Sort Sol
Encyclopedia
Sort Sol is a pioneer rock
band from Copenhagen
, Denmark
. The band was formed in 1977
as a punk rock
outfit, originally under the name Sods. Despite drastic changes in the group's line-up, their current name, which translates to English
as black sun, has remained with them since the early 1980s. For reasons unknown, the Danish press
often refers to their musical style as 'punk', though nearly everything they have put out since 1980
is more reminiscent of styles such as post punk, goth, and even industrial music
.
), Peter Schneidermann (guitar
; better known as Peter Peter), Knud Odde (bass
) and Tomas Ortved (drums).
The band released their first studio album Minutes to Go
in February 1979 which is considered the first Danish punk album. They went on to release Under en sort sol
in 1980, a more experimental album, influenced in part by Joy Division
, Pere Ubu
and Television
.
T. S. Høeg (saxophone
) entered the group for a short while in late 1980. In 1981 the group released their first single under the name Sort Sol. The single "Marble Station" (with the b-side "Misguided") is only released in England
on the record label 4AD. In March 1981 the group played their first concert outside of Denmark. 1983 saw the release of the album Dagger & Guitar
, featuring punk idol Lydia Lunch
.
In 1985 Lars Top-Galia (guitar, previously in the band ADS
) joined the group, and the line-up stayed intact until 1996, when Peter Peter left due to disagreements within the band, partly owing to artistic differences.
In 1988 Sort Sol made the album Everything That Rises Must Converge
which has been described as their artistic breakthrough. The album consists of 10 slowpaced tracks that rely heavily on the deep voice of Steen Jørgensen. In 1991 they made their first CD release which was Flow My Firetear
. This was the first of their records reaching a broad audience.
They reached their peak popularity three years later with Glamourpuss
which by 2002 had sold 122,483 copies in Denmark, more than all their previous records had sold. The Danish hit-movie Nattevagten
used three tracks from Glamourpuss on the soundtrack, which contributed to the commercial breakthrough of Sort Sol in Denmark.
In 2004 Lars Top-Galia left the band and Sort Sol's future in jeopardy. Tomas Ortved releases his solo debut Sun Pistol in 2008. All members are known from various musical or art project throughout the years, which can be found listed in Jan Poulsens biography of the band.
In March 2009 rumours of a possible comeback began surfacing. On March 17, the Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet
wrote that Steen Jørgensen have been in contact with all previous Sort Sol members to arrange farewell concerts. However, to days later Lars Top-Galia denied any planned concerts, but confirmed that there have been talks with the old band members. He also said, "It is not unlikely that we could do in the future, but as I said, there are no concrete plans".
Internationally renowned artists who have performed and/or recorded with the group include William S. Burroughs
, Lydia Lunch
, Link Wray
, The Jordanaires
, Sune Rose Wagner (of The Raveonettes
) and Sissel Kyrkjebø
.
Former members
as Sort Sol
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band from Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The band was formed in 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
as a punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
outfit, originally under the name Sods. Despite drastic changes in the group's line-up, their current name, which translates to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as black sun, has remained with them since the early 1980s. For reasons unknown, the Danish press
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
often refers to their musical style as 'punk', though nearly everything they have put out since 1980
1980 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....
is more reminiscent of styles such as post punk, goth, and even industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
.
Band history
Sods was formed in Copenhagen, 1977. The original lineup consisted of: Steen Jørgensen (vocalsSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Peter Schneidermann (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
; better known as Peter Peter), Knud Odde (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Tomas Ortved (drums).
The band released their first studio album Minutes to Go
Minutes to go
Minutes To Go is an album released by Danish punk band Sods . It was released in 1979 and is often referred to as Denmark's first punk album...
in February 1979 which is considered the first Danish punk album. They went on to release Under en sort sol
Under en sort sol
Under en sort sol is the second album by the Danish rock band Sods, later known as Sort Sol. The album was recorded over two days in 1980 and released the same year. With this album, the group moved away from the punchy 1-2-3-4 punk, and into more experimental post-punk...
in 1980, a more experimental album, influenced in part by Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, Pere Ubu
Pere Ubu (band)
Pere Ubu is an experimental rock music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. Despite many long-term band members, singer David Thomas is the only constant...
and Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
.
T. S. Høeg (saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
) entered the group for a short while in late 1980. In 1981 the group released their first single under the name Sort Sol. The single "Marble Station" (with the b-side "Misguided") is only released in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on the record label 4AD. In March 1981 the group played their first concert outside of Denmark. 1983 saw the release of the album Dagger & Guitar
Dagger & Guitar
Dagger & Guitar is the third album by the Danish rock band Sort Sol and is the first of their records to carry that name. The album was, when it was released, often seen as the first "commercial" album for the band as it contained more listenable and catchier songs than the two previous albums. It...
, featuring punk idol Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
.
In 1985 Lars Top-Galia (guitar, previously in the band ADS
ADS (band)
ADS was a Danish gothic punk band with among others Stig Pedersen and Lars Top-Galia .Genre-wise ADS was a mix of punk rock and post-punk not infrequently with a dystopian / doomsday-like expression...
) joined the group, and the line-up stayed intact until 1996, when Peter Peter left due to disagreements within the band, partly owing to artistic differences.
In 1988 Sort Sol made the album Everything That Rises Must Converge
Everything That Rises Must Converge (album)
Everything That Rises Must Converge is the fourth album by Danish rock act Sort Sol . The album name comes from the title of a short story by Southern writer Flannery O'Connor. The album was released in 1987 and showed another change of direction for the group...
which has been described as their artistic breakthrough. The album consists of 10 slowpaced tracks that rely heavily on the deep voice of Steen Jørgensen. In 1991 they made their first CD release which was Flow My Firetear
Flow My Firetear
Flow My Firetear is the fifth album by Danish rock act Sort Sol. It was released in March 1991. The album was the bands first taste at commercial succes and spawned hits such as Siggimund Blue and Midnight Train To Summer.-Track listing:...
. This was the first of their records reaching a broad audience.
They reached their peak popularity three years later with Glamourpuss
Glamourpuss (album)
Glamourpuss is the sixth album by Danish rock band Sort Sol. It is their most commercially successful to date, and features their biggest hit "Let Your Fingers Do The Walking"...
which by 2002 had sold 122,483 copies in Denmark, more than all their previous records had sold. The Danish hit-movie Nattevagten
Nattevagten
Nightwatch is a 1994 Danish horror thriller film directed and written by Danish director Ole Bornedal. It is a thriller about a law student who works in a morgue as a night-watchman, and becomes implicated in a series of murders of prostitutes.Ole Bornedal also directed the Hollywood remake...
used three tracks from Glamourpuss on the soundtrack, which contributed to the commercial breakthrough of Sort Sol in Denmark.
In 2004 Lars Top-Galia left the band and Sort Sol's future in jeopardy. Tomas Ortved releases his solo debut Sun Pistol in 2008. All members are known from various musical or art project throughout the years, which can be found listed in Jan Poulsens biography of the band.
In March 2009 rumours of a possible comeback began surfacing. On March 17, the Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet
Ekstra Bladet
Ekstra Bladet is a Danish tabloid newspaper focusing on sensationalist stories. It gets a share of its income from sex ads. Since 1979 it has always had a partly or completely naked woman on page nine which is referred to as Side 9 Pigen , a Danish equivalent of the English Page Three girl...
wrote that Steen Jørgensen have been in contact with all previous Sort Sol members to arrange farewell concerts. However, to days later Lars Top-Galia denied any planned concerts, but confirmed that there have been talks with the old band members. He also said, "It is not unlikely that we could do in the future, but as I said, there are no concrete plans".
Internationally renowned artists who have performed and/or recorded with the group include William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
, Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
, Link Wray
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
, The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
, Sune Rose Wagner (of The Raveonettes
The Raveonettes
The Raveonettes are a Danish indie rock duo, consisting of Sune Rose Wagner on guitar, instruments, and vocals, and Sharin Foo on bass, guitar and vocals...
) and Sissel Kyrkjebø
Sissel Kyrkjebø
Sissel Kyrkjebø , also simply known as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano.Sissel is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos. Sissel's musical style runs the gamut from pop recordings and folk songs, to classical vocals and operatic arias...
.
Band members
Current members- Steen Jørgensen – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(1977–present) - Tomas Ortved – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1977–present) - Lars Top-Galia – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1985–2004, 2010–present)
Former members
- Knud Odde – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1977–2001) - Peter Schneidenman – guitar (1977–1995)
- Morten Versner - violin (1980–1982)
Studio albums
as Sods- Minutes To GoMinutes to goMinutes To Go is an album released by Danish punk band Sods . It was released in 1979 and is often referred to as Denmark's first punk album...
(1979) - Under en sort solUnder en sort solUnder en sort sol is the second album by the Danish rock band Sods, later known as Sort Sol. The album was recorded over two days in 1980 and released the same year. With this album, the group moved away from the punchy 1-2-3-4 punk, and into more experimental post-punk...
(1980)
as Sort Sol
- Dagger & GuitarDagger & GuitarDagger & Guitar is the third album by the Danish rock band Sort Sol and is the first of their records to carry that name. The album was, when it was released, often seen as the first "commercial" album for the band as it contained more listenable and catchier songs than the two previous albums. It...
(1983) - Everything That Rises Must ConvergeEverything That Rises Must Converge (album)Everything That Rises Must Converge is the fourth album by Danish rock act Sort Sol . The album name comes from the title of a short story by Southern writer Flannery O'Connor. The album was released in 1987 and showed another change of direction for the group...
(1987) - Flow My FiretearFlow My FiretearFlow My Firetear is the fifth album by Danish rock act Sort Sol. It was released in March 1991. The album was the bands first taste at commercial succes and spawned hits such as Siggimund Blue and Midnight Train To Summer.-Track listing:...
(1991) - GlamourpussGlamourpuss (album)Glamourpuss is the sixth album by Danish rock band Sort Sol. It is their most commercially successful to date, and features their biggest hit "Let Your Fingers Do The Walking"...
(1994) - Unspoiled MonstersUnspoiled MonstersUnspoiled Monsters is the seventh album from Danish alternative rock act Sort Sol. It is the first not to feature original member Peter Peter Schneidermann, as he left the band before pre-production of the album. The album is a departure from Sort Sol earlier albums, as it is less aggressive and...
(1996) - SnakecharmerSnakecharmer (album)Snakecharmer is the eighth album from Danish alternative rock act Sort Sol.-Track listing:#I'll Take Care Of You – 4:46#It's Gonna Rain – 4:10#Brogue – 4:34#Rhinestone – 3:58#Next Century – 3:38#Elia Rising – 4:25...
(2001)
Compilation albums
- Fog Things (1992)
- Circle Hits the Flame - Best Off... (2002)
Box sets
- Black Box (1997)
- The Blackest BoxThe Blackest Box (Sort Sol album)-Personnel:Sods/Sort Sol* Steen Jørgensen – vocals, pocket trumpet* Knud Odde – bass* Tomas Ortved – drums* Peter Peter – guitar* Lars Top-Galia – guitarAdditional musicians and production...
(2011)