Dissidenten are a German world music and indie rock band formed in 1980, consisting of founding members Uwe "Uve" Müllrich, Friedemann "Friedo" Josch, and Marlon Klein, who joined in 1981. The group gained international recognition particularly for their early collaborations with artists from the Middle East, North Africa, and India.
Their greatest commercial success came with the dance hits Fata Morgana (from the 1984 album Sahara Elektrik) and Telephone Arab (from the 1986 album Life at the Pyramids), which achieved high chart positions in Europe and South America, and reached cult status in Brazil as the theme music for popular telenovelas. Their 1992 album The Jungle Book was also an international success, reaching number 2 on the annual World Music Charts Europe in 1993.
The American Rolling Stone magazine described the band as the "Godfathers of World-Beat" due to their pioneering role in fusing Western pop and rock music with traditional Eastern sounds. Musician Paul Simon called them the "true godfathers of ethno-beat." The band's name refers to the term dissident—meaning those who think differently or are in opposition—underlining their musical openness beyond conventional norms.
History Around 1981, "Embryo's Dissidenten" were founded in India by Friedemann "Friedo" Josch (b 21 July 1952, Mainz, wind instruments, keyboards) and former Embryo band members Uwe "Uve" Müllrich (b 7 December 1947, Rügen, bass, oud, guitar, vocals) and Michael Wehmeyer (keyboards, piano). Still in 1981, Marlon Klein (b 13 December 1957, Herford, drums, perc, keyboards, vocals) replaced Wehmeyer, and the band renamed themselves to Dissidenten.Charlie Mariano Tribute Bands & LeadersMusikvideos, News & Interviews - MTV.de 1982/83, they founded their own record label Exil in Berlin.Biography at www.dissidenten.com
Following a one-year tour of Asia, the group decided to stay in India to produce their first album Germanistan, with the help of the Karnataka College of Percussion, female singer R.A. Ramamani and percussionist Ramesh Shotham. The live line-up was joined by Indian pianist Louis Banks and American saxophonist Charlie Mariano. Concerts in Calcutta, Madrid, Casablanca and Stockholm are documented on the live album Germanistan Tour 83.
They then moved on to Morocco to record Sahara Elektrik in 1982 at the Palace of Abdesalam Akaaboune in Tangier with the help of friend Paul Bowles and local sha'abi band Lem Chaheb. The track "Fata Morgana" became a dance hit in Europe (especially Spain and Italy) and Canada, and the group toured worldwide. "Fata Morgana" sold over 1.5 million copies in Brazil after it was used in the telenovela Sassaricando (Rede Globo, 1987), reaching audiences across South America.
In 1986 the Dissidenten moved to Spain, producing Life At The Pyramids and began to receive recognition in the US and UK.
In 1989 they moved back to Morocco, recording Out Of This World with the Royal National Orchestra of Morocco, and other leading North African musicians including Cherif Lamrani and other members of Lem Chaheb. The album was released worldwide and the band toured around the globe to promote it. In 1991, the album Live In New York was released, and the following year The Jungle Book was recorded, weaving recordings of Indian life into dance tracks. Co-founder Uve Müllrich later emphasized that the band's collaborations were never intended to treat non-Western musical traditions as mere exotic decoration for Western pop structures; instead, the group aimed for an organic, equal dialogue between different cultures to consciously transcend cultural boundaries.
In 1995, Klein stayed in the US to work as producer for two albums by singer Gary Wright, featuring George Harrison. In 1996, the group reunited to produce the album Instinctive Traveler, their first album with mostly English-language songs sung by Müllrich's daughter Bajka, which was followed by a tour of international festivals. Two years later they appeared at the Glastonbury festival and released their second live album, Live in Europe.
In 2000, with American composer Gordon Sherwood, video artist Stefanie Seidl and the Bratislava Orchestra under Petr Feranec they created The Memory of the Waters, a "documentary opera" about the River Danube, debut performed at the International Danube Music Festival in the city of Ulm. The following year, they issued an album of remixes, A World Beat Odyssey, which they then performed live with accompanying DJs.
In 2005, the opera "La Memoria de las Aguas" with the choir and orchestra of Pamplona under the direction of conductor Tomás Garrido, was broadcast by the Spanish National Radio at the Navarra Festival. In 2006 the group worked on a new Moroccan project, The Tanger Sessions, with the legendary Moroccan cult group Jil Jilala.
In 2007, Dissidenten toured North Africa with Jil Jilala. Between concerts they worked together in Tangier and Casablanca to complete The Tanger Sessions. Also in 2007, the band composed and arranged the musical program for the final party of Germany's spectacular CREOLE-Award for World Music. French/German TV ARTE and German TV WDR broadcast a lengthy feature about Dissidenten's Moroccan experiences, "The Hippie Trail".
In 2008, The Tanger Sessions was released and they toured Europe and North Africa. The first gig of the tour was broadcast live and online by German National Radio SWR in April 2008. Since summer 2008, Dissidenten & Jil Jilala performed live in Europe and North Africa. 2009 sees them again at various festivals around Europe/Northafrica and North America.
In March 2012, the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture awarded Dissidenten the Praetorius Music Prize (Praetorius Musikpreis) in the category "International Peace Music Prize".
The band's enduring popularity in South America was revitalized in 2016 when their classic track "Fata Morgana" was selected as the title song for the popular Brazilian TV Globo telenovela Haja Coração, sparking a resurgence on Brazilian dance floors.
Since 2022, Dissidenten have been releasing archival live recordings as part of their ongoing Live Series. The series documents legendary concerts from 1982 to 1988, recorded in cities including Zürich, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Göttingen, Bari, Barcelona, New York and Québec, as well as at various festivals. By 2026, around 50 live recordings have been compiled, with releases continuing on a rolling basis.
In August 2023, the band performed at the Festival BidasoaFolk in Irún, Spain, demonstrating their continued international presence.
In December 2025, the band released Live Series – New York City SOB's (04/1988), a recording of the concert on 26 April 1988 at Club SOBs (Sounds of Brazil) in downtown Manhattan, featuring guest musicians Hamid Baroudi (vocals, percussion), El Houssaine Kili (vocals, percussion, mandolin cello) and Roland Spremberg (keyboards). The concert is considered a key moment in paving the way for the band's later success in Brazil.
In February 2026, Live Series – Québec, Salle Albert-Rousseau (05/1988) followed, documenting a concert recorded on 6 May 1988.
Also in 2026, a restored new version of the 1985 music video for Telephone Arab (Bleu Noir Version 2026) was released.
Discography Albums Year Title Label Notes 1982 Germanistan Exile/Indigo, Germany With the Karnataka College of Percussion 1983 Germanistan Tour Exil, Germany Live recording with the Karnataka College of Percussion 1984 Sahara Elektrik Exil Musik, Germany Further releases: Amok Canada (1986), Materiali Sonori Italy (1987) 1986 Life at the Pyramids Exil Musik, Germany Further releases: Dro Spain & Materiali Sonori Italy (1986), Melodie France (1987), Amok Canada (1988) 1986 Sahara Elektrik / Life at the Pyramids Exil Musik, Germany CD release; further releases: Globestyle UK (1989), Exil Germany/World (1990) 1986 Arab Shadows Nuevos Medios, Spain Further release: Materiali Sonori Italy (1987) 1987 Dissidenten & Lem Chaheb Mexico Collaboration with Lem Chaheb 1990 Out of This World Sire / Warner Bros. World CD release 1990 Life at the Pyramids Exil Musik Germany/World CD release 1991 Live in New York Exil Musik Germany CD release, live recording 1992 The Jungle Book Exile/Indigo 1992 Germanistan Exil Germany/World CD release 1993 The Jungle Book Exil Germany/World CD release 1997 Instinctive Traveler Exile/Indigo CD release 1998 Live in Europe Exil/Indigo CD release, live recording 2005 La memoria de las aguas Exil CD release, with Orchestra & Choir Pamplona 2008 Tanger Sessions Fuego/Exil CD release, with Jil Jilala 2013 How Long Is Now? Unplugged Live in Berlin Fuego/Exil CD release, live recording 2014 The Memory of the Waters (Live at Brucknerfest) Fuego/Exil CD release, live recording with Gordon Sherwood 2017 We don't shoot! Exil CD release, live recording with Mohamed Mounir 2022 Live Series - Zurich/Fabrik (12/1984) Fuego Live recording 2022 Live Series - Berlin/Fabrik (10/1984) Fuego Live recording 2022 Live Series - Amsterdam/Melkweg (04/1984) Fuego Live recording 2023 Live Series - Rome (05/1985) Fuego Live recording 2023 Live Series - Festival San Pedro de Alcantara (1982) Fuego Live recording 2024 Live Series - Göttingen (06/1987) Fuego Live recording 2024 Live Series - Bari (05/1987) Fuego Live recording 2025 Live Series - Barcelona 'Fiesta de la Mercè' (09/1986) Fuego Live recording 2025 Live Series - New York City SOB's (04/1988) Fuego/Exil Musik Live recording; recorded 26 April 1988 at Club SOBs (Sounds of Brazil), New York City; featuring Hamid Baroudi (vocals, percussion), El Houssaine Kili (vocals, percussion, mandolin cello) and Roland Spremberg (keyboards) 2026 Live Series - Ottawa / Barrymore’s (05/1988) Fuego/Exil Musik Live recording; recorded 5 May 1988 at Barrymore’s, Ottawa, Canada; released 24 June 2026 2026 Live Series - Québec, Salle Albert-Rousseau (05/1988) Fuego/Exil Musik Live recording; recorded 6 May 1988 at Salle Albert-Rousseau, Québec
Compilations and EPs Year Title Label Notes 1985 Casablanca Exil Musik, Germany EP 1985 Fata Morgana Ginger, Spain EP; further releases: Golden Denia France & Materiali Sonori Spain (1986), Sigem Brazil (1987), l'escargot France (1988) 1986 Special Compilation Exil, Germany CD 1986 Inshallah Ginger, Spain EP; further release: Materiali Sonori Italy 1987 Hits Collection Globo, Brazil 1988 Polo Mix/Album Ginger, Spain 1994 Love Supreme Remix Exil Germany/World CD 1994 Jungle Book remix e-que, WEA World EP 1996 Mixed Up Jungle Exil/Indigo 1997 Mixed Up Jungle Exil Musik, Germany/World EP 2001 Dissidenten Remix.ed: A Worldbeat Odyssey / 2001: A World Beat Odyssey Exil/Indigo CD 2003 Dissidenten Remx.ED 2.0: A New World Odyssey Exil/Indigo 2003 2003: A Worldbeat Odyssey Exil CD 2022 Live Series - Barcelona/Angel-Casas-TV-Show (11/1985) Fuego EP; live recording
Soundtracks Year Title Label Notes 1988 Sassaricando TV Globo, Brazil "Fata Morgana" on track A7 1989 Wild Orchid Warner Brothers 1991 Great Journeys BBC 1992 Pankuj Parahar Louis Banks Bombay 1993 Dissidents - Live in India VOX TV Live recording 1995 Air India Air India 2007 The Hippie Trail ARTE TV 2016 Haja Coração TV Globo, Brazil "Fata Morgana" as theme for character Fedora (Tatá Werneck); remake of Sassaricando
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