Novel (band)
| novel | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | pop |
| founding | 1989 |
| Website | http://www.roman-artist.com/ |
| Founding members | |
| Bertram Ernst | |
| Olaf Scherf | |
| Cornelius Borgolte | |
| Current occupation | |
Vocals, keyboard |
Bertram Ernst |
Roman is an international pop act from the early 1990s.
history
Bertram Ernst (* July 21, 1963) hides under the pseudonym 'Roman'. After studying music and working as a keyboardist and singer, he designed the fictional character 'Roman' and in 1989 received an international solo record deal as a singer and composer with WEA Germany . Two novel albums were released under this label, which are considered progressive, timeless pop music.
style
Roman's music combines different styles of music. The stamp of his Romanian musical foster father Eugen Filipescu becomes present when folk colors and scales appear next to classical orchestral instruments. However, the press saw 'Roman' as a European version of the American Prince (audio, penthouse). The lyrics of his music reflect the artist's impartiality and his personal experiences.
Publications
In 1989 the artist recorded his debut album 'Blue Moonbeam' in the Hamburg studio "Chateau du Pape" together with co-producer Jeopard. He was supported musically by The Who drummer Simon Phillips and bassist Pino Palladino , who has already made Paul Young, Phil Collins and Elton John unmistakable with his fretless bass.
With the single release 'Rainy Day' the artist got off to a successful start on January 15, 1990, which was favored by the changed airplay lists in the course of the first Iraq war. The following single 'Blue Moonbeam' could not be placed in the charts, but caused a sensation, especially among the international press, due to the unusual instrumentation. Cosmopolitain described his music as a “sophisticated blend of funk, chanson and folklore”, and New Mag called Roman a “figurehead for the German scene”.
The artist's second album 'Naked Stories' took him to London in 1993. After a pre-production in his own Mönchspfeffer recording studio, Roman recorded his second album in the traditional workhouse studio on Old Kent Road run by Manfred Mann with the New Romantic producer Richard James Burgess , who previously successfully produced artists such as Spandau Ballet and Adam & The Ants.
The second album no longer had the youthful charm of the debut album, which was replaced by clearer song structures and multi-layered, mature arrangements as qualities, with Roman's polyphonic choirs attracting particular attention.
The "story-telling singer" (New Mag) was not only accompanied by his band members Olaf Scherf (guitar) Cornelius Borgolte (clarinets and saxophones) and Juergen Friesenhahn (drums), but also received notable support from Peter Weihe, Manfred Mann and Phil Palmer .
In March 1994 the single 'Something like magic' was released, the video of which achieved a high rotation on MTV and VIVA. The second single, 'Train 119', was released in June 1994 and did not reach the expected chart position, so that no further publications appeared on WEA Germany. No other novels are known to be published, despite the lively international demand for his music in the well-known download portals. It is more the artist's later work as a composer and producer in his Bochum Mönchspfeffer Studio as well as his various live projects under the pseudonyms 'White Orange' and 'Stern' that continue to attract the public.
Discography
Albums
- 1990 - Blue Moonbeam
- 1993 - Naked Stories
Singles
- 1990 - Rainy Day
- 1994 - Train 119
- 1994 - Something like magic