Killer (Swiss band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Edgar "Crown" Kocher |
| Headquarters | Switzerland |
| Products | Heavy metal music, albums, singles, EPs |
Killer is a Swiss heavy metal band established in 1979 by guitarist Edgar "Crown" Kocher, following his three-year tenure with Kaktus. Kocher is recognized for his distinctive stage attire, often sporting striped prison uniforms.
From 1981 through 1986, Killer produced four studio albums but never quite escaped the shadow of their fellow Solothurn contemporaries, Krokus. After releasing Young Blood in 1986, the group dissolved. Kocher revived Killer in 2002 and has maintained activity with intermittent breaks, despite ongoing health challenges and numerous personnel shifts. On May 25, 2019, Killer unveiled Screamgunn, marking their first album release in over three decades.
Biography
The initial lineup of Killer included Kocher alongside co-guitarist Many Maurer, vocalist Mark Broman (formerly of Kaktus), bassist Beat Kofmehl, and drummer Ali Allemann. Their debut came in 1981 with the "Crazy Daisy" 7-inch single, co-produced by Krokus bassist Chris von Rohr and Martin Pearson. This formation recorded the band’s first two albums: Ladykiller (1981), which attracted attention due to its provocative cover art, and Thriller (1982). Killer made appearances on the German music television program Musikladen and supported Motörhead during their late 1982 tours in Germany and Switzerland. Additionally, they performed "Ladykiller" on Swiss broadcaster TSI.
The 1983 release Stronger Than Ever featured new members guitarist Jan van Crow and drummer Danny Crivelli—both formerly from Detroit—who replaced Kocher and Allemann. Allemann departed due to waning enthusiasm, while Kocher exited following internal disputes after a televised performance in Servion for Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR). Although Killer toured again with Motörhead, the band temporarily ceased activities in 1984. In 1985, Jan van Crow assembled a fresh lineup with vocalist Marc B. Lay, bassist Martin Morelli, drummer Ronny Woolf, and keyboardist Roland Wapf to record the final album Young Blood.
Post-Killer activities
Original Killer members Many Maurer and Beat Kofmehl joined forces with vocalist Peter Tanner (formerly of Witchcraft/Blood Six) and drummer Greg Bleuel to create Headhunter. Their self-titled album was released in 1985 under the production guidance of ex-Krokus bassist Chris von Rohr.
Maurer and former Killer drummer Danny Crivelli contributed to von Rohr’s 1987 solo project Hammer & Tongue, which was reissued in 1993 as The Good, The Bad and The Dog. This collaboration played a role in von Rohr’s return to Krokus for their Heart Attack record, where Crivelli joined as drummer. Tragically, Crivelli passed away in 2013 after falling from a bridge in Trimbach, Switzerland.
Beat Kofmehl—now known as Brian—stepped in for Marc Lynn, who had moved to Gotthard, joining China for their 1989 album Sign in the Sky, produced by Stephan Galfas. The album achieved a No. 2 position on Swiss charts and earned gold certification. China toured extensively across Europe as an opening act for Yngwie Malmsteen. Kofmehl participated in China's 2007 reunion and contributed to their 2010 comeback release Light Up the Dark.
During the 1990s, Many Maurer became involved with Krokus as co-writer, co-producer, guitarist, and bassist on albums such as Stampede, To Rock or Not to Be, and Round 13. He also co-authored "Get Down" and "Sweet Little Rock'n'Roller" with von Rohr for Gotthard’s self-titled debut (1992) and their follow-up album G. (1996), both tracks originally derived from von Rohr’s solo material. In 1996 Maurer recorded Read Your Mind with Ain't Dead Yet, featuring other former Krokus musicians. That same year, Crown Kocher’s cover band Pure Dynamite released a three-track EP co-produced by Maurer.
One-time reunion and subsequent band developments
Throughout the 2000s, Kocher brought Killer back together several times with different line-ups, including a reunion featuring original members in Solothurn on April 27, 2002. Despite these efforts, the group ultimately dissolved in 2012, citing factors such as poor concert turnout, a lack of new material progress, and health complications.
During this interval, Kocher collaborated once more with former Kaktus colleague Duco Aeschbach, resulting in two album releases: Rocking Blood (2008) and No Time to Die (2012). Kocher parted ways with Kaktus in 2013 after their lead singer exited the band.
By 2016, under the leadership of Kocher and vocalist Andy Lickford, Killer issued a four-track EP entitled Pure Dynamite, which included a bonus version of the 1981 hit "Crystal Butterfly". A music video promoting the title track was unveiled in 2012 as a precursor to a postponed album release. On May 25, 2019, Killer’s then-current ensemble—comprising Kocher, frontman Patrick Strobel, guitarist Peter Berger, bassist Mirko Buccio, and drummer Roberto Antonucci—launched Screamgunn, marking their first full-length album since 1986’s Young Blood. The launch event held in Biberist also honored original band members with gold plaques recognizing sales exceeding 25,000 copies of their debut Ladykiller.
In 2018, Kocher introduced the single "Let Me Take You In My Arms" under the Crown project. This featured Killer’s bassist Mirko Buccio, Kaktus drummer Duco Aeschbach, and vocalist Jean-Marc Viller from Swiss groups Big Red One, Neverland, and Daydreamer.
Studio albums
- 1981: Ladykiller
- 1982: Thriller
- 1983: Stronger Than Ever
- 1986: Young Blood
- 2019: Screamgunn
Compilations
- 2005: Break My Chains
Singles & EPs
- 1981: Crazy Daisy
- 1981: Ladykiller
- 1982: Midnight Highway Rider
- 1982: Take Me, Break Me, Shake Me
- 2016: Pure Dynamite