Fielfraz

Last updated

Fielfraz was a Danish band, which had its heyday between 1990 and 1996. The band members were Claus Hempler on guitar and vocals, Nils Brakchi on bass, Kenneth Priisholm on guitar (lead) and Jens Langhorn on drums.

Contents

After several years of building up a live reputation in Odense, Fielfraz broke through with their very first record Shine, a Beatlesque guitar-oriented rock record. 1992's Electric Eel also included big radio hits like Surfer and Naked but the album as a whole was a lesser success. The third album, Slick, came late in 1996 and although widely critically acclaimed, it was largely ignored by the public.

Fielfraz continued to perform live occasionally, [1] but Priisholm eventually left the band for good, leaving Fielfraz as a trio which released Hempler in 2004. [2]

Fielfraz have been cited as an influence on Danish rock and grunge bands that broke through in the early 1990s like Kashmir and Dizzy Mizz Lizzy. [3] However Fielfraz´ influences were primarily British; Priisholms guitar play was influenced by new wave like XTC and experimental rock like King Crimson and Claus Hemplers lyrics and vocal talent rendered Elvis Costello and Frank Sinatra, much more than hardcore punk and hard rock. [4]

Fielfraz' time took place in a transitional period in the history of Danish rock, that broke the pop hegemony established by acts like Gnags, TV-2 and Sanne Salomonsen, in the 1980s. Alongside a few other British influenced 1990s acts like The Sandmen and Simcess, and the American influenced rock of D-A-D, they probably made the commercial breakthrough for the Danish grunge wave possibly in Denmark, by getting airplay on the dominating pop station, the national Danish radio (Danmarks Radio, P3).

Discography

Related Research Articles

New wave is a loosely defined music genre that encompasses pop-oriented styles from the late 1970s and the 1980s. It was originally used as a catch-all for the various styles of music that emerged after punk rock, including punk itself. Later, critical consensus favored "new wave" as an umbrella term involving many popular music styles of the era, including power pop, synth-pop, ska revival, and more specific forms of punk rock that were less abrasive. It may also be viewed as a more accessible counterpart of post-punk.

Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States and United Kingdom. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, a style that drew directly from the blues and rhythm and blues genres of African-American music and from country music. Rock also drew strongly from a number of other genres such as electric blues and folk, and incorporated influences from jazz, classical, and other musical styles. For instrumentation, rock has centered on the electric guitar, usually as part of a rock group with electric bass guitar, drums, and one or more singers. Usually, rock is song-based music with a 4
4
time signature
using a verse–chorus form, but the genre has become extremely diverse. Like pop music, lyrics often stress romantic love but also address a wide variety of other themes that are frequently social or political. Rock was the most popular genre of music in the United States and much of the Western world from the 1950s to the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grunge</span> Genre of rock music

Grunge is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of punk rock and heavy metal, but without punk's structure and speed. The genre featured the distorted electric guitar sound used in both genres, although some bands performed with more emphasis on one or the other. Like these genres, grunge typically uses electric guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals. Grunge also incorporates influences from indie rock bands such as Sonic Youth. Lyrics are typically angst-filled and introspective, often addressing themes such as social alienation, self-doubt, abuse, neglect, betrayal, social and emotional isolation, addiction, psychological trauma and a desire for freedom.

Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produced and was initially used interchangeably with alternative rock or "guitar pop rock".

Alternative rock is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial rock or pop music. The term's original meaning was broader, referring to musicians influenced by the musical style or independent, DIY ethos of late-1970s punk rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cardigans</span> Swedish rock band

The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in Jönköping, Sweden, in 1992 by guitarist Peter Svensson, bassist Magnus Sveningsson, drummer Bengt Lagerberg, keyboardist Lars-Olof Johansson and lead singer Nina Persson. Post-hiatus shows since 2012 have been with Oskar Humlebo on guitar instead of Svensson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Washington (state)</span>

The U.S. state of Washington has been home to many popular musicians and several major hotbeds of musical innovation throughout its history. The largest city in the state, Seattle, is known for being the birthplace of grunge as well as a major contributor to the evolution of punk rock, indie music, folk, and hip hop. Nearby Tacoma and Olympia have also been centers of influence on popular music.

Sludge metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated through combining elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. It is typically harsh and abrasive, often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting tempos. The Melvins from the US state of Washington produced the first sludge metal albums in the mid-late 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American rock</span>

American rock has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and country music, and also drew on folk music, jazz, blues, and classical music. American rock music was further influenced by the British Invasion of the American pop charts from 1964 and resulted in the development of psychedelic rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gangway (band)</span> Danish band

Gangway is a Danish band, originally active from 1982 to 1998 and again since 2017. Gangway consisted of Allan Jensen, Henrik Balling (guitar), Torben Johansen, and four different drummers, Jan Christensen (1982–84), Gorm Ravn-Jonsen (1984–89), Cai Bojsen-Møller (1991–94), and Jeppe Moesgaard (1996–98).

Post-grunge is an offshoot of grunge that has a less abrasive or intense tone than traditional grunge. Originally, the term was used almost pejoratively to label mid-1990s rock bands such as Bush, Candlebox and Collective Soul that emulated the original sound of grunge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dizzy Mizz Lizzy</span> Alternative rock band from Denmark

Dizzy Mizz Lizzy is an alternative rock band from Denmark formed in 1988. The power trio consists of Tim Christensen, Martin Nielsen and Søren Friis (drums). Between 1994 and 1997, they were highly successful in Denmark and Japan and are credited for heading the 1990s rock revival in Denmark with their studio albums Dizzy Mizz Lizzy (1994) and Rotator (1996). After the group disbanded in 1998, Christensen started a successful solo career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aqua (band)</span> Danish eurodance group

Aqua is a Danish-Norwegian Europop band, best known for their 1997 multi-platinum crossover and novelty single "Barbie Girl". The group formed in 1989 as Joyspeed, and achieved international success around the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band released three albums: Aquarium in 1997, Aquarius in 2000 and Megalomania in 2011. The group sold an estimated 33 million albums and singles, making them the most profitable Danish band ever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Silencers (band)</span> Scottish rock band

The Silencers are a Scottish rock band formed in London in 1986 by Jimme O'Neill and Cha Burns, two ex-members of the post-punk outfit Fingerprintz. Their music is characterised by a melodic blend of pop, folk and traditional Celtic influences. Often compared to Scottish bands with a similar sound like Big Country, Del Amitri and The Proclaimers, The Silencers have distinguished themselves with their eclectic sounds, prolific output and continued career. Their first single, "Painted Moon," was a minor international hit and invited critical comparisons to Simple Minds and U2. In 1987 they released their first album A Letter From St. Paul, which included "Painted Moon" and another minor hit, "I See Red." Buoyed by the huge European hit "Bulletproof Heart", the band's third album Dance to the Holy Man is the band's commercial peak to date. Throughout the 1990s, The Silencers saw a popular taste shift away from their songwriter-based style of music toward grunge and electronic music.

<i>Rock Rock Kiss Kiss Combo</i> 2003 studio album by The Fashion

Rock Rock Kiss Kiss Combo is the debut album of Danish indie rock band The Fashion. It was released September 15, 2003 by Sony BMG Denmark. The album featured the singles “Let's Go Dancing”, and “Roller Disco Inferno” and the album was given extensive airplay on Danish radio. The album subsequently became the MTV Fresh Pick of the Week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dúné</span> Danish rock band

Dúné [Dew-nay] were a Danish rock band from Skive. At their split-up in 2018 the band consisted of Mattias Kolstrup, Piotrek Wasilewski, and Ole Bjórn. Their style was comparable to British and American electronic rock and resembles elements of 1980s pop music and 1970s post-punk blend with a distinct and modern Scandinavian touch. The band was best known for their entertaining and energetic live performances.

<i>Rotator</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Dizzy Mizz Lizzy

Rotator is the second studio album released by the Danish rock band Dizzy Mizz Lizzy. After touring the album, the band broke up, making this their last studio album released until Forward in Reverse in 2016.

The Malpractice was the alias of Danish songwriter Johannes Gammelby of I Am Bones and Beta Satan. His debut album Tectonics was released in 2010 on Crunchy Frog Records; gathering members from Tiger Tunes, Marybell Katastrophy and Beta Satan in the studio and on tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Lady Lab</span> Danish elektro-pop duo

Electric Lady Lab was a Danish elektro-pop duo made up of producer and songwriter Martin Bøge Pedersen and vocalist Stine Hjelm Jacobsen. Electric Lady Lab was founded in March 2009. Their debut album Flash! was released on 7 January 2011. The duo is part of the new wave of modern Danish dance music. Electric Lady Lab broke up in March 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warm Guns</span>

Warm Guns were a Danish band formed in Aarhus in 1978 by Lars Muhl. Influenced by punk and new wave in the late seventies, the band was often compared to artists like Elvis Costello. Among the band's more well-known songs were "The Young Go First" and "Wonderkids".

References