Zeno Roth
Encyclopedia
Zeno Roth is a German guitarist
and songwriter, playing in a fluent neoclassical/blues style. He is the younger brother of acclaimed guitarist
Uli Jon Roth of Scorpions
.
Zeno Roth is also a poet and writer. Zeno's works span the fields of poetry, philosophy, humanism, rock music and guitar aesthetics.
. Influenced by classic rock bands like Cream
, Yes
and Jimi Hendrix
, both musicians played together for some years while attending university.
When this band had broken up in 1977, Ule Ritgen played bass in the band of Zeno's brother, Uli Jon Roth, appearing on three Electric Sun
albums.
By 1980, Zeno Roth and Ule Ritgen were again working together, heading in a new direction. Zeno recalls: " The music became more melodic, with stronger vocal parts than anything we had done before. Instead of just two guitars, we added keyboard parts and background harmonies. It started to sound like what we were striving for."
The complete line-up of ZENO was formed when Michael Flexig joined as a lead singer. On the basis of superb demo tracks, ZENO were awarded one of the largest recording contracts for a new band in rock history.
The origin of the name "Zeno" traces back to a Greek philosopher, "Zeno of Citium
(Cyprus)", who founded the philosophy called Stoicism
. Zeno (Zenon)'s philosophical system included logic and theory of knowledge, physics, and ethics — the latter being central. He held that happiness lies in living in accordance with the laws of Nature and Divine Reason, which governs the universe.
A deep thinker, Zeno Roth, as a successor of such a Greek philosophical mind, is gifted with writing as well as making music. After the first album Zeno had been released in 1986 he went more into the writing field, as the music business at that time was not advantageous to melodious rock.
However, the door to his music was knocked open anew by the Japanese listeners who loved "Eastern Sun" from the re-released album Zeno in 1993. It fits together that the East, the country of the "Rising Sun" should be directly responsible for rekindling Zeno's desire to continue creating his music.
As a next step, Zenology was delivered in 1995, with songs that had been composed in the non-active period of the band ZENO. Although those songs were not newly composed, some of them hit many people with the everlasting touch of ZENO's powerful melody. (Like "Together")
In 1998, the third album Listen To The Light was released. It gained a high reputation with its melodious lyricism, containing profound and yet positive messages, spiritual, social and political, concepts for the future, plus his amazing guitar playing.
In April 1999, when Zero Corporation was liquidated, the deal was taken over by Toshiba EMI(EMI Music Japan).
In the annual reader's pop poll of 1998 by Burrn!
magazine, Listen To The Light was voted No. 2 as an album, and Zeno Roth reached the position No. 2 (guitarist) and No. 3 (songwriter). "Meet Me At The Rainbow" reached No. 9 as a tune.
In August 2000, Zeno moved to the United Kingdom and continued recordings for the new album.
In October 2003, he decided to release the past three albums (Zeno, Zenology, Listen To The Light), in a fully re-mastered and enhanced edition, also with bonus tracks, called The Making Of ZENO, which include the legendary demo takes, leading up to the first deal with EMI UK.
In 2004 Zeno finalized the digital remaster of the past albums, and in addition Zenology II, a new compilation of previously unreleased material, was released. In November, the first album Zeno was re-released in Europe as well.
In September 2006, the new studio album Runway to the Gods is released.
No. 19 of the Oricon
album Chart in Japan on the very first day.
Again, Zeno Roth is voted No. 2 as a guitarist in the annual Burrn! poll 2006.
Here are the complete results for ZENO:
"2006 The 23rd Annual Burrn! Readers' Pop Poll" *Guitarist: #2 Zeno Roth *Album Cover: #2 Runway To The Gods *Songwriter: #3 Zeno Roth *Tune: #3 Fanfares Of Love *Pleasure: #5 ZENO released a new album *Album: #8 Runway To The Gods *Group: #27 ZENO"
In 2009, Zeno moves to Japan, where he is working on numerous new projects.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and songwriter, playing in a fluent neoclassical/blues style. He is the younger brother of acclaimed guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Uli Jon Roth of Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
.
Zeno Roth is also a poet and writer. Zeno's works span the fields of poetry, philosophy, humanism, rock music and guitar aesthetics.
Biography
The history of ZENO began to take shape in the early seventies when Zeno Roth and Ule W. Ritgen formed their first band (BLACK ANGEL) in HanoverHanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. Influenced by classic rock bands like Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, both musicians played together for some years while attending university.
When this band had broken up in 1977, Ule Ritgen played bass in the band of Zeno's brother, Uli Jon Roth, appearing on three Electric Sun
Electric Sun
Electric Sun was a music group formed by Uli Jon Roth after his departure from the Scorpions in 1978. They recorded three albums between 1979 and 1985....
albums.
By 1980, Zeno Roth and Ule Ritgen were again working together, heading in a new direction. Zeno recalls: " The music became more melodic, with stronger vocal parts than anything we had done before. Instead of just two guitars, we added keyboard parts and background harmonies. It started to sound like what we were striving for."
The complete line-up of ZENO was formed when Michael Flexig joined as a lead singer. On the basis of superb demo tracks, ZENO were awarded one of the largest recording contracts for a new band in rock history.
The origin of the name "Zeno" traces back to a Greek philosopher, "Zeno of Citium
Zeno of Citium
Zeno of Citium was a Greek philosopher from Citium . Zeno was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. Based on the moral ideas of the Cynics, Stoicism laid great emphasis on goodness and peace of mind gained from living a life of virtue in...
(Cyprus)", who founded the philosophy called Stoicism
Stoicism
Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early . The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions.Stoics were concerned...
. Zeno (Zenon)'s philosophical system included logic and theory of knowledge, physics, and ethics — the latter being central. He held that happiness lies in living in accordance with the laws of Nature and Divine Reason, which governs the universe.
A deep thinker, Zeno Roth, as a successor of such a Greek philosophical mind, is gifted with writing as well as making music. After the first album Zeno had been released in 1986 he went more into the writing field, as the music business at that time was not advantageous to melodious rock.
However, the door to his music was knocked open anew by the Japanese listeners who loved "Eastern Sun" from the re-released album Zeno in 1993. It fits together that the East, the country of the "Rising Sun" should be directly responsible for rekindling Zeno's desire to continue creating his music.
As a next step, Zenology was delivered in 1995, with songs that had been composed in the non-active period of the band ZENO. Although those songs were not newly composed, some of them hit many people with the everlasting touch of ZENO's powerful melody. (Like "Together")
In 1998, the third album Listen To The Light was released. It gained a high reputation with its melodious lyricism, containing profound and yet positive messages, spiritual, social and political, concepts for the future, plus his amazing guitar playing.
In April 1999, when Zero Corporation was liquidated, the deal was taken over by Toshiba EMI(EMI Music Japan).
In the annual reader's pop poll of 1998 by Burrn!
Burrn!
Burrn! is a monthly Japanese magazine, published since 1984, for fans of heavy metal music. It is published by Shinko Music in Tokyo. The magazine's content is in Japanese, but the covers are predominantly in English.-References:* Japanavision...
magazine, Listen To The Light was voted No. 2 as an album, and Zeno Roth reached the position No. 2 (guitarist) and No. 3 (songwriter). "Meet Me At The Rainbow" reached No. 9 as a tune.
In August 2000, Zeno moved to the United Kingdom and continued recordings for the new album.
In October 2003, he decided to release the past three albums (Zeno, Zenology, Listen To The Light), in a fully re-mastered and enhanced edition, also with bonus tracks, called The Making Of ZENO, which include the legendary demo takes, leading up to the first deal with EMI UK.
In 2004 Zeno finalized the digital remaster of the past albums, and in addition Zenology II, a new compilation of previously unreleased material, was released. In November, the first album Zeno was re-released in Europe as well.
In September 2006, the new studio album Runway to the Gods is released.
No. 19 of the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
album Chart in Japan on the very first day.
Again, Zeno Roth is voted No. 2 as a guitarist in the annual Burrn! poll 2006.
Here are the complete results for ZENO:
"2006 The 23rd Annual Burrn! Readers' Pop Poll" *Guitarist: #2 Zeno Roth *Album Cover: #2 Runway To The Gods *Songwriter: #3 Zeno Roth *Tune: #3 Fanfares Of Love *Pleasure: #5 ZENO released a new album *Album: #8 Runway To The Gods *Group: #27 ZENO"
In 2009, Zeno moves to Japan, where he is working on numerous new projects.
Discography
- Zeno (1986).
- Zenology (1995)
- Listen to the Light (1998)
- Zenology II (2005)
- Runway To The GodsRunway to the GodsRunway To The Gods is the fifth album by the German hard rock band known as Zeno. This release marks the debut of Michael Bormann as the group's lead singer, although the "group" only consisted of Bormann and Zeno Roth.-Track listing:# "Fanfares Of Love"...
(2006)