Music

Lovebugs: Comeback of the beetles

13/11/2016 written by Michel Imhof
Next year, the Lovebugs will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. Although the future of the Basel band was uncertain, they are now back with a new album.

The 13th album brought the Lovebugs misfortune: after "Life is Today", the Basel band didn't know what to do next. "Some of us wanted to start on the next album straight away, others wanted to take a break," says drummer Simon Ramseier. "And singer Adrian Sieber even wanted to quit altogether." That was four years ago.

Later, the five musicians met for a beer on the banks of the Rhine and decided to go into the studio together. However, the Basel band took a different approach to the production of their 14th album "Land Ho!", as frontman Adrian Sieber explains. "We didn't go into the studio with finished songs, but worked on the songs on location." The result was not optimal the first time, so a second session followed in the studios at the Berlin radio tower.

In the 24 years since the band was founded, the band members' personal circumstances have changed considerably: All five are now proud dads. It has become increasingly difficult to juggle everything. Guitarist Thomas Rechberger: "We used to meet at least four times a week to rehearse in the band room. Today we see each other less, but more intensively." Hence the album production in Berlin - away from his wife and children.

The bassist is a ferryman on the Rhine

Looking back on almost 25 years of Lovebugs: Thomas Rechberger, Stefan Wagner, Florian Senn, Adrian Sieber and Simon Ramseier (from left)
In keeping with the new album cover - it shows a rowing boat with five passengers - the Ueli ferry in Basel has become a meeting place for the Lovebugs. Bassist Florian Senn has made his boyhood dream come true: "Four years ago, I trained as a ferryman." Since then, he has been traveling back and forth between the banks of the Rhine about once a week.

The Lovebugs get inspiration and feedback from their family. From Sieber's daughters, for example: "They hear me playing the piano all the time - they're still humming good tunes two days later." Daughter Ada (18) even defends her dad to friends: "Her colleague told her on the way out that our new song wasn't good," says Sieber. "Ada was a bit annoyed - very sweet!"

Before the Swiss tour next year, the christening of "Land Ho!" will take place on November 26. "Many musicians have told us that a christening is the most important and most beautiful thing. Yet we've never done one," says Sieber. "Now we're finally making up for it!"

LOVEBUGS
Fri, 20.1.17, Volkshaus Basel
Thu, 07.12.17, Kugl St. Gallen
TICKETS

Translated with DeepL