Savoy (band)
Encyclopedia
Savoy are a Norwegian-American rock trio consisting of Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
(famous from Norwegian band A-ha
) (vocals/guitars/bass/keyboards), Lauren Savoy (vocals/guitars) and Frode Unneland (drums/percussion/backing vocals). The band was formed in 1994 and has released 5 studio albums to date.
Savoy, unlike Waaktaar-Savoy's other band A-ha
, has a certain down-to-earth indie rock
approach to their music. All songs are composed by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Lauren Savoy
. Lauren herself is known as a film maker, and Frode Unneland is one of Norway's best drummers known from the Bergen
music scene as drummer with Chocolate Overdose and Popium. He has also drummed for Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche
.
Savoy have achieved great critical success in Norway. They have been nominated for 3 Norwegian Grammy Awards (Spellemannprisen) and won two of them, in 2000 and 2002. Their most known hits include "Velvet" (also covered by A-ha), "Rain", "Star", "Grind You Down", "If You Won't Come to the Party" and "Whalebone" (from the soundtrack of the well-acclaimed Norwegian film Hawaii, Oslo). The latter track cleverly recycles lyrics from A-ha's 1993 track, "Locust". Savoy have sold a total of 200,000 albums.
On August 6, 2007, Savoy released Savoy Songbook Vol. 1, a double-CD where CD2 is a "best of"-album with 14 tracks, and CD1 contains three new songs and seven re-worked versions of some of their older songs. It will work as an introduction to the band outside Norway (noting a possible worldwide release). The first single from this release, "Karma Boomerang", is one of the new tracks and was released on 13 April 2007. The second single has been announced to be "Best Western Beauty" but no release date has been announced.
Savoy signed a UK deal with indie label Genepool Records. They are also back in the studio for the next album.
They are not to be confused with Savoy Brown
or any other band called Savoy (Germany and Romania each have a band with the name Savoy).
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
(famous from Norwegian band A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
) (vocals/guitars/bass/keyboards), Lauren Savoy (vocals/guitars) and Frode Unneland (drums/percussion/backing vocals). The band was formed in 1994 and has released 5 studio albums to date.
Savoy, unlike Waaktaar-Savoy's other band A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
, has a certain down-to-earth indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
approach to their music. All songs are composed by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Lauren Savoy
Lauren Savoy
Lauren Waaktaar-Savoy is an American musician, composer, director and photographer.She was born in 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts.Since 1995, she has played with husband Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and drummer Frode Unneland in the group Savoy....
. Lauren herself is known as a film maker, and Frode Unneland is one of Norway's best drummers known from the Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
music scene as drummer with Chocolate Overdose and Popium. He has also drummed for Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche
Sondre Lerche
-Career:Sondre Lerche was born in Bergen, Norway. Growing up, Lerche was heavily influenced by the '80s pop that emanated from his older siblings' rooms. Compelled by a defining fascination for bands such as The Beatles, A-ha, the Beach Boys, and Prefab Sprout, Lerche began formal guitar...
.
Savoy have achieved great critical success in Norway. They have been nominated for 3 Norwegian Grammy Awards (Spellemannprisen) and won two of them, in 2000 and 2002. Their most known hits include "Velvet" (also covered by A-ha), "Rain", "Star", "Grind You Down", "If You Won't Come to the Party" and "Whalebone" (from the soundtrack of the well-acclaimed Norwegian film Hawaii, Oslo). The latter track cleverly recycles lyrics from A-ha's 1993 track, "Locust". Savoy have sold a total of 200,000 albums.
On August 6, 2007, Savoy released Savoy Songbook Vol. 1, a double-CD where CD2 is a "best of"-album with 14 tracks, and CD1 contains three new songs and seven re-worked versions of some of their older songs. It will work as an introduction to the band outside Norway (noting a possible worldwide release). The first single from this release, "Karma Boomerang", is one of the new tracks and was released on 13 April 2007. The second single has been announced to be "Best Western Beauty" but no release date has been announced.
Savoy signed a UK deal with indie label Genepool Records. They are also back in the studio for the next album.
They are not to be confused with Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown, originally known as the Savoy Brown Blues Band, are a British blues rock band, formed in 1965, in Battersea, South West London...
or any other band called Savoy (Germany and Romania each have a band with the name Savoy).
Current members
- Paul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
- Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards - Lauren SavoyLauren SavoyLauren Waaktaar-Savoy is an American musician, composer, director and photographer.She was born in 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts.Since 1995, she has played with husband Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and drummer Frode Unneland in the group Savoy....
- Vocals, guitar - Frode Unneland - Drums, backing vocals
Guest musicians
- Greg Calvert - Bass (1995–1997)
- Geir Luedy - Bass (1997–1998)
- May Britt Vik - Bass (2004)
- Christer Ottesen - Bass (2004)
- Jørun Bøgeberg - Bass
- Preben Grieg-Halvorsen - Keyboards
- Erin HillErin HillErin Hill is an American harpist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actress. Her musical performances have ranged from pop, psychedelic, and science fiction to kids music, opera, and Celtic. Hill’s 2009 album with her Celtic group hit #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart...
- Harp, backing vocals
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Mary Is Coming Mary is Coming This is based on a translation from Spanish Wikipedia.Mary Is Coming is the first album released by the band Savoy. It was a different sound from Paul Waaktaar-Savoy's previous band, a-ha, which had gone on hiatus. Savoy aimed to be more guitar-oriented. Mary Is Coming was recorded in Oslo and... |
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Records Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies... |
| 1997 | Lackluster Me Lackluster Me Lackluster Me is the second album released by the band Savoy. It was only officially released in Norway and Sweden. It sold a total of 15,000 copies there and received a Spellmanprisen nomination for best rock album. "Sycamore Leaves" was previously recorded by a-ha on their 1990 album East of... |
EMI EMI Records EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide... |
| 1999 | Mountains of Time Mountains of time Mountains Of Time is the third album released by the band Savoy. It is the only original Savoy studio album officially released outside of Scandinavia so far, but only in central and Western Europe. There was a limited edition with a second CD called The Bovarnick Twins, which was an EP of... |
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| 2001 | Reasons to Stay Indoors Reasons to Stay Indoors Reasons To Stay Indoors is the fourth album from the Norwegian group Savoy, released Monday 8 October 2001 in Norway and the 25 February 2002 in Sweden. This disc is, like Mountains Of Time, one of the most acclaimed of Savoy... |
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| 2004 | Savoy Savoy (album) Savoy is the fifth album from the Norwegian group of the same name, released 30 October 2004 in Norway. Like their two previous releases, there was a regular edition and limited edition. However, this time, the limited edition bonus CD has been substituted with a DVD with the videos for "Isotope"... |
Eleventeen Records |
Compilation
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 is a compilation album from the Norwegian group of the same name, released Monday 6 August 2007 in Norway. It was released 12 May 2008 in the UK by Genepool Records. Disc one contains three all-new tracks and re-recordings of earlier tracks. Disc 2 contains the original... |
Universal |
External links
Official Savoy myspace site- Savoy-Music.de German fan site
- http://www.savoyfansiteinjapan.com/_ Japanese fan site
- http://savoy.aha-fr.com/ French fan site