Band:

Terra Nova

BiografieIn the real world, it takes time and hard work to become an overnight success.



For most of us, the first we heard of Dutch melodic rock band, Terra Nova, was 1996 and the debut album ´Living It Up´, and we loved it. In capturing the sheer joie de vivre of eighties AOR and melodic rock, ´Living It Up´ catapulted Terra Nova into the vanguard of the genre, both in Europe and Japan.



This was no fluke, no flash in the pan. Brothers Fred and Ron Hendrix had been learning their craft since the early eighties - forming bands, writing songs, touring incessantly. They achieved minor success in 1985 when their pop band Paolo Zoppo reached the finals of a national talent competition, resulting in Fred´s first recorded songs.



For Fred Hendrix, this early taste of success was a significant endorsement of his ambition and burgeoning ability as a songwriter and musician. Showing surprising maturity and foresight for a 21 year old, Fred decided to hone his skills further and enlisted with The Conservatory Of Music in The Hague. Unfortunately, two years in, vocal cord problems cut his studies short. His career stalled, and Fred made his living playing bass in a high profile Dutch band named Nine Lives. A blessing in disguise perhaps. Fred made a name for himself, and perhaps more importantly, he made contacts.



Two years later, with the backing of a Dutch record label, he formed Terra Nova with brother Ron. Fast forward another two years and ´Living It Up´ was written, recorded and ready for release. But the wheels grind slowly sometimes. It was 1996 before major Japanese label JVC licensed it for release. Good move. It became huge in Japan and in turn, this led to its subsequent release in Europe and more success. Terra Nova had arrived.



Naturally, there was a clamour for new product. No second album syndrome for Fred and Terra Nova. ´Break Away´ was rush released in 1997 to major critical acclaim and even bigger success in Japan, leading to a major tour of the Far East in 1998. At the end of 1999, after release of their third album, ´Make My Day´, persistent problems with their Dutch record company saw the band reach the end of their patience and the end of the road. Reluctantly, but perhaps inevitably, the band split.



Now, six years on, enterprising record company Frontiers Records has pulled Fred away from his solo projects and commissioned a new album from Terra Nova. For the many thousands of fans who remember Terra Nova´s three nineties´ releases this is truly something to celebrate. A band that should never have been away is back.
Quelle: http://www.frontiers.it/Default.aspx?tabid=41&cond1=WHERE%20AlbumID=3518Discografie2005 - Escape

Reviews

Escape - Cover
Seit 1996 wüten diese Holländer schon in der Melodic Rock - Szene herum, aber so richtig viel hat man von TERRA NOVA noch nicht gehört.