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Truly sad news.
Legendary Harald Are Lund did really appreciate Motorpsycho, and his passion for the band was just beyond. For a majority of record releases since Demon Box, he dedicated the entire program to present the latest recording along with in-depth interviews. Countless times, he showed up with his (NRK's) recording bus outside Rockefeller concert hall (Oslo) to tape the MP live performances for later to be broadcasted nationwide.
Harald Are did credit the Blissard advertising in Norwegian rock magazine "Beat" in 1996 with the following brilliant statement (freely translated from Norwegian):
"You would easily fall in love with Motorpsycho in case you are seriously interested in music, because the band is sharing this interest with you. This is very noticeable in their music. The band has taken the massive effort to listen to important parts from the entire music history. Because they are real musicians, they are capable to absorb those musical elements later to refine and innovate them. Merged with their own ideas, the final result is mindblowing.
Equally important:Their ability to improvise is a very prominent ingredient in the musical expression coming through the three individuals we know as Motorpsycho"
RIP Harald Are, you made a difference
Btw
Gene Simmons elaborating over Kiss touring USA along with Rush in 1975
Bob Moog – The One and Only
Thank you for pointing out the Taurus thing. HMR’s Taurus has been around almost since the start of the band. It is probably the single piece of equipment with the longest life-span within the band. It is not a coincidence, and The Mighty Taurus is generating one of the most significant signatures to the band. It is clearly a part of the orchestra’s sound characteristics already on Soothe, and The Taurus plays an even more prominent role on Demon Box.
The link to Rush is in The Taurus perspective evident. Listening to tracks like “Xanadu†and “Jacobs Ladder†from the legendary live album Exit … Stage Left, 1981, gives the clear vision on how a small line-up can cover the full frequency range. Those songs move you even today. I just wonder if a track like “Un chien d'espace†would have seen the day of light in the way it did without having “Xanadu†as a part of bands education.
Keep in mind that the extensive use of Mini Moog that was characterizing this period of rock music (extensively used by Rush/Rainbow and many others) never became a fundamental tool for MP.
Regarding live performances, I believe that BS is also adding to the deeper sound levels utilizing the newer Taurus Mk3. To my opinion, nothing is kicking ass like a MK1/Mk2. Thanks to Dr. Tos Nieuwenhuizen, the HMR’s old Mk2 is in full service after all those years despite the logistical challenges to keep this unique machine operational. For instance, just try to imagine the contribution of The Taurus at the massive end part of STG.
Sail on
If I may add…
At the opening session related to the Motorpsycho exhibition at Rockheim a few years ago, it was this live interview with Bent and HMR. Looking back to the times they met, Bent stated “Rush and Rainbow†as a part of their common musical fundament.
Fortunately, the very early 80’s was characterized by a myriad of bands within the small community where the boys originated. Mostly within punk/folk/blues. However, it was this band from Steinkjer named Time. Of course it was a power/prog trio with the town’s most gifted drummer treating the gear. Rumors were told that Terry Brown might be producing their debut album –
The rise and fall of Time is a very short story…Point is that a lot of music heads within the community were great Rush fans at that time. So there were a reasonable number of people out there guiding you in the right direction as a youngster with ears tuned to rock music. For most of us this passion relates to the albums Rush did from “2112†to the phenomenal live album “Exit…Stage Left†which basically concludes the golden ages. From a musical point of view, those albums opened the doors to what among others Crimson, Yes and Genesis etc could offer for further investigations
Needless to say probably, but common to Rush fans is the fascination to what only three guys were able to output of tight, complex and great music (especially live) with all this energy. All this performed by world-class musicians. The Geddy Lee simultaneous pedaling, bass play and vocals did really set the benchmark of what could be a physical possibility as a performing rock artist. So the greatest impact Rush had to Motorpsycho is may be the band format rather than a distinct musical footprint (The boys can be seen in concerts nowadays wearing double-necked guitars, Taurus pedals, Mellotrons etc etc)
When HMR found his beloved and legendary Moog Taurus MkII bass pedal machine in 1991 (still in use today), the course was more or less set.
Devotional, Thank you for the nice feedback. Really, looking back is not my thing, but doing so I realize there were a lot of things happening in this period. OHM and myself did in fact join in on the “Nerve Tattoo†when MP played at Rockefeller some weeks after the Wiese show. That gig was audio-recorded by NRK, I believe.
Regarding Seigmen, I joined them during among others the gigs at Folken, Stavanger and Sentrum Scene, Oslo springtime 1995. Typically, I supported the string parts on “Sort Tulipan†and “Hjernen er aleneâ€. Those two songs were then connected with an ambient/jammy part that I had created called “Aerofloatâ€, making this part of the show as one complete section.
I also joined Seigmen when they did The Roskilde Festival in June the same year, then performing only on “Sort Tulipan†and doing my “Aerofloat†composition, but this time alone and without the band support (as a bridge to the encore part of the show). This concert was supposed to be audio-recorded by DR, but I have no idea if something of it is available.
Looking back on it today, I think it was a bit crazy to join in with those two bands without any kind of documented skills or musicianship. However, the el-Viola + Space Echo combo gave a unique sound and “moodâ€, so that did the trick. Till this date, I have never ever practiced together with any band whatsoever except of the sound-checks and pre-productions done with Seigmen and MP as a part of the gigs I joined back then.
Hello
The mr (?) was in fact me.
Hans M is my younger bro, and I had the pleasure joining in on this special event geared with my electrified viola and Roland Space echo RE 301.
Like Hans M (playing violin in several constillations as well), I have never been taking any violin lessions. So the abilities were really limited.
It was therefore great teaming up with OHM on this act, the open minded character he is despite his classical background.
The year before (1995), I had done a handful of gigs joining Seigmen with my Viola, so the request from the boys to join in on the Wiese show February 1996 was very welcomed.
I recall the act being quite intense, and we also noted the rather limited enthusiasm among the audience in the studio (all at age 75+)
I never got the chance to see it afterwards (as it was a live event) so it was fantastic to get it available with this stunning quality 20 years after.
With great memories, The Viola has remained in the flight case ever since.
