The Norway Agenda
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The Norway Agenda

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"'Is Norway on Your Agenda?'"

Rock band The Norway Agenda will have a CD release concert Saturday night at O'Sullivan's (formerly My Room), 139 N. Mead. This is the first CD by band members Derek Bennett, Kevin Hess and Brian Jones. Check out what they have to say about their music.

1) The band describes its sound on its self-titled CD as "Queens of the Stone Age meets Tool meets early U2." Because they are a three-piece band, every instrument has a distinct role and sound in their music, band members said.

2) Bennett likened the CD to a war movie. "It's dramatic and suspenseful, but no matter how dark it might want to be, we want to end on a high note." The CD includes a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence."

3) For the first 30 people who show up at the concert, the CD will be free. After that, it's $5. "It's not about the money, it's about exposing people to the music," Hess said.

The concert is set for 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The band Ferocious Mary will open.

- The Wichita Eagle


"KAMIKAZE PILOTS LAND AT BLUE LOUNGE"

In northern Kansas there's a highway sign that points to the towns of Norway and Agenda.

But that's just part of the reason why a Wichita band took the name The Norway Agenda.

"The more mysterious reason is that you don't really hear much about Norway in the news," said Derek Bennett, the trio's guitarist and singer. "They're kind of mysterious, so they must be up to something."

The band hopes listeners will find its new CD just as intriguing. A release party for "Kamikaze Love" takes place tonight at Blue Lounge, 608 E. Douglas. Japanese rockers Kanzashi open starting at 10 p.m. It's $5 to get in, with specials on kamikazes all night.

Bennett describes his band as "energetic alternative rock with classic rock influence."

You can sample some of the band's music on its MySpace page of the same name. - The Wichita Eagle


Discography

LP - Kamikaze Love (2/13/09)
EP - The Norway Agenda (11/10/07)

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Bio

In Wichita, a band had better be damned good to stand out from the glut of cover and metal bands that flood the bars and venues. Luckily, The Norway Agenda fit that bill, writing accessible, entertaining, yet complex and original rock, and playing balls out at every show.

The band formed in the summer of 2005 after a series of animated auditions - from a drummer straight out of 'Trainspotting' to a bassist who has a secret love affair with the late Kurt Cobain. Following this long, difficult, sometimes ridiculous process, the right pieces finally fell into place.

After years of line-up shuffling and an evolving sound, The Norway Agenda have emerged in the Wichita music scene as one of the premier rock bands. Separately, the four members bring a wide ranging mix of influences to the table. Brian Jones draws from his background as a punk rock drummer as well as being a fan of bands like The Who, Fugazi and Operation Ivy. Bassist Kevin Hess brings a more melodic side, citing Nada Surf, Silversun Pickups, Muse, and Dinosaur Jr as major influences. And while Derek Bennett's vocals and guitar-playing has been inspired by bands such as Tool, U2 and Dredg, guitarist Tim Allen’s sensibilities have been heavily shaped by Minus The Bear, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, and his beloved Beatles. Collectively, the band plays an energetic brand of alternative rock that draws from classic rock, prog, and modern indie rock and consistently impresses audiences.

Please contact us with any questions or comments!
E-mail us at: norwayagenda@yahoo.com
Or call Sam Jones, band manager and booking agent, directly at (316) 312 – 8466.