Strom

STROM (=Electricity) has been flowing through the republic´s clubs and venues since August of 2002. The track „Unter Strom“ hits the bull´s eye : „Durch Deutschland muss ein Rock geh´n, alles unter Schock steh´n...“ (try translating yourself, you spoilt teenagers... ;-)) While other bands go to any lengths to place a contract with a ´committed´ record label, the 4 Berlin rockers have decided to stray through the club´s scenery initially. ************************************************************ ***** In spite of – or maybe just because of ? – that idealism STROM took the first hurdle single-handedly, distributed and sold out their debut-album „Nr.1“ via their own mini-label R.E.F.F.-Records (Real Energy For Future). Parts of the edition had been serviced to German, Austrian and Swiss specialized press, receiving some non-petite response. Additionally there had been some radio-features and airplay, as well as some comp-appearances (´Ox-Comp No.57´, ´Man singt deutsch´ and a benefitial anti-pederast-comp from Northern Germany). ************************************************************ ***** In the aftermath numerous reviews did arrive the STROMians. A huge number of positive reviews proved that the first step had been taken successfully; nevertheless it shouldn´t remain unmentioned that the album did completely fail at a few recipients. Much too high kind of pop-appeal had been discovered by them. Not really an unjustified reproach, but : pop-appeal means recall value, brand recognition; this by itself is nothing condemnable, since it e.g. didn´t mean a slump in the carreer of some other well known German punkrockers, who had to face the same prejudices. The catchyness and the sporadically interspersed „Ska-Rakes“ of the debut-albums anyway prompted the guys from Rantanplan to invite STROM to their Germany-Tour 2004. Crowded clubs from the north to the south, overboarding kids und high flying stagedivers had been the result of the package. Rantanplan then said "Thank You" for that High-Voltage-Support in their own manner: in the course of the record-release-party of „Nr.1“ at Berlin´s famous club ´Wild at Heart´ the Hamburg-Ska-Punk-Icons Rantanplan ratcheted up the crowd for STROM. Afterwards the 3 guys and 1 girl also played opening slots for Extrabreit, The Briefs and Fabulous Disaster. ************************************************************ ****** A lot of promotion had also been gained with the song „Flying V“, which shows the band calling upon Scorpions´ guitar-player Rudolf Schenker to donate one of his innumerable guitar-treasures to the band (German ´Schenker´ means ´donor´in English). The laugh is always on the bearers of the family name... But effectively – Rudy is a Punk – after the naturally born high-voltage-electrician had found the song in his mailbox, he came, saw and endowed his noble piece of guitar legend to the band. In the tiny, Berlin-located club „Pirate Cove“ Rudy Schenker proved a proper portion of humor, jammed a Scorpions-classic ("Hey You") with STROM and joined helter-skelter and unrestrained to this piss take (also see the story on our homepage at : www.strom-dieband.com - Picturers - Berlin, Pirate Cove, 19.02.05). ************************************************************ ***** Straightforward as well : live-reviews; the tenor is definitive : THAT ROCKS !!! With Sabine Energie slogging her skins grinning like a Cheshire cat, Spoxx bending his elastomer body in time with the beats and Sash A.C. swinging the axe widestanced, Highko Strom just needs his 6 strings getting to clank, animating the pogo-dancing crowd to sing along ... pow, right off the bat the ignintion spark overlaps anywhere. Wherever STROM hit a stage, 100.000 Volt make an impact over the audience´s heads. Get out you black leather jacket, you´ll be back tomorrow, won´t you ? ************************************************************ *****