CAMOUFLAGE HISTORY
Part seven 1997-2000: |  |
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Camouflage spent 1997 primarily working through negotiations of a contract with Sony Music.
Sony had planned to release a remix album of past hits before any new material would be
released. During this time Polydor (who had acquired the ownership rights from Metronome)
released the Camouflage Best Of album "We Stroke the Flames" and a limited edition maxi-
single with (previously released) remixes of "Suspicious Love", "Handsome" and "Love is a
Shield" - without any input from Heiko and Marcus.
Former band member Oliver Kreyssig (who had remained in good contact with Heiko and
Marcus) took employment at Polydor and was responsible for design and presentation. This gave
him opportunity after many years to become professionally involved with the music of
Camouflage. He created the artwork for the cover of the Best Of CD and the associated maxi
single. Further work with Sony did not come from these two releases. In the end, a contract was
negotiated with Virgin, who had also showed interest in Camouflage. Oliver Kreyssig accepted
the offer to rejoin the band and in 1999 became an official member of Camouflage again.
During July the new single "Thief" (a pop song in the classic enduring Camou sound) was
released and climbed in the charts for two weeks in Germany. The future of the new album
became uncertain. The band was not to be discouraged, they continued to play with new songs
and continued with day to day work responsibilities. Marcus moved from Stuttgart to Berlin and
was responsible for product managment at Sony Music (e.g. for the band "Linientreu"). Heiko
continued to produce music for other groups in his studio "Saal 3" in Stuttgart and he also
composed music for advertising spots. Oli continued to work in Hamburg with Polydor. During
June of 2000 the first live gig in many years for Camouflage took place - in the town of Freiberg
in Sachsen many fans celebrated the three Camous.
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