Modell Doo was formed

in May 1985

(originally as Modell D’oo).

The band has been – and is – based in (and around) Vienna, Austria.

Modell Doo as a project was specialized from the start: It focused on the niche between electroacoustic avant-garde, synthetic pop, Dada and industrial music, composing with analog synthesizers, drum machines and primitive sampling techniques, but it also included edgy guitar riffs and acoustic (predominantly percussive) sound sources like metal rims, breaking glass or oil barrels in their songs.

Main musical influences, to name just a few: Sparks (for hysteria and wit), Kraftwerk (for logic and simplicity), The Residents (for minimalism and weirdness), Fad Gadget (for elegance and spirit), Bauhaus (for adrenaline and theatricality), Cabaret Voltaire (for antigravity and linearity), Japan (for grace and artistry), Einstürzende Neubauten (for rage and poetry), Birds With Ears (for importunity and nerdiness) and The Young Gods (for discipline and ecstasy).

Between 1985 and 1989 Modell Doo recorded around 60 pieces on a Tascam reel-to-reel eight track recorder in Brunn am Gebirge, Lower Austria – and it composed two feature-length soundtracks for Carl Andersen’s underground movies I Was a Teenage Zabbadoing aka Vampyros Sexos (1988) and Mondo Weirdo aka Jungfrau am Abgrund (1989/90). 

Rare live performances by Modell Doo in those years took place in Vienna in U4, Szene Wien, Chelsea and Blue Box; in spring 1987 the band took part in the international Noise Structure Festival in Ravensburg (where also The Young Gods were playing), in summer 1987 it performed in a musical program accompanying the  documenta 8 in Kassel. In 1988 Modell Doo briefly collaborated with Astaron and Ronnie Urini. In 1988 und 1990 Modell Doo played two well-received (and well-frequented) concerts on the respective opening nights of Andersen’s films in Filmhaus Stöbergasse in Vienna.

In 1990 Modell Doo was put on hold. A single composition – the instrumental piece of course not – was developed in early 1993, when Austrian avant-garde filmmaker Johannes Rosenberger had asked the band for a contribution to the soundtrack of his work karma mécanique. After that Modell Doo rested for a decade.

In late 2003 the band began to work again. In roughly 18 months Modell Doo tackled a handful of new songs in its now digitally upgraded studio. The recordings remained private (until 2011).

On November 24, 2011, Modell Doo’s Dinky Diamond was presented at rhiz, Vienna.

Since then, the band released two brand new tracks called N.A.T.E. one and two as strictly limited 7'' vinyl and also issued an album of film music, covering the years 1987 to 1993. 

In September 2014, the concept double album Orbit Utopia was released. It contains 12 new tracks on the history of crazed scientists.

Published recordings 1987-2015:

Modell D'oo: Empty Metropolis (EP, vinyl, 1987)

Modell D'oo: I Was a Teenage Zabbadoing – Original

Soundtrack (cassette edition, 1988)

Various: karma mécanique, Track: of course not (CD, 1993)

Various: Neonbeats. Austrian New Wave and Postpunk, Track: don’t overact, 1989 (CD, Klanggalerie 2010)

Modell Doo: Dinky Diamond  (CD, Klanggalerie 2011)

Modell Doo: Frame Electric: Music for Movies, 1987-1993

(vinyl album, 2012)

Modell Doo: N.A.T.E. one / two (vinyl 7'', 2012)

Modell Doo: Orbit Utopia (double vinyl plus CD, 2014)

Modell Doo – live performances (selection):

5/1986: U4, Vienna

9/1986: Szene Wien

4/1987 and 3/1988: Chelsea, Vienna

5/1987: Noise Structure Festival, Ravensburg

8/1987: Musik zur documenta, Kassel

12/1987: Blue Box, Vienna

12/1988: Filmhaus Stöbergasse, Vienna – opening night of Carl Andersen’s film I Was a Teenage Zabbadoing

3/1990: Filmhaus Stöbergasse, Vienna – opening night of Carl Andersen’s film Mondo Weirdo

4/2010: Replugged, Vienna – album presentation Neonbeats. Austrian New Wave and Postpunk (Klanggalerie)

11/2011: rhiz, Vienna – album presentation Dinky Diamond (Klanggalerie/modellmusik)

05/2012: Filmhauskino, Vienna - video presentation of Don't Overact, directed by Johannes Hammel

03/2013: Kunsthaus Graz – a show at the Diagonale festival

09/2014: Liquid Loft Studio, Vienna – album presentation Orbit Utopia

10/2014: Waves Festival Vienna, Alte Post

10/2015: Metro-Kino, Vienna – memorial concert for Carl Andersen

1/2016: Admiralkino, Vienna – SalonkonzertAV: creating a live soundtrack for visuals by Lampalzer/Oppermann