|
Line-up: Live: |
Tortuga Bar is the latest project by OWL-scene legend Mark Kowarsch (Speed Niggs, Sharon Stoned, Elektrosushi...) and Alexandra Gschossmann.
It took three years and a bunch of top-class guest musicians to produce the debut "Narcotic Junkfood Revolution" which will be released in May 09 by VierSieben Records.
The sound of Tortuga Bar ranges from high energetic and playful Indie Rock (perfect match with guest appearances by Phillip Boa, Rummelsnuff, Sedlmeir, David Cunningham, Nagel of Muff Potter and Peter Brugger of Sportfreunde Stiller) to easygoing tones accompanied by Navel, Gitbox!, Nino Skrotzki of Virginia Jetzt!, Gisbert zu Knyphausen and Evan Dando of The Lemonheads.
For sure Tortuga Bar is not only a studio project. Actually Mark and Alex arrange a live line-up which will be second to none.
Talking about Mark Kowarsch means being bound to talk about some history:
it all began in 1989 with a band called Speed Niggs (founded by Jan Beigel, Mark Kowarsch and Christopher Uhe). In the same year their debut "Boston Beigel Yeah!!" got the ultimate accolade: album of the month, chosen by SPEX-journalist Diedrich Diederichsen (one of the most draconic reviewers in those days).
The band released three successful albums which can be called the jewels of the "OWL-scene".
After the Speed Niggs split up in 1992 Kowarsch and Uhe launched the band Sharon Stoned. They released two great albums with famous studio guests like Evan Dando of the Lemonheads (a long time friend since the Speed Niggs years), Dirk von Lowtzow, Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh), Hans Platzgumer and many others.
In 1997 Kowarsch and Uhe decided to cut their own path and Mark Kowarsch formed the band Elektrosushi together with Vanessa Kowarsch, Christian Hagedorn and William Honda.
A few 7inches, EPs, tracks on compilations and one album later (again with top-class guests like Mike Watt, Francoise Cactus, Marco Blazejczak...) Mark played the drums in the Riot Grrl Band Klitpop and started a DJ-career with Klaus Cornfield in the "Likely To Be Dropped DJ Team".
At that time Mark began to write the first songs for his new project Tortuga Bar and is now - three years and hours of studiowork later - ready to get back on the road again.
