Gandalf

There is more than one artist with this name In chronological order: 1) Gandalf were an influential late 1960s psychedelic rock group. 2) Mid-70s blues inspired Swedish progressive rock band. 3) Austrian new age composer/musician. Real name: Heinz Strobl. 4) Finnish melodic death metal band. 1) Gandalf were an influential late 1960s psychedelic rock group. They were an American band originally called the Rahgoos and formed by Peter Sando, Frank Hubach, Bob Muller and Davy Bauer. They signed a record deal with Capitol Records in 1967 who made them rename the band Gandalf.

In chronological order:

1) Gandalf were an influential late 1960s psychedelic rock group.
2) Mid-70s blues inspired Swedish progressive rock band.
3) Austrian new age composer/musician. Real name: Heinz Strobl.
4) Finnish melodic death metal band.

1) Gandalf were an influential late 1960s psychedelic rock group.
They were an American band originally called the Rahgoos and formed by Peter Sando, Frank Hubach, Bob Muller and Davy Bauer.
They signed a record deal with Capitol Records in 1967 who made them rename the band Gandalf.
They recorded ther first and only LP the same year. The record includes covers of Tim Hardin, Eden Ahbez and Bonner & Gordon (the writer of "Happy Together") and a few songs composed by the band itself.
But Capitol spurned them and only released the LP in 1969 with the wrong record inside the sleeve. The copies were recalled and damaged the band's career. Capitol didn't promote the record which make the sales worse.
Over the years the album's reputation grew and it was re-released by Sundazed records in 2002.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gandalf/245220745502565

2) Mid-70s blues inspired Swedish progressive rock band.

3) Austrian new age composer/musician. Real name: Heinz Strobl.
Gandalf is a composer, musician and producer of meanwhile numerous album releases. His name originated from J.R.R.TOLKIEN?s cult-epic "The Lord of the Rings'. Gandalf plays a great variety of instruments (acoustic and electric guitars, sitar, saz, charango, bouzuki, balaphon, piano, synthesizers & sample-keyboards and various percussion) and blends acoustic with electronic and spheric sounds, weaves folk-elements into symphonic structures, creating his unmistakable unique style that made him become one of todays internationally most successful Austrian musicians.

4) Finnish melodic death metal band.
Formed in 1993. Their first demo "Will Life Ever End?" (1993) was traditional Death Metal in the Swedish vein. Later material was more Gothenburg influenced with some Hard Rock elements.

In 1997 the band recorded an album named "Live to Suffer" and signed to Austrian label Dark Matter Records. Soon the band got an offer from Earache, signed to them and decided not to release the album as the result wasn't satisfying.

They split up in April 2002.