|
From rags to even more rags
The story of the Superman Can Flys begins in a sleepy suburb outside
the not-so-picturesque city of Drammen some time in the early fall
of '97. This was the place Frode Syrstad,
a steadily employed, cynical chain-smoker and former dirt-bike desperado
found an old Casio keyboard in a dumpster. It had a nail stuck through
the speaker and had to be drained of water, but surprisingly enough
the dammed thing worked (although some keys acted a bit strange).
Well, with this off-key keyboard in the one hand, and a brilliantly
developed mind in the other, Mr. Syrstad decided to embark on a
career as a singer/songwriter. He hooked up with his younger brother,
an unemployed, elephant-collecting daydreamer named Vegard,
went underground, blurted out two magnificent songs and never really
surfaced. These two songs (Nude A and Superman Can Fly) were recorded
on a recently purchased, rather lousy four-track of which the fourth
track worked only on a strike of luck or by whacking the piece of
junk against the kitchen-table or the dining-room wall. However,
this, now historic, recording-session was to set the standard for
a newborn musical genre they named "Tar-Tar-Pop". The sound was
as raw and uncooked as a tartar steak, extremely spontaneous, un-laboured
and under-produced. Pure soul, that is, without any artificial ingredients.
Even suitable for vegetarians!
Anyway, The dynamic duo were soon joined by a slightly more musically
competent persona, the incredible Thomas Innstø, the mastermind
behind The Jessica Fletchers. With the help of this highly ambitious,
somewhat frantic stunt-pilot from up north, an entire album was
created during the rainy autumn months of '97. It was entitled "Hunk
Nguru" and included evergreens such as "Stay
On Your Horse" and "Radio
Cars". Needless to say the album sold like hot cakes. As a matter
of fact it went out of stock even before Frode Syrstad could get
his cold and clammy hands on one! But don't despair! Recent technology
has made it possible for Superman-fans all around the globe to download
some of these timeless classics at no expense, exclusively at this
very site. Just go to the "Tar-Tar-Pop"
section and become salvated! ( or sedated?…)
After "Hunk Nguru" the trio pulled the hand-brake resulting in
a full stop which lasted throughout the winter until the guys finally
had asphalt beneath their feet again. With the thaw came "I Saw
You On TV", which was the last track to be recorded on the vintage
¾-track (which will actually be put out for auction online at bungalab.com
some time in the near future, so keep dropping in!). It was replaced
by a brand new heavy, bright and shiny digital 8-track recorder,
but luckily this did not improved the quality of sound. Quality
people however, was in no shortage as the wiz-kids were frequently
visited by four other highly talented individuals throughout the
fall and winter. The Superman Can Flys gradually turned into a small
coffee-drinking, different-thinking, music-making commune. The new
recruits were Rune Someday, Bjorn
Clumsy, Andreas Munster and Erle
Strøm and throughout the year they came together in Frode's
living-room and got the kettle going, the tea-bags soaking, the
fags burning and the music pumping. By the late summer of '99 the
long awaited 2'nd album was finished, but due to constant financial
problems and lack of energy it was not out for sale until around
Easters day 2000 thanks to a friendly investor who saw the bands'
potential and paid for the release. The new album contained 19 self-penned
songs and was called "Tar-Tar-Pop. -so
unfinished, yet so complete", a title which reflects the, after
normal recording-standards, "unfinished" contents.
While a lot of other bands have been hammering square pegs into
round holes trying to resemble a sort of "American lo-fi sound",
The Superman Can Flys' sound has developed naturally due to lack
of state funding, time and space, vitamin C and a wicked landlady
extremely sensitive to noise, cigarette-smoke and direct sunlight.
A drum-kit in Frode's flat was of course out of the question and
thus less noisy alternatives such as plastic buckets and a wooden
washing up-rack had to serve as percussion as well as some cheesy
keyboard rhythm-sections. All their songs have been recorded straight
away on a random pop-in-basis as regular practice sessions have
so far proved impossible to organise. This doesn't seem to worry
main man Frode Syrstad however. He rather looks on it as an advantage
as it leaves him more time to spend on his female stalkers.
|
|
Back
<< all the way
Gallery
These guys are crazy
About
From rags to even more rags
Whistling...
The Brand new album
Correspondence
Letterbombs or perfumed envelopes
Tar-Tar Pop
- So digestible
|