Main Stage
Let's celebrate the jubilee from Nine Inch Nails to The Killers!
Nitzer Ebb (UK)
Nitzer Ebb, the synonym of the electronic-industrial and electric body music (EBM), is a music group formed in 1982 in Essex. Their music was in tune with the outstanding representatives of industrial music (Test Dept, Einstürzende Neubauten), the giants of keyboard new wave (Depeche Mode) and with the dark-EBM party hymns (Nine Inch Nails, Front 242, Frontline Assembly, Ministry, Skinny, Puppy) and drew from these diverse trends built upon each other. Douglas McCarthy, Bon Harris and David Gooday mastered keyboard, rhythm and vocal at the highest standards, they achieved a hypnotic effect by manipulating beat in a repeated manner, as best described by one of their tracks titled Let Your Body Learn and inspired their fanatic fans, the Ebbheads, by applying extreme tunes and volume in their art. The group ground to a halt in the first years of the nineties, they even disappeared for a while, but they came to the limelight again in the past few years. Besides the nostalgic feelings they induce, the band created and continues to create value following their reincarnation.
Mando Diao (S)
Mando Diao is one massive spearhead of the potent Scandinavian altrock army, a fellow-troop of The Hives who also visit Sziget this year. The fourpiece mix savage sixties beat and rhythm and blues with the pure rock sound of the seventies adding the energy of punk and nineties britpop pastures in the vigour of recent years' "back-to-roots" tendencies. The Who, The Stooges, Oasis and The Strokes in one tasty cocktail. Mando Diao's three albums ("Bring 'Em In", 2003 - "Hurricane Bar", 2005 - "Ode To Ochrasy", 2006) were released on Mute. The band is extremely popular with German-speaking audiences due to their ballsy stage presence. We expect them by rights to shake the ground of the island in August as regular headliners of the most prestigious festivals in and outside Europe.
Kaizers Orchestra (N)
When it comes to pop or rock Norwegians always have some surprise up their sleeve. If there is surprise, Kaizers Orchestra definitely is. The sextet have recently become an elemental attraction with their terrific compound of Eastern and North-European folk and rock. Tin Pan Alley meets Misfits, Ennio Morricone meets Supergrass, oil-cans and violin, accordion and double-bass, reed organ and guitar, gas-masks and smash-hit choruses in such manner that their 2001 album, „Ompa til Du Dör” immediately got the Norwegian Grammy. Kaizers also produced the best selling record in Norwegian language ever thus proving that the language of pop is really universal. Their last album „Maestro” came out in 2005, while the next recording session is scheduled after Sziget. Let’s see what the Kaizers think about Sziget and the year of 2007: „People have always told us that we should get around to touring in eastern europe, but we´ve never been able to, due to lack of finances, but we´ve always wanted to get down there and see how our music works out down there, says Janove The Jackal Kaizer. 2007 is a live year off for us, we start recording our next album in september, so we want to be real fresh for that, but this offer from Sziget was too tempting to turn down. Sziget is one of the biggest festivals in Europe, and we have been offered a spot on the main stage on thursday, august ninth, so we´re pretty excited about that!”
Gentleman (D)
Ever since Sziget audience had fallen at Seeed’s feet we all know that the best reggae in Europe is made in Germany. Last year’s Sziget gig proved that not only Seed can flow so genuinely Jamaican: German fellow-rasta Gentleman is just as exciting and rocking, a real „journey to Jah” as his website’s name announces. This Cologne youth whose proper name is Otto Tillmann is permanently touring all across Europe and beyond with his dancehall-seasoned roots reggae music inspired by Bounty Killer and Capleton and of course he is calling at Sziget in August.
The Good The Bad and The Queen (UK)
The Good, The Bad and The Queen is the greatest music splash of 2007. The new project of the Blur superstar and Gorillaz brain trust, Damon Albarn, is simply a super group. Why? In his new group the singer is accompanied by the former Clash bassist and now painter, Paul Simonon; one of the best drummer in the world, drummer of the world-music pioneer Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, and the guitarist Simon Tong, who plays on Blur’s latest, as well as on both of the Gorillaz albums. The Good, The Bad and The Queen offers you a kind of multi-coloured and -cultured musical tour to Western London, merging the classic British lyrics composition with a touch of Kinks and David Bowie, reggae, dub, afrobeat, guitarpop and electronics. The untitled debut album – which is moody, sensitive, intellectual, loving and political, subtle and experimental, private and public – was celebrated even by the scrupulous pop critics all over the world.
The Chemical Brothers (UK)
An old debt is going to be paid when the long-awaited Chemical Brothers are coming upon stage on Sziget 2007. It was exactly ten years ago that Mancunians, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simmons changed the world to a gigantic dancefloor with their album-monster „Dig Your Own Hole” which remains an eternal trademark of electronic dancemusic, a dethroneable Majesty of the genre. Fortunately, their subsequent albums and remixes has kept on fulfilling the pemanent promises ever since, as did their last „Push The Button”. Who could ask for more?
Gogol Bordello (USA)
Gogol Bordello are real freaky renegades and also one of the most remarkable new companies on the contemporary music market whose Sziget-debut at WAN2 Stage last year was a massive success. As far as we can tell the „gypsy punks” did have their fun after „work”, as they were dancing and screaming int he frontline of Iggy Pop’s audience. Eugene Hütz, the head of this band blending Gipsy-folk, punk and Brechtian music-hall, finally arrived at Gogol Bordello’s birthplace, New York, after a quite tortuous journey. After 1986’s tragic atomic-disaster of Tshernobyl, the singer was evacuated from his home to Western-Ukraine, which he later left for Poland, and after calling at Hungary, Austria and Italy, it was in 1993 when he finally made it to the American metropolis. There he founded the band with Russian, Ukrainian and local musicians, initially playing „simply” Russian-Gipsy wedding-music. It took a few changes in the line-up (two Israeli musicians joined the group) and some years spent in the fertilizing aura of NY’s underground scene to develop their colourfully and excitingly versatile style of today. 2002’s debut „Voi-La Intruder” (produced by Nick Cave’s drummer Jim Sclavunos) was followed by four studio-albums, the last one of them being last year’s „Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike”.
Laurent Garnier (F)
The act of the French techno-god is an exclusive event in every respect. His name recapitulates several decades of techno-history, dating back as early as the good old„madchester” days” when his music influenced such bands as Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses, through the work of his own label „F Communication” up to this very day, when the „French Connection” is still intact. This time Laurent Garnier invites a complete band onto stage.
Pink (USA)
2007 pinkGet the party started! When cool-chick image goes along with considerable talent heaven might award the chick with cosmic fame. Alicia Moore aka Pink has always interfered with music since she can remember so she became a popstar, tomboy and diva rolled in one. 2000 was definitely her year as her album „Can’t Take Me Home” approached wide audiences above dance-pop and r’n’b lovers and three singles were camping simultaneously in the top region of the charts. The overnight smash was even outdone by the „Moulin Rouge” soundtrack theme „Lady Marmalade” performed in the company of Christina Aguilera, Mya and Lil’ Kim. The record „Misundaztood” proved to be her most definitive album with such co-writers as Linda Perry, Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora nevertheless the Grammy came „only” with 2003’s „Try This”. The current album”I’m Not Dead” was released last year and kept on repeating the immense success of a natural born talent who wraps you around your finger playing live before you know it.
The Madness (UK)
What can we say? Madness, they call it Madness! Surely, the greatest party band of all time and one of the most original and eccentric bands of the post punk pop scene, Madness made its very own music blended from influences of British beat, cabaret and Jamaican ska, which has retained its creative edge until today. The seven member band (Mike Barson - keyboards, Mark Bedford - bass, Chris Foreman - guitar, Graham "Suggs" McPherson – lead vocals, Chas Smash - vocals, Lee Thompson - saxophone, Dan Woodgate - drums) appeared at the time of the ska-revival in the late-70s, and became the leading band of the 2Tone label, and the scene of the same name. Their first LP, One Step Beyond came out in 1979, and they released five more albums until they split up in 1985 (which was preceded by Mike Barson’s, the band’s main composer’s departure). In 1988 four Madness members (Foreman, Thompson, Smash and Suggs) reformed the band under the name The Madness and put out an untitled record. The classic Madness line up was reassembled in 1992 for a one off grandiose show. The event’s name and songs have passed into folklore on the live album entitled Madstock. After another long pause, Madness released new material on 1999’s Wonderful, which was followed by The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. cover album six years later, in 2005. The band have remained active since then, touring from the summer to the winter in 2006, and has promised an album with new songs for the summer of 2007.
The Rakes (UK)
These Londoners are one of the best and most popular bands on recent years’ thriving and exciting British popscene. The debut of the fourpiece „Capture/Release” (2005) invoked and recycled the dancey and massive new wave/post-punk sound of the early eighties which caused a refreshing surprise and high sells-figures. The following „Ten New Messages” (2007) proved to be just as enjoyable. So what’s gonna be the first word from your lips the morning after The Rakes gig? „We danced Together” of course, as their new hitsingle suggests.
Nine Inch Nails (USA)
2007 nine inch nailsOne of the most influential bands of the last 20 years that has managed to survive a plethora of different styles, fans, stages and member changes is basically the musical ego trip of the musical genius Trent Reznor. Reznor is an innovator who can tackle eighties synth-new wave, EBM, industrial music, alt-rock, Peter Gabriel style art-rock, disco or country, and the result will always be typically Nine Inch Nails. The world of NIN matured to perfection through legendary concept albums, such as the early Pretty Hate Machine, The Downward Spiral, The Fragile or With Teeth. They topped the Billboard chart and received two Grammys for Best Metal Performance. Their greatly anticipated new album Year Zero is due out in May. The recent line-consists of Alessandro Cortini, Josh Freese, Aaron North, Trent Reznor and Jeordie White.
Babylon Circus (F)
Babylon Circus brings a familiar sound to the Sziget; an exciting and recognisable sound –which is so close to our hearts – and which most of us would identify with Les Negresses Vertes, Mano Negra or Manu Chao; a sound that blends a whole spectrum of music genres ranging from ska, punk, funk, chanson and folk to afro-beat and reggae. The ten-member band was formed in 1995 and like their renowned “forefathers” they are entertaining, amusing and funny, and at the same time opinionated and vocal.
Sinéad O’Connor (IRL)
Sinead O’Connor is one the most important, most exciting and most uncalm female pop-artists of all times. Her wonderful reggae album „Throw Down Your Arms” (2006) was the last one of her several comebacks and revivals since her debut in the eighties. The self-willed Irishwoman first made it in 1987, in a period swarming with pop-divas, with „The Lion And The Cobra”. 1990’s subsequent „I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” featured the smash.hit Prince-cover „Nothing Compares 2 U”. In the early 90s Miss O’Connor co-operated with The The and wallbreaker Roger Waters, her own solo career took, however, the wrong direction: her swing-record of 1992 „Am I Not Your Girl?” proved a failure and the scandals around her were not much use, either. After this break she stood up being guest star on Peter Gabriels’ „Us”, singing a remarkable song on „In The Name Of The Father” soundtrack written by Bono and releasing a new album, „Universal Mother” in 1994, which became more of a fans’ favourite than box office. 2000’s „Faith And Courage” ended another period (boasting of Wyclef Jean and Dave Stewart as songwriters) since the following „Sean-Nós Nua” (2002) seemed to begin a new daredo-era of returning to roots, O’Connor singing Irish folksongs in Gaelic. Even more surprising was her announcement of withdrawal in 2003. It took three long years before she returned with the fascinating new album „Throw Down Your Arms” which includes reggae-classics covers featuring such guest musicians as Sly And Robbie. The new album proved to be a definitive album of 2006. Either Miss O’Connor will sing her new album or gems of her oeuvre the audience is guaranteed to have a wonderful time and soaring experience.
Razorlight (UK)
Razorlight is one of the most exciting and successful British guitar pop bands to have emerged over the last couple of years. The band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist Johnny Borell (known for his eccentric and obnoxious behaviour) was often considered to be the British little brother of the American Strokes in their early days. However, since having defined their trademark sound and becoming successful in their own right during the last few years, they’re now comparable to nobody else on the current scene. Their unique sound manifests itself in fun and clever pop songs, in which influences of both British and American pop music of the last few decades, like that of Talking Heads, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Bob Geldolf, Police, Clash, Pulp and Blur can be heard. To date Razorlight has released two albums: their 2004 debut, Up All Night and their sophomore self-titled LP which hit the stores last year and turned out to be even more successful than their impressive first effort.
Faithless (UK)
No wonder that the fundamental band of the British house-pop wave is going to play for the fourth occasion at the Sziget Festival. This is the band that needs no introduction, as all their concerts have been great success. Moreover, they were able to outdo their previous show each time. In 2005 all signs showed that the original members of Faithless, founded in 1995, Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo, came to a halt of their career at its climax. Their Greatest Hits tour, however, proved its contrary. As a positive response they came up with their latest album last autumn, titled To All New Arrivals, which is recorded in a lower key, ambient-dub style. The band often has various people do one-off features on their tracks, this time the vocals of Robert Smith of post-punk group The Cure. We can expect that together with the brand-new hits, the house mega-tracks – Insomnia, Salva Mea, Reverence etc. - are going to be played and we can bet that the Faithless being at its summit is going outshine all its previous performances.
Sportfreunde Stiller (D)
The German band is slowly becoming regular at Sziget, these huge fans of their hometown’s TSV 1860 München and of course, Bayern München. Sportfreunde Stiller (Florian Weber – drums, Rüdiger Linhof – bass, Peter S. Brugger – vocals, guitar) had been dubbed back in 1997 after an old friend, Hans Stiller, the coach of the local footballteam of Germering. Beside football, the sportsfriends’ main pursuits are guitar-pop and indie-rock. Their sound is somewhat similar to Tocotronic and Die Sterne although Freunds’ less profound lyrics are more available to foreign speakers of German, as all their songs are written in their mother tongue. The early ones of their four critically acclaimed albums had been produced by Uwe Hoffmann (producer of Die Arzte), while 2004’s „Burli” rocks harder and displays strong British influence with a special German twist to it. It came as no surprise that their last year’s World Championship-anthem „’54 ’74 ’90 2006” landed at the top of German charts and when the National Elf got beaten by Italy in the final the guys kept their perfect cool and immediately re-wrote the lyrics and the title as the following: „’54 ’74 ’90 2010”. The Sportfreunde were also nominees at MTV MUsic Awards 2006 as Best German Act. Long live Hungarian-German Sportfreundschaft!
!!! (USA)
A band with a name not exactly easy to handle. The odd name (say: chk, chk, chk) covers a group that plays the smartest dance grooves and which – although formed back in the mid-90s and debuted in 2000 – made its way into the limelight of the mainstream in the past few years. What the eightpiece mainly reminds us is the good old eighties when the noisy and broken beats of new wave melted into funk, like it did with Public Image Limited, Pop Group, Happy Mondays and Gang Of Four and also with the contemporary likes of The Rapture. !!!’s brandnew, dancefloor-shaking, radio-hitbunch of songs „Myth Takes” has just been released.
Tool (USA)
Few bands in this world can fill the concept of art-rock with true meaning these days. Tool do. Tool means real message, gift, songwriting talent and overwhelming performance. No wonder if each and every gig they do is a world sensation and a massive sellout, a subject of conversation between music-lovers even years later. The band that saw their ascent in the early 90s heavily shocked the rockers of post-grunge era with their layered, multi-dimensional and instantly recognizable music which easily bore Jane's Addiction-like edginess, thrash-metal, prog-rock flavours, Peter Gabriel-esques and Native-American shaman-chants alike. After "Undertow", "Aenima" and a five year long break (which held singer Maynard Keenan James' extremely successful project, A Perfect Circle) Tool released "Lateralus" and last year's "10000 Days", both of which considered as milestones of rock-history by fans as well as critics.
Eagles Of Death Metal (USA)
Eagles Of Death Metal started out as a hobby band from the desert, just like the Queens of the Stone Age did once. However, the success of the latter, who managed to redefine the rock music map of the world, overshadowed the jokes of Eagles Of Death Metal. So what does the Californian band have to do with the QOTSA? Well, Josh Homme, Queen’s front man/ guitarist is sitting behind the drums, while his old schoolmate, Jeff Hughes takes over the microphone. EODM first appeared in 1998 on Desert Sessions, a compilation album edited by Homme, yet they needed a few more years to come out with their first full length album of garage rock. 2004’s Peace, Love, Death Metal was a record of dirty, powerful desert rock spiced up with a bit of humour. They returned with a similar sound and approach on their Death by Sexyn, which was released last autumn.
Chris Cornell (USA)
Throughout Chris Cornell’s twenty-year career one great thing has been followed by another. Between 1984 and 1997 he fronted Seattle-based Soundgarden, which was one of the key bands of the grunge wave, as well as one of the most influential American rock bands of the last couple of decades. In 2001 together with three ex-members of Rage Against The Machine, he formed Audioslave, which existed for six years, and made three outstanding albums before calling it quits this year. The former members of Rage Against The Machine announced the re-birth of their legendary and revolutionary rap-rock unit, while Chris Cornell decided to continue his solo career, which he started in 1999 with his Euphoria Morning album. Cornell’s new album, Carry On hits the shelves on July 5, but without any doubt, he will revisit the repertoire of his earlier bands on his Sziget gig, something which nobody will really mind.
Juliette and the Licks (USA)
No coincidence of names, as it turned out at Sziget 2005. She's none other than the extravagant heroine of such cultmovies as "Natural Born Killers". Juliette Lewis is as suggestive, genuine and fascinating when she rocks on the front of the stage as when she's on film. Her act in Budapest counts among the most memorable gigs ever taken place on Sziget Main Stage. The debut album of the five-piece formed in 2003, "You're Speaking My Language" hit the stores just before Sziget 2005 containing straightforward, cool tunes recalling the late 70s and early 80s along the lines of such artists as Patti Smith, The Pretenders and Iggy Pop. The current album "Four On The Floor" came out late 2006 with the prestigious contribution of Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) playing on drums who also gave the Licks two hands and feet on the last tour.
The Killers (USA)
2007 killersLet’s face it: The Killers are one of the biggest bands in the world these days. Brandon Flowers and Co. had already made it with their debut „Hot Fuss” – strange outside their homeland, in England first – before securing their place among the elite league of pop-giants with 2006’s „Sam’s Town”.The new album added magnificent moods along the lines of Bruce Springsteen and U2 to indie-rock and eighties retro sounds which make the band THE quintessential stadiumrock band of the world of now making ten-thousands of people dance in any part of the world with catchy, dynamic and smart pop-anthems. No doubt: the same is going to happen at Sziget Main Stage.
source: www.sziget.hu
Labels: Eagles Of Death Metal, Faithless, Gentleman, Kaizers Orchestra, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, Pink, Razorlight, Sinéad O’Connor, The Chemical Brothers, The Killers, The Madness, The Rakes, Tool
