First and foremost a blues/bluesrock-inspired band, but went through many musical styles as new musicians joined. At one time, Rogaland's and Norway's rawest and most uncompromising band. Started playing together in Stavanger in 1963, established as a band in 1964, with their debut concert on May 1, 1964 at Stavanger Stadium. The band disbanded at the beginning of the 1980s. Has since had sporadic reunions. Many of the members of the band have also made a strong mark in other contexts.
Nurk Twins were a group of young boys aged 12-13 when they started playing together. They were working class and lived in the working class district of Storhaug . On May 1, 1964, they had their first proper concert, when they played raw rock at Stavanger Stadium before a football match. The band had a lot of money, had talent - and became good. The Beatles were their great role models. They became familiar with the music through the radio; they learned the songs and wrote down the lyrics. When the rough sketches were ready, the sessions began in the basement. The first system was homemade; made up of chipboard and covered with green upholstery. The first guitars were made on the sled. The first amplifier was bought in 1964.
They took the name Nurk Twins from something they had read about The Beatles; John Lennon and Paul McCartney had once performed as a duo under the name Nurk Twins. They thought the name was cool, but didn't know what the words meant.
The original band consisted of Magne "Mannaen" Hyland (vocals), Kjell Arne Jensen (bass), Ernst Magne "Ivan" (usually pronounced "Iven) Vignes (guitar), Knut Helge Knigsberg (drums) and John Hetlelid (guitar). When Hetlelid left, Per Lorentz "Peder" Borsheim came in as rhythm guitarist. At the end of the 1960s, Magne Hyland left - some believe he was fired. Borsheim took over the singing and the band turned more and more towards the blues. Then it became desirable to have an organ, and Tor Salomonsen joined the band. In 1971/1972, the band consisted of Hans Christian "Besten" Hansen (percussion), Magnar Fyllingen (piano/vocals), Per Lorentz Borsheim (vocals, harmonica, guitar) and Sverre Erik "Ferrien" Henriksen (bass) and Knut Knigsberg ( drums). Around the same time, the old bassist Kjell Arne Jensen returned. Rolf "Buddy" Oanes on drums replaced Knigsberg, and guitarist (first bassist) Odd Stangeland came in.
Other musicians who have briefly visited Nurk Twins were pianist Reidar Larsen (participated for a short period as a 14-15-year-old), saxophonist Frode Gjerstad, Jan Helge Didriksen (mandolin?) and Tor Magne "Tøbbis" Rønnevig (saxophone). Nurk Twins first practiced at Pedersgata 99 in the eastern part of Stavanger, the house of bassist Jensen's parents. Later, they were given a practice room in the Frisinn clubhouse, where they were allowed to practice for free in exchange for playing at Frisinn's alcohol-free dances every Wednesday.
Nurk Twins' musical style changed, depending on who was a member of the band at any given time. When Magne Høyland left in the late 1960s, the band began to play more blues-based material. In the early 1970s, the band stood out as a sharp contrast to the more polished artists in the county, with their hippie style. When Per Lorentz Borsheim took over as lead vocalist, the blues strengthened its position in the band. With Borsheim and Salomonsen as new members, they began to play more progressive rock. After their debut concert on May 1, 1964, dance organizers began to contact them. They also participated in many of the local pop competitions.
The highlight of the first edition of Nurk Twins was when they shared first place with a Swedish group in the Nordic Pop and Rock Championships in 1965. The band played, among other things, the Rolling Stones songs "Get Off Of My Cloud" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Nurk Twins won a single recording, which they never used; they did not think they had any of their own songs that were good enough. Nurk Twins had trouble getting into record labels during this period. No one wanted to sign them - they were too uncompromising, and their music was too bluesy and raw.
Bohemian Jazz Club had in 1969 acquired blues artist Eddie Boyd from Chicago. The club did the right thing and asked the Nurk Twins to play as a backing band at Korvetten. Eddie Boyd was thrilled with this interaction, and returned to the district several times to play with the Nurk Twins. The band also played with Champion Jack Dupree at Bohemian. The fundamentalists in the jazz club only reluctantly accepted this slip-up. Only the blues nights were full.
On November 24, 1970, Nurk Twins were presented in a major interview in Stavanger Aftenblad. They were able to say that since the beginning they had bought instruments and other equipment for 150,000 kroner - an enormous amount at the time. Stylistically, they represented a completely different world than the other bands in Stavanger at the time; those who performed in handsome suits and had handsome beards.
The hard and rough lifestyle of the band made it difficult for them to get gigs in the Stavanger area. The organizers were skeptical about the local version of The Rolling Stones. There was chaos and arguing, but they also practiced a lot, and became powerful musically. They organized their own concerts, including at Folkets Hus in Sandnes.
From the mid-1970s they began to write more of their own songs, and from 1973 to 1977 most of the songs they played were self-written. Per Lorentz Borsheim's "Kuwait" was one of the live favorites.
During this period, Nurk Twins also played with several major Norwegian and foreign bands and artists. They also played outside of Stavanger, including at Hulen in Bergen and Chateau Neuf and Club 7 in Oslo. In April 1971, they were the opening act for Black Sabbath at Giskehallen.
It took fifteen years from the time Nurk Twins started playing together before they went into the studio to record an album. The album was recorded at Bergen Lydstudio with Trygve Thue as producer. It has been said about this album that it has an unmistakable Dire Straits feel - both in terms of music, arrangements and guitar sound - before Dire Straits released their first album! The album nevertheless bears the mark that Nurk Twins were at the end of their career, and some of the spark was gone when it was recorded.
Nurk Twins performed in NRK Radio's live program series (no title) in 1970 or 1971. The producer was Tore Skille. The recordings (probably deleted, unless Tore Skille has secured a copy) were made in the Mission Hall in Stavanger, which was NRK's largest "studio" in the city at the time. The hall was used by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra at the time. It was natural for NRK to use this venue, which they had a lease on, but the people of the Mission Society were shocked when they realized what was going to happen in their own hallowed hall. The band was first told to go out at a certain speed, but NRK finally got its way. The recording was made. NRK had sent an invitation to a free live concert home with schoolchildren in the Hinna area. And a large group of pretty young people showed up with their parents, many in their finery, because they had forgotten to say who was going to play. They probably thought it was a symphony orchestra. So mistakes can be made.
Played for a period under the name Nurk Twins Blue Corner in 1970, then as a pure blues band. In recent years, Nurk Twins played a lot at Korvetten in downtown Stavanger, where they returned to their roots, to R&B and some roots-influenced music.
Rogyland
Tracks
1. Back To The Streets (Odd Stangeland, Per Lorentz Borsheim) - 2:54
2. Country Fever (Per Lorentz Borsheim) - 3:15
3. About To Die (Magnar Fyllingen) - 2:56
4. Hidden In A Dream (Magnar Fyllingen, Sverre Henriksen) - 3:51
5. Western Winds (Odd Stangeland, Per Lorentz Borsheim) - 2:26
6. Dear Follower (Dick Nuthall, Magnar Fyllingen) - 3:07
7. Rising Sun (Per Lorentz Borsheim) - 3:48
8. Stranger In Another Man's Land (Magnar Fyllingen, Per Lorentz Borsheim) - 2:03
9. Dirty Poster (Magnar Fyllingen, Sverre Henriksen) - 3:53
10.Tomhet (Kjell Arne Jensen, Magnar Fyllingen, Odd Stangeland) - 2:44
11.Skuespill (Kjell Arne Jensen, Magnar Fyllingen, Odd Stangeland) - 3:34
12.The Intruder (Odd Stangeland) - 0:59
Nurk Twins
*Kjell Arne Jensen - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Per Lorenz Borsheim - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
*Hans Christian Hansen - Percussion
*Magnar Fyllingen - Vocals
*Odd Stangeland - Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitars, Dobro, Vocals
*Rolf «Buddy> Oanes – Drums
With
*Tom Halvorsen - Keyboards
*Trygve Thue - Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar (Track 7)
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