Formed in Budapest, Hungary, in September 1962 by the winds player László Benkő on organ and János Kóbor as a singer and rhythm guitarist, they initially performed covers of British and American rock songs, frequently changing the lineup of members. In 1967 Tamás Mihály came on bass, Gábor Presser joined on keyboards and began writing original music for the band (in 1968 György Molnár became a lead guitarist), contributing to the release of three LPs before leaving the band with József Laux, a drummer from 1962, to form Locomotiv GT in spring 1971. These first albums were heavily influenced by the music of The Beatles and psychedelic rock, but they also looked forward to the band's future more hard rock, then progressive and space-rock styles. After Presser and Laux's departure, the band found a new drummer (Ferenc Debreceni (later as Debreczeni) came from group Neoton) and appointed Benkő as the main keyboardsman, in August 1971 creating the current lineup, which has remained the same for over 43 years: János Kóbor ("Mecky"), lead vocals György Molnár ("Elefánt"), guitars László Benkő ("Laci"), keyboards, vocals Tamás Mihály ("Misi"), bass, vocals Ferenc Debreceni ("Ciki"), drums László Benkő died on 18 November 2020, after a long illness. Tamás Mihály died three days later, on 21 November 2020. János Kóbor died on 6 December 2021. Two days later their management declared "that with the death of János Kóbor, the story of Omega came to an end. The band will no longer perform under the name Omega". This lineup of Omega released ten more albums from 1972 to 1987. Many of these were released both in Hungarian and in English, in the hopes of generating wider interest in their music. However, the contents of the English albums often differed from their Hungarian counterparts, sometimes assembling tracks from several different albums and nearly always changing the song order. Following a few years of inactivity, the band reunited in 1994, with former member Gábor Presser joining them at concerts and contributing several tracks to 1995's Trans And Dance. Omega has achieved great international success through releases in multiple languages, and tours in England and Germany in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Their 1969 song "Gyöngyhajú lány" became an international hit, and was later covered by Griva on their 1987 self-titled album, with the title "Devojka biserne kose", and by Scorpions on a 1995 live release, with new lyrics and the title "White Dove" (the Hungarian title officially was translated as "Pearls In Her Hair"). Omega’s 16th. Hungarian studio release is 2006’s Égi jel: Omega ("Divine Sign: Omega"), and their latest English release is 1996’s Transcendent. In spring and summer of 2006, they performed their "EurOmega 2006" tour, including concerts in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Berlin and Basel. As the first part of a trilogy the band released in autumn 2010 Omega Rhapsody.
Omega Nebula
Cluny 2, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ, Great Britain
Omega Nebula
Sin City, Swansea, Great Britain
2024
GrundRecords
LP, Ltd, Blu
2023
2022
GrundRecords
CD, Album, Comp
2022
GrundRecords
CD, Album, Comp
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
GrundRecords Kft.
CD, EP, Maxi, Single
2020
Sechzehnzehn Musikproduktion
CD, Comp
2020
2017
2017
2016
Hunnia Records & Film Production
CD, EP
2015
Hungaroton
13xCD, Comp, Box
2015
GrundRecords
CD, Comp, Dig
2015
GrundRecords
CD, Comp, Dig
2015
GrundRecords
CD, Comp, Dig
2015
GrundRecords
4xCD, Comp, Pap
2015
Hungaroton
CD, Comp
2015
Rokkfilm
2xDVD-V, S/Edition, PAL, Boo
2015
Rokkfilm
DVD-V, PAL, Boo
2015
2014
Mega (5)
CD, Album + DVD-V, Reg + Tri
2013
MEGA Multimedia
CD, Album, Dig
2013
MEGA Multimedia
CD, Mini
2012
Edel : Content
2xCD, Comp
2012
Edel : Content
2xDVD, Comp, PAL
2012
Mega (5)
2xCD, Album
2011
Moiras Records
LP, Comp
2011
Collective Art
CD, Comp, RM
2010
2008
ALEF Film & Media Group
CD, Album
2007
Dunefish, Edel Contraire
CD, Comp
2006
Zebra (2)
CD, EP, Ltd
2006
Not On Label
DVDr, DVD-V, Comp, Mono
2006
2006
2005
Dunefish, Edel Contraire
CD, Comp
2005
2004
Green Tree Records, Citystudio Media Production
CD, Comp, RM
2004
ART Media
DVD-V, PAL
2004
Mega (5)
CD, Album
2004
Hungaroton
3xCD, Comp
2004
Mega (5), Mega (5), Mega (5), Mega (5)
3xCD, Comp
2004
2004
2003
Mega (5), Mega (5), Mega (5)
3xCD, Comp, RE, RM, Box
2003
Hungaroton
Box, Comp + 3xCD, Comp, RE, RM
2002
Mega (5), Mega (5), Mega (5)
3xCD, Comp, RE, RM, Box
2002
2002
2002
2001
Mega (5)
DVD-V, PAL
2001
Oberland Entertainment
DVD-V, PAL, Dol
2001
2001
2000
Mega (5)
DVD-V, PAL
1999
Magyar Posta Rt.
Cass, Single, Promo
1999
Andromeda (2)
2xCD, Comp
1999
1998
MI-5 Records
CD, EP
1998
M&T
CD, Comp
1998
1996
Crystal Entertainment BV, Hungaroton
CD, Maxi
1996
Mega (5)
CD, Album
1996
Mega (5)
CD, Comp
1996
1995
Mega (5)
CD, Album
1995
1994
Bellaphon
2xCD, Comp
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1992
1990
1988
1987
1987
1986
1984
Krém
LP, Comp
1983
1982
1981
1981
1981
1980
1980
1979
Bacillus Records, Bellaphon
7", Single
1979
1979
1979
1978
Pepita
7", Single
1978
Imavox, Imavox
LP, Album, Club
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega
Omega Nebula
Cluny 2, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ, Great Britain
Omega Nebula
Sin City, Swansea, Great Britain