Matchstick Sun
Encyclopedia
Matchstick Sun was a Norwegian
rock
band
, formed in 1984. In their first four years they part of the Oslo
underground scene, and in their last three years of existence, they released two album
s on a major record label
, won a Norwegian version of a Grammy
, but then broke up.
, Rolf Recknagel (born 1952) had for a short while been in De Press
.
Temptation, they renamed themselves Matchstick Sun, after the title of one of their own songs. They signed to BMG Ariola the following year, and they and their record producer
, Knut Bohn, headed for Silence
, a residential recording studio
. The founder and house engineer, Anders Lind, worked well with Bohn and Matchstick Sun, and managed to get their mellotron
in working order.
In June 1989, Matchstick Sun attended the New Music Seminar in Manhattan
, New York
, United States
, and some attention in the Norwegian press. Their debut album
, Flowerground, was released in August 1989. Their efforts were rewarded with a Norwegian Grammy for Best New Act.
in Cork
in Ireland
and aired by public service radio stations all over Europe.
However, their drummer, Bulle, quit in January 1991, and the group quickly disbanded. Bulle kept on playing with The Lust-O-Rama (1989–93), the garage rock band he had started with vocalist Arne Thelin from The Cosmic Dropouts after they met at the New Music Seminar in New York in 1989. Their only album, Twenty-Six Screams, was released in 1990.
Guitarist and songwriter Rolf Recknagel quickly put together a new band called Yeahlove Swans (1991–94). Their only album, Lovetech, was released by Polygram in 1992. Bass player Rune Annaniassen joined Sister Rain in 1992, which disbanded shortly after having released The Neptun Tapes in 1993. He later joined Merchants of Venus (1993–94) whose one album Wish Across the Land was released by WEA in 1994. Vocalist Ivar Eidem released his one solo album Missions of a Clown in 1996 on Oh Yeah!, and was awarded the Norwegian Grammy for Best Male Artist.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed in 1984. In their first four years they part of the Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
underground scene, and in their last three years of existence, they released two album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s on a major record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, won a Norwegian version of a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, but then broke up.
Band members
- Ivar Eidem – lead vocals & keyboards
- Rolf Recknagel – guitar & vocals
- Rune Annaniassen – bass guitar
- Geir “Bulle” Underdal – drums
Formation
Matchstick Sun was founded in 1984, as the Diamond Dogs by four key players of the Oslo post punk scene. Their drummer Bulle (born 1962) had been in the punk group, Betong Hysteria, and the art/ska band, Løver og tigre (Lions & Tigers). The vocalist, Eidem (born 1964), and the bassist Annaniassen (born 1959) had both been in the last edition of The Cut. The guitarist, and main songwriterSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, Rolf Recknagel (born 1952) had for a short while been in De Press
De Press
|De Press is a Polish-Norwegian rock band founded in Oslo in 1980.They were among the leading Norwegian new wave bands, and also gained a following in Poland.The original De Press had the following line-up:*Andrej Nebb - vocals and bass...
.
Going overground
By the spring of 1988, the band's reputation had grown and, just prior to releasing their first record, a three song single on the independent record labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Temptation, they renamed themselves Matchstick Sun, after the title of one of their own songs. They signed to BMG Ariola the following year, and they and their record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Knut Bohn, headed for Silence
Silence Studio
Silence Studio is a Swedish recording studio in the small town of Koppom, owned by recording-technician/producer Anders Lind. The studio has been the location of many recordings of Swedish and Norwegian artists...
, a residential recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
. The founder and house engineer, Anders Lind, worked well with Bohn and Matchstick Sun, and managed to get their mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
in working order.
In June 1989, Matchstick Sun attended the New Music Seminar in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and some attention in the Norwegian press. Their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Flowerground, was released in August 1989. Their efforts were rewarded with a Norwegian Grammy for Best New Act.
Itchy Bitchy
Matchstick Sun’s second album, Itchy Bitchy, was released in 1990. The critics were again enthusiastic, but both airplay and sales were disappointing compared to the first album. Matchstick Sun was invited to the annual EBU Rock Festival: a three-day event organized by the European Broadcasting UnionEuropean Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and aired by public service radio stations all over Europe.
However, their drummer, Bulle, quit in January 1991, and the group quickly disbanded. Bulle kept on playing with The Lust-O-Rama (1989–93), the garage rock band he had started with vocalist Arne Thelin from The Cosmic Dropouts after they met at the New Music Seminar in New York in 1989. Their only album, Twenty-Six Screams, was released in 1990.
Guitarist and songwriter Rolf Recknagel quickly put together a new band called Yeahlove Swans (1991–94). Their only album, Lovetech, was released by Polygram in 1992. Bass player Rune Annaniassen joined Sister Rain in 1992, which disbanded shortly after having released The Neptun Tapes in 1993. He later joined Merchants of Venus (1993–94) whose one album Wish Across the Land was released by WEA in 1994. Vocalist Ivar Eidem released his one solo album Missions of a Clown in 1996 on Oh Yeah!, and was awarded the Norwegian Grammy for Best Male Artist.
Singles
- ”You and Me” b/w “Bumblebee” / “Candy Man” - (Temptation 1988)
- ”Matchstick Sun” b/w “Flowerground” -( RCA 1989)
- “It's Just a Matter” b/w “Too Many Girls” - (RCA 1989)
- ”Mr. Powerman” b/w “Modern World” - (RCA 1990)