The debut album from Krel, Ad Astra, on the Dead Earnest label, is space-rock with an electronic edge
However, one of the projects delivered to Dead Earnest for release at the same time as the "Ad Astra" CD, but which still has yet to be released, was the Krel chillout album. Now, following many months of playing, a load of line-up changes, one gig in Stockport and several mutations later, Krel are also playing a red-hot brand of electronic music that covers ambient and downtempo through cosmic rock to techno and drum 'n' bass, but all delivered in a unique improvisatory style.
This new alternative Krel line-up, 'Cyber Krel', made its debut at the first supermarket gig in Scotland.
Nothing more was heard until, thanks to an article on Dead Earnest in Classic Rock magazine, care of Malcolm Dome, and a subsequent offer to play a most unusual gig in a Scotish supermarket, Produce Direct in Dundee, as part of 'Dead Earnest Week' there, Martin unveiled a new Krel line-up and a whole new musical direction, primarily electronic, totally mind-blowing and guaranteed to signal a new era for the band into 2000.
The band achieved press in the local papers, were interviewed by local radio and even made it into the nationally circulated Scottish Daily Record.
Following this, I sent the coverage to my best mate Linda, who works as a departmental manager for Sainsburys in Stafford, and joked that maybe we could do a similar one-off in England at Sainsburys.
Surprising even me, she actually presented my idea to the senior managers there, and I received a call that, if still interested, I'm having a meeting with Phil Watson, one of the heads and promotions managers at Sainsburys, Stafford, one of THE flagship shops of the chain, who is actually interested in having Krel play at the shop.
Due to the size of the place, it was decided to have Krel play outside, while inside the store, Dead Earnest set up TV's around the store and showed video footage of label artists, while we and the shop staff were also engaged in trying to raise some money for the Sainsburys Charity Of The Month.
A three hour set went down amazingly well with the hordes of shoppers who converged on the store. One guy was quoted as saying it was 'the best shopping trip he's ever had' and we only had one person say that they felt it was 'portraying the wrong image for the store'.The local Staffordshire Newsletter, Beacon Radio, Wolverhampton, Signal Radio and Radio Stoke had all covered or announced the event beforehand. One result at least was a rare photo opportunity allowing you now the opportunity to view this lot, (above - the plastic sheeting on the equipment was there because they had begun the performance just after the monsoon season had struck Stafford, but it brightened up soon after!!!)
Dead Earnest depaeately wanted to release the music on CD, but the whole event was never recorded, as a result we are going to have to do another one someday, although lord knows who'll have us next.
So, where next? - depends who fancies a mix of music and retail - Wales, Ireland and Europe watch out!!
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