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2003
A contemporary sounding remix of "Shouldn´t Have To Be Like
That" is released as a radio promo single in Norway. The remix is
done by Henrik Njaa, one half of the very popular Norwegian duo Zuma.
rune
arkiv, a new label under rune grammofon, releases "The Early Years
- In Silence & Small Mercies" and "The Best Of Fra Lippo
Lippi", both being remastered. "The Early Years" includes
both "In Silence" and" Small Mercies"
as well as the two instrumentals on the b-side of "Now and Forever",
all placed on one 79 minute cd. "The Best Of" varies from the
previous and long deleted collection from 1995 in that it includes a live
version of the favourite "Everytime I See You" as well as the
original version of "Angel" from "Light And Shade".
2002
Due to the success of rune grammofon, Rune Kristoffersen decides to take
a break from the group he founded 22 years ago, agreeing to let Per Øystein
Sørensen make an FLL album on his own. The album, called "In
A Brilliant White" is released by EMI in the Philippines and is in
all but the name a solo effort comprising 10 new Sørensen songs
including "Later".
2001
A brand new Sørensen song, "Later" is recorded and made
available to radio stations in the Philippines, where it goes high in
several charts.
The
second Monolight album is released, this time on rune grammofon.
2000
FLL is invited back to the Philippines and play a greatest hits program
in front of almost 15.000 people in Manila. For the first time they also
play in Cebu, close to 5.000 local fans attending.
1998
Kristoffersen launches his own record label, rune grammofon.
1997
"The Virgin Years - Greatest Hits" is released by Octoarts in
the Philippines.
1995
The Best Of Fra Lippo Lippi 85-95 is licensed to CNR Arcade in Norway
and Polystar in Japan.
Kristoffersen
releases his second solo album, now as Monolight, on Norwegian independent
label Tatra. The circle is closed as Tatra is run by Tormod Opedal who
also ran Uniton at the beginning of FLL´s career.
The music is experimental techno.
1994
The boys more or less want to call it a day, but decide to make a best
of album.
Selected tracks from "Songs", "Light And Shade" and
"The Colour Album" are re-recorded, partly for artistic reasons
but mostly because of contractual restrictions.
Two
brand new songs are recorded as well, one written by Kristoffersen and
one by Sørensen. Again it´s all mixed by Kaj Erixon in Stockholm.
1993
Founder Rune Kristoffersen releases his first solo album as Elephant Song.
It´s all instrumental and features Nils Petter Molvaer on trumpet
and Tore Elgarøy on guitar.
1992
"Songs", their sixth album, is released through Sonet in Norway
and licensed to Polystar in Japan and Octoarts in the Philippines.
1991
FLL start recording their next album in Kristoffersen´s basement.
The finished tapes are taken to Stockholm for mixing by "Songs"
producer Kaj Erixon.
1990
After breaking with The Record Station the duo is considering breaking
up the band as well, but decides to write some new songs.
1989
February and March see the recording of their fifth album "The Colour
Album" at the famous Rainbow Studio in Oslo. The producer this time
is another Swede, Johan Ekelund.
A
live album, "Crash Of Light", is prepared and manufactured for
the revived Easter Productions label but is never actually released due
to the fact that the distributor collapses with legal difficulties following.
It is later released on CD
in the Philippines only.
1988
Fra Lippo Lippi becomes a huge hit in the Philippines and are invited
there for concerts. Ticket demand is huge and they sell out the 11.000
capacity Folk Arts Theatre in Manila 6 times over two weekends.
New
tracks are written and the duo secure a new recording contract with Swedish
label The Record Station.
1987
FLL´s fourth album is recorded in sunny Los Angeles between February
and April with Walter Becker producing and long time Steely Dan engineer
Roger Nichols getting it on tape. Several top session musicians are draftet
in, with various results, but that´s another story.
"Angel"
is sent out to US radio station and the feedback is very good, but FLL´s
flirtation with this market is not to be fulfilled. Several artists is
dumped by Virgin´s US office, FLL being one of them. With this being
one of the main targets for the new album, some of the air goes out of
the balloon and Virgin and FLL will later part company.
"Light
And Shade" is released in the autumn.
There
is a new tour of Norway, and they are invited to Japan for the Yamaha
Song Contest where they win a major price and perform "Angel"
at the huge Budokan. They also do two very successfull club concerts in
Tokyo.
1986
First single for Virgin, "Shouldn´t have to be like that",
is released. It reaches number 4 in the official Norwegian sales charts
and the lower regions of the UK charts.
The
slightly remade "Songs" is released internationally by Virgin
to great critical acclaim. It sells another 20.000 copies in Norway.
"Come
Summer" and a completely reworked version of "Everytime I See
You" are released as singles number 2 and 3.
As
a live band, FLL is extended with 4 musicians. They successfully tour
Norway in the autumn, sold out concerts everywhere.
Reactions
and sales of "Songs" are good enough for Virgin to start planning
for another album, USA being a target this time. In demand producer Walter
Becker from Steely Dan is approached and accepts after having turned down
Crowded House.
New
songs are written, with Sørensen taking a greater part than previously.
1985
Their third album "Songs" is released in Norway on Easter Productions,
a label set up by the group. Reviews are favourable and the album sells
close to 5000 copies without the aid of singles or promotion.
Later
in the year Virgin UK gets interested and a world wide record contract
is signed in London.
Latest
member Øyvind Kvalnes and founder member Morten Sjøberg
quit at the prospect of giving up their day jobs for the uncertain carreers
as professional musicians. This leaves FLL as the duo of Rune Kristoffersen
and Per Øystein Sørensen.
Additional
recordings, most notably guitar tracks, are done at Polar Studios with
Dave Allen (Depeche Mode, The Cure) as producer. A brand new track not
on the original album is recorded as well. This is "Everytime I See
You".
1984
The lure of Silence Studio and the Swedish sound brings FLL across the
border in search of new recording experience. Bjørn Sorknes is
guesting on bass and there´s a new member, Øyvind Kvalnes.
The result is 2 new songs to be released as 7 and 12" singles, again
by Uniton.
FLL
now effectivly being a quartet are writing new songs with the piano given
an important role in the scheme of things. This leads the group towards
a more defined pop direction, with a more personal style than previously.
The lack of proper producers in Norway for this kind of music make them
once again look to Sweden, this time Abba´s Polar Studios and producer/engineer
Kaj Erixon. They split with Uniton and take up a loan to finance the recording.
1983
Maturing songwriting and a strong will to find their own musical profile
lead to the question of getting a singer onboard. Per Øystein Sørensen,
also from Nesodden, is suggested by our studio engineer. He is up for
it and apart from being a great singer also brings a new dimension to
the songs.
1982
The 7" single "Now And Forever" is released, 2 instrumentals
on the b-side.
1981
Songwriting for the debut album is showing the strong influence of groups
like
The Cure and Joy Divison and Bjørn Sorknes decides to leave. He
will shortly join Holy Toy, the experimental rock group led by Andrej
Nebb and featuring Lars Pedersen (When) and later to be composer Rolf
Wallin.
Debut
album "In Silence" is released on Norwegian independent label
Uniton.
1980
Fra Lippo Lippi was formed in Nesodden, outside Oslo, by Rune Kristoffersen,
Morten Sjøberg and Bjørn Sorknes after a couple of years
of writing and rehearsing as Genetic Control.
Debut
7" 4-track instrumental EP is released on Private Records, 3 of the
tracks being short, funny, quirky stabs at electropop, the b-side a longer,
darker and more ambient offering.
The
track "Fabric Wardrobe" is released on an international compilation
of exclusive tracks called "Fix Planet" on the German label
Atatak.
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