Publiners started off as an ad hoc project in 1998. In the early days they played traditional irish music, more or less in a traditional way. The band members had their former experience from different kinds of music, though rock music had been the dominant influence on the six of them. As they dared to take their different influences into the context of Publiners, they developed their own sound, a kind of cross-over, acoustic based, folk-rock music. By the time they released their first album in 2002, their music had been labelled folk’n’roll. Folk’n’roll was also the name of the album.
In the latter years they have incorporated additional elements from different kinds of folk music into their own music, especially - and maybe naturally - Norwegian folk. But in some of the newer material you will also find references to Sweedish folk and eastern European gypsy music. You can also find elements and influences for Americana. But still the band has been very careful not to loose the celtic and rock’n’roll elements of the early days.
Their second album - "Heim" - was released early 2005. The style was still folk’n’roll, but on this album the band has com a bit further down the road. Consequence to the increasingly stronger Nordic influences, and the band finding their identity, the lyrics were in Norwegian.
Publiners third album will be released 2008. Plans have been somewhat delayed, due to their participation in a weekly show on national TV - "Lyden av Lørdag" - translated "The sound of Saturday".
All the band members origin from the northern parts of Norway, county Nordland. We grew up on the countryside, outside a small town called Brønnøysund. Bertil and Ronny are brothers, with Ronny being the elder and reasonable one. As a curiosity you may also notice that Olav is their second cousin on their mothers side of the family, and that Morten is their mothers cousin.
Their live performances are almost mythical, as the band members are playful on stage, with absolutely no tendencies to pretentious behaviour. If you want to party it’s a great opportunity. If you just want to hear and feel great Folk’n’roll music - likewise!