The Moog
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary | INDIE
Music
Press
"The album boasts rough-around-the-edges garage pop tunes, and "Everybody Wants" is a catchy three-chord gem." - SPIN
Discography
Seasons In The Underground CD/LP/Digital
(MuSick Recordings, 2012)
Produced by KEN SCOTT (David Bowie's "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust," "Hunky Dory" ; The Beatles' "The White Album" ; Lou Reed's "Transformer")
Razzmatazz Orfeum CD/LP/Digital
(MuSick Recordings, 2009)
Produced by GEOFF OTT (Queens Of The Stoneage, Pearl Jam, Mark Lanegan)
Sold For Tomorrow CD/Digital
(MuSick Records, 2007)
Mixed by Jack Endino (Nirvana's "Bleach" ; Hot Hot Heat)
Photos
Bio
Hungary has made some notable contributions to the world over the years: goulash, Rubik's Cube, and Zsa Zsa Gabor, among them. But rock music?? That certainly doesn't come to mind-that is, until now. Budapest's THE MOOG blend art rock, punk and garage with infectious pop.
Led by baritone-voiced singer Tonyo Szabo, THE MOOG are a combination of both alternative and pop influences made unique ...by the band's Eastern European sound.
THE MOOG's debut album "Sold For Tomorrow" (2007) was mixed by legendary producer Jack Endino (renowned for his work on Nirvana's "Bleach"). Sold For Tomorrow produced the underground indie rock hit single "I Like You": http://youtu.be/r4NqS0I1FEQ
The band's second album "Razzmatazz Orfeum" (2009) was recorded in Seattle with producer Geoff Ott (Pearl Jam, Queens Of The Stone Age, Mark Lanegan) and offers the listener something quite uncommon in this day and age: the immersion of a total album experience. The first single from Razzmatazz Orfeum is "You Raised A Vampire" and was released on colored vinyl 7" with stunning artwork by Gris Grimly. The 7" also includes a B-side cover of the Bauhaus classic "The Passion Of Lovers" featuring Bauhaus and Love & Rockets bassist/vocalist David J, who became a fan of The Moog after seeing them perform in Los Angeles in 2008. The video for "You Raised A Vampire," was shot in Budapest. http://youtu.be/gMbeCRD5Y2g
Razzmatazz' second single "When I See You" and its video, by director Anthony Garth (who shot the White Stripes' clips for "We Are Going To Be Friends" and "Hotel Yorba") received a great amount of airplay in all major US music video outlets, including FUSE and MTV (a favorite at Subterranean). http://youtu.be/HWjztBo5Bsk
Formed in Budapest in 2004 by then-teenagers Tonyo Szabo (vocals), Adam Bajor (guitar) and Gergo Dorozsmai (drums), and later joined by Csaba Szabo (bass) and Miguel Gyorgy (second guitar), THE MOOG have been compared to such modern-day acts as The Strokes and The Hives; but their influences run deep and wide: The Beatles, David Bowie, The Sonics, The Smiths, Ramones, Roxy Music and Blondie are all responsible for inspiring the band's sound.
Though at first criticized by the old establishment in their native country, THE MOOG are pioneers to their homeland rock brethren by being the first popular Hungarian band to sing in English and tour Western Europe and the U.S. Soviet rule prevented previous generations from being exposed to the artists that influenced the young quintet, but The Moog members were exposed to MTV and the western alternative bands on the network, such as Nirvana, Sonic Youth and Blur. This eye opening experience led the band to reach back to classic American and British 60s and 70s rock and punk. THE MOOG found their well-hidden muse and the rest, as they say, is history.
THE MOOG's NEW album "Seasons In The Underground” – produced by David Bowie producer Ken Scott – will be released in March, 2012. The band is expected to tour Europe and America in support of the album.
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