AL DeLONER BIOGRAPHY

Al DeLoner released his first solo album “The Mess Age is Joy” to great critically acclaim in 2004. The album continues to sell. The album was recorded, at home, with DeLoner performing, engineering and producing everything himself. Originally intended as demoes for the record company, the label (Playground Music Scandinavia), nevertheless, decided to released the demoes for their stark intensity and unique atmosphere.

Second album “Flora in the darkroom” was produced at Atomino studio in Germany together with producer/engineer/musician Ringo Fire. Among the guest artists were Adam Sky (aka.Adamski), Nikki Sudden (who duets on the track “Wake me up”) and Joseph Parsons. The album found DeLoner renewing himself into new musical territory, while at the same time keeping in touch with his roots. Where the previous album is brooding and storytelling, the new album is more extroverted and more rock orientated.

Al DeLoner is also the creative force behind, the now disbanded Gold Record selling Norwegian band, Midnight Choir, as well as being an international session musician. DeLoner´s session work can be found on records by: The Walkabouts, Chris Eckman, Terry Lee Hale, Ainara LeGardon, Lipnicka/Porter, Adam Sky (aka. Adamski), Nikki Sudden and The World Domination. Also worthy of a note: Höst is a experimental duo collaboration between Al DeLoner and Chris Eckman. The follow-up to 2000´s “The Damage Suite” is now 3 years in the making.

The release of “Flora in the Darkroom” was marked by a live performance at German television via WDR, (Rockpalast, CrossRoad - series). Later in the year Al DeLoner conducted a 17-date tour of Germany/Austria. Supported by the Norwegian art counsel, the Live in Concert line-up featured Chris Hughes (drums), John C. Barry (bass), Einar Stenseng (guitar, piano), Simone Weikelt (percussion, harmonica & accordion) & Martin Klingeberg (Trumpet).

The year 2007 saw the release of a 3rd album, simply entitled “Volume 3″. Written and recorded over a period of three Norwegian winters this acoustic & atmospheric collection of songs got picked up in Germany by ZYX Records. ZYX´s Records blues, jazz & soul label “Peppercake” now holds all DeLoner´s solo work in stock. DeLoner keeps on touring and the dates can be followed on this sites Tour section.

A compilation of DeLoner´s solo work is also released in Korea by Star Search Media this year. Compiled for the Asian marked, the album “Best” showcases a true original voice, melancholic and haunting as the Norwegian landscape itself.

 

AL DeLONER BACKGROUND

Al DeLoner took piano lessons at the age of seven, changed to playing electric bass, then drums, before moving on to the guitar. He spent his childhood growing up in a music store, and he’d learn to play a variety of instruments.
After serving civil service (conscientious objector), he moved to Oslo in search of musical career together with Ron Olsen (double bass) and singer/guitar player Paal Flaata. In Oslo they would make a living as street musicians, before becoming house band at legendary honky tonk bar Gamla. After a name change from The Hashbrowns to Midnight Choir (after the Leonard Cohen song “Bird on a wire”), the band signed with Polygram/Sonet Records.

1994 saw the release of “Midnight Choir” (recorded in Fredriksbourgh,Texas with Tom Russel guitar player Andrew Hardin producing), and the band scored a hit with the song “Talk to me”. A meeting with The Walkabouts’s Chris Eckman in ‘96 were to change the musical direction of the band (he would go on to become principal producer for them, with a total output of four studio albums).

With second album “Olsen’s Lot” Midnight Choir received their first nomination for Spellemann Prisen, the Norwegian Grammy. The album included guest performances by various members of the Walkabouts, most memorable, Carla Torgerson singing on “The Ballad of Emma DeLoner”.

A break-through for the band came in 1998 with the release of Amsterdam Stranded. The album was hailed as a melancholy masterpiece, and received critical acclaim far outside Norway, most notably in the UK, and in Germany. The record was written and demoed by Al while living in Portsmouth, England, where he also had established contact with Talk Talk producer/engineer, Phill Brown. With Amsterdam Stranded Midnight Choir won the Spellemann (rock record of the year), the “Natt og Dag” price, the “Rune Gammleng” price, as well as getting their first Gold Record (for sales more than 25.000 in Norway). With new found success the band would tour extensively.

The year 2000 was marked by the release of Unsung Heroine. A third Spellemann nomination was awarded the trio, as well as being reviewed as “album of the month” in The Sunday Times. The album featured prominent guests Robbie McIntosh (The Pretenders, Paul McCartney) and Nils Petter Molvaer.

Midnight Choir would go on to reach their highest chart position (#2 in Norway) with their final studio album “Waiting for the bricks to fall”. Both Talk Talk drummer Lee Harris and Talk Talk producer Tim Friese-Greene guested on the album. The former would even join the band for their final tour. In 2005, the band signed off with “All tomorrow’s tears: The Best of Midnight Choir”.