Night Sun
Encyclopedia
Night Sun were a German heavy prog/metal band consisting of Bruno Schaab (vocals, bass), Walter Kirchgassner (guitar), Knut Rossler (organ, piano, trumpet, bassoon) and Ulrich Staudt (drums).
Their only album, Mournin'
, was released in 1972 on Polydor's Zebra label. Schaab's vocals recalled the screams of Ian Gillan from Deep Purple
. The group played a loud, Deep Purple
/Black Sabbath
/Led Zeppelin
style rock, with a characteristic "heavy progressive" instrumentation of twin guitars, organ, bass and drums. The album was produced by Konrad Plank
(whose production credits include Kraftwerk's
early output and Ash Ra Tempel
) at the Windrose Studio, Hamburg.
With their sudden shifts of rhythm structures, guitar-with-organ riffing style and some studio effects, particularly phasing, Night Sun fortunately never went too close to the ordinary boogie and rock'n'roll trap.
Their sound consisted of many elements, all of which will be of interest to fans of Thrash
, Stoner
, Doom
, Power
and Prog Metal
, and their 1970s roots.
who were popular in the Rhine Neckar Area
of Germany.
Take Five consisted of Werner "Steff" Stephan (vocals), Edmund Seiboth (trumpet), Knut Rössler (saxes/trombone/flute/keyboards), Freddie Münster (saxes), Frieder Schmitt (keyboards/voc), Hans Brandeis (guitar/vocals), Torsten duke (bass/vocals) and Karl-Heinz weber (drums).
Various members from this band went on to be part of Night Sun Mournin' and Kin Ping Meh
.
Kin Ping Meh
had a reasonably successful career through the seventies with 5 studio and 2 live LPs.
Night Sun Mournin' soon shortened their name to just Night Sun, during which time they went through various line-up changes until their 1972 recording of the Mournin'
LP.
Night Sun had only moderate local success and after the leaving of Schaab and Kirchgassner in 1972, the band split in 1973.
After the demise of the group, Bruno Schaab briefly joined Guru Guru
, where his contribution was notable on the track, "The Story Of Life
".
The LP was re-issued on CD digipak
in 1997 by Second Battle SB 041
Their only album, Mournin'
Mournin' (album)
Mournin', the only album by Night Sun, was released in 1972. This album is considered to have many examples of formative heavy metal styles.-Track listing:# "Plastic Shotgun" - 2:34# "Crazy Woman" - 4:18# "Got a Bone of My Own" - 7:47...
, was released in 1972 on Polydor's Zebra label. Schaab's vocals recalled the screams of Ian Gillan from Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. The group played a loud, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
/Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
/Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
style rock, with a characteristic "heavy progressive" instrumentation of twin guitars, organ, bass and drums. The album was produced by Konrad Plank
Conny Plank
Konrad "Conny" Plank was a German record producer and musician. He was born in Hütschenhausen. His creativity as a sound engineer and producer helped to shape some of the most important and innovative recordings of postwar European popular music, covering a wide range of genres including...
(whose production credits include Kraftwerk's
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
early output and Ash Ra Tempel
Ash Ra Tempel
Ash Ra Tempel are a German krautrock group of the 1970s, and are an example of cosmic or space rock.-History:The group was originally founded by guitarist Manuel Göttsching, keyboardist/drummer Klaus Schulze, and bassist Hartmut Enke in 1971. All three founding members had previously played...
) at the Windrose Studio, Hamburg.
With their sudden shifts of rhythm structures, guitar-with-organ riffing style and some studio effects, particularly phasing, Night Sun fortunately never went too close to the ordinary boogie and rock'n'roll trap.
Their sound consisted of many elements, all of which will be of interest to fans of Thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, Stoner
Stoner rock
Stoner rock or stoner metal is a subgenre of heavy metal, combining elements of psychedelic rock, blues rock, traditional heavy metal and doom metal. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo and features a bass-heavy sound, melodic vocals, and 'retro' production...
, Doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
, Power
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
and Prog Metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
, and their 1970s roots.
History
Night Sun's origins lay in the late 1960s jazz band Take FiveTake Five
"Take Five" is a jazz piece written by Paul Desmond and performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet on their 1959 album Time Out. Recorded at Columbia's 30th Street Studios in New York City on June 25, July 1, and August 18, 1959, this piece became one of the group's best-known records, famous for its...
who were popular in the Rhine Neckar Area
Rhine Neckar Area
The Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region , often referred to as Rhein-Neckar-Triangle is a polycentric metropolitan region located in south western Germany, between the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region to the North and the Stuttgart Region to the South-East.Rhine-Neckar has a population of some 2.4 million...
of Germany.
Take Five consisted of Werner "Steff" Stephan (vocals), Edmund Seiboth (trumpet), Knut Rössler (saxes/trombone/flute/keyboards), Freddie Münster (saxes), Frieder Schmitt (keyboards/voc), Hans Brandeis (guitar/vocals), Torsten duke (bass/vocals) and Karl-Heinz weber (drums).
Various members from this band went on to be part of Night Sun Mournin' and Kin Ping Meh
Kin Ping Meh
Kin Ping Meh is a German rock band originally active from 1970 to 1977, and reformed in 2005. Their name is derived from the Franz Kuhn's, German translation of the Chinese novel, Jin Ping Mei.-Albums:*Kin Ping Meh *No. 2...
.
Kin Ping Meh
Kin Ping Meh
Kin Ping Meh is a German rock band originally active from 1970 to 1977, and reformed in 2005. Their name is derived from the Franz Kuhn's, German translation of the Chinese novel, Jin Ping Mei.-Albums:*Kin Ping Meh *No. 2...
had a reasonably successful career through the seventies with 5 studio and 2 live LPs.
Night Sun Mournin' soon shortened their name to just Night Sun, during which time they went through various line-up changes until their 1972 recording of the Mournin'
Mournin' (album)
Mournin', the only album by Night Sun, was released in 1972. This album is considered to have many examples of formative heavy metal styles.-Track listing:# "Plastic Shotgun" - 2:34# "Crazy Woman" - 4:18# "Got a Bone of My Own" - 7:47...
LP.
Night Sun had only moderate local success and after the leaving of Schaab and Kirchgassner in 1972, the band split in 1973.
After the demise of the group, Bruno Schaab briefly joined Guru Guru
Guru Guru
Guru Guru is a German Krautrock band formed in 1968 as The Guru Guru Groove by Mani Neumeier , Uli Trepte and Eddy Naegeli later replaced by American Jim Kennedy...
, where his contribution was notable on the track, "The Story Of Life
The Story of Life
The Story of Life is a ceramic mural by Canadian artist Lorraine Malach, located just inside the entrance to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Alberta, Canada...
".
Discography
They released only one LP.- 1972 - Mournin'Mournin' (album)Mournin', the only album by Night Sun, was released in 1972. This album is considered to have many examples of formative heavy metal styles.-Track listing:# "Plastic Shotgun" - 2:34# "Crazy Woman" - 4:18# "Got a Bone of My Own" - 7:47...
- Label: Zebra 2949 004
The LP was re-issued on CD digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
in 1997 by Second Battle SB 041
External links
- Night Sun reviews at Prog Archives
- [ Kin Ping Meh discog at Allmusic.com]