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Colour Haze
Colour Haze
Background information
Origin Munich, Germany
Genres Psychedelic rock, Experimental, Instrumental
Years active 1994 - Present
Labels Elektrohasch Schallplatten, Monster Zero Records, Ripple Music
Website Colour Haze Official

Colour Haze are a stoner/psychedelic rock group from Munich, Germany. Founded initially as a trio and currently as a quartet, Colour Haze's current lineup comprises of singer and guitarist Stefan Koglek, drummer Manfred Merwald, bassist Mario Oberpucher and keyboardist Jan Faszbender.

Formed in the mid-nineties, Colour Haze is one of the oldest German stoner outfits, and have since then become one of the flagships of the German stoner rock scene. Tours of the band have included headline spots at smaller national and international rock festivals, such as the U.S. festival Emissions from the Monolith in 2006 alongside Orange Goblin, Boris, and General Tso.[1] Local media coverage have included a broadcast of a concert on national television, when Colour Haze appeared at Rockpalast in 2007.[2]

Emerging from a sound heavily influenced by Black Sabbath and Grand Funk Railroad on their first records, they moved away from a heavy to a more melodic sound, notably from the 2008 album All onward.[3] To date Colour Haze have released thirteen studio albums, among three split releases and several live albums. Currently the band is signed to Koglek's label Elektrohasch Schallplatten in Europe, while they are currently signed to Ripple Music in North America.

History[]

Formation and Early Years (1994 - 2001)[]

Colour Haze would been founded in August 1994 in Munich, Germany by Stefan Koglek, Tim Höfer and Christian Wiesner. Five months after forming the trio would record at Mystery Music Productions in Munich from 30 January - 3 Febraury 1995. With mixing and mastering to follow in July, Chopping Machine would see release that summer.[4] The band would begin performing in the Germany area as the album attained critical buzz.

Anyway two years of artistically and personal redirection followed until Manfred Merwald and Philipp Rasthofer joined the group in late 1998 following the release of Seven. The band also notably had briefly became a quartet with vocalist Felix Neuenhoff, whom left the band in the Spring of 1999 as the band settled on the lineup of Koglek, Merwald and Rasthofer. Recording live in October 1999, the band would release their third album Periscope via Toaster Records. The band's earliest known shows would take place largely in Munchen throughout 1999.[5]

Recording in their practice space in just four sessions circa March 2000, CO₂ would see release that summer in time for the band's first appearance at Burg Herzberg Festival Open Air, a festival they would headline in later years. Signing to Monster Zero Records, Colour Haze would release Ewige Blumenkraft in 2001. The band performed frequent shows in support of the album including the band's first show outside of Germany (JH Sojo in Leuven, Belgium on 24 February 2001) among appearances at Burg Herzberg Festival Open Air, Landrock Open Air and The Elektrohasch Festival among other events. With Monster Zero folding in 2002, Stefan Koglek would found his own label in Elektrohasch Schallplatten.[6]

Los Sounds de Krauts, Colour Haze and Tempel (2002 - 2007)[]

Colour Haze would begin work on new material in the Spring of 2002,[7] building up to the double album Los Sounds de Krauts in the Winter of 2003 via Nasoni Records, among an appearance at Stoned From The Underground and the band's first known tour of Germany in 2002. Los Sound de Krauts would be re-issued via Elektrohasch in the Summer of 2003 among a tour of Europe, sharing the stage with the likes of Los Natas, Dozer, Rotor and Hypnos 69 among others.[8]

Following the release of two split vinyl releases in 2004, work would begin on a seventh studio album. It would be recorded and mixed completely analogue at Institut für Wohlklangforschung, Hannover, from 22 to 26 April 2004. The eponymous Colour Haze would be released in 2005 to further praise,[9] among more frequent touring including the band's first shows in the UK. The next year saw the band's first appearance at Roadburn Festival and a North American exclusive appearance at Emissions from the Monolith, followed by the release of Tempel in the Summer of 2006 to further praise.[10][11]

The next year would see tours among appearances at Roadburn Festival, Poolbar Festival, Stoned From The Underground and two nights in what would be their first of several appearances at Duna Jam.

All, She Said, To The Highest Gods We Know (2008 - 2015)[]

Colour Haze would keep active in recording new material, leading up to the release of All on 28 July 2008.[12] Along with the core trio this album would feature several guests, including sitar player and future full-time member Mario Oberpucher.[13] Alongside marquee festival appearances the band would tour Europe in the fall of 2008, the first of many with fellow German psych band My Sleeping Karma.[14] The band would remain active with touring over the next few years, most notably the inaugural Up In Smoke touring festival, alongside Sungrazer and Rotor.[15]

Recording in periods on 2" tape from 2010 - 2012 and the longest gap between studio albums, She Said would see release in September 2012, the band's second double album with a length of 82 minutes. She Said would attain further critical praise from several publications,[16][17][18][19] including being awarded "Album of The Year" by The Obelisk.[20] Among appearances at DesertFest Berlin, Freak Valley Festival, Duna Jam and Hellfest would be the XXL Tour, a Fall tour where the band would perform three hour sets each night.[21]

Following further touring the next year (Including appearances at Desertfest London, Aqua Maria, Keep it Low and Up In Smoke Festival)[22] Colour Haze would tour again with My Sleeping Karma. Among marquee appearances at Kristonfest, Stoned From The Underground, Lake on Fire Festival and Desertfest Belgium Colour Haze would keep the pace in releasing To The Highest Gods We Know on 15 December 2014. A vinyl version of the band's eleventh album would follow in the Winter of 2015 in light of the fifth edition of the Up In Smoke tour alongside Radio Moscow and Cherry Choke.[23]

In Her Garden, We Are (2016 - 2020)[]

Colour Haze would perform sporadically through 2016 in preparation of a new album, making notable appearances at Krach am Bach, DesertFest Berlin, Keep It Low, Desertfest Athens and a rare North American appearance at Psycho Las Vegas. Colour haze would release their twelfth album In Her Garden on 10 March 2017 to critical praise,[24][25] touring with My Sleeping Karma to support the album.[26] Notably the band attained a keyboardist in Jan Faszbender, reverting the band to a quartet.

In early 2019 Colour Haze would announce their 25th anniversary tour, including marquee appearances at DesertFest London and DesertFest Berlin.[27] A month prior to the tour the band would record a new album amid a live release series[28] Originally intended to be called Life,[29] We Are would see release on 9 October 2020 to positive reviews. A tour would be set in the Spring to support "We Are" but would be partially canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[30]

On 1 May 2020 it would be announced that Colour Haze had signed with Ripple Music to re-issue the band's discography in North America,[31] along with a brand new album in the future. The band would perform a handful of shows in September 2020 despite the pandemic.[32] On 1 December 2020 it would be announced that longtime bassist Philipp Rasthofer would leave the band after 22 years, citing "personal reasons".[33] Recurring guest member and live sound engineer Mario Oberpucher would join as the new bassist as work would begin on the next album.[34]

Discography[]

Colour_Haze_full_set_at_Dunajam_2014

Colour Haze full set at Dunajam 2014

Studio Albums[]

  • Chopping Machine (1995, David Records)
  • Seven (1998, Self Burn Records)
  • Periscope (1999, Toaster)
  • CO₂ (2000, Homegrown Records; Monster Zero Records)
  • Ewige Blumenkraft (2001, Monster Zero Records)
  • Los Sounds de Krauts (2003, Nasoni Records; Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • Colour Haze (2004, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • Tempel (2006, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • All (2008, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • She Said (2012, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • To The Highest Gods We Know (2014, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • In Her Garden (2017, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • We Are (2019, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)

Split Releases[]

  • Swamp Room Single Club (Split with Color Cacas) (2001, Swamp Room Records)
  • Mountain / Mama Cool (Split with Gas Giant) (2004, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • Forest of Illusion / Flowers (Split with Hypnos 69) (2004, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)

Live Releases[]

  • Live At The Himmelreich 23.03.2002 (VHS) (2002, Self-Released)
  • Burg Herzberg Festival 18.Juli 2008 (2009, Herzberg Verlag)
  • Europa Tournee 2015 (2017, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
  • Live at Duna Jam 2007 (2019, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)

Personnel[]

Current Members[]

  • Stefan Koglek Guitar, Vocals (1994 - Present)
  • Manfred Merwald - Drums (1998 - Present)
  • Mario Oberpucher - Bass, Guitar, Sitar (2020 - Present)

Former Members[]

  • Tim Höfer - Drums (1994 - 1997)
  • Christian Weisner - Bass (1994 - 1998)
  • Felix Neuenhoff - Vocals (1997 - 1999)
  • Philipp Rasthofer - Bass (1998 - 2020)
  • Jan Faszbender - Keyboards (2018 - 2020)

List of Known Tours[]

External Links[]

Official Links[]

Archival Links[]

References[]

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