Lovely Rita
Vienna, Vienna, Austria | SELF
Music
Press
Selected Press:
„There should be a special reference to Lovely Rita, this unpredictable band, that is distinguished by ist permanent mutation of styles … with certainty the most important band of the year.
Der Standard, Vienna
„Lovely Rita is a Vienna-based avant-pop band, making its NYC debut. Its leader, Martin Stepanik, claims he strives to put a human center into electronic music. As you may guessed, the band plays love songs and beatles-covers, though it also treads in experimental waters.”
Time Out, New York
"Many Bands, who decorate themselves with attributes as ,avantgardistic’, don’t deserve that. For "Lovely Rita" it is fitting best. And you can add: artistically highly valuable.“
Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich
"Once again "Lovely Rita" is counting on beauty itself. In any case her Beatles-Coverversions are part of the nonplusultra of local music history. Never before "Eleanor Rigby" has sounded so enchanting.“
Neue Zeit, Graz
"....one of this amazing songs of Martin Stepanik, in which a whole genre seems to condense typically. Pop music, that is originally music about pop music.“
Wolfgang Kos, Ex-Broadcaster ORF, Director of the City Museum, Vienna
" Tender Avantgarde – belongs to the most beautiful, that is thinkable and desirable in contemporary music.”
Reinhold Aumaier, Wiener Zeitung, Vienna
- LOVELY RITA
Selected Press:
„There should be a special reference to Lovely Rita, this unpredictable band, that is distinguished by ist permanent mutation of styles … with certainty the most important band of the year.
Der Standard, Vienna
„Lovely Rita is a Vienna-based avant-pop band, making its NYC debut. Its leader, Martin Stepanik, claims he strives to put a human center into electronic music. As you may guessed, the band plays love songs and beatles-covers, though it also treads in experimental waters.”
Time Out, New York
"Many Bands, who decorate themselves with attributes as ,avantgardistic’, don’t deserve that. For "Lovely Rita" it is fitting best. And you can add: artistically highly valuable.“
Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich
"Once again "Lovely Rita" is counting on beauty itself. In any case her Beatles-Coverversions are part of the nonplusultra of local music history. Never before "Eleanor Rigby" has sounded so enchanting.“
Neue Zeit, Graz
"....one of this amazing songs of Martin Stepanik, in which a whole genre seems to condense typically. Pop music, that is originally music about pop music.“
Wolfgang Kos, Ex-Broadcaster ORF, Director of the City Museum, Vienna
" Tender Avantgarde – belongs to the most beautiful, that is thinkable and desirable in contemporary music.”
Reinhold Aumaier, Wiener Zeitung, Vienna
- LOVELY RITA
Discography
LOVELY RITA
2010 Strollin' Along Abbey Road (RR001016 CD)
2008 Five Invisble Films - A Homage To The Art Of
Jan Svankmajer (RR001013 CD)
2007 My Life Between The Exit Signs (RR001012 DVD/CD)
2004 Levitation/On The Edge of Tenderness (RR001010/11 Doppel CD)
2000 Migration (RR001008 CD)
1994 Clip-Beat (RR001004 CD)
1991 Art-Beat (RR001001 CD)
Photos
Bio
In 2013/14 Lovely Rita will present a new programme with the promising title "Songs For The Unpredictable Beauty of Life" which exists mainly of new original songs which celebrate the beauty of life with all its insecurity and its marvellous dangerous surprises. Songs that have the fight for the internal and external freedom to their contents.
Taking the opportunity in 2012 to celebrate two anniversaries; 20 years of Lovely Rita and 50 years of The Beatles, they toured the UK with two new shows; 'My Life Between the Exit Signs' (a film and a music project) and 'Strollin' Along Abbey Road' (a homage to The Beatles). The project is a continuation of their previous work and long-standing focus; to distil the essence of The Beatles' late 1960s experimental studio work and present it with a contemporary sound using today's technology.
Lovely Rita came to life in 1992, founded by Martin Stepanik, one of the most interesting composers and keyboard players working in the wide field of electronic and jazz music in Vienna today. Described as an ever evolving 'working band' constantly exploring the diverse possibilities of musical expression and with their 'Strollin' Along Abbey Road' project avant garde interpretations of the Beatles' entire back catalogue.
Leaving his roots of acoustic jazz and improvised music in 1985, Stepanik pioneered the new Viennese electronic music scene being a founding member of Helmut Neugebauers 'Die Vogel Europas'. From 1986-1992 the band toured frequently throughout Europe and recorded with such artists as, F.M. Einhelt of 'Einstrzende Neubauten' and Elliott Sharp.
Band Members
Links
