Zwerg

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Zwerg

Zwerg is a Canadian alt. band formed in 1997. Based out of Moncton, New-Brunswick, the band consists mainly of composer/vocalist/pianist Eldon Thiele. Thiele is also responsible for the ambient, programming, samples and bass.

The band’s unique eclectic sound is described by Thiele as “piano-based, electronic-alternative, dream pop rock”.

The name Eldon Thiele is a tribute to the artist’s two deceased, musical grandfathers; Eldon R. Betts Sr. (a violinist and singer), and John L. Thiele Sr. (a trumpeter).

The name “Zwerg”, which is German for “dwarf”, was selected as a metaphor for any victim of social injustice, for any oppressed and misunderstood misfit, debilitated by lies of his or her own frailty, but who, often unknowingly, possesses great vigor, venomous vengeance, vitality, and virility.

1 Band History
2 Band Members
- 2.1 Current Members
- 2.2 Past Members
3 Discography
4 External links

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Band History

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Early Years

Eldon Thiele began to learn how to play piano with the encouragement of his father, a music teacher, at age 5. He later studied with the nuns of L’École Notre-Dame d'Acadie, one of the most respected music schools in eastern Canada. particularly looked on by Sister Jeannette Brun.

By age 10, after winning several first place finishes in the Greater Moncton Music Festival, Thiele quit piano and singing because he wanted to get more involved into sports and too much time and focus was being taken by endless practicing and rehearsing brought forth by the piano.

While in high school, Thiele was projected back into the creative outlet of music thanks to the encouragement and inspiration given to him by members and acquaintances of the band Eric's Trip/Elevator To Hell, specifically by "Toriphile" Lindsay Landry, sister of Elevator's Tara Landry (former-wife of Rick White). They helped him realize the piano could be as intensely expressive as any electric guitar.

With a new outlook on his musical talent, and with all creative engines firing, Eldon began, at age 17, to write piano music. He briefly dabbled with the guitar, but felt the piano was his home. That it was where his musical formative years were spent, and playing it came much more naturally for him. Furthermore, he was able to encapsulate the sounds of this percussive instrument, making it extremely beneficial for his unique style and programming of electronica.

After spending most of his childhood touring with his family’s singing group The Betts Family, Thiele conceived and implemented his one-man-band, Zwerg at age 18.

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Sepsis EP (1997)

The now rare and out-of-print Sepsis EP was produced by Eldon and Rick White at Rick’s home studio, 'Stereo Mountain', in Riverview New-Brunswick. The piano and vocals had already been recorded on a 4-track by Thiele at his home in Moncton, New-Brunswick before bringing them to Rick, where he mixed and added all the other instrumentation : (bass, guitars, drums, cans of pencils, etc) ...except for some of his vintage synths, which were added in by Eldon.

The disk was mastered by McNaughton High School’s media arts teacher, Andrew Campbell.

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To Myopic Mutts [1998]

To Myopic Mutts was the follow-up to Sepsis and was again, produced by Thiele and Rick White at Stereo Mountain. All the initial piano and vocal arrangements were done by Eldon before working with Rick to integrate the various other instrumentations found within the album.

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Played Wits [2000]

Played Wits, explained by Thiele, was “my journey into cheesy retro 80's new wave synth-pop”.

Thiele recorded all the keyboards and drum loops, and Mike Bourgeois (Annie Makes it Big) added guitars. it was mixed and produced by Nando Speranza at CMS studios.

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Into the 4th Dimension [2006]

Into the 4th Dimension is the latest album from Zwerg and was 6 years in the making. The album was release on Eldon's own Waspy Mi'kmaq record label. Most of the album was done in Toronto while Thiele was involved in acting and playing piano bars around the city. However, 90% of the album’s material was completed by Thiele himself in various Toronto, Montreal, and Los Angeles apartments because of constant travel and moving demands, brought on by his acting career.

Into the 4th Dimension

For the first time, Zwerg expands to be a full member ensemble, comprising of other musicians bringing their talents to the effort. While in Toronto, Josh Macintosh (who can be seen with a ripped shirt on the back of the album), played and recorded live drums, guitars and bass on to “To stand, kneel” and “Lucky to be an Alien”. Both tracks were completed in Moncton, New-Brunswick by Howard England who produced, mixed, and mastered them.

Both girls and one of the guys in the band are Finnish; Jonnie Bjorkman is half Swedish/half French. Everyone pictured in the album artwork is from the Toronto area. Satu Vlanko and Suvi Vlanko (also Finnish), played violins on many of the songs, and the guitar tracks for “Fundy Flat”, was performed by their brother Janne Vlanko. Another Finnish Torontonian, Tapio Rukkila, played cello on “To Stand, Kneel” and on “Lucky to be an Alien”. Thiele’s father can also be heard playing the tuba on the track “Poppy Corpses”.

Thiele moved home to Moncton to complete the album, mixing all the tracks himself and having them mastered, again, by Mike Bourgeois.

There is also a music video accompanying the album for the track “To Stand, Kneel”. The video was shot outside of Toronto in 2004. Directed by Eldon, it starred Gordon Lightfoot's grandson, Johnny Hoermann as a hobbit. Most of the '10 virgins' in the video are Finnish or are married to Finns from Toronto. The video has received airplay on the Much More Music station and was also featured by a central Canadian station called CTS over a dozen times.

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