KROKUS: Video Footage Of 'Swiss Independence Day' Performance Available

August 25, 2009

Hard rock veterans KROKUS performed live on August 1, 2009 as part of the Swiss Independence Day celebration, which was broadcast live on Swiss TV from the "Tell Open-Air Stage" in Interlaken. Entitled "Tell And Other Heroes", the program was televised all over Switzerland with simulcast translations in French and Italian (for those of you that don't know this little trivia: Switzerland is about a sixth of Colorado with four different major languages). Excerpts of Schiller's stage play "Wilhelm Tell" were shown as part of the program and guests included people that in some way or another have contributed to the theme of this TV broadcast as "heroes" in their field of expertise. Not just performers and dancers, but also Swiss sports celebrities, popular politicians and famous people that helped shape the cultural and economical landscape of our country. A musical performance by KROKUS as one of the "heroes" was the highlight of the program. According to the producers of the show, KROKUS led the way in becoming the most successful Swiss rock act internationally in the early '80s and rock ambassadors to put Switzerland on the rock 'n' roll map of the world. TV moderators Sven Epiney and Marco Rima also interviewed the band on the topic of the show ("heroism").

Watch video footage of KROKUS' performance below (Quicktime required). Photos can be found at this location.

After a 25-year hiatus, the reunited "original" lineup of the Swiss hard rock band KROKUS is totally committed to writing and producing an album that seamlessly fits into the groove of their work of the early Eighties ("Metal Rendez-Vous", "Hardware", "One Vice At A Time", "Headhunter"). They feel they owe this to their faithful fan base. And good things do take time!

KROKUS's new album will be released via the band's new deal with the Swiss branch of Sony Music.

The group recently recorded the official song of the Ice Hockey World Championship, which was held between April 24 and May 10, 2009 in Zurich and Bern, Switzerland. Chris Von Rohr and lead guitarist Fernando Von Arb wrote the track, entitled "Live For The Action", and performed it live — along with the rest of the band — in Bern at the opening game of the Ice Hockey World Championship between Switzerland and France. The event was held in a packed stadium and broadcasted via TV to 800 million viewers in over 100 countries.

Partnered with Ariola and Arista, KROKUS became an international success and ran up the charts with their hit albums "Metal Rendez-Vous" (1980),"Hardware" (1981),"One Vice At A Time" (1982),"Headhunter" (1983),"The Blitz" (1984) and "Change Of Address" (1986).

The classic KROKUS lineup reunited for an appearance on November 18, 2007 on a TV show honoring the greatest Swiss songs of all time. The "Die grössten Schweizer Hits" program featured KROKUS performing a medley of the tracks "Tokyo Nights", "Bedside Radio" and "Heatstrokes".

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