ĒBN-ŌZN (pronounced EEBEN-OHZEN)[1] was an American 1980s New York-based experimental new wave synth-pop duo, composed of Ned "Ebn" Liben (Fairlight CMI programming) and Robert "Ozn" Rosen, (sung vocals, rhymes, character voices).
[2] Ozn was a Broadway actor/singer in the original casts of Shenandoah and Marlowe, had just come off the road from a tour of The Pirates of Penzance playing the lead opposite Karla DeVito, who was enjoying international acclaim for her work with Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman.
Accompanied by a video that featured the multi-braided Rosen delivering a stream-of-consciousness rap about 'this incredible Swedish girl,' and with a more serious subtext about communication, it became a bizarre club music hit.
[8] The second single was the uncharacteristically earnest dance-rock track "Bag Lady", the video for which starred Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actress Imogene Coca.
[citation needed] ĒBN-ŌZN toured in 1984 to support the release of Feeling Cavalier, playing predominantly on the East Coast, including sell-out shows at New York City's Beacon Theatre and the Ritz.
"AEIOU Sometimes Y" was the focus of a Beavis and Butt-head episode throughout the 1990s, and has been released on numerous "Best of the ’80s" compilation albums, as well as on Richard Blade's ’80s music channel on Sirius XM.
ŌZN, as Dada Nada, toured large dance clubs with two backup dancers in the United States, which catered to both house-music and hip hop audiences in the early 1990s until his last performance in Chicago was marred by a gang shooting.
ŌZN performed live for the first time in 32 years, making his West Coast debut, introduced by former KROQ DJ Richard Blade of Sirius XM at the Huntington Beach, California, Biergarten on July 21, 2023, as part of its ’80s Rock Star Nights series, which also included Gina Schock from The Go Gos, Josie Cotton, Romeo Void, and other notable ’80s acts.