Savoy (band)

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Savoy is 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 albums to date.

Savoy, unlike Waaktaar-Savoy's other band a-ha, has a certain down-to-earth indie rock approach and quality 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 pop sensation Sondre Lerche.

Savoy has achieved great critical success in Norway. They have been nominated for 3 Norwegian Grammy Awards (Spellemannsprisen) and won two of them, in 2000 and 2002. Their greatest 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 to the successful and well acclaimed Norwegian film "Hawaii, Oslo"). They have sold a total of 200,000 albums.

Savoy are currently planning to release a "best of"-album in 2007, which will include re-worked versions of some of their older songs, as well as two new songs.

Even though they sing in English, all releases after Mary is Coming have never been released outside Scandinavia, except Mountains of time. They were also released by EMI Norway except the début by Warner Bros. Records. Most of them will be reissued on Savoy's own indie label, Eleventree. Their 2004 self-titled album was the first.