Whale is:
- Cia Berg - vocals
- Henrik Schyffert - guitar
- Heikki Kiviaho - bass
- Jorgen Wall - drums
- Jon Jefferson Klingberg - guitar
Whale was originally started with the intention of recording just one song for fun. Schyffert was the producer of a Swedish pop music show, and invited Cia to host. The two got together with bassist Gordon Cyrus and recorded "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe". The song spurned a video became a hit on MTV, which spurned an album, and a tour, and finally a full fledged band.
The album, "We Care", is guitar-laden trip-hop album with a few solid songs, including one with guest vocals from Tricky, but on the whole, it's an inconsistent, average album.
Three years later, with three new band members (Cyrus left to start his own record label), the band grew out of its adolescence and instead focused on writing solid material.
The result was 1998's All Disco Dance Must End In Broken Bones. Though still a bit uneven, the album is full of infectious grooves, trippy sampling, and clever lyrics.
The band is definitely rooted in trip-hop, although they're a little more into guitars and basses than sampling and synthesizers. The closest comparison I can give is Portishead, although I think Portishead fans would probably be insulted by this comparison. OK, take a trip-hop band with a female lead singer who sounds like a happy, upbeat Beth Gibbons, but isn't as good, and you probably have Whale.
Perhaps the best line about Whale comes from captainspatula, who remarked after listening to a ShoutCast that included Whale, "Whale's weird, I'll be listening and be like hm, this is a cool song, and it's Whale. Then, a little while later, I'll be listening and I'll be like this song is dogshit and, yep, it's Whale." Note that while I don't necessarily agree with this assessment, it speaks to the eclectic sound of the band.
Discography:
Albums:
Pay For Me EP (1993) - Released by Caroline
- Pay For Me
- I Think No
- Darling Nikki
- Buzzbox Babe
- Trying
We Care (1995) - Released by Virgin
- Kickin'
- That's Where It's At
- Pay For Me
- Eurodog
- I'll Do Ya
- Electricity
- Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe
- Tryzasnice
- Happy In You
- I Miss Me
- Young Dumb N' Full Of Cum
- I'm Cold
- Born To Raise Hell
All Disco Dance Must End In Broken Bones (1998) - Released by Virgin
- Crying At Airports
- Deliver The Juice
- Roadkill
- Smoke
- Losing CTRL
- Four Big Speakers
- Go Where You're Feeling Free
- Into The Strobe
- Puma Gym
- No Better
- 2 Chord Song
Singles (that I know of):
Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe (UK) (1994)
- Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe
- Lips
- Eye 842
Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe (US) (1994)
- Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe
- Eye 842
Pay For Me (1996)
I'll Do Ya (1996)
- I'll Do Ya (Edit)
- Now Thing
- Sexy M.M.
- I'll Do Ya (Full Version)
Crying At Airports (1998)
- Crying At Airports
- Heavy Stick
- Spitting Indoors
Additional Songs:
- 14 Rock Street (from the Japanese 'All Disco Dance...' release)
- Anywhere But Here (from the Japanese 'All Disco Dance...' release)