Brainstorm

The beginning of BrainStorm is dated with year 1989 even thought the seeds was found already when singer Reynard and drummer Nick danced and sang together around Christmas tree at kindergarten and later on all members of the band sang the same lines at the choir of the school they all attended in their native city Jelgava, Latvia. Through the years knowing each other and making music together already fourteen years (they were 15 years old when formed the band) the chemistry between guys has created the atmosphere of the real family: “Good old family thing, in this case just five fathers together. It's so hard sometimes to find just one way out of five”. This is what BrainStorm said about themselves and their unique chemistry by the end of 2003. And then in May 2004 stroke of the destiny took away one of them - in the car crash tragically died original bass player of BrainStorm - Muminsh (Gundars Mausevics).

In memory of dear friend Muminsh and faith in what is band’ s calling BrainStorm decided to continue. BrainStorm by the end of 2004/beginning of 2005 has done recording of 7th studio album with producer Alex Silva with whom band recorded 2 songs on previous album. Between studios times in January band did joined American band REM as support act for 9 shows in Europe. New album will be called “Four Shores” and is set to release in autumn 2005 with Latvian version release in Latvia in May. Anton Corbijn has done photos for the artwork.

photo: Anton Corbijn
The title “Four Shores” underlines the sore place where BrainStorm has been placed after loosing the original band member and soulmate Muminsh in tragic car crash last May. The touch of the Muminsh lives through the new songs as the band started writing the songs for new album before the tragedy. It is obvious the lyrics have been influenced by this loss.

“There is this beautiful thing that great bands have something… Identity and I think BrainStorm has that,” Anton Corbijn

“There is kind of innocence to BrainStorm’s sound, something that is unique to their culture or what I imagine is unique to their culture and that made them special to me,” Alex Silva.

The experience of being citizen of Latvia who has been raised up in former Soviet Union and being witnesses of so called “iron curtain” and Latvia’ s return into Europe has made unique musical influence and background for the members of the band that reflects and goes through the music BrainStorm makes. Singer Reynard reveals: “The truly first influences of BrainStorm I can name Russian cartoons and Latvian popscene in 80-s. Talking about cartoons - I still love those songs and listen to them time after time, they have some kind of unique happiness and sadness at the same time that is hard to describe and that's how I also see most of Stormer's songs. And only when we were some 14 - 15 we started to learn what happens on the other side of the moon.”

BrainStorm for several years is the biggest band of the native Latvia, latest 3 records they made and “Best Of” has reached Platinum status on sales, every radio single goes straight to #1 on airplays, they gather several prizes each time nominated for Latvian Music Awards, they play as big crowds as tiny Latvia can gather and closing concert of their latest Latvian tour on 1st of September, 2003 gathered 25 000 big audience and beat the record of Skonto Stadium. But sooner or later it is time to go into international music scene and BrainStorm can be called ice-breakers in this field by being if not first that for sure one of the first band’ s from Eastern Europe to enter Western music market. Their breakthrough was on 2000 with hit single “My Star” and followed by album “Among The Suns” (with releases in 18 countries, UK, Germany and Scandinavia including), album “Online” released in year 2001 stormed over Eastern Europe (Gold in Poland) and Scandinavia with ethereally dreamy and catchy melody “Maybe”. Over 3 years band has toured Europe on their own tours as well as supporting Rolling Stones in Prague, The Cranberries in Germany, Italy, Belgium and Czech Republic, Depeche Mode in Baltic States and Supergrass in Denmark.

The previous album BrainStorm released was in 2003 – “A Day Before Tomorrow” – the slideshow of life in 12 chapters called songs that shows band’ s piece of mind and heart, the way they think and feel about this world. Here and now: “The title of the album includes the philosophy we believe in – we don’t say simply - today, because – of course you have to live in the moment you are, but also have to remember there is day after it and by remembering that you care about future, have your dreams and visions, but still – you don’ t let the beauty of the moment simply to slip away, because you value it and don’ t live only in the illusion about unknown future.”

For making of their 6th studio album “A Day Before Tomorrow” that was 3rd album for international release BrainStorm teamed with 2 producers – Echo award winn