By 1978, Novalis was one of Germany's most successful rock bands, both in record sales and concert attendance, with only the Scorpions outselling the band. Thus, the quintet was able to leave their day jobs behind to work full-time as musicians. Their next album, Vielleicht Du Bist Ein Clown? ("perhaps you are a clown?") was also produced by Achim Reichel and saw release on the Brain label. It again displays their penchant for elegant, romantic rock music.

Following the New Trolls break up, guitarist Nico Di Palo—plus former members Maurizio Salvi, Frank Laugelli and Gianni Belleno—released Canti D'Innocenza, Canti D'Esperienca, with a big question mark and their names on the cover; for legal reasons, they couldn't release it as the New Trolls. It's very much a hard rock album, based on Di Palo's hard-riffing guitar. A reader's poll gave the group their new name, Ibis; and British drummer Ric Parnell, fresh from a defunct Atomic Rooster, replaced Bellano for their second album, Sun Supreme.