Nordland (band)
| North country | |
|---|---|
 Mario Scherrer and Priska Weber |
|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | New Wave , Swiss Wave |
| founding | 1984 |
| resolution | 1994 |
| Founding members | |
| Mario Scherrer | |
| Priska Weber | |
Nordland was a Swiss new wave / indie rock band that existed from 1984 to 1994. With the single Just Keep It Away (1987) she also released a song that was played repeatedly by both domestic and foreign radio stations until the late 1990s.
history
The beginnings
At the beginning of the 1980s, Mario Scherrer (* 1955) and Priska Weber (* 1956) met during the youth riots in Zurich . Scherrer, who was studying music at the University of Zurich at the time , recognized a like-minded person in the psychology student: Both were fascinated by punk and understood music as a rebellion against the existing order. Weber was a musical autodidact and soon bought a guitar because the piano no longer met her requirements; Scherrer himself was enthusiastic about the connection of classical music with pop from an early age (his first single purchased was Rain and Tears by Aphrodite's Child , which combined these two musical genres). For this reason, he followed the progressive rock bands The Nice and King Crimson . In 1984, Scherrer and Weber decided to found the band Nordland and soon began in various cellars in Zurich with sound experiments, improvisations and rehearsals for their first self-written songs. In 1985 they finally dared to make their first appearances in the circle of friends, accompanied by several line-up changes.
EP Nordland
In 1986 Anna Kellenberger (bass, synthesizer , flute) joined Scherrer and Weber and Nordland had his first public appearance as a trio : As the opening act for the Dutch dark wave band Clan of Xymox , they played in front of a large audience in the Rote Fabrik in Zurich. Shortly afterwards, various gigs followed in and around Zurich. In July of the same year, the three musicians under the management of Marlene Marder (from the band Kleenex ) ventured into the ARTAG studio in Zurich to record their first sound carrier. This resulted in the mini LP Nordland with four tracks. After the publication in autumn, the Züri-Tip wrote : “Monotonous, but emphatically rhythmic basic patterns, painted over with economical but clear, selected sound structures. And a deep singing voice that suggests passions. A mixture of the minimalism of the New Order and the dream landscapes of the early Pink Floyd . Music that associates cold and warmth, brings extremes together. " Nordland then went on the first tour through Switzerland. The duo then separated from Anna Kellenberger because she only wanted to play music as a hobby.
Single Just Keep It Away
In 1987 Scherrer and Weber gave several concerts as a duo , accompanied by a drum machine and sequencer . Among them was also a prominent appearance on May 9 in the Friborg Music Club Fri-Sun : At this gig, that of DRS 3 was broadcast live, Nordland played, among others, along with The Young Gods . In the summer, the drummer Hermann Eugster , who was already a studio drummer with Steven Van Zandt , became a member of Nordland. The three of them went to the studio in October to record a single . Just Keep It Away was a composition by Priska Weber and tells the story of a sailor who has lost the sense of normality and who, as a refuser, lives on the rooftops of Zurich, where he dreams of the sea. The release of the single with the produced below Music Video of Swiss Television (played in Ernst Book Muller's program "Backstage") was a moderate success with catchy -quality: Just Keep It Away received at DRS 3 until the late 1990s, a continuous airplay and was also played by foreign radio hosts such as the BBC's John Peel .
Debut album Mystery
After Nordland achieved a high level of awareness with the single Just Keep It Away , the band toured Switzerland again in 1988. In July, she also joined the jazz festival in Montreux on the Platinum stage, while the Miles Davis in the main hall played. An article about Nordland said: “You will soon be performing live in the Rote Fabrik . And what else do Nordland want? ‹We want to get better, just better, and dream of a record deal .› This dream could be fulfilled .... »The wish of our own record deal should soon come true after this performance: Hans-Walter Huggler , manager of Andreas Vollenweider , saw Nordland at their performance and then took the band under his wing. Mario Scherrer: “He came to the Rote Fabrik and didn't like us very much; but good enough to take us. " Huggler then wanted to produce Nordland's first album . As a result of musical differences, the drummer Hermann Eugster separated before going to the studio, and Scherrer and Weber decided to work with guest musicians from now on, as they enjoyed more musical freedom. The recordings took place from April to June 1989, among others with the drummer Jojo Mayer . In January 1990 the LP / CD Mystery was released with nine tracks, including Just Keep It Away . The press wrote, among other things: « Mystery is a promising start. By reflecting on the origins and standing by their own world, they have found their own way in the midst of today's muddle of styles. And this is like a little miracle. " Another article read: “It's been a long time since the single Just Keep It Away by the Zurich musician couple Mario Scherrer and Priska Weber alias Nordland was played thinly and transparently. Then there was radio silence for two years. But now Nordland want to know again: The duo have recorded their first LP Mystery for the new label Impact from Andreas Vollenweider manager Hans-Walter Huggler. [...] Mystery is a mysterious album. Classical set pieces serve as a foundation on which filigree guitar playing meets a somewhat unfamiliar singing. A kind of New Age pop, then? Priska Weber prefers a different label: 'How about fairy tale music?' [...] Nordland is, according to the two of them, like the mysterious darkness of Siberian forests, the vastness of the Scottish plateau and the ruggedness of Norwegian fjords . ‹But also the inevitable confrontation with the loneliness of the self›. » However, the breakthrough did not want to come. Priska Weber recalled eight years later: "As soon as we left the studio, there was a feeling of unease that the music would not be on the market." In fact, the album sold poorly and hopes for a big tour were dashed. Weber again: "The manager discarded the spoon, the tour did not take place and we had to take care of the performances ourselves."
Album Three Clouds
Disappointed with the response and the management of Mystery , Scherrer and Weber decided to continue working as a duo from 1991 onwards. In the winter of 1992 the two moved to Tuscany , largely undisturbed by musical influences, to write new pieces. They set up their own studio in Ponte a Poppi to work on their next album, Three Clouds . During this time, the music label Virgin from France got in touch and showed interest in a future collaboration. Nordland then sent several demo tapes of the new album to Paris . However, a cooperation failed due to a lack of willingness to compromise: Virgin's ideas about Nordland were too commercial for Scherrer and Weber. In June 1993 the CD Three Clouds was finally released with twelve new songs, which Nordland had composed, recorded, recorded and mixed himself. In 1994, Mario Scherrer and Priska Weber decided to break up the band and turn to a secure working life, as the income from their music was not enough for an artist's life. The two founding members have been living in Italy since summer 2018 .
style
The name Nordland was program. The duo never wanted to subject themselves to a stylistic classification or commit themselves to the mainstream , although expectations after the success of Just Keep It Away went in the direction of traditional rock line-ups (guitar, bass, drums). Rather, the duo's musical intention was to explore new soundscapes. Nordland experimented with the new sample technique , interwoven unfamiliar song structures with rhythmic experiments, built filigree sound cascades and melodic fabrics into film-like elegies that create epic-melancholy landscapes when listening. If a stylistic term can be used, it is most likely «sound images». The Züri-Tip in 1988 summed up the gloom of Nordland : "Melancholy hangs over your songs like a fine morning mist."
Ingalill
After Nordland was dissolved, it was above all Priska Weber who wanted to continue making music. That is why she founded her solo project Ingalill in 1993 . With her voice, guitar and synthesizer Weber transforms her compositions and texts into sound structures. She was supported by Mario Scherrer (bass, vocals). She was also responsible for the recordings , mixes and mastering , as well as the cover design and self-distribution of the CDs. Since 1997 Ingalill has had various appearances in the Wil area and in Toggenburg . In the future, the two want to work together more intensely musically.
Discography
Nordland albums
Albums by Ingalill
- 2001: StrangeRange (CD)
- 2002: Trembling Mind (CD)
- 2003: Outside (EP)
- 2007: Inside (EP)
- 2009: Some Hundred Miles To Go (EP)
- 2014: How Can I Forget (EP)
Singles
- 1987: Just Keep It Away / Masquerade
- 1989: Around The Circle's Ground / Realize
Compilations
- 1994: Helvetic Art Compilation (Song: Shades Of Dreams )
- 2001: Swiss Kult Hits vol.2 (Song: Just Keep It Away )
- 2003: Definitely 2 (Song: Just Keep It Away )
literature
- Benni Vigne: Nordland - The desire for space. In: Züri-Tip , November 28, 1986.
- Barbara Steiner: Cold concrete - hot mood. In: Neues Sonntags-Blatt Bern , May 10, 1987.
- Michael Lütscher: A Swiss rock spring? - CH-Rock-Fescht '87 in Friborg. In: Tages Anzeiger , May 11, 1987.
- Marius Kaeser: uproar in the ear canals - CH-Rock-Fescht in Fri-Son. In: Freiburger Nachrichten , May 12, 1987.
- Michael Lütscher: Nordland - game at the family table . In: Züri-Tip , April 29, 1988.
- Martin Horat: Independent conglomerate. In: Der Landbote , May 4, 1988.
- Benni Vigne: The other Zurich rock. In: Tages-Anzeiger , February 17, 1990.
- Matthias Bachmann: Nordland - contentious guardians of inwardness. In: Music-Scene , 3/1990.
- Stascha Bader: Soul landscape. In: UE / HIFI Vision , April 1990.
- Katharina Meier: A kiosk woman composes - Priska Weber shortly before her first solo appearance. In: St. Galler Tagblatt , July 26, 1997.
- Roland Ritter: Unconventional things were shown above the village - “Château rouge”, the first Krinau Open Air, offered a juxtaposition of prose and music. In: St. Galler Tagblatt , August 4, 1997.
Web links
- Nordland on the cultural side definitely
- Nordland at Discogs (English)
- Just Keep It Away on YouTube
- All You Citizens on YouTube
- Ingalill on YouTube
- Ingalill at Mx3
Individual evidence
- ^ All You Citizens , Track 3 of the EP Nordland on YouTube
- ^ Benni Vigne: Nordland - The desire for the wide. In: Züri-Tip , November 28, 1986, pp. 14/15
- ↑ Appearance in Fri-Son
- ↑ Just Keep It Away on YouTube
- ↑ Masquerade (single back) on YouTube
- ↑ Daniela Oertle: Scene Switzerland - Nordland. In: Music-Scene , 4/1988, p. 12.
- ^ Matthias Bachmann: Nordland - contentious guardians of inwardness. In: Music-Scene , 3/1990, p. 22
- ↑ Stascha Bader: Soul Landscape. In: UE / HIFI Vision , April 1990, p. 85
- ↑ People of Today. In: Modeblatt, No. 18 , 1990.
- ↑ Katharina Meier: A kiosk woman composes - Priska Weber shortly before her first solo appearance. In: St. Galler Tagblatt , July 26, 1997.
- ↑ Katharina Meier: A kiosk woman composes - Priska Weber shortly before her first solo appearance. In: St. Galler Tagblatt , July 26, 1997.
- ^ Michael Lütscher: Nordland - game at the family table . In: Züri-Tip , April 29, 1988, p. 47.
- ↑ Homepage Discogs
- ↑ Homepage Definitely