Heaven (Norway)

Origin: Avaldsnes (Norway)

HEAVEN

Roger Pedersen - Tomi Pedersen - Vidar Stakkestad - Kenneth Pedersen - Arnfinn Knutsen

Heaven albums:

	Take me back - 1989 (with lyrics)
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Notes about Heaven:

 Text in English

- Heaven came from Avaldsnes, on the island of Karmøy just south of Haugesund. In 1987 guitarist Roger Pedersen joined a solo project led by singer Kenneth Pedersen [1], and by the summer of 1988 the two were working as Heaven [2], with bassist Tor Mikal "Tomi" Pedersen, drummer Arnfinn Knutsen and Vidar Stakkestad on synthesizers and keyboards. Three of the five were Pedersens: two brothers and their cousin [3]. The band wrote its own material, and every song on its album is credited to Heaven, with lyrics by Kenneth Pedersen [4].

In July 1988 the band recorded "Take Me Back" and "I'm In Love" at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, producing the session themselves with engineers Erik Avnskog and Jan Erik Kongshaug, and released the two songs privately on a 7" single (KP 1) [2]. "I'm In Love" appears on neither the album nor its reissue [5]. That same year Heaven signed with the Oslo company Slagerfabrikken [3]. The debut album was recorded at Slager Studios in Oslo, produced and engineered by Tomas Siqveland [4], bassist of the Larvik pop group Drama [6], with additional engineering by Per Sveinson [4]. In the summer of 1989 the Tomato label, a Slagerfabrikken imprint, issued a new Siqveland production of "Take Me Back" as a double A-side with "Angelina" (XS 21), pressed on both black and translucent blue vinyl [3][7].

"Take Me Back" became the band's breakthrough. On Norsktoppen, NRK radio's weekly chart for Norwegian artists [8], it spent 16 weeks, nine of them at number one [3]. In its acknowledgements the band singles out Radio 102 [4], the Haugaland local station, then broadcasting from Kopervik on Karmøy [9], and in particular Egil Houeland, who had been with the station since its launch in January 1985 [10]. The album *Take Me Back* followed in September 1989 on LP (XLP 22017), cassette (XMC 22017) and CD (XCD 22017) [5][11]. The CD carries barcode 7 048362 201720 and the SPARS code AAD, which denotes analog recording and mixing with digital mastering [12]. The album sold 10,000 copies [3]. A second single, "Let Go" backed with "Lonely Rider" (XS 23), appeared the same year [13].

Between 1989 and 1992 Heaven played more than 100 concerts across Norway [3], with demand especially strong in Trøndelag. On the road, Henning Haaland ran the stage lighting and transport, while Roy Frode Haaland looked after the fan club [4]. In 1991 the band returned with "Children of Our Time" (Tomato XS 28) [14], produced by Micke Anderson [4] and mixed by Svein Gundersen at Bel Studio [14], with the album track "Another Way" on the B-side [14]. It was a respectable showing for a young band but fell short of the band's hopes [3]. The second album never materialized: just before recording was due to begin, internal disagreements became so serious that Heaven broke up in 1992 [3].

Three of the members later formed Huldra [15], a band playing lighter hard rock with lyrics in the Karmøy dialect. Its releases include *Neste morgens lys*, *I syndens slør* (2004) and *Født på ny* (2010) [15]. Roger Pedersen went on to found Sound Trip in 1993 [1]. In 2003 Huldra Records reissued *Take Me Back* (03-54N) under license from Universal Music [16], digitally remastered and with liner notes by Geir Aamo and Terje Høiland [4]. The reissue adds "Children of Our Time" as a bonus track, together with the music video for "Take Me Back", produced by Eirik Davidsen with Haakon Wheeler as assistant [4]. The booklet thanks the Haugesund Amcar Club, Vanguard MC Haugesund and the band's fans for their help in making the video [4]. *Haugesunds Avis* reported that the five original members had begun rehearsing for a release party and a reunion concert, which Tomi Pedersen described as a one-off [17]. The bassist also said that, in hindsight, a more straightforward rock direction might have served the band better [17]. Unofficial editions of the album have since circulated, among them an Italian CD-R (2008) and a Russian CD (2012) [5]. -

Notas sobre Heaven:

 Texto en Español

- Heaven procedía de Avaldsnes, en la isla de Karmøy, justo al sur de Haugesund. En 1987, el guitarrista Roger Pedersen se incorporó a un proyecto en solitario del cantante Kenneth Pedersen [1], y en el verano de 1988 ambos trabajaban ya como Heaven [2], junto al bajista Tor Mikal «Tomi» Pedersen, Arnfinn Knutsen a la batería y Vidar Stakkestad a los sintetizadores y teclados. Tres de los cinco se apellidaban Pedersen: dos hermanos y su primo [3]. El grupo componía su propio material, y todos los temas de su álbum figuran a nombre de Heaven, con letras de Kenneth Pedersen [4].

En julio de 1988 grabaron «Take Me Back» y «I'm In Love» en Rainbow Studio, en Oslo, con producción propia y los ingenieros Erik Avnskog y Jan Erik Kongshaug, y publicaron ambos temas en edición privada en un sencillo de siete pulgadas (KP 1) [2]. «I'm In Love» no figura ni en el álbum ni en su reedición [5]. Ese mismo año, Heaven firmó con Slagerfabrikken, compañía con sede en Oslo [3]. El larga duración de debut se grabó en los Slager Studios de Oslo, con producción e ingeniería de sonido de Tomas Siqveland [4], bajista del grupo pop de Larvik Drama [6], y con ingeniería adicional de Per Sveinson [4]. En el verano de 1989, el sello Tomato, filial de Slagerfabrikken, publicó una nueva producción de Siqveland de «Take Me Back», en doble cara A junto a «Angelina» (XS 21), prensada en vinilo negro y en azul translúcido [3][7].

«Take Me Back» supuso el despegue del grupo. En Norsktoppen, la lista semanal de la radio de la NRK dedicada a artistas noruegos [8], permaneció 16 semanas, nueve de ellas en el número uno [3]. En sus agradecimientos, la banda destaca a Radio 102 [4], la emisora local de Haugaland, que por entonces emitía desde Kopervik, en Karmøy [9], y en especial a Egil Houeland, vinculado a la emisora desde su puesta en marcha en enero de 1985 [10]. El álbum *Take Me Back* salió en septiembre de 1989 en LP (XLP 22017), casete (XMC 22017) y CD (XCD 22017) [5][11]. El CD lleva el código de barras 7 048362 201720 y el código SPARS AAD, que indica grabación y mezcla analógicas con masterización digital [12]. El álbum vendió 10 000 copias [3]. Ese mismo año apareció un segundo sencillo, «Let Go», con «Lonely Rider» en la cara B (XS 23) [13].

Entre 1989 y 1992, Heaven dio más de 100 conciertos por toda Noruega [3], con una demanda especialmente intensa en Trøndelag. En las giras, Henning Haaland se encargaba de la iluminación y el transporte, mientras que Roy Frode Haaland llevaba el club de fans [4]. En 1991 el grupo volvió con «Children of Our Time» (Tomato XS 28) [14], producido por Micke Anderson [4] y mezclado por Svein Gundersen en Bel Studio [14], con el tema del álbum «Another Way» en la cara B [14]. Fue un resultado digno para una banda joven, pero quedó por debajo de las expectativas del grupo [3]. El segundo álbum nunca llegó a materializarse: justo antes de que empezara la grabación, las desavenencias internas se agravaron hasta el punto de que Heaven se disolvió en 1992 [3].

Tres de sus integrantes formaron después Huldra [15], un grupo de hard rock ligero con letras en el dialecto de Karmøy. Su discografía incluye *Neste morgens lys*, *I syndens slør* (2004) y *Født på ny* (2010) [15]. Roger Pedersen fundó Sound Trip en 1993 [1]. En 2003, Huldra Records reeditó *Take Me Back* (03-54N) bajo licencia de Universal Music [16], remasterizado digitalmente y con textos de Geir Aamo y Terje Høiland en el libreto [4]. La reedición añade «Children of Our Time» como tema adicional, además del videoclip de «Take Me Back», producido por Eirik Davidsen con Haakon Wheeler como ayudante [4]. El libreto agradece al Haugesund Amcar Club, a Vanguard MC Haugesund y a los seguidores del grupo su ayuda en la realización del vídeo [4]. El diario *Haugesunds Avis* informó de que los cinco miembros originales habían empezado a ensayar para una fiesta de presentación y un concierto de reunión, que Tomi Pedersen describió como algo puntual [17]. El bajista afirmó además que, con perspectiva, quizá les habría convenido una línea más directamente rockera [17]. Con el tiempo han circulado ediciones no oficiales del álbum, entre ellas un CD-R italiano (2008) y un CD ruso (2012) [5]. -

Sources/Fuentes

1. Rogalyd (Sølvberget Library and Culture House), "Roger Pedersen" (in Norwegian). https://www.rogalyd.no/artist/roger-pedersen

2. Discogs, "Heaven – Take Me Back," 7" single, private release, KP 1, Norway, 1988 (release r3821828). https://www.discogs.com/release/3821828-Heaven-Take-Me-Back

3. Rogalyd, "Heaven" (in Norwegian). https://www.rogalyd.no/artist/heaven

4. Heaven, *Take Me Back*, CD reissue, digitally remastered, Huldra Records 03-54N, Norway, 2003. Booklet credits and acknowledgements.

5. Discogs, "Heaven – Take Me Back," master release with all versions (master m447760). https://www.discogs.com/master/447760-Heaven-Take-Me-Back

6. Wikipedia, "Drama (Norwegian band)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drama_(Norwegian_band)

7. Discogs, "Heaven – Angelina / Take Me Back," 7" single, Tomato Records XS 21, Norway, 1989 (release r3821791). https://www.discogs.com/release/3821791-Heaven-Angelina-Take-Me-Back

8. Store norske leksikon, "Norsktoppen" (in Norwegian). https://snl.no/Norsktoppen

9. Radio 102, "Radio 102" (station history, in Norwegian). https://radio102.no/radio-102/

10. Radio 102, "Ansatte i Radio 102" (staff page, in Norwegian). https://radio102.no/radio-102/ansatte/

11. Discogs, "Heaven – Take Me Back," CD, Tomato Records XCD 22017, Norway, 1989 (release r3683701). https://www.discogs.com/release/3683701-Heaven-Take-Me-Back

12. Heaven, *Take Me Back*, CD, Tomato Records XCD 22017, Norway, 1989. Back inlay: barcode 7 048362 201720 and SPARS code AAD.

13. Discogs, "Heaven – Let Go / Lonely Rider," 7" single, Tomato Records XS 23, Norway, 1989 (release r5996961). https://www.discogs.com/release/5996961-Heaven-Let-Go-Lonely-Rider

14. Discogs, "Heaven – Children Of Our Time," 7" single, Tomato Records XS 28, Norway, 1991 (release r9155853). https://www.discogs.com/release/9155853-Heaven-Children-Of-Our-Time

15. Rogalyd, "Huldra" (in Norwegian). https://www.rogalyd.no/artist/huldra

16. Discogs, "Heaven – Take Me Back," CD reissue, Huldra Records 03-54N, Norway, 2003 (release r2955231). https://www.discogs.com/release/2955231-Heaven-Take-Me-Back

17. *Haugesunds Avis*, "Heaven gjenforenes" (in Norwegian; undated online article). https://www.h-avis.no/puls/heaven-gjenforenes/s/2-2.921-1.1643325