Travelling around Norway in the Spring is a fantastic experience. During my trip in 2013, we hooked up with the key movers and shakers involved in forming the country’s house and disco scenes. I was lucky enough to touch down in Oslo, Bergen and Tromsø, and many weird and beautiful places in the surrounding areas. I travelled with Ben Davis, who was directing the film we were working on, formed from interviews with the key people from the dance scene plus Paper Recording’s label artists such as Those Norwegians. We were also curious about the country, geography, and people and how they influenced each other’s creative passions. This film’s working title was ‘Northern Disco Lights – The Rise and Rise of Norwegian House Music’. During our visit, we spoke to as many DJs, producers, promoters and radio stations as possible and decided to publish these best bits that sum up the trip, the film and our findings.
This video was unearthed on our travels during 2016, the tape was actually found in a skip after a studio clearance, was rescued and digitised. Some of it makes the cut!
Director/interviewer: Casper Evensen
Commissioned & Produced: R&S Records
Location: Lysverket Studios, Tromsø, Norway.
Date: circa 1994/95
Casper Evensen (CE): Is isolation something that forms your music, makes it extraordinary?
Geir Jenssen – Biosphere (GR): Yes, I think so, in a way we’re isolated from what’s happening in England and Europe. And that makes it easier to have a certain style and do something others don’t.
(CE): but with this new technology, will you make remix after remix and sample some here and there, will that make it (the music) simpler in a way?
(GR): No. The better equipment you have, the bigger goal you set yourself, to make something brand new, that no one has ever made before. It’s actually harder.
(CE): Where is Geir Jensen (Biosphere) heading after ‘the’ Levi’s commercial (Novelty Waves was placed in an ad by Levis)?
(GR): I am working on my next double CD. The first CD I made in the dark period of the year; you hear that in the music. Now that the sun is back, I will make the second CD, another version of the CD I made in the dark period, with more sun in the music.
(CE): Film music Geir, your genre and your way of working should be perfect for this, have you given it any thoughts?
(GR): Yeah, I have made music for a couple of short films and I’m pretty sure a film will happen in near future.
(CE): Is this something that interests you?
(GR): Yes, I would very much like to do that.
(CE): Why is Tromsø happening right now for this type of music?
(GR): First of all, it’s a lot of very talented people here. But I also think that if you compare Tromsø and Oslo. Oslo has more to offer, theatre, cinema, concerts, raves, house parties etc.
Here pretty much nothing is happening outside, so you’re almost forced to sit inside and make music.
(CE): The technology and distribution are simpler, has this changed the music industry?
(GR): Yes. Before a band got signed to a record label with big budgets, and you had to go to a studio and spend a lot of money to record the album. I can sit here and send a fax when I finish a track. And a freight company come and pick up a DAT, this little cassette I have here. That cassette is in Europe the next day and can be released a couple of days after that. Things move very fast now.
(CE): Can the record industry keep up with this?
(GR): The label I am on, a small label that specialises in techno music, are just interested in this genre. They have a complete understanding of what is going on. But I believe bigger labels can’t work that fast, because we’re talking big budgets, promotions etc. Everything must be planned ahead.
(CE): The Internet is the new music channel, almost like MTV, is this something you use?
(GR): No, I am thinking about getting internet, but I think it’s mostly a waste of time, to be honest.
(CE): How long time do you spend on developing an album, for instance, the record you are working on now?
(GR): I have been working a year and a half just to finish the first of the two CDs (on the double album). But I hope I will finish the second CD faster. So in a way, it’s not that fast to produce my music.
© Paper Vision Films t/a We Are Woodville Ltd 2016
Recorded on a Zoom H2.
Transcribed by Fingertips, Louie Callegari and Tongue Tied.