You can easily listen to and enjoy „Tremor“ and it comes highly recommended. However, in order to understand
the album, you have to know a bit about it’s history...it’s a story of betrayal and friendship.
Does it make a good read? Sure, and how!
With a recording contract in their pocket, Wake flew to Los Angeles and hunkered down in Warren Croyle’s
studio where they worked to produce a masterpiece. „You are safe“ was the name of the enthusiastic debut
album, released in 2004, which took them one great leap forward. The fever was infectious and was even picked
up by the matter-of-fact Neuer Zürcher newspaper, „You have to rub your ears to believe what you are hearing in
the „Rote Fabrik“ (a converted warehouse): In the setting of „Rock Week“ a Zug band played with a class which
is normally reserved for the Hallen Stadion (venue for the very famous). The style, although comparable to
alternative American rock stars like Pearl Jam, also has that little bit extra. The five musicians from Wake played
with composed self-assurance, usually found in long standing professionals, without losing the urgency of a
hungry young band.“
Accidental? The number of record sales, fans and gigs tells us a different story...
So how could they suddenly wake up to find that they were actually trapped on the rollercoaster from hell? The
glittering pots of promises from the label turned out to be empty; the classic „carrot on a string“ which only lead
to a brick wall. Misdirected trust? For sure. Did the label dare to do it? You bet!
The core of the band is a friendship and an equality that is shared between five strong characters. It is sometimes
tough and everyone dreams of simply putting their foot down, especially when you are tied to a contract that is
going nowhere. Suddenly you feel Croyle’s „Mixdown“ is weakening and the crisis is banging on your front door,
the dividing line isn’t sharp enough. You open the door and the big questions slap you in the face, „Why are we
doing this?“ „Do we really want to do this?“
Yes and more! How on earth did we allow that to happen to us? Since 1995 we’ve put our souls into our songs, no
net to catch us, no one holding our hands. We know that it’s worth it and we have fun together. Point.
Just by picking themselves up they could free themselves of the contract. The relief was like popping a
champagne cork and new songs flowed freely. The anger that had been building up inside and was looking for a
vent found music. Another Rock and Roll story: Exorcism as a catalyst. In the same time, the singer Thomas Büchi
nailed his personal demons to the wall in his lyrics.
The big „ Tremor“ seized Wake. Standing up before the passion for life is a record, which was brought to life by
it’s will to live and it’s brutal honesty. The songs are tense, elastic and straight to the point. „Tremor“ stamps a
warmth on everyone, the distinguished sound of Wake which is rooted in a mutual trust. From a few faded
colours left from the original grunge, the music has developped into a modern version of Rock and Roll. Extracting
nuances from the musical palette it swings between the picking of melancholic folk to the full fat power chord.
The variety of the musical talents gives each song it’s own made-to-measure character, with varying rhythms, the
pull of an untamed guitars, a pushy bass and a voice that rages with power and tenderly purrs.
This self confident and detailed piece of work is a result of putting up with cramps. If you don’t take control of
every tiny little detail, someone else messes it up for you, not again thank you. So you ask some friends on board.
Friends who you can trust to give an unbiased judgement and who have total understanding of and respect the
wishes of the band, namely preproducer Count Vlad and producer Deezl Imhof. Everyone knows exactly what
they want.
Another story, namely that of refound self confidence. You hear nothing of the proverbial L.A „finger“ in the
songs, although one is almost grateful that it appeared. „Tremor“ has it’s roots firmly planted in the ground, it
changes the personal abyss into a thriving passion for life and hugs the world. Five different musicians face their
own different stories and personalities in the mirror and nevertheless, unite.
„Tremor“ was recorded live in the studio and sweats and swings and shakes like the after effects of an oxygen
overdose. A new deal with Phonag, new luck, now you can feel it for the first time. Life is beautiful and what
doesn’t kill us, makes us Wake.
