GERMANY: NORWEGIAN ROCK GROUP ZEROMANCER ARE ON THEIR FIRST EUROPEAN TOUR TO PROMOTE THEIR ALBUM

Record ID: 392490

  • Title: GERMANY: NORWEGIAN ROCK GROUP ZEROMANCER ARE ON THEIR FIRST EUROPEAN TOUR TO PROMOTE THEIR ALBUM
  • Date: 19th February 2002
  • Summary: MAINZ, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 19, 2002) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) CHRIS SCHLEYER FROM ZEROMANCER IS SAYING "It came together pretty well, we spent a lot of time working on different demos, living together on top of each other all the time, getting to know each other a lot better and kind of figuring out how to work with one each other. 'Eurotrash' is more accurate represen
  • Embargoed: 6th March 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MAINZ, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Entertainment,General
  • Reuters ID: LVABDOBIKIKE7X3SY8R79XLJY8VC
  • Story Text: The Norwegian industrial rock group 'Zeromancer' are busy making a name for themselves in their adopted home country Germany, after winning 'best newcomer' award at the recent German alternative music awards. The five members originally started the band in Los Angeles, but decided to return to Europe to establish themselves. Their debut album 'Clone your Lover' arrived in 1999 and then late last year they released 'Eurotrash'. They are currently on their first European tour to promote the album. The tour will end in March in Oslo and then the band will concentrate on cracking the American market.
    Industrial rock, electro rock, metal, all these descriptions have been used to describe Zeromancer's style, but like most bands, the five members of Norway's latest musical export refuse to be drawn, preferring to describe what they do as 'future rock'. Certainly the band has been making waves in their new adopted country Germany among the alternative scene. But it hasn't been easy to find the right sound and it took them a while to find their distinctive style.
    "It came together pretty well, we spent a lot of time working on different demos, living together on top of each other all the time, getting to know each other a lot better and kind of figuring out how to work with one each other. 'Eurotrash' is more accurate representation of what the band is about other than 'Clone Your Lover' was trying to figure out what it is whereas with 'Eurotrash' we've had time to fall into ourselves a little more I think."
    Germany has long been a haven for bands beginning and building their careers, partly due to its central position for touring, the unique loyalty of its music fans, but perhaps most importantly, is its thriving festival scene. Zeromancer seem particularly at home here.
    "Well, we've done most of our touring in Germany, so it has been such a positive, you know, flow of responses. It's hard for us to kind of like say, obviously we've played in Poland, we've done Kadawitz and Warsaw and we got basically the finger and they slashed our tyres on the bus. It's been terrible and we have had some experiences like that and coming back to Germany especially, it is kind of like aahhh. (You know thank god, thank god we're back."
    Four members of the band, Alex, Kim, Noralf and Erik originally belonged to one of Norway's most famous alternative bands 'Siegman' before disbanding to begin Zeromancer. Los Angeles born Chris Schleyer joined the band as it took shape in the US before moving back to Europe, perhaps he more than anyone sees the need to start trying to break into the American market as soon as possible.
    "As far as festivals right now, we don't really have anything confirmed, I think we are going to focus on writing new stuff for the next album and getting 'Eurotrash' and 'Clone Your Lover' released in the states. And try and do a small tour there by the end of the year, maybe an opening tour or a showcase thing on our own, but definitely for us in 2002, it is important for us to get this album out in the states, get the name out there, start building the fan base."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register