Motorpsycho

This article is about the Norwegian rock band. For the Russ Meyer film, see Motorpsycho (film).

Motorpsycho
Motorpsycho playing live at Studenten, Steinkjer, 2008-04-18
Background information
Origin	Norway
Genres	Hard rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, indie rock
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Rune Grammofon (2008–present) Stickman Records (1994–present) Sony Norway (1994–2007, Norway only) Voices of Wonder (1990–1993)
Website	Motorpsycho Unofficial Website
Members	Hans Magnus Ryan Bent Sæther Kenneth Kapstad
Past members	Håkon Gebhardt Helge Sten Lars Lien Morten Fagervik Kjell Runar Jenssen

Motorpsycho (initiated 1989 at Trøndertun, Melhus, Norway) is a band from Trondheim. Their music can generally be defined as psychedelic rock, but they also mix in elements from metal, jazz, post-rock, pop and many other musical styles. The members of the band are Bent Sæther (born February 18, 1969, bass/vocals), Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan (born December 31, 1969, guitar/vocals) and Kenneth Kapstad (born April 20, 1979 drums). Until March 2005, Håkon Gebhardt (born June 21, 1969, drums) was also an integral part of the band. A press release concerning his departure is published at the Unofficial Website. In December 2007 it was announced that former Gåte drummer Kenneth Kapstad was the new drummer in the band as well as an official band member.

Biography

Formed in the late 1980s as an alternative metal band (they picked their name after seeing the Russ Meyer film of the same name as part of a Russ Meyer triple bill - there was already a band named after Mudhoney and a band named after Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! - the other two films on the bill), Motorpsycho soon developed a unique blend of grunge, heavy metal and indierock, as well as incorporating the sonic noise experiments of associated member Deathprod. The hugely ambitious, progressive double album "Demon Box" (1993) followed a series of low-profile EPs and albums, earning the band a nomination for a Norwegian Grammy, and secured a loyal following in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands as well as in Scandinavia.

The 1990s was an extremely productive era for the band, releasing new material almost every year, and enjoying critical acclaim for each album—if not the massive sales the music press kept predicting.

With the 2000 album "Let Them Eat Cake", Motorpsycho suddenly took huge steps away from their noisy hard rock roots, opting instead for a smoother, jazz-tinged approach to the songwriting and recording process. They kept this technique for the subsequent releases, Phanerothyme and It's A Love Cult.

The long awaited double album Black Hole/Blank Canvas was released 17/20 March 2006 in Europe, but it was leaked on the internet before this date. The album has received great reviews, and it is considered one of their best albums ever, proving the skill of the arguably most innovative Norwegian band during the last decade. Today, their cult status and extremely loyal fans remains unmatched by any Norwegian band.

On March 28, 2008, Motorpsycho released an album entitled "Little Lucid Moments" and on March 16, 2008, a DVD containing music videos, live footage and documentaries entitled "Haircuts".

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the band released a vinyl-only album, "Child of the Future", recorded by Steve Albini at the beginning of August 2009.

In January 2010, Motorpsycho released the album "Heavy Metal Fruit", their first album featuring an external producer, Kåre Vestrheim, and also their third album in under two years.

In October 2011, the Dutch venue Effenaar released a limited edition live album exclusively on vinyl entitled "Strings Of Stroop - Motorpsycho Live At Effenaar". The album features four Motorpsycho tracks recorded during various Motorpsycho shows at Effenaar between 1999 and 2010. Only 500 copies were pressed and sold at the band's 14th show in the venue.

On February 10, 2012, Motorpsycho released the double CD/LP effort "The Death Defying Unicorn" in collaboration with keyboardist Ståle Storløkken from the free improv group Supersilent. The album is a reworking of an instrumental suite commissioned by and performed at Moldejazz 2010. During 2011, Sæther produced lyrics for a sweeping narrative, thus making the album version a concept album. As in its initial performance, the band and Storløkken are augmented by contributions from Trondheimssolistene, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and violinist Ola Kvernberg. The core quartet performed the album in its entirety on every date during a March/April 2012 tour of Europe.

Line up

Current line-up

• Bent Sæther — lead vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards, drums (since 1989)
• Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan — lead guitars, vocals, keyboards, mandolin, violin, bass (since 1989)
• Kenneth Kapstad — drums, keyboards, vocals (since 2007)

Previous members

• Kjell Runar "Killer" Jenssen — drums (1989–1991)
• Håkon Gebhardt — drums, vocals, banjo, guitar (1991–2005)
• Helge "Deathprod" Sten — theremin, various electronics, audio virus (1992–1994; frequent guest and producer 1994–2002, 2007)
• Lars Lien — keyboards, vocals (1994)
• Morten "Lolly" Fagervik — rhythm guitar, keyboards (1994–1996)

Major collaborators

• Ole Henrik "Ohm" Moe — violin, saw, piano (1996–1998)
• Baard Slagsvold — keyboards, vocals (1999–2003)
• Jacco van Rooij — drums (live, 2006)
• Øyvind Brandtsegg — Marimba Lumina and ImproSculpt programming (live, 2006)
• Pekka Stokke — visuals (live, 2006–)
• Reine Fiske — guitar (2012–)

Timeline

Honors

• 1994: Spellemannprisen in the class Best album cover, for the album Timothy's Monster created by Kim Hiorthøy
• 1996: Spellemannprisen in the class Rock, for the album Blissard
• 1997: Spellemannprisen in the class Hard rock, for the album Angels and Daemons at Play
• 2000: Spellemannprisen in the class Rock, for the album Let Them Eat Cake
• 2010: Edvard Prize for the album Child of the Future

Discography

Albums

1991: Lobotomizer	released as LP and CD
1992: 8 Soothing Songs For Rut	mini-LP (then called "Soothe") and CD (adding two tracks from the "3 Songs for Rut" single)
1993: Demon Box	double LP and CD (omitting three songs due to space limitations)
1994: Timothy's Monster	triple LP box and double CD, re-released in 2010 as 4CD-box
1996: Blissard	double LP and CD, re-released in 2012 as 4CD-box
1997: Angels and Daemons at Play	double LP, CD (omitting two songs) and three separate CD-EPs ("Babyscooter", "Have Spacesuit Will Travel" and "Lovelight")
1998: Trust Us	double LP and double CD
2000: Let Them Eat Cake	LP and CD
2001: Phanerothyme	LP and CD
2002: It's A Love Cult	double LP and CD
2006: Black Hole/Blank Canvas	double LP, double CD and double CD with 2 track bonus single
2008: Little Lucid Moments	double LP and CD
2009: Child of the Future	LP
2010: Heavy Metal Fruit	double LP and CD
2013: Still Life With Eggplant	double LP and CD, April 12th

As Motorpsycho & Friends

1994: The Tussler - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

CD (1994), double 10" (1996) and remastered CD/double LP (2003)

As Motorpsycho & Ståle Storløkken

2012:The Death Defying Unicorn

double LP and double CD

As The International Tussler Society

2004: Motorpsycho presents The International Tussler Society

released as double LP and CD, both came with bonus DVD

• 2004: "Satans Favourite Son" (Promo-single)
• 2004: "Laila Lou" (Promo-single)

Live albums (Roadworks)

• 1999: Roadwork Vol. 1 – Heavy metal iz a poze, hardt rock iz a leifschteil: live in Europe 1998
• 2001: Roadwork Vol. 2 – The MotorSourceMassacre: Motorpsycho, The Source and Deathprod live at Kongsberg Jazzfestival 1995
• 2008: Roadwork Vol. 3 – The Four Norsemen of the Apocalypse (included in the double DVD release "Haircuts")
• 2011: Roadwork Vol. 4 – Intrepid Skronk
• 2011: Strings Of Stroop - Motorpsycho Live At Effenaar (limited edition vinyl)

Collaborations

• 1993: Into The Sun (Split 7"/CD-single with Hedge Hog)
• 2001: Go To California (Split-EP with The Soundtrack of Our Lives)
• 2003: In the Fishtank 10 (Mini-album with Jaga Jazzist Horns)

EPs

• 1990: Maiden Voyage (Demo)
• 1992: Soothe
• 1993: Mountain
• 1993: Another Ugly EP
• 1994: Wearing Yr Smell EP
• 1996: Nerve Tattoo
• 1996: Manmower
• 1997: Babyscooter
• 1997: Have Spacesuit, Will Travel
• 1997: Lovelight
• 1997: Starmelt
• 1998: Ozone
• 1998: Hey Jane
• 2000: The Other Fool
• 2000: Walkin' with J
• 2001: Barracuda EP
• 2002: Serpentine

Singles

• 1992: 3 Songs for Rut
• 1996: Sinful, Windborne
• 2001: The Slow Phaseout (Promo single)
• 2001: Go To California (Promo single)
• 2006: Hyena (Promo-single)
• 2010: X-3
• 2010: The Visitant

See also

• The International Tussler Society
• Deathprod
• Jaga Jazzist

External links

• motorpsycho.fix.no A Motorpsycho fansite in English with lyrics, tabs, biography, links and general information
• Motorpsycho MySpace