View source for Laid Back

{{Short description|Danish band}}
{{redirect|Bakerman|the profession|Baker}}
{{for|the Gregg Allman album|Laid Back (album)}}
{{primary sources|date=December 2008}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Laid Back
| image            = Laid Back logo.png
| image_size       = 
| caption          = Logo
| background       = group_or_band
| alias            = 
| origin           = [[Copenhagen]], Denmark
| genre            = [[Electro (music)|Electro]], [[synth-pop]], [[post-disco]], [[New wave music|new wave]]
| years_active     = 1979–present
| label            = Ultraphone, Medley, [[Sire Records|Sire]], [[Ariola Records|Ariola]], Sundance, [[FLEX Records|FLEX]], [[Brother Records|Brother]]
| associated_acts  = 
| website          = {{URL|www.laidback.dk}}
| current_members  = John Guldberg<br>Tim Stahl
| past_members     = 
}}

'''Laid Back''' is a Danish [[electronic music]] duo group from [[Copenhagen]],<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web|last1=Kellman|first1=Andy|title=Laid Back Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/laid-back-mn0000125528/biography|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=23 July 2022}}</ref> formed in 1979. The duo consists of [[:da:John_Guldberg|John Guldberg]] (vocals, guitar, bass) and Tim Stahl (vocals, keyboards, drums, bass). They are best known for the hits "[[Sunshine Reggae]]" and "[[White Horse (Laid Back song)|White Horse]]" from 1983 and "Bakerman" from 1989.

==Background and origins==
John Guldberg and Tim Stahl met in the mid-1970s, and they played together in a group called the Starbox Band.<ref name="AllMusic"/> After a poorly received show supporting [[the Kinks]], the band split up, but the duo continued working together. Guldberg set up a small [[studio]] in downtown Copenhagen where the two musicians began exploring the possibilities that were being opened up by new technologies, such as [[Multitrack recording|multitrack]] [[tape recorder]]s, [[synthesizer]]s and [[drum machine]]s.

==Recordings==
=== 1981–89 ===

{{Listen|filename=Laid Back- White Horse.ogg|title="White Horse" by '''Laid Back'''|description=First released in 1983 as a B-side of the single "Sunshine Reggae", this song is one of the group's most memorable tracks and their breakthrough hit in America.|format=[[Ogg]]}}

Their debut album, simply titled ''Laid Back'', was released in 1981, and the single "Maybe I'm Crazy" became a number-one hit in Denmark.<ref name="AllMusic"/>

The single "Sunshine Reggae", released the next year, became another chart-topper in their home country; it was later included on the band's second album, ''Keep Smiling'', in 1983, and went on to become a number-one single in Italy, West Germany, and nineteen other countries around the world. In the US, however, it was the single's [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] that became the band's only big hit. "[[White Horse (Laid Back song)|White Horse]]" is a [[funk]]-influenced [[dance music|dance]] track with a memorable [[bassline]] and ambiguous, drug- and/or sex-themed lyrics ("white horse" being a slang for [[heroin]]) that became popular in US [[Nightclub|club]]s. After the song was re-released as an A-side on both [[gramophone record|7-inch]] and [[12-inch single|12-inch vinyl]], it went on to spend three weeks at number one on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s [[Hot Dance Club Songs|National Disco Action]] charts; it was also a [[Crossover (music)|crossover]] success, reaching the top five on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Hot Black Singles]] chart while peaking at number 26 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] in early 1984. Its relatively poor performance on the Hot 100 is most likely due to the track's controversial lyrics (including the word "[[bitch (insult)|bitch]]"), which prevented it from receiving radio airplay in much of the country. In 1989, the American [[Rapping|rap]] act [[2 Live Crew]] [[sampling (music)|sample]]d "White Horse" heavily for their single "Get the Fuck Out of My House"; it was later sampled for [[Monifah]]'s 1998 hit "Touch It".

Laid Back's next two albums, ''Play It Straight'' (1985) and ''See You in the Lobby'' (1987),<ref name="AllMusic"/> and singles such as "Abu Dhabi" and "Tricky Kind of Thing", were released to little fanfare and limited chart success. 

The duo made a return to the European charts in 1989 with the single "Bakerman" (featuring Danish singer [[Hanne Boel]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Laid-Back-Bakerman/release/77440|title=Laid Back - Bakerman|website=Discogs.com|accessdate=4 October 2020}}</ref>), which peaked at number nine on the West German chart, and number 44 in the United Kingdom in early 1990. It was accompanied by an unusual video, directed by [[Lars von Trier]], which featured the band [[skydiving]] while "playing" their instruments. Guldberg and Stahl have both named this their favourite Laid Back track, and said the words were written by Guldberg during the recording session for the song. The lyrics are in English except for the phrase "Sagabona kunjani wena", which Guldberg has described as a [[Swahili language|Swahili]] phrase meaning "Hello, how are you?"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.musiknyt.dk/anmeldelser/anmeldelser-artikel/artikel/laid-back/|title=Blog - LAID BACK|website=Musiknyt.dk|accessdate=4 October 2020}}</ref>

Hoping to capitalize on the success of Bakerman, their label re-released ''White Horse'' (as ''White Horse '89'') with new [[remix]]es, although this was a commercial disappointment.

===Later work===
Over the course of the following decades, Laid Back released several albums and singles. The duo also composed the [[soundtrack]] of the 2001 [[feature film]] ''Flyvende Farmor'', for which they were awarded a Robert, the Danish equivalent of an [[Academy Award|Oscar]]. That same year, an [[art exhibition|exhibition]] of the band's artwork, including pieces that appeared on their records and promotional posters, took place in Copenhagen. In 2003 they featured on the track "Tango" by Danish band Hæst, produced by [[Umpff]]. A remix of "Bakerman" by British [[Disc jockey|DJ]] [[Shaun Baker (musician)|Shaun Baker]] reached number one in [[Greenland]] in 2006.

In 2010, "Cocaine Cool" was the first single to be released on Laid Back's own label, Brother Music. It was followed by the mini album ''Cosyland'' and the instrumental album ''Cosmic Vibes'' in 2012. In 2013, Laid Back released the double album "Uptimistic Music". 

In 2019, Laid Back received the prestigious Danish award "Pioneer of the Year" (Årets Steppeulv) for their many years of contribution to the international music scene. 2019 was a special year for Laid Back marking 40 years of making music in the same studio in Copenhagen, the studio where it all began. Laid Back celebrated their anniversary by releasing their 12th studio album "Healing Feeling".

In 2023, Laid Back released the 21–track studio album, ''Road to Fame''. For the second time in the band's history, they released a song in their native language: it was called "Mig" ("Me"). Their first song in Danish was "Flyvende Farmor" ("The flying granny") from 2001.

They continue to make sporadic live performances as well. In 2023, Laid Back made a guest performance at Roskilde Festival with Free Nationals.

==Legacy==
In 2008, the band [[MGMT]] performed a cover of the Laid Back song "Roger" on the ''[[Morning Becomes Eclectic]]'' music program on [[KCRW]] radio, and also played the song at concerts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2008 |title=MGMT {{!}} Morning Becomes Eclectic |url=https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/morning-becomes-eclectic/mgmt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908100103/https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/morning-becomes-eclectic/mgmt |archive-date=8 September 2019 |access-date=27 August 2024 |website=[[KCRW]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Roger by MGMT Concert Statistics |url=https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/mgmt-23d6b85f.html?songid=7bd28674 |access-date=27 August 2024 |website=www.setlist.fm}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF-QuR4K51E |title=MGMT - Roger (Laid Back Cover) (Live on KCRW) |date=20 December 2009 |last=thejobe |access-date=27 August 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Albums===
* ''Laid Back'' (1981)
* ''[[Keep Smiling (album)|Keep Smiling]]'' (1983)
* ''Play It Straight'' (1985)
* ''See You in the Lobby'' (1987)
* ''Hole in the Sky'' (1990)
* ''Why Is Everybody in Such a Hurry'' (1993)
* ''Laidest Greatest'' (1995)
* ''Unfinished Symphonies'' (1999)
* ''Happy Dreamer'' (1999)
* ''Good Vibes – The Very Best of Laid Back'' (2008)
* ''Cosmic Vibes'' (2011)
* ''Cosyland'' (2012)
* ''Uptimistic Music'' (2013)
* ''Healing Feeling'' (2019)
* ''Road To Fame'' (2023)
* ''Forevergreen'' (2024)

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Title
!colspan="13"|Peak chart positions
!rowspan="2"|Album
|- 
! width="35"| <small>[[IFPI Danmark|DEN]]</small><br><ref>{{Cite web|title=Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)|url=https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/121831-danish-chart-archive-singles-1979-____-b-t-ifpi-dk|access-date=2021-10-03|website=UKMIX Forums|language=en}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Kent Music Report|AUS]]</small><br><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=172}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Dutch Singles Chart|NED]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=Laid%20Back&cat=s|title=Laid Back - Dutch chart|publisher=dutchcharts.nl|accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Ultratop|BEL<br>(FLA)]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?search=laid%20back&cat=s|title=Laid Back - Belgian Chart|publisher=ultratop.be|accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Media Control Charts|GER]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Laid+Back/14071/single|title=Laid Back - German Chart|publisher=charts.de|accessdate=22 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808033222/http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Laid+Back/14071/single |archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Ö3 Austria Top 40|AUT]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/search.asp?search=Laid%20Back&cat=s|title=Laid Back - Austrian chart|publisher=austriancharts.at|accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Swiss Hitparade|SWI]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/search.asp?search=Laid%20Back&cat=s|title=Laid Back - Swiss chart |publisher=hitparade.ch |accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Sverigetopplistan|SWE]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://swedishcharts.com/search.asp?search=Laid+Back&cat=s|title=Laid Back - Swedish chart|publisher=swedishcharts.com|accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/2312/laid-back/|title=Laid Back - UK Chart|publisher=The Official Charts Company|accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Official New Zealand Music Chart|NZ]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/search.asp?search=Laid+Back&cat=s|title=Laid Back - New Zealand Chart|publisher=charts.nz|accessdate=22 July 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[US Hot 100|US]]</small><br><ref name="VF">{{cite web|title=Laid Back Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/Laid+Back.art|website=Music VF|access-date=23 July 2022}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]</small><br><ref name="VF"/>
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot Dance Club Play|US Dance]]</small><br><ref name="VF"/>
|-
| rowspan="1"|1980
! scope="row"| "Maybe I'm Crazy"
|2
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="4" |''Laid Back''
|-
| rowspan="3"|1981
! scope="row"| "China Girl"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Bolivia"
|3
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Night Train Boogie"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1983
! scope="row"| "[[Sunshine Reggae]]"
|1
| 56 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 1 || 9 || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="4" |''...Keep Smiling''
|-
! scope="row"| "High Society Girl"
|2
| — || — || — || 9 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1984
! scope="row"| "[[White Horse (Laid Back song)|White Horse]]"
|—
| — || 15 || 18 || — || — || — || — || 90 || 49 || 26 || 5 || 1
|-
! scope="row"| "Elevatorboy"
|4
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1985
! scope="row"| "One Life"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 10
| align="left" rowspan="2" |''Play It Straight''
|-
| rowspan="1"|1986
! scope="row"| "I'm Hooked"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="3"|1987
! scope="row"| "It's a Shame"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="2" |''See You in the Lobby''
|-
! scope="row"| "Party At The White House"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "So This Is X●Mas"
|10
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="2" |Singles only
|-
| rowspan="2"|1989
! scope="row"| "[[White Horse (Laid Back song)|White Horse '89]]"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 81 || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Bakerman"
|—
| — || 20 || 27 || 9 || 1 || 10 || 13 || 44 || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="3" |''Hole in the Sky''
|-
| rowspan="2"|1990
! scope="row"| "Bet It on You"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Highway of Love"
|—
| — || — || — || 59 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1993
! scope="row"| "I Can't Live Without Love"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="2" |''Why Is Everybody in Such a Hurry!''
|-
! scope="row"| "Groovie Train"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1995
! scope="row"| "We Don't Do It"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="1" |''Laidest Greatest''
|-
| rowspan="1"|1999
! scope="row"| "Key to Life"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="2" |''Unfinished Symphonies''
|-
| rowspan="2"|2000
! scope="row"| "Feels Like Heaven"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Sunshine Reggae 2000"
|7
| — || 35 || — || 68 || — || 64 || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="1" |Single only
|-
| rowspan="1"|2003
! scope="row"| "Beautiful Day"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="1" |''Happy Dreamer''
|-
| rowspan="1"|2006
! scope="row"| "Bakerman" <small>(as [[Shaun Baker (musician)|Shaun Baker]] feat. Laid Back)</small>
|—
| — || — || — || 39 || 44 || 90 || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="2" |Singles only
|-
| rowspan="1"|2010
! scope="row"| "Cocaine Cool"
|—
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| colspan="17" align="center" style="font-size:9pt" | "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
|}

==See also==
* [[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.laidback.dk/}}
* {{Allmusic|id=laid-back-mn0000125528}}
* {{IMDb name|nm1052105}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Danish dance music groups]]
[[Category:Danish electronic music groups]]
[[Category:Electronic music duos]]
[[Category:Danish funk musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]]
[[Category:Sire Records artists]]
[[Category:Danish new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:Male musical duos]]
[[Category:New wave duos]]
[[Category:English-language singers from Denmark]]