choruses from under the rock

Biography of The Choruses From Under The Rock

The "Choruses From Under The Rock" were founded at the beginning of 1990 by H. Dittmer and S. Bartkowski. The two previously passive music lovers of bands such as "The Doors", "The Sisters Of Mercy" and "Joy Division" wanted to present their own ideas of music and lyrics and decided to make music together at the end of 1989. During this initial period, the two learned to play the instruments bass and guitar, programmed an old home computer with drums, and tried their hand at various cover versions, inspired and impressed by the 'Sisters'. Until this point, it was not yet clear who should take over the vocals or what the band should be named.

Various singers were tried, but none of them proved to be the right one, and the name 'Choruses From Under The Rock' was chosen for the band. Henning largely took over the vocals, which has remained so to this day and will continue to be so.

In March 1991, they played live for the first time at a self-staged party. Since this first gig did not show the success the two wished for (which was probably also due to the strange Sisters cover versions), the two locked themselves in the rehearsal room and composed a large number of their own pieces. After about a year, on June 22, 1992, the rehearsal room was opened again to present the debut tape of the Choruses, which was to be called "Loves Last Gift".

In November of the year, the response to this tape followed, an article appeared in the culture & sound magazine 'Gift' and on November 27th 1992 the two were able to present their debut live at the youth centre Zeven. Further appearances followed and the song "Children" was played on the radio within an interview was given; things were going as they should. Encouraged and spurred on by the response that the band's first work elicited, the two went into the studio to produce another four tracks. In April 1993, the second Choruses tape: "Where No Shadow Fall" was released under their own label 'Silent Ways Rec.'. This tape includes a first-class version of the song "News Today", which could already be heard on the first tape. Further appearances followed, but it remained largely quiet around the Choruses.

In 1994, the sampler "The Skull Series" was released by the label Beton Tapes in Hamburg, on which the song "News Today" was released. In the same year, Nicole Reder joined the Choruses as a keyboardist, who had already supported the Choruses at the Rocklife Festival in September '93.

In 1995, the Choruses played some gigs in Bremen and released a CD called "Through The Years", which, as the name suggests, contains song material from the entire history of the Choruses, in different versions among others. However, this CD was only released in a very small edition and is only available to the band's closest circle of friends. In addition, the CD sampler 'Coll' was released this year under the Nacht & Nebel label, on which the song "News Today" can once again be heard.