Lorraine (band)

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Lorraine are a 3-piece band from Bergen in Norway. The members are Ole Gunnar Gundersen (vocals), Anders Winsents (guitar) and Paal Myran Haaland (keyboards, programming). They have no bass guitarist or drummer. They are signed to the major record label Columbia, and their influences include Depeche Mode,a-ha,New Order , kent and Kraftwerk. They have also been compared with the Pet Shop Boys and Suede. The band's name comes from the Back to the Future character Lorraine Baines McFly, mother of Marty McFly. The song "Heaven" is Lorraine's version of the Psychedelic Furs' song.

Lorraine are Ole Gundersen (24, vocals), Anders Winsents (24, guitar) and Paal Myran-Haaland (23, keyboards, programming). Their drummer is a little black box which does exactly what it's told. Between them the members' personal influences range from New Order, Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode to Kasabian, The Smiths and The Stone Roses, so it's no surprise that Lorraine's own music sounds like it should come with 'Your new favourite band' stamped across every CD.

Melodically breathtaking with a lyrical touch that recalls the flamboyant nervousness of Neil Tennant at his most miserably optimistic, Lorraine's songs are finished off with a unique modern twist.

After a brief period knocking about with friends in a Prodigy-influenced electro metal outfit, Anders and Ole set their sights elsewhere and, on their way back from a jam session in a local pizza parlour, chanced upon Paal. He was at a bus stop, drunk and shouting. It was not long before he became Lorraine's third member, his (oddly immaculate) bedroom doubling as the band’s first recording studio.

In the summer of 2000 the band, now in their late teens, decided not to go back to school. Paal's bedroom was traded for a work space, 45 minutes outside Bergen, in a decaying factory building. The units surrounding Lorraine's studio were filled with either crackheads or car mechanics. The heating didn’t work. It's cold anyway in Norway, but in this ice-pocket it was often so cold that floppy discs would freeze in the band's sampler. Then, one day, everything clicked. "Our songs mix reality and unreality," Paal explains. Many of Lorraine's songs are based on dreams; Ole believes that only in dreams are we completely honest and unfettered by often unfairly imposed moral and social codes. "It's about articulating the thoughts in your head," Ole adds. "Thoughts which wouldn’t come out in conversation. Hopes, dreams, a dark positivity. I don't know if our songs are happy or sad – we can be quite melancholic." He thinks for a little while. "There is happiness, but it might only be temporary." "We've had some kind of trip into another world making this album," Paal smiles. "We're all about big atmosphere, big sounds, big songs. We always wanted everything to be very big." It's hard to believe these particular dreams won't become a reality in 2006. It is, after all, about defining your own destiny.

Lorraine: General Info Member Since 12/20/2005

Band Website lorrainemusic.com

Band Members Ole Gundersen (vocals) // Anders Winsents (guitar) // Paal Myran Haaland (keyboards, programming)

Influences Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Ian Brown, Kent, The Stone Roses, New Order, Oasis, Kasabian, Kraftwerk, The Smiths, Prodigy, Air, The Cure

Record Label Columbia

Type of Label Major

In February 2007, it was announced via Popjustice [1] that Lorraine have departed Columbia records and are now on RCA. New tracks have been recorded for the album which WILL see the light of day, date unknown.

[edit] Miscellanea

• Anders and Ole met in a guitar shop when they both started playing Stairway to Heaven at the same time. They later discovered Paal drunk at a bus stop.
• Age 11, Anders won the gold medal in a Scandinavian speed walking competition.
• They first began recording music in Paal's bedroom, later moving to a decaying factory outside Bergen.
• They now have a drummer, who is not an official member of the band, he joins them on stage at live shows.

[edit] Discography

Albums

• The Perfect Cure*(Rec90)(2003)

Singles

• Lorraine EP*(Rec90)(2003)
• "Saved"/"I Feel It" (September 2005, Clear 7" only, Ltd. to 500 copies, on indie label Genepool)
• "I Feel It" (10 April 2006; CD, Enhanced CD, Spearmint 7")

1. "I Feel It"
2. "Italian Girlfriend"
3. "I Feel It" (Cicada Remix)
4. "I Feel It" (Video)

• "Transatlantic Flight" (31 July 2006; 12", download)

1. Axwell Mix
2. Rize & 7th Heaven Dub
3. MHC Dub

• "Heaven" E.P. (23 October 2006; 4 track CD and numbered 7" both limited to 1,000 copies)

1. "Heaven"
2. "Saved" (demo version)
3. "When I Return To The World"
4. "Confetti"

[edit] External links

• Official Site
• Myspace page

• [1] Lorraine News at PopJustice