Grauzone
| Grauzone | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Switzerland |
| Genres |
Neue Deutsche Welle Post-punk |
| Years active | 1980–1982 |
| Members |
Martin Eicher (1980-1982) Marco Repetto (1980-1981) GT (1980-1981) Claudine Chirac (1980) Stephan Eicher (1981-1982) Ingrid Bernay (1982) |
Grauzone (German for grey area, [ɡʁauˈtsɔːnə]) is a band from Berne, Switzerland who was active in the early 80s.
Grauzone is most famous for their 1981 hit "Eisbär" ("Polar Bear"), which was later covered by the French band Nouvelle Vague. The single charted at #12 in Germany and #6 in Austria. Another track that was played a lot in dance clubs in the eighties was the instrumental "Film 2".
History
Foundation
At the end of 1979, Marco Repetto (drums) and GT (bass) left the punk band Glueams to form a new band called Grauzone with Martin Eicher (guitar, vocals, synthesizer). Martin had already supported Glueams on their single '"Mental". They gave their first concert in March 1980 at club Spex in Berne. Martin's brother Stephan Eicher (guitar, synthesizer) and Claudine Chirac (saxophone) supplemented the group temporarily in live appearances and recordings.
After ten concerts, four singles and an album the group split up at the end of 1982.
After Grauzone
GT and Marco Repetto formed a new band Missing Link, later Eigernordwand, with the former Glueams guitarist Martin Pavlinec and the drummer Dominique Uldry. GT supplemented the futurism oriented performance group "Red Catholic Orthodox Jewish Chorus" around performance artist Edy Marconi, in which occasionally Marco Repetto also played. Later the group changed their name to I Suonatori.
Stephan Eicher started a successful solo career.
In 1988, Martin Eicher published his solo-EP Spellbound Lovers. In 1989, Marco Repetto started a new career as a Techno and Ambient DJ, musician and producer (a.o. mittageisen v2).
Discography
Studio albums
- 1981 - Grauzone (D No. 37)
Compilation albums
- 1998 - Die Sunrise Tapes
- 2010 - Grauzone 1980-1982 double album - remastered
Singles
- 1981 - "Eisbär/Ich lieb sie" (D No. 12, A No. 6)
- 1981 - "Moskau/Ein Tanz mit dem Tod/Ich lieb sie"
- 1982 - "Träume mit mir/Wütendes Glas"
- 1983 - "Moskau/Film 2"