Edguy is a German power metal band formed in 1992 in Fulda by school students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dirk Sauer, and Dominik Storch. The band’s name originated as a joking reference to a mathematics teacher. After releasing early demo tapes in 1994, the band was rejected by multiple record labels before self-releasing an unofficial debut album, “Savage Poetry”, in 1995.

In 1997, Edguy signed with AFM Records and released “Kingdom of Madness”, followed by “Vain Glory Opera” in 1998. The latter featured guest contributions from musicians including Timo Tolkki and Hansi Kürsch and helped the band gain wider recognition. During this period, drummer Dominik Storch left the band and was replaced later by Felix Bohnke, while Tobias “Eggi” Exxel joined as bassist, allowing Tobias Sammet to focus on vocals.

In 1999, Edguy released “Theater of Salvation”. That same year, Sammet initiated the Avantasia project. The band subsequently re-recorded “Savage Poetry” for a wider release. In 2001, Edguy released “Mandrake”, which included the single “Painting on the Wall” and the promotional video “All the Clowns”. The album led to the band’s first headlining tour, and performances from this tour were later released as the live album “Burning Down the Opera – Live”. After the expiration of their AFM contract, Edguy signed with Nuclear Blast in 2003.

Under Nuclear Blast, Edguy released the EP “King of Fools” in 2004, followed by the album “Hellfire Club”. The single “Lavatory Love Machine” was also released from this period. In 2005, the band released the EP “Superheroes” and an accompanying DVD. The album “Rocket Ride” followed in 2006. In 2008, Edguy released “Tinnitus Sanctus”, and in 2009 issued the live DVD “Fucking with Fire – Live”, recorded during their 2006 tour in São Paulo. The band also supported Scorpions on selected dates in 2010.

In 2011, Edguy released “Age of the Joker” and toured extensively in Europe and South America, including appearances alongside artists such as Slash and Deep Purple and participation in the “70000 Tons of Metal” cruise festival. In 2014, the band released “Space Police: Defenders of the Crown”. In 2017, a compilation and archive release titled “Monuments” was issued. In 2018, “Kingdom of Madness” was reissued as an anniversary edition.

In March 2020, Tobias Sammet announced that Edguy had entered a hiatus, stating that his focus had shifted to new material for Avantasia. He also noted that the production of “Space Police: Defenders of the Crown” had been particularly demanding.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edguy

Studio albums Savage Poetry (1995) Kingdom of Madness (1997) Vain Glory Opera (1998) Theater of Salvation (1999) The Savage Poetry (2000) Mandrake (2001) Hellfire Club (2004) Rocket Ride (2006) Tinnitus Sanctus (2008) Age of the Joker (2011) Space Police - Defenders of the Crown (2014)