The Naked (band)
Encyclopedia
The Naked was a Danish
indie-rock band that existed from the end of the 1980s and disbanded in 1999. The band started out under the name Naked Lunch, later shortening the name to Naked, and finally to The Naked.
The band was formed by Kasper Andersen (vocal, guitar) and Jacob Als Thomsen (guitar), who met in high school. Andersen started out as drummer, but switched to guitar after Thomsen left temporarily to study at Durham University
. At the time of the band's first album, Thomsen was back with Anders Reuss as third guitarist, with Emil Landgreen on drums and Andreas Koch on bass. During the recording Landgreen left to join Speaker Bite Me and was replaced by Rene Thorny. Astrid Bruun Johansen joined on viola after the second album.
The Naked introduced the experimental, noisy and distortion-laden sound of then contemporary American and British indie-rock to the Copenhagen
music scene, inspired by the post-punk
sounds of Sonic Youth
, Swans
, My Bloody Valentine, and Loop
. The band later turned towards a more introverted style which still maintained these dissonant elements but tempered them with almost folk-like arrangements.
The second album, Pass Out, was produced by Chris Brokaw
of Come
and Codeine
. The Naked supported Come on the band's tour of northern Europe in 1998. The grand old man of Danish rock, Steen Jørgensen of Sort Sol
, also appeared as lead vocalist on a track of the band's 1997 EP, Some Kind Of Beautiful. In Copenhagen, the band opened for Mercury Rev
and Smog
, amongst others. From 1996 to 1999, Andersen took up the drums again in the band Sfu·ma·to.
After the break-up and Andersens sex reassignment surgery
, most of the band members continued in Ensemble Orlando.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
indie-rock band that existed from the end of the 1980s and disbanded in 1999. The band started out under the name Naked Lunch, later shortening the name to Naked, and finally to The Naked.
The band was formed by Kasper Andersen (vocal, guitar) and Jacob Als Thomsen (guitar), who met in high school. Andersen started out as drummer, but switched to guitar after Thomsen left temporarily to study at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. At the time of the band's first album, Thomsen was back with Anders Reuss as third guitarist, with Emil Landgreen on drums and Andreas Koch on bass. During the recording Landgreen left to join Speaker Bite Me and was replaced by Rene Thorny. Astrid Bruun Johansen joined on viola after the second album.
The Naked introduced the experimental, noisy and distortion-laden sound of then contemporary American and British indie-rock to the Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
music scene, inspired by the post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
sounds of Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
, My Bloody Valentine, and Loop
Loop (band)
Loop was a South London band founded in 1986 by Robert Hampson and his wife, Bex, and active until 1991.-Career:The band was formed in 1986 by Robert Hampson , with wife Bex on drums. Bex was soon replaced by John Wills and Glen Ray, with James Endeacott on guitar...
. The band later turned towards a more introverted style which still maintained these dissonant elements but tempered them with almost folk-like arrangements.
The second album, Pass Out, was produced by Chris Brokaw
Chris Brokaw
Chris Brokaw is an American musician, mostly known for his work with the bands Come and Codeine.While studying at Oberlin College, Brokaw met many people who became figures on the American indie rock scene of the 1990s, among them Stephen Immerwahr, who formed Codeine with Brokaw, as well as...
of Come
Come (US band)
Come was an American alternative rock band from 1990-2001. Come was formed in Boston by Thalia Zedek , Chris Brokaw , Arthur Johnson , and Sean O'Brien .-Band history:...
and Codeine
Codeine (band)
Codeine was an American indie rock/slowcore band formed in 1989. They released two full-length albums — Frigid Stars in 1990 and The White Birch in 1994.-History:...
. The Naked supported Come on the band's tour of northern Europe in 1998. The grand old man of Danish rock, Steen Jørgensen of Sort Sol
Sort Sol
Sort Sol is a pioneer rock band from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band was formed in 1977 as a punk rock outfit, originally under the name Sods. Despite drastic changes in the group's line-up, their current name, which translates to English as black sun, has remained with them since the early 1980s...
, also appeared as lead vocalist on a track of the band's 1997 EP, Some Kind Of Beautiful. In Copenhagen, the band opened for Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev is an American alternative rock group, that formed in the late 1980s in Buffalo, New York. Original personnel were David Baker , Jonathan Donahue , Sean Mackowiak, a.k.a...
and Smog
Smog (band)
Bill Callahan , is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who has also recorded and performed under the band name Smog. Callahan began working in the lo-fi genre of underground rock, with home-made tape-albums recorded on four track tape recorders...
, amongst others. From 1996 to 1999, Andersen took up the drums again in the band Sfu·ma·to.
After the break-up and Andersens sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
, most of the band members continued in Ensemble Orlando.
Discography
- All The Good Things Are Gone (CD, 1994, AGM Music)
- Pass Out (CD, 1996, Crunchy FrogCrunchy Frog RecordsCrunchy Frog is an independent record label, established in 1994 in Copenhagen, Denmark.The label is owned by the four members of Thau. The daily operations is handled by Jesper "Yebo" Reginal Petersen, drummer of Thau...
) - Some Kind Of Beautiful (10" EP, 1997, Crunchy FrogCrunchy Frog RecordsCrunchy Frog is an independent record label, established in 1994 in Copenhagen, Denmark.The label is owned by the four members of Thau. The daily operations is handled by Jesper "Yebo" Reginal Petersen, drummer of Thau...
) - How Could One Ever Think Anything's Permanent (CD, 1999, Purderous Magina Records)
Compilations
- Children Of The Night - a Roky EricksonRoky EricksonRoky Erickson is an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist from Texas. He was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.-Biography:...
tribute (LP, 1997) - A Decade Of Crunchy Frog Music (2xCD, 2004, Crunchy FrogCrunchy Frog RecordsCrunchy Frog is an independent record label, established in 1994 in Copenhagen, Denmark.The label is owned by the four members of Thau. The daily operations is handled by Jesper "Yebo" Reginal Petersen, drummer of Thau...
)