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In 1993, Bernd Bechtloff and Dieter Nemetz - both of the rock group Bates Unlimited - wrote their own songs, and recorded their own CD with three songs from Neuland during the recording of the Bates CD. Musicians were then invited for the overdubs:
As the rehearsals were so much fun, the idea came to play live, and as there were seven musicians, they called themselves the Seven Ages (subtitle: Modern ensemble for drum, voice 'n' violin). A small Viennese label, Gash Records, wanted to release Neuland, but it never happened. However, 500 copies were pressed at their own cost. Neuland track listing:
On her own initiative, Sandra Dorner, an employee at Gash Records, sent Neuland to America in 1994 - to the organisers of a large international music festival, the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. The band were soon invited to take part. The Austrian media became aware of Seven Ages. TV appearance Warlitzer and Treffpunkt Ö3 presented the band and the only half-way "suitable for radio" number She's never shy. Eckhard Mützner soon left the band. He usually only played classically, and the project was apparently too "hippy" for him! Then at the beginning of March, the band flew to Texas for the first of four gigs. The cameraman, Hans Walsberger documented the journey for ORF (X-Large). The concert in the Catfish Station club was wildly acclaimed. By chance, Hubert von Goisern's Alpinkatzen strolled into the club; they were pleased to finally hear original music and were surprised to have an Austrian band in front of them. They met an hour later in the club opposite for Hubert von Goisern's gig, and then met all together in Seven Ages' accommodation. It was a long, memorable night that still has consequences. Back in Austria, the Neuland song She's Never Shy advanced to Treffpunkt Ö3 Hit of the Week and record companies became interested. 7A manager Nik Puschek lined up a "major" record deal with BMG Ariola. Inspired by the fast success, the ensemble recorded a maxi-single On The Lake which actually became the next Treffpunkt Ö3 Hit of the Week two months later. On The Lake track listing:
In 1995, recording began on the first Seven Ages album. After countless demo tapes were considered to be too uncommercial, too experimental for BMG Ariola, the Ages began to record at their own discretion with Wolfgang Spannberger. Over a year, they worked together on this project, recording at acoustically interesting or simply atmospheric places - for example, three days in a Stone Age cave in the Vienna Neustadt, in the forest, at the Miesenbach farm, in factory buildings, but also in large and small studios. Apart from that, more concerts were played. In the autumn of 1996, the album was finally ready. Given the simple title Seven Ages, the album was ready to be "christened" - as it said on the invitations - at the Ampietheater Lindabrunn. Alpine Sabine spoke the opening words "Es beginnt" ("It begins"). The famous religious philosopher, Arnold Keyserling, appeared on stage and "baptised" the band and album with prophetic words. Five hundred people stood in the mist by torchlight and experienced a concert that they would remember for a long time. At this point, Wolfgang Maier - also from the very successful Alpinkatzen band - had already met up with Seven Ages. The album became a critical success, highly praised, but it rather stayed a secret tip for music freaks. All the same, more than 3000 copies went over the counter. Seven Ages track listing:
But soon, Dieter Nemetz, the second founding member of the group, had to leave for career reasons (he took on his father's foundry). The guitarist Paul Hochrainer from Salzburg came to Dieter's place soon after the presentation. For a short time, Stefan Engel also played as a keyboarder, but disappeared from the scene after a short tour. The removal of Dieter Nemetz also indirectly pulled Archie Lang, second violinist, out of the group. Seven Ages had always relied a lot on the individuality of the members of the group, and so it could not be inconsequential if two of the six members left the band. The consequence was a dissolution and a fitting together phase. Nevertheless, the band played many individual concerts and festivals in 1995 and 1996. Among others, with the Levellers, Oysterband, Selig, Crash Test Dummies, Fleshquartett, HvG, Sisters of Mercy, David Bowie ... as well as two Poland tours. 1997 saw an intensive trial period, from which arose a new band and a new programme. The new entry of the multi-talented musician and flame juggler Heinz Wolfsbauer from Burgenland made Seven Ages complete again. As a strong team, the band played about 70 concerts in Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Germany from 1997 to 1999. Above all, in 1998, the Across the Land tour was very successful. The 1998 band:
Briefly back - Already in 1997, Bernd Bechtloff (Seven Ages singer, driving force, lyricist and songwriter) had been invited by Wolfgang Spannberger and Hubert von Goisern (who had liked Bernd's drumming on the Seven Ages album) to work on Hubert's Tibet project, the CD Inexil - a successful attempt at a musical convergence of two cultures which sold no fewer than 40,000 copies and was even praised by the Dalai Lama. At the beginning of 1998, Hubert asked Bernd whether he would like to be part of a new HvG live band, new album and following tour. Bernd said yes without hesitation - further consequences being a decrease in motivation with the Ages which led to the dissolution of the successful formation. First of all, drummer Wolfgang Maier bailed out, who as an ex-Alpinkatzen was doubly involved. The hunt began for another drummer. Fernando Paiva, a Brazilian master drummer came on board, but because of problems with his schedule, could only play one concert - the Vienna Stadtfest. The rest of 1999 dates were played by Wolfgang Maier, who then said goodbye to the band in a friendly way. On 14th August 1999, the 98 band of Seven Ages played on stage for the last time. It was clear ... this line-up had had its day. But what now? It was mutually decided on the basis of past values (guitar, bass, drums, vocals - Paul Hochrainer, Wolfgang Wackerlig, Bernd Bechtloff) said and done, only then the three felt like getting the half-ready album finished. In early 2000 the new album Otherland was made in Paul's studio in Salzburg.
The other Ages now felt excluded and one after another left the sinking ship (as they saw it). For Ines Bialonczyk, the band had become a second family and she left with a heavy heart. When didgeridoo man Otto Trapp left the band, he took away one of their trademarks and Heinz Wolfsbauer, despite repeated invitations, could not decide whether to stay or leave. In August 2000, the time came again. After a three day rehearsal in the already legendary ambience of the southern seminar farm of Eduardo and Birgit Bayer. Seven Ages had rehearsed at the farm again and again since their foundation in 1993, in all their various line-ups and the good spirit of the place helped again and again to lay foundations and to introduce a new era - so came the motto: 'Let's go to Eltendorf and everything will be alright.' At this rehearsal, the group also found a functioning line-up again at last. The three "old" Ages were joined by Bavarian pianist, keyboarder and saxophonist Hein Kraller, as well as the German Ulli Gollermann on percussion (principally congas, but also berimbao, violin, piano, vocals and a "sound stand" whose sound was reminiscent of drum loops). In the meantime, Bernd recorded Fön with the new HvG band. The album went gold very shortly after its release in November. January 2001 - the new Seven Ages made a video Live in the Studio. The band is to be seen playing live in Paul's new studio Bingo in Surheim, Lower Bavaria, near Salzburg. Three new numbers and a reworking of the Neuland piece, Cold Outside give impressive notice that this group is completely and utterly not dead. From May 2001, Seven Ages are live on tour again!
The most recent Seven Ages album, Otherland, was released in September and it will also be available with the merchandise at Hubert von Goisern's concerts. All but one of the tracks have lyrics written by Bernd Bechtloff and several of the basis tracks were recorded in Hubert von Goisern's studio in Salzburg. Hubert's friend and producer, Wolfgang Spannberger, was also a part of the recording of these basis tracks. Former Alpinkatzen members Wolfgang Maier and Stefan Engel contributed to four tracks between them - Wolfgang on drums and Stefan playing the piano. More information at:
The Bates was established in 1985. Bernd joined in 1991 after Franz Wunderl left the group. The Bates came to an end in August 1994.
Bernd was a founding member of this group in 1981 with Rene Adametz and "Zoltan".
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