Gargamel profile picture

Gargamel

Norwegian prog rock with a retro feel!

About Me


Gargamel was formed in the spring of 2001 by Tom Uglebakken, Bjorn Viggo Andersen and Morten Tornes. Jon Edmund Hansen and Geir Tornes joined in the summer and they held their first concert in November of 2001. They proceeded to record two songs which they released as an cd-r EP in the autumn of 2002. In the atumn of 2002 the band recruited Leif Erlend Hjelmen ..o, and went on to record three more songs, which together formed the Watch for the umbles album.
The music has clear roots to the experimental and progressive rock from the period of 68-75, and has a sound that reflects this. The band takes you into the sombre, powerful prog-landscape, with melancholic moods and psychedelic atmospheres. Often taking unexpected turns, adding surrealistic and peculiar touches. Drenched in heavy hammond organs, gloomy mellotrons and jazzy el-piano; combined with classical instruments like cello, flute and saxophone.
The debut album entitled Watch for the umbles was released on swedish Transubstans records in february of 2006 and recived great reviews in the international prog press.
The band has since 2002 gone thru some changes of members. Jon Edund quit in the autmn of 2002 before the extraordinary H&M gig. Bjorn Viggo left in the winter of 2003 to move abroad. Geir left in the summer of 2003 to work abroad. Leif Erlend left in the summer of 2004 to work abroad. Geir returned late 2004, and Arne Ton joined the band ..boards at the same time. Then Geir left the band again in the spring of 2006 and was replaced by Stig Joran Rygg.
Read reviews here
The album can be ordered from:
- Record Heaven
- Cdon.com (Scandinavia, EU, and Germany)
- CdBaby
- CdUniverse
- Kinesis (American)
- Synphonic (American)
- imusic (Danish)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/12/2006
Band Website: gargamel.no
Band Members: Tom Uglebakken: Guitar, vocals, flute and saxophone.
Morten Tornes: Drums, vocals, glockenspiel, theremin and synth.
Arne Tøn: Keyboards.
Stig Jøran Rygg: Bass guitar and bass pedals.

Former members:
Geir Tornes: Bass and bass pedals.
Bjørn Viggo Andersen: Keyboards.
Jon Edmund Hansen: Guitar and bass.
Leif Erlend Hjelmen: Cello.
Hilde Braathen: Keyboards.

Influences: King Crimson, Gentle Giant, The Mars Volta, Van der Graaf Generator, Mew, Soft Machine, Tortoise, Queens of the stoneage, Jaga Jazzist, Stereolab, Genesis, Anekdoten, White Stripes, Anglagard, Frank Zappa, Yes, ELP, Jetro Tull, The Decemberists, Guapo, Sixteen Horsepower, Shining, Camel, Big Bang, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Nektar, Mogwai, Radiohead...
Record Label: Transubstans Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

New studio video

Wasn´t feeling well today, so I stayed in all day, but atleast it gave me the time to do a edit of some of the video we have recorded in the studio.This is from the overdubbing sessions in early...
Posted by Gargamel on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:47:00 PST

Studio update

Our new album is moving along quite nicely, we are actually soon finished. And it´s turning out even better than what we could have hoped for. The first weekend of Janury we started overdubs, wi...
Posted by Gargamel on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:33:00 PST

The beginning of the new

Yesterday (friday) we started the recording of our second album! Been looking forward to this for a long time, and it feels great to finally be on the way.We are recording at the excellent Harry´s Gym...
Posted by Gargamel on Sat, 08 Dec 2007 12:42:00 PST

Subtacto cancellation.

Sadly the Subtacto progfest had to make some changes and cut out the Sunday from the program (the day we were playing) due to lack of ticket sales...So we will not be playing, but we will be there on ...
Posted by Gargamel on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:02:00 PST

Download from iTunes!

Our album Watch for the Umbles is now available for download from iTunes!:)
Posted by Gargamel on Sun, 28 Jan 2007 04:24:00 PST

Vote for Gargamel!

Please vote for our debut album Watch For the Umbles as "Record of the year" in the Italian Progawards. Vote here! :)- Morten...
Posted by Gargamel on Tue, 05 Dec 2006 07:26:00 PST