If you want to understand how such a unique phenomenon as Army of Lovers has appeared you should have a look at the beginning of 80's. In 1982 Alexander Bard, at that time a newcomer musician, created a project called Baard and released his first single named "Life In A Goldfish Bowl". The song of the same name and b-side "Savior For The Nations" were parts of it. When you listen to these songs, deep sense of lyrics catches your eye right away. Later Alex developed many ideas, only drafted there, in the Army of Lovers' lyrics and especially in his forthcoming project - Vacuum.

Next year Alexander changed both image & style of his creative work: now he appears as drag-queen Barbie in a nightclub. There is a pretty story made up for audience: Barbie, or Barbara Hitchcock is a product of love between the President of the USA John Fitzgerald Kennedy and world-famous actress Marilyn Monroe. Surely everybody could be proud of such parents, but our Barbie is also nobody's fool: she was sent to Mars when she was a child, and many years later she returns to Earth with her three daughters and a son to teach inhabitants how to make love underneath the streetlights. And the most suitable music for that is rock-n-roll, of course.

In 1985 and 1986 several singles were released under the name "Barbie", and in 1987 "Barbie Goes Around The World" was released. This song takes a special place because in 1990 it was re-released with the different lyrics on the album of Army of Lovers "Disco Extravaganza".

First Alexander appeared by himself but afterwards La Camilla joined him. Alexander's performance has made so powerful impression on her that La Camilla asked him to hire her into the project. Later Jean-Pierre Barda appeared: La Camilla ran her own model agency and she introduced him to Alexander. You can see all three of them on the sleeve of Barbie's single "Wham Bam" (1986).

Properly Army of Lover's history began spontaneously. As La Camilla herself claims, people who placed her photo on the cover of the British I.D.-magazine asked her what her occupation was. And she answered proudly that she took part in a musical group. Then they took an epochal decision to release the next single not as Barbie but as Army of Lovers. Thus "When The Night Is Cold" appeared.

The name of the group was taken from the title of the German documentary about homosexuals - "Army of Lovers, or Revolt of the Sex Perverts" (1979) directed by Rosa von Praunheim. But this idea is much more older: the army of another Alexander, The Great, is called so. Let's remember that real Alexander's name is Magnus, and possibly when he chose a proper pseudonym for his international promotion he thought exactly about that.

The single "Love Me Like A Loaded Gun" was released in the same year, "Baby's Got A Neutron Bomb" the next year, and finally the first album of the group called "Disco Extravaganza" was released in 1990. It very differs from previous works by it's style, first of all by lack of accent on lyrics. The most striking example is the song "I Am The Amason", where La Camilla 15 (!) times repeats that she's an amazon and for the 16th time she can't remember who she is… The album is frankly mocking: there are couplets in Swedish, Japanese, Arabian, Spanish, finally in French, dog's barking sounds and occasionally untranslatable idiomatic expressions. Not only Alexander, La Camilla and Jean-Pierre perform vocals on the album, but also plenty of guest artists. Later Alexander claimed: "That's because we can do nothing ourselves!" Well, modesty is the best policy

"Disco Extravaganza" was very popular in nightclubs in Sweden, was sold in Europe quite well, it was even released in the USA under the name "Army of Lovers", even without group's agreement. But it wasn't the real success yet.

The next album "Massive Luxury Overdose" was released in 1991, and was followed by the single "Crucified", possibly the most well-known song of Army of Lovers, that became their visiting card. "Crucified" raised on top of charts in Europe and America, and later a shocking video was shot that forced people to stick to their TVs and to pay attention to the group.

Army of Lovers' style that they keep steadily for now is already well-defined in "Massive Luxury Overdose". You'll find a wide range of topics in these lyrics: philosophy, history, religion and complexity of people's relations are presented here. The music, sometimes pathetic, sometimes lyrical, is notable for its intensity and delicacy. Army of Lovers have got their Army Tabernacle Choir, and thanks to them the songs obtained such a powerful sound. The group also replaced their arranger: Magnus Frykberg with whom they recorded their first album, was replaced by Anders Wollbeck.

Late 1991 on the top of the popularity, La Camilla decided to left the group. The official version is that she had too much business besides Army of Lovers (dancing, model agency), but what she was going to do? She started solo singing career.

After La Camilla's departure a question about another female soloist rose. Alexander and Jean-Pierre decided to invite their acquaintance, former music school teacher and model Michaela Dornonville de la Cour. For their sake she returned from the USA where to she had moved from Sweden for couple years. The videos "Ride The Bullet" and "Obsession" were re-shot, and the album "Massive Luxury Overdose" was re-released with addition of four new songs with Michaela's vocals. Journalists called her second Agneta referring to similar styles of Army of Lovers and ABBA.

Everybody knows that Alexander is a convinced admirer of ABBA's works, and possibly four members in the group like in ABBA, including La Camilla, were supposed. But La Camilla might not agree with this and left the group just because Michaela was invited.

Single "Judgment Day" became curtsey towards La Camilla. She paid back and released "I'm Not In The Mood For Lovers".

But Alexander didn't reject an idea to make another ABBA from his group only because of La Camilla's departure. In 1992 the album "ABBA The Tribute" had to be released where different singers did covers to the songs of the famous quartet. And Army of Lovers also took part in this project: they sang "Hasta Mañana". Well, as for me, "sang" - that's puts it too strongly, but that's not the point. The main thing: there were four of them again! Dominika Peczynski, latest Alexander's lover, striptize-dancer and telephone sex-worker, became second Frida along with second Agneta.

In 1993 single "Israelism" was released and then also the third album " The Gods of Earth and Heaven". MTV interdicted "Israelism" because of political reasons and Army of Lovers found themselves in an ambivalent position: from one side their songs gain more and more popularity (try and find a Jew who doesn't know this song), from another - you can't see their videos in Europe and especially in America. Only in Eastern Europe and in the ex-USSR their videoclips are broadcasted without any restrictions. Army of Lovers' songs find their way to Asia too: " La Plage de Saint Tropez" became the most popular of their songs in China.

The album "The Gods of Earth and Heaven" is penetrated by united stylistics. It's interesting to observe how pre-intended themes find their evolution here. I should also mark four miniatures performed by four members of the group in different parts of the album: the personality of each performer is reflected in every miniature.

There was also a videocompilation called "Videovaganza 1990-93" with nine clips released the same year. Two clips were not included: "Obsession" with La Camilla and "Candyman Messiah".

The compilation is rather unique because the members of the group make fun of each other between the videoclips. Here I should say that the director of the compilation, as well as the constant director of Army of Lovers' videoclips, is Fredrik Boklund, who is also "a member of big family Army of Lovers", as Alexander likes to say. Actually, as show element is very strong with the group, videoclips are very important.

For now "Videovaganza" is the only group's videocompilation. In 2001 there were rumors about DVD release but for some reasons it was put off on uncertain term.

In 1994 the group released their last album "Glory, Glamour and Gold" - probably most high-grade musically. Among thirteen songs there are no "just joyful songs", as for example "Walking With A Zombie" or "La Plage de Saint Tropez": each song raises a certain problem, a global one as a rule. The album appeared rather regular, and although critics agree in opinions that this album is the best for Army of Lovers' , none of its singles was as successful as "Crucified" or "Israelism".

In the early 1995 Michaela left the group. The official reason was even less convincing than La Camilla's reason last time: Michaela claimed after that Army of Lovers' lifestyle didn't suit her. Permanent parties, alcohol, cigarettes - all this can't be a good example for youth, and she's teacher indeed. After three years Michaela recalled that she was a teacher, and this is not our task to judge her. Like La Camilla she started solo career and also didn't reach great success in that field.

But what about La Camilla? She was invited to the group again! She took the invitation, and in 1995 compilation of the best songs "Les Greatest Hits" was released, with one La Camilla's song "Everytime You Lie" and three new songs: "Give My Life", "Venus And Mars" and "Requiem".

Gradually it became evident that creative life in the group died out. Next year brought a new re-release of "Les Greatest Hits" with a new song "King Midas" instead of "Stand Up For Myself". And in the end of the year it was declared about dismissal of Army of Lovers. Every member was engaged in his/her own business: Alexander started to produce the group Vacuum and then Alcazar, La Camilla was absorbed into political career, Jean-Pierre ran "The Royal Society of Beauty" and Dominika became a host in TV-projects and owner of internet-portal "Lovesearch.com".

The things changed in 2001 when the group decided to reunite again. In the beginning Army of Lovers should consist only of Alexander, Dominika and Jean-Pierre, but later La Camilla also declared that she would like to take part. Two-part album "Le Grand Docu-Soap" was released: best songs and three covers to different artists were included into the first part, and remixes went to the second part.

Army of Lovers themselves never answer properly the question if they had returned finally or it was only a temporary reviving. The group performs on different events from time to time, in different line-up, even with guest artists, but we can't say about returning until new full album with dozen of new songs is released.

Well, let's wait for continuation of this story…