UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS

Jazz Rock/Fusion • Norway

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Undertakers Circus biography
UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS is a jazz-rock band from Lillestr�m, Norway, with their most active period between 1967 and 1976. With a full horn section accompanying traditional rock instruments their sound resembles bands like CHICAGO and BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, but with melodies and harmonies more of the BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST and THE MOODY BLUES mode.

They were the first rock band in Norway to write social critical lyrics in their native language. They also put music to two poems by working class poet Rudolf Nilsen. Other lyrical subjects was, amongst others, Norwegian history and Norse mythology.

In 1968 they released their first single, "Little Boy Blue"/"Gotta Get Away" (both Curtis MAYFIELD covers), but it took them another four years to get signed by Polydor and release their second single, "Riil k�ntri mjusik"/"Menuet silikose". A shortened version of "Menuet silikose" later emerged on the bands first album, while "Riil k�ntri mjusik", which was an ironic comment to the discussion between music snobs and the rest of the country's artists, became their greatest ever hit, although, as it was musically based on THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL's "Nashville Cats", it wasn't very representative for the band's sound.

The following year they released their first album, "Ragnarock". At the time the band counted 11 members: Thor S. GRENI (vocals), Per Kristian LINDSTAD (guitar), Frank MYRSETH (guitar), Stein GUDMUNDSEN (vocals, congas), Erik THOEN (bass), Frode KILDAL (drums), �ystein BJ�RK (trumpet), Johnny TORP (trombone), Kjell KRISTOFFERSEN (trumpet), Ivar HOVDEN (tenor sax) and Wiggo NILSEN (trombone). HOVDEN left the band later that year to join NEW JORDAL SWINGERS. "Ragnarock" was remastered and re-released by Pan Records in 2004, with "Riil k�ntri mjusik" and "Menuet silikose" (single version) as bonus tracks.

One of the songs on the album, "Nettenes Prinsesse" (The Princess of the Nights), originally titled "Queen of the Night", was composed and written, with lyrics in English, by guest piano player Eigil BERG (NEW JORDAL SWINGERS), and later reappeared on his solo album "Alhambra" (1981). The Norwegian lyrics on UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS' version was written by Thor S GRENI. In 1999 the song once again reappeared, this time as "Long Distance Man", on "Electric Psalmebook", an album by BIGBANG, a band fronted by Thor S. GRENI's son, �ystein GRENI, who has performed with UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS on a few occasions in later years.

In 1975 UNDERTAKERS CIR...UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS is a jazz-rock band from Lillestr�m, Norway, with their most active period between 1967 and 1976. With a full horn section accompanying traditional rock instruments their sound resembles bands like CHICAGO and BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, but with melodies and harmonies more of the BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST and THE MOODY BLUES mode.

They were the first rock band in Norway to write social critical lyrics in their native language. They also put music to two poems by working class poet Rudolf Nilsen. Other lyrical subjects was, amongst others, Norwegian history and Norse mythology.

In 1968 they released their first single, "Little Boy Blue"/"Gotta Get Away" (both Curtis MAYFIELD covers), but it took them another four years to get signed by Polydor and release their second single, "Riil k�ntri mjusik"/"Menuet silikose". A shortened version of "Menuet silikose" later emerged on the bands first album, while "Riil k�ntri mjusik", which was an ironic comment to the discussion between music snobs and the rest of the country's artists, became their greatest ever hit, although, as it was musically based on THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL's "Nashville Cats", it wasn't very representative for the band's sound.

The following year they released their first album, "Ragnarock". At the time the band counted 11 members: Thor S. GRENI (vocals), Per Kristian LINDSTAD (guitar), Frank MYRSETH (guitar), Stein GUDMUNDSEN (vocals, congas), Erik THOEN (bass), Frode KILDAL (drums), �ystein BJ�RK (trumpet), Johnny TORP (trombone), Kjell KRISTOFFERSEN (trumpet), Ivar HOVDEN (tenor sax) and Wiggo NILSEN (trombone). HOVDEN left the band later that year to join NEW JORDAL SWINGERS. "Ragnarock" was remastered and re-released by Pan Records in 2004, with "Riil k�ntri mjusik" and "Menuet silikose" (single version) as bonus tracks.

One of the songs on the album, "Nettenes Prinsesse" (The Princess of the Nights), originally titled "Queen of the Night", was composed and written, with lyrics in English, by guest piano player Eigil BERG (NEW JORDAL SWINGERS), and later reappeared on his solo album "Alhambra" (1981). The Norwegian lyrics on UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS' version was written by Thor S GRENI. In 1999 the song once again reappeared, this time as "Long Distance Man", on "Electric Psalmebook", an album by BIGBANG, a band fronted by Thor S. GRENI's son, �ystein GRENI, who has performed with UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS on a few occasions in later years.

In 1975 UNDERTAKERS CIRKUS (now written with a "k") released their second album, "Br�d & Cirkus" (Bread & Circus). By then only four of the eleven members who made "Ragnarock" was left; THOEN, KILDAL, MYRSETH and GRENI, with two new members added on; Arild STAV (woodwinds, piano, vocals), who had appeared as a guest musician on "Ragnarock", and Tom DANIELSON (piano, guitar, vocals). The horn section on "Br�d & Cirkus" consisted of several guests, most notably Bj�rn R�STAD, who later played in �ge ALEKSANDERSEN's (ex PRUDENCE) backing band, SAMBANDET.

Soon after the release of their second album UNDERTAKERS CIRKUS disbanded, but they've come back together for several concerts over the years, and are still active as a live band as of 2015.

Main source:
"Norsk pop- og rockleksikon" (Norwegian Pop and Rock Encyclopedia) from Vega Forlag (Vega Publishers) (2005)

Bio by The Bearded Bardread more

UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS Videos (YouTube and more)

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UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS discography

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UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.80 | 10 ratings

Ragnarock
1973

4.50 | 4 ratings

Undertakers Cirkus: Br�d & Cirkus
1975

UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 2 ratings

Little Boy Blue / Gotta Get Away
1968

4.00 | 1 ratings

Riil K�ntri Mjusik / Menuet Silikose
1972

UNDERTAKERS CIRCUS Reviews

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Thanks to historian9 for the artist addition. and to The Bearded Bard for the last updates