The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Rock band to record shows

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Rock band to record shows

Staff Reporter

The concert will be held today at Palace Grounds at 7 p.m.

THE TRIO: (From left) Members of the pop group `Michael Learns to Rock' drummer Kare Wanscher, lead singer Jascha Richter, and guitarist Mikkel Lentz at a press conference in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The Danish pop group Michael Learns to Rock (MLTR) will be recording live its concerts in India and will be bringing out an India album with three new songs in one year's time.

Lead singer Jascha Richter, drummer Kare Wanscher and guitarist Mikkel Lentz said at a press conference here on Saturday that a very "inspiring India" and the fans' love for its music on its first concert here 10 years ago prompted them to go in for live recording of the India concerts.

Jascha, in response to a question on the band's popularity here, said apart from the Michael sound, the lyrics had gone down very well with fans. He acknowledged and appreciated the sentiment.

Support

"I hope the same support will be forthcoming for tomorrow's concert. We have good memories of Bangalore. We want to take them back with us."

Kare observed that another reason why the band may have been popular over all these years was because they did not change the "Michael Sound". "Our music has just been the same and people have accepted it all these years. For that reason we didn't think we should be doing anything different." Mikkel put it well: "I think we are just doing what we are good at."

The band till 2000 was four members before their bassist opted out. "That was a significant change. And we would miss him a lot. It was a bit strange not having him around. But time has passed and its five years now. Is it ok... may be it is. He is doing well," Mikkel said.

In response to a query, Jascha said the name Michael came about because he liked Michael Jackson and he wanted the word and name Michael to be somewhere in the band's name. "We then said If Frankie goes to Hollywood and Jonny Hates Jazz, why can't Michael Learn(s) to Rock?"

Later in the evening, the band members were mobbed at a local music store where they'd been invited for a promo. Youngsters sought autographs and took away posters. Everyone hoped, including the band members, the turnout and buzz at the concert would be the same.

The concert at Freeway 19 Palace Grounds begins at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5.30 p.m.

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