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.

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From rags to even more rags

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Tar-Tar Pop
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