Double (band)
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 in Zürich, Switzerland |
| Founder | Felix Haug, Kurt Maloo |
| Defunct | 1989 |
| Headquarters | Zürich , Switzerland |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Double (pronounced ) was a Swiss musical duo primarily recognized for their popular track "The Captain of Her Heart".
Biography
Established in 1983 in Zürich, Switzerland, Double consisted of Felix Haug (handling drums and keyboards) and Kurt Maloo (guitar and vocals). The pair originated from the trio Ping Pong, which had been active since 1981. While Ping Pong achieved moderate recognition with their single "Rhythm Walk" and collaborated with Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music, legal complications ultimately prevented their material from being released.
Prior to issuing their first album, Double put out several singles such as "Naningo", "Rangoon Moon", and "Woman of the World". Their initial sound on Naningo ventured into experimental rock territory but evolved considerably by the time their debut album was launched.
The pinnacle of their career came with the 1985 album Blue, which compiled earlier singles alongside the global hit "The Captain of Her Heart". This ballad enjoyed broad acclaim throughout Europe, peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and reaching number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 by the end of that year.
Their sophomore album, Dou3le, released in 1987, featured the single "Devils Ball" but failed to replicate the commercial success of its predecessor. Plans for a third album were abandoned when the duo parted ways in early 1989 over artistic disagreements, though they maintained a friendly relationship. Afterward, Haug focused on composing for film and advertising projects, while Maloo pursued a solo career, releasing five albums between 1990 and 2014.
In the late 1990s, Double briefly reunited to record nine tracks at Can Studio in Cologne. However, due to insufficient material, the project was put on hold. Attempts to complete it resumed in 2003 but ceased following Haug’s death from a heart attack in May 2004. Subsequently, Maloo had these recordings remixed by Pit Baumgartner for inclusion on his 2006 album Loopy Avenue.
Members
- Kurt Maloo – vocals, acoustic guitar (1983–1987)
- Felix Haug – drums, keyboards, piano (1983–1987) (deceased 2004)
Albums
| Year | Title | Highest chart rankings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | AUT | CAN | GER | SWI | UK | US | ||
| 1985 | Blue | 71 | 15 | 30 | 14 | 2 | 69 | 30 |
| 1987 | Dou3le | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — |
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart or were not released in that region | ||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | AUT | CAN | BE | FR | GER | IT | NOR | SA | SWI | UK | US | ||||||
| 1983 | Naningo (EP) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1984 | "Rangoon Moon" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Woman of the World" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "The Captain of Her Heart" | "64" | "15" | "17" | "17" | "9" | "10" | "3" | "9" | "14" | "11" | "8" | "16" | |||||
| "Your Prayer Takes Me Off" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "91" | |||||
| "Tomorrow" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | |||||
| "Devils Ball" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "30" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "71" | "—" | "Gliding" | "—" | "—"
|
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