Sandra Bell
About Sandra Bell from Dunedin
Sandra Bell
Sandra Bell is a Dunedin musician currently releasing her 4th album White Nights on Powertoolrecords Auckland.
Long known in the Dunedin and American College Radio scene for her brand of rollicking dark indie rock/pop music, Sandra wrote most of this album in Berlin Germany where she lived from 2001-2006.
This album ranges from the dangerous to the delicate, from brooding rock to dark pop and Bell's characteristic spoken word reminiscent of her beginnings as a poet, as well as an instrumental on accordion. While most of the tracks on the album are recorded by Bell ,Bell originally wanted to record and play all the instruments , but when she started recording felt that the songs needed more.
"Each song has its own identity and to create a more comprehensive atmosphere and landscape, I realised I needed other musicians."
An array of musicians assisted her with the album, including a group of Russian musicians on balalaika and accordion, Johannes Contag on drums, and back in Dunedin, Heath Te Au(Suka,Cloudboy,Heka), John White(Mestar) and Ian Henderson(the Puddle).
Bell has long been attracted to the music and literature of Eastern Europe and found herself frequenting Eastern European gigs and made friends with the musicians, and ended up playing with them.
"There is a exile scene in any big city and as foreigners you tend to relate to the whole exile thing and help each other out" said Bell.
"It was hilarious with the Russian people, "Bell says," Alex who recorded the two song took it back to his place to mix and when he returned the songs he had overdubbed all of my guitar, guitar tracks John White said reminded him of the Once for Warriors soundtrack. It took me a bit to accept as its very different to my style, but when I returned last year and found that everyone except Kolya had returned to Russia or was whereabouts unknown, I realized I had something unrepeatable, a special moment in time."
The name White Nights says Bell, comes from the white nights of Northern Europe when in Summer there is little or no darkness.
Sandra began her musical career in Auckland in the late 80s with recording on Industrial Tapes whose other releases included Marie and the Atom and the Kiwi Animal.
On her move South she teamed up with Peter Jefferies(This Kind of Punishment) who produced her first solo album Dreams of Falling. This was released by the legendary label Xpressway in New Zealand in 1992 and a Belgium label worldwide. This bought her international recognition in the Indie music scene, leading to a tour of America with Peter Jefferies and Alastair Galbraith in 1994. In 1995 she released Net on the Dunedin label IMD, which also met with critical acclaim.
In 1996 she relocated to Berlin at the encouragement of some German fans and in 1999 she released "City of Sorrows" on USA label VHF. This is Bell's first release since then.
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I love your new album 'White Nights'.