live shows for its infectious energy. The song’s placement in the album, sandwiched between heavier tracks like "The Realms of Baba Yaga" and "Do Me Like a Caveman," makes it a surprising yet fitting breather, showcasing Edguy’s refusal to take themselves too seriously.

Edguy began in 1992 in Fulda, Germany, when a group of 14-year-old schoolmates—Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch, and Dirk Sauer—formed a band fueled by their love for metal. Named after their math teacher’s nickname, a nod to Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie, the band started by playing covers of bands like AC/DC and Kiss before crafting their own songs. Their early demos, Evil Minded and Children of Steel, were rejected by record labels who doubted their potential, but the band pressed on, self-releasing their debut album, Savage Poetry, in 1995. Signing with AFM Records, they released Kingdom of Madness in 1997, followed by Vain Glory Opera in 1998, which gained traction thanks to guest appearances by Blind Guardian’s Hansi Kürsch and Stratovarius’s Timo Tolkki. Tobias Sammet, the band’s driving force, later launched the metal opera project Avantasia, but Edguy remained his primary outlet for raw, humorous power metal.

Over the years, Edguy evolved from melodic power metal to a broader sound incorporating hard rock and glam influences, as heard in Space Police: Defenders of the Crown. Their persistence paid off with international chart success and tours across 39 countries, as noted in a Terrorverlag review. Despite a hiatus since 2020, with Sammet focusing on Avantasia, Edguy’s legacy endures through their flamboyant, fan-loved discography. You can keep up with the band on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans also gather at the Edguy Brasil Facebook group and the Edguy Fanclub Argentina, where Zoo Freaks can connect with fellow devotees sharing stories and updates about the band’s enduring metal circus.