Our own "press release" - once we got one - basically looked the same most of the time, although it was naturally updated once in a while to reflect the latest developments and releases. This is the final version, written in February 1996 just before the fatal Bratbeat tour:
The Basement Brats are five youngsters from Halden, Norway who play something like sixties garage Ramones pop. They have released five records so far, with more coming in the near future.
The boys have been playing since they saw the light at a Devil Dogs show in their hometown, and are now known as one of Norway's coolest bands.
Their first release, the EP "Blast-Off" (THEN 021) on That's Entertainment Records, was released in the autumn of 1993, and was to be the last vinyl record ever to be cut in Norway. The record contained six fast tracks, and got raving reviews throughout the world.
Their next release came in the shape of the mini-LP "Tales from the Basement" (SCALP 107) on the German label Screaming Apple Records in the summer of 1994, and was followed by a mini-tour with fellow Norwegian bands the Kwyet Kings and the Yum Yums to the PopKomm festival in Cologne, Germany and a following concert in Belgium.
The only release from the Brats in 1995 was a track on Belgian Demolition Derby's compilation EP "Jailbait", but they kept rehearsing, playing gigs and writing new songs, and have just released a new full-length album, "The Bratbeat" (THEN 027 CD) out on CD from That's Entertainment Records and on LP shortly from Screaming Apple Records. In addition the single "Shining Down" (SNEAK 2) is out from Sneakers Records.
A compilation CD entitled "Curse of the Brats" should also be available shortly from Japanese 1+2 Records. The album will contain the tracks from the band's previous vinyl releases as well as a handful of previously unreleased songs.
To promote their new releases, the band will spend most of March on the road for a tour of Spain and France, (with a little trip into Belgium on the way). If you want to be part of the action, be a brat and be there!
THE BASEMENT BRATS was formed more than three years ago when the five youngsters went to see a Devil Dogs show. They saw the light and have as time's gone by, managed to become one of the leading new Norwegian rock'n'roll acts.
Their first claim to fame was the six-track EP "Blast-Off" (THEN 021) release on That's Entertainment Records late fall last year, and they got raving reviews throughout the world. They also supported the Lyres in Oslo at the same time.
Their new release, a mini-album, called "Tales From The Basement" (SCALP 107), on German SCREAMING APPLE RECORDS, will be out in time for their appearance on the POPKOMM festival in Cologne in August.
THE BASEMENT BRATS can easiest be described as the missing link between the Monkees and the Ramones, which means that they combine high energy punk rock with the sweetest melodies.
The combination of two guitars, bass, drums and a frantic lead vocal can hardly fail, and if you're one of those who think this is boring old news, you've definitely missed THE BASEMENT BRATS.
Sneakers Records used the following text to promote the "Shining Down" single:
From Halden, Norway comes this here five piece gang, whose merits include several amazing vinyl-platters, several European tours, and a steadily growing following everywhere. Rough, ready, tough, willin' an' able - The Basement Brats serves their wonderful and powerful music loaded with energy, aggression and more than a hint of melody. Timeless music, performed by a band that knows what they're doing. Magnum on vocals, Egil and Nils on guitars, and a supertight rhythm-section consisting of RC on bass guitar and monsterdrummer Bratman turn February into July with this superhot waxing in the good old 7" format. The A-side "Shining Down" shows the band from their electric powerpop side, while the B-side's two punkish garage-rave-ups should send everybody out on the floor pogoing or shaking or whatever the terms for those bodily movements are right now. A new fulltime CD is reported being just around the corner, this should give you a good indication of what to expect. So get out of the zombiemood and start diving into your full moon cocktails; Ladies and Gentlemen - this is music! And don't you dare to forget, this band will be bigger than The Ramones!
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Magnum