Les Sauterelles
| Les Sauterelles | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Zürich, Switzerland |
| Genres | Pop music, Beat music, Rock music, Swiss music, Tribute band |
| Years active | 1962–1971 1988–present |
Les Sauterelles (French, literally: the locusts) are a Swiss musical group established in 1962. At least in the German-language area, they are believed to be as one of the 'closest' tribute bands to The Beatles, and to The Shadows.
On 19 September 1962, in the lobby of the studio Brunnenhof of the Swiss national radio in Zürich, two unnamed students from French-speaking Switzerland, who are dedicated to the music of The Shadows, and also Toni Vescoli, an aspiring singer-guitarist participated at the trials for a guitar festival in Lausanne as "mini-Shadows": they had hardly a chance to win, but at least their first professional studio recording, and never met again. François Garzoni, drummer, and Toni Vescoli rehearsed first songs at Garzoni's home, and LES SAUTERELLES were born, the "grass-hoppers" or more precisely "Locusts". Peter Frey, in fact a jazz musician and former classmate of Vescoli, acted as third member as "instrumental guitarist in the style of The Shadows" as the most experienced and oldest guiy. Bass guitarist Günter Sohr, which, however, does not play bass guitar, the latter played by Peter Furrer, but the sound at the youth center Zürich-Bachwiesen convinced. Otto Ritschard, the friend of Toni Vescolis sister Vera, shortly thereafter joins the Sauterelles as bass guitarist, although he has never played a guitar; Toni Quero, former music teacher, taught him.
Toni Vescoli planned with the band to earn his income, what for François is too risky, and Toni Quero brings Otto Bumbacher in the band, with the "two Ottos" and "two Tonis", it's now complete again. Toni Vescoli's sister Vera joined as a singer, as well as her agent to mediate gigs. On 26 December 1963, the Sauterelles have their first professional engagement, a week in Laax, which must however be terminated due to lack of snow and therefore guests on 1 January 1964. On 1 June 1965 Les Sauterelles had three consecutive months of various gigs in the club "Bagatelle" in Zürich as "Beat Band". In August, Peter Steffen played drums, and the recording session for the single "Hong Kong / Forget it all" began. In the interlude of Cliff Richard & The Shadows at the Hallenstadion, Jürg has medically holidays again, as a drummer acted Mandi Trappletti, and it goes on tour with the British band "Casey Jones and The Governors". The manager, Hans-Ruedi Jäggi was replaced on the best terms by Freddy Burger, and on 15 September 1965, the first record of Sauterelles was published, and sold out in half an hour – the song "Hong Kong" is the first Beat-single at the top of the Swiss Hitparade. Along with "The Counts" from Zürich and "The Dynamites" from Basel the album "SWISS BEAT - live" is recorded and mixed, again by Hans Wettler. Jürg Stocker, meanwhile his lung shadows is healed, and sound engineer Paul Delisle realize the single "I'm A Prisoner / Pretty Baby Tonight" in November 1965. In the sample number of the POP magazine, Toni Vescoli is on the front cover, and an article on the "Counts" about Düde Dürst, which then became the new drummer. The Sauterelles played thereafter for the "pot collection" of the Salvation Army, and the band got international attention by the photographs published.
...
Wikipedia