For Once

This song was a regular for 6-7 years with my band Woo at rehearsals. However, it was rarely played at live shows, because I felt that it was too punk or hardcore, our repertoire was pretty hard hitting as it was at the time, and it didnt need more of this type of energy. 

The main theme was created long before this, and I originally envisioned the song to be less hard, distorted and slower, but songs evolve over the years. 
I even have an acoustic flamenco arrangement that was considered for the release.
But since this is a 5-year long musical biography, it had to be this version, which is closest to, how it was played for so many years.
The acoustic version might be released at a later stage though. 

On the session with me

Geir Arne Ose: Acoustic drums
 

Des Guise In The Skies

This song was composed around the same time as "A Million Ways To Put You Down" and a bunch of other songs. 
The Pro Tools (mix) session contains 175 recorded tracks, with different arrangements and instruments. 
This is not unusual at all, but the main section ended up with only 3 tracks: guitar, vocal and electric bass, (which is not that unusual either..)
The middle section is a different story though, it has two drumkits, 8 tracks of percussion and three saxophones.

There are several versions of this song, and one of them is included in the "Des Guise" package. But for the heck of it, I'll show it to you here!

It did take me some days to decide on the arrangement for the middle section (especially the saxophones), and I had many elements to choose from, but I'm not trying to win over radio, so I just had to go for the saxophones!

I also wanted the song to have a minimalistic feel, and a 60's vibe to it.

I recorded loads of guitars with different amplifiers to experiment with the sound, but this is a rare occasion were I ended up with the demo recording for the guitar, bass and most of the vocals. 
So it's a song with 172 tracks muted most of the time. 

A big "thank you" to Geir Arne Ose who contributed to the session at an earlier stage. 
Some of the drums are still present on the recording. 

Cloud 99

This song was played a lot at rehearsals with my band Woo, but we only played it live once.

This was at a live event in Ørsta . When I did research for the song (listening to loads of tapes and recordings made over the years) I found many versions of it that I had completely forgotten about. But it is an "instinctive" song. No big complex arrangements.

This release is based on a recording from one of these rehearsals.

Guitars and drums were re-recorded on top of the rehearsal tape. 

Funnily enough (in retrospect) I developed a heavy ear infection when I was about to mix the song, everything sounded distorted, and off pitched. It hurt so much that I had to lie still, and turn off everything that made the slightest sound. I've never experienced anything like it before.  I didn't want to change the release order in the project, so I quite simply didn't mix it. Relying on the rough mix from preproduction, and that it was good enough.

I haven't brought myself to listen to it afterwards either. 

Maybe I never will.

Drums: Geir Arne Ose

Pilot Song

I remember writing the whole "Pilot Song" theme and lyrics in the shower. (yes, I like singing in the shower).

It was heavily influenced by the 9/11 tragedy.

I remember that I was working on new songs for my upcoming album, when heard the news. We rushed to the nearest television and saw the second plane go in. A terrible shocking moment to all of us. 

Both, "Pilot" and "The Stone That Made The World Collapse" was recorded together in one take, and as mentioned earlier, we just went for the "right vibe". The length and structure of the songs changed, whenever we played them.

Both songs became standards on our live shows back then. 

Sensual Soirée

"Sensual Soirée" was written in the summer of 1992, though much of the song is improvised. 

It was written as a live piece and was meant to change and evolve during concerts. 

It was recorded at a live show in 2000.

Improvised vocals from singer Stig Sandbakk was also a common (and effective) part of the live shows at the time. They are not included here, as they're not part of the original composition and thought. 

"Sensual Soirée"  is an instrumental and improvisational piece that belonged to the stage. 

Recorded by Erik Valderhaug at Lydkjelleren AS

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Performing in Oslo.

From right: Stig Sandbakk and Geir Satre

Photo: Jakob Berg

In My Town

"In My Town" was composed in early spring, 2002.

It starts out as a love song, and develops into a tale about death impersonated; lamenting for all living in pain and suffering. I’ll say no more! (probably shouldn’t have said anything at all :)

It is, however a "good tempered" song, and not meant to be sad in any way (go figure!, I'll probably delete this post all together.)

It was inspired by north-asian traditional music (from Russia, Estonia and surrounding countries) which I love! It's in some ways similar to nordic music, and we love our glimmering darkness from time to time (ok I'll speak for myself).

Some of the music from this territory has a kind of naive innosence to it on the surface, but underneath there is a dark and almost crystalized melancholy. 

You'll find it in folk songs everywhere, but it is handled so uniqely in the Russian music, in my opinion. 

It was only inspired by it,  Im not claiming that "In My Town" is a full fledged Russian orthodox chant, but what's on the radar for this 5 year long album might surprise you! (at least I hope it will). 

On the recording with me:

Geir Arne Ose: Drums

Bjørn Tore Tarranger: Drums

TV Song

This is another song with a long background

Originally composed in 93-94

The chord and riff structure for most of the song was used in a  song called "The Other Side"

It was an "all acoustic" piece with three guitars, bass and some percussion.

It was a standard on our repertoire back then. 

I rediscovered parts of it on tapes while researching for the Ninth "Evolver" album in 01-02 and made a totally different arrangement out of it, with different lyrics, melodies and chorus. 

There are four different arrangements and recordings of this song.

On the session with me:

Drums:  Bjørn Tore Kronen Taranger and Geir Arne Ose

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The Ninth Evolver crew, backstage at the release party/concert for "Evolver EP". (at Garage, Bergen)

Hans Petter Lie-Nielsen, Audun Havåg, Geir Arne Ose, Geir Satre, Per Helge Lande, Andrew Scheps and Stein Hevrøy

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Original article here