Motorpsycho (band)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2013) |
Motorpsycho | |
|---|---|
 Motorpsycho playing live at Studenten, Steinkjer, 2008-04-18 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Trondheim, Norway |
| Genres | Psychedelic rock, indie rock, alternative rock, progressive rock, hard rock, noise 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) |
| Members | Hans Magnus Ryan Bent Sæther Tomas Järmyr |
| Past members | Håkon Gebhardt Helge Sten Lars Lien Morten Fagervik Kjell Runar Jenssen Kenneth Kapstad |
| Website | Motorpsycho official Website Motorpsycho unofficial Website |
Motorpsycho (initiated 1989 at Trøndertun, Melhus, Norway) is a band from Trondheim.[1] Their music can generally be defined as progressive or psychedelic rock, but they also mix in elements from alternative, jazz, post-rock, pop, country and many other musical styles. The members of the band are Bent Sæther (born 18 February 1969, bass/vocals), Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan (born 31 December 1969, guitar/vocals) and Tomas Järmyr (drums). Until March 2005, Håkon Gebhardt (born 21 June 1969, drums) was also an integral part of the band. A press release concerning his departure is published at the Unofficial website. From December 2007 to May 2016 Kenneth Kapstad was the drummer of the band.
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 28 March 2008 Motorpsycho released an album entitled "Little Lucid Moments", and on 16 March 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 10 February 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.
After the release and tour accompanying the "Unicorn", the band felt the need to return to more traditional, guitar-based grounds and with Reine Fiske as second guitarist, recorded two albums, Still Life With Eggplant (released in spring 2013) and Behind the Sun (released in March 2014). To coincide with the release of "Behind the Sun", Motorpsycho launched their first-ever official website, www.motorpsycho.no.
After years of institutionalising the band in Norway, in 2015 Motorpsycho eventually were introduced at Rockheim, Norways rock music hall of fame.[2]
In 2016 the band released the studio album "Here Be Monsters", which completely evolved from a piece of music they wrote for the Oslo Teknisk Museums birthday. The band played that special songs in the museum, with the help of Ståle Storløkken, and then decided to work on it in the studio.[2]
In May 2016, in the wake of the Here Be Monsters Tour, Kenneth Kapstad left Motorpsycho. Core members Sæther and Ryan spent the remainder of the year writing, rehearsing and performing a live score to the Carl Frode Tiller-written play "Begynnnelser" (eng. "Beginnings") in a 38-date autumn run at Trøndelag Teater.
In a January 2. 2017 news update on their official home page, the band announced Swedish drummer Tomas Järmyr to be the third permanent member of Motorpsycho.
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)
- Tomas Järmyr – drums (since 2017)[3]
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, 2015)
- Lars Lien – keyboards, vocals (1994)
- Morten "Lolly" Fagervik – rhythm guitar, keyboards (1994–1996)
- Kenneth Kapstad – drums, keyboards, vocals (2007-2016)
Major collaborators
- Ole Henrik "Ohm" Moe – violin, saw, piano (1996–1998, 2013)
- Baard Slagsvold – keyboards, vocals (1999–2003)
- Jacco van Rooij – drums (live, 2006)
- Øyvind Brandtsegg – Marimba Lumina and ImproSculpt programming (1994; live, 2006)
- Pekka Stokke – visuals (live, 2006–)
- Ståle Storløkken – keyboards (2011–2012, 2014)
- Reine Fiske – guitar (2012–2014)
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[4]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] |
GER [6] |
BEL [7] |
NLD [8] | |||
| 1991 | Lobotomizer | — | — | — | — | Released as LP and CD |
| 1992 | Soothe / 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 | 7 | — | — | — | Triple LP box and double CD, re-released in 2010 as 4CD-box |
| 1996 | Blissard | 3 | — | — | — | Double LP and CD, re-released in 2012 as 4CD-box |
| 1997 | Angels and Daemons at Play | 2 | — | — | — | Double LP, CD (omitting two songs) and three separate CD-EPs ("Babyscooter", "Have Spacesuit Will Travel" and "Lovelight") |
| 1998 | Trust Us | 7 | — | — | — | Double LP and double CD |
| 2000 | Let Them Eat Cake | 1 | 83 | — | — | LP and CD |
| 2001 | Barracuda (mini album) |
8 | — | — | — | LP and CD |
| Phanerothyme | 1 | 80 | — | — | LP and CD | |
| 2002 | It's A Love Cult | 2 | 91 | — | — | LP and CD |
| 2006 | Black Hole/Blank Canvas | 2 | — | 85 | — | Double LP, double CD and double CD with 2 track bonus single |
| 2008 | Little Lucid Moments | 2 | — | — | — | Double LP and CD |
| 2009 | Child of the Future | 2 | — | — | — | Vinyl only LP |
| 2010 | Heavy Metal Fruit | 2 | 96 | — | — | Double LP and CD |
| 2013 | Still Life With Eggplant | 2 | 93 | — | 79 | LP and CD |
| 2014 | Behind the Sun | 6 | 53 | — | 81 | Double LP, CD, digital download |
| 2014 | The Motorpnakotic Fragments | — | — | — | — | Limited edition 4x 7" vinyl and CD |
| 2016 | Here Be Monsters | 2[9] | 55 | — | — | vinyl and CD |
| 2016 | Here Be Monsters vol 2 | - | - | — | — | vinyl with CD |
| 2017 | Begynnelser | - | - | — | — | 2 x 10" with CD, and DVD of the theatrical play "Begynnelser" |
As Motorpsycho & Friends
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] | |||
| 1994 | The Tussler – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | 10 | Original CD (1994) Double 10" (1996) Remastered CD/double LP (2003) |
As Motorpsycho & Ståle Storløkken
| Year | Album | Label | Peak positions | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] |
GER | ||||
| 2012 | The Death Defying Unicorn | Stickman Records | 7 | 87 | Double LP and double CD |
| 2015 | En Konsert For Folk Flest | Rune Grammofon | - | - | Double LP and double CD |
As The International Tussler Society
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] | |||
| 2004 | Motorpsycho presents The International Tussler Society | 1 | 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)
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] | |||
| 1999 | Roadwork Vol. 1 – Heavy metal iz a poze, hardt rock iz a leifschteil | 7 | 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 | 26 | |
| Strings Of Stroop – Motorpsycho Live at Effenaar | – | Limited edition vinyl, semi-official release by the Effenaar music club. |
Collaborations
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] | |||
| 1993 | Into The Sun (split release with Hedge Hog) |
Split 7"/CD-single with Hedge Hog | |
| 2001 | Go To California (split EP release with The Soundtrack of Our Lives) |
Split-EP | |
| 2003 | In the Fishtank 10 (mini album with Jaga Jazzist Horns) |
7 | Split-EP |
EPs
| Year | Album | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| NOR [5] | ||
| 1990 | Maiden Voyage (Demo) | |
| 1993 | Mountain | |
| 1993 | Another Ugly EP | |
| 1994 | Wearing Yr Smell EP | |
| 1996 | Nerve Tattoo | 8 |
| 1996 | Manmower | |
| 1997 | Babyscooter | 14 |
| Have Spacesuit, Will Travel | 13 | |
| Lovelight | 13 | |
| Starmelt | 13 | |
| 1998 | Ozone | 6 |
| Hey Jane | 8 | |
| 2000 | The Other Fool EP | 1 |
| Walkin' with J EP | 6 | |
| 2002 | Serpentine EP | 2 |
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
- 2014: Toys (Included with select copies of August edition of Trondheim magazine Gatemagasinet Sorgenfri)
- 2015: Psychonaut/Toys
- 2016: Spin, Spin, Spin
Singles and Music Videos
- Have Fun (1992)
- Sheer Profundity (1993)
- Nothing To Say (1993)
- Another Ugly Tune (1994)
- Wearing Yr Smell (1994)
- Feel (1994)
- Now It's Time To Skate (1994)
- Watersound (1994)
- Mad Sun (1996)
- Manmower (1996)
- Sinful, Wind-Borne (1996)
- The Nerve Tattoo (1996)
- Starmelt/Lovelight (1997)
- Hey, Jane (1998)
- The Other Fool (2000)
- Walkin' With J (2000)
- Go To California (2000)
- The Slow Phaseout (2001)
- Serpentine (2002)
- Victim of Rock (2014)
- On a Plate (2014)
- Spin, Spin, Spin (2016)
See also
References
- ^ "Motorpsycho Biography". Norsk Musikkinformasjon MIC.no.
- ^ a b Interview with Snah, entertaim.net, received May 16, 2016
- ^ http://motorpsycho.no/2017/01/20162017/
- ^ "Edvardprisen til Motorpsycho". Norsk Musikkinformasjon MIC.no.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Motorpsycho discography". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - ^ "Chartverfolgung / Motorpsycho / Longplay". musicline.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ "Discografie Motorpsycho". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ "Discografie Motorpsycho". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ http://lista.vg.no/liste/topp-40-album/2
External links
- www.motorpsycho.no Official Motorpsycho website (since 11-02-2014)
- motorpsycho.fix.no A Motorpsycho fansite in English with lyrics, tabs, biography, links and general information
- Motorpsycho MySpace
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- Motorpsycho
- Jaga Jazzist
- Norwegian hard rock musical groups
- Norwegian progressive rock groups
- Norwegian alternative rock groups
- Norwegian psychedelic rock music groups
- Spellemannprisen winners
- Musical groups established in 1989
- 1989 establishments in Norway
- Musical groups from Trondheim
- Harvest Records artists
- Rune Grammofon artists