Wikipedia

Formosa (band)

Formosa is a German hard rock band, formed in 2015.[1]

Formosa
Formosa at the Rockspektakel Hamburg 2019
Formosa at the Rockspektakel Hamburg 2019
Background information
OriginEssen, Germany
GenresHard rock
Years active2015–present
Labels
Members
  • Nik Beer
  • Nik Bird
  • Paris Jay
Websiteformosaband.com

History

edit
 
Singer Nik Bird

Foundation

edit

The bandmembers Nik Bird (vocals, bass), Nik Beer (electric guitar) and Paris Jay (drums) have known each other since they were in kindergarten and grew up in the direct neighborhood in Wahlwies next to the Lake Constance.[2] They have been performing and writing songs together since they were teenagers.[2] At the end of 2014 they moved together to the Ruhr area to start Formosa as a power trio in 2015.[3]

Tight & Sexy (2015–2016)

edit

In 2015, the band members began working on their first album and released Tight & Sexy on 13 May 2016 through the record label Sweepland Records.[1][4] A Germany-wide album tour and numerous other concerts in well-known scene clubs followed.

 
Guitarist Nik Beer

Sorry for Being Sexy (2017–2018)

edit

Already in the summer of 2017 Formosa began recording their second studio album Sorry for Being Sexy. They played as an opening band for Battle Beast and Ignite, and in the fall they went on their first international headlining tour through the Balkans.[1] March 2018, the album Sorry for Being Sexy was released via Sweepland Records.[5] This was followed by an extensive European tour through a total of 13 countries with over 70 concerts. Sorry for Being Sexy landed at No. 9 on the official German metal rock charts.[6] Formosa played over 140 concert across Europe in 2017–2018 sharing the stage with bands such as Thundermother, The New Roses and Bonfire.[7][8][9]

On 6 January 2017, singer Nik Bird dislocated his arm in a stage accident. He nevertheless played the concert to the end and then got into the already waiting ambulance.[10] Andy Brings, who was present at the concert, commented on the accident and Nik Bird's fearless continuation of playing as "a great hour for rock 'n' roll".[10][11]

Danger Zone (2019–2021)

edit

In early 2019, Formosa recorded their third album Danger Zone in Antwerp. As producers, the band hired Martin Furia (eg. Destruction and Nervosa).[12] After the recording sessions Formosa went on a support tour with Nazareth.[13] In the summer of 2019 various well-known music festivals followed including a performance during the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany.[14]

In 2019, Formosa parted ways with their music label Sweepland Records and signed a label deal with Metalville.[15] On 13 March 2020, Formosa released their third album Danger Zone – simultaneously, however, on the same day, the ongoing tour with Audrey Horne was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]

Bones EP (2022)

edit

In 2022, Formosa released several singles, which together appeared on the Bones EP. On the song Her Mama, guitarist Ande Braun from Kissin' Dynamite plays the guitar solo and can also be seen in the accompanying video. The acoustic version of the song Dynamite features a hammered dulcimer played by drummer Paris Jay.[17][18]

For June 11, 2022, Formosa has planned the Formosa Beer Festival'22. At this festival, Formosa will pour the beer created especially for this event. The recipe for the Formosa beer comes from guitarist Nik Beer, who is a qualified brewmaster.[19]

Musical style and influence

edit
 
Drummer Paris Jay headbanging

Formosa are playing riff based melodic hard rock.[20][21][22]

In addition to classic hard rock, Formosa's music also contains influences from heavy metal and southern rock.[23] Notable band influences include Kiss, Judas Priest and AC/DC.[1][22][23][24] Sometimes Formosa are compared with Whitesnake.[25]

The band's lyrics are in English and are often characterized by striking phrases in the chorus.[1][21] Examples here are songs like Fuck up your Liver and Sold my Soul.[26] Often, the voice of Nik Bird is compared to the voice of the young Geddy Lee (Rush) or Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe).[25][23]

The influences from southern rock, especially Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top are evident in the solo of Leader of the Pack and with Manic Lover Formosa have a power ballad in their repertoire.[25][27]

Typical movements are the "Judas Priest moves" of Nik Bird and Nik Beer and the intense headbanging of drummer Paris Jay.[28]

Discography

edit

Albums

edit
  • 2016: Tight & Sexy (Sweepland Records)[4]
  • 2018: Sorry for Being Sexy (Sweepland Records)[5][29]
  • 2020: Danger Zone (Metalville)[30][31]

Singles

edit
  • 2016: "Friends of the Night"
  • 2017: "Love on the Highway"
  • 2018: "Fuck Up Your Liver"
  • 2018: "Mañana"
  • 2018: "Mañana" – (Acoustic)
  • 2018: "Johnny the Beaver" (Acoustic)
  • 2020: "Sold My Soul"
  • 2020: "Dynamite"
  • 2022: "Dynamite" (Acoustic Version)
  • 2022: "Let It Go" / "Saturday Night"
  • 2022: "Her Mama" feat. Ande Braun of Kissin' Dynamite and Thorsten Rock of The Legendary

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Von Michaela Winner (19 March 2018). "Formosa -Sorry For Being Sexy". Hellfire-Magazin (in German).
  2. ^ a b Claudia Ladwig (10 July 2017). "Stockach: Konzert in der alten Heimat: Band Formosa spielt beim Erlenhof Open-Air". Suedkurier.de.
  3. ^ "FORMOSA – DAS A&O | Management & Booking". Ao-artists.com.
  4. ^ a b Dana (12 May 2016). "Formosa – Tight & Sexy (Sweepland Records, 13.05.2016)". Handwritten-mag.de.
  5. ^ a b "FORMOSA – Sorry For Being Sexy".
  6. ^ "Die offiziellen deutschen Metal Rock Charts". Wdjc.de.
  7. ^ "Fotos: Formosa – Bochum Total 2018 – 20.07.2018". Musikiathek. 21 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Formosa | Parkbühne Biesdorf | 1 September 2018". Rhlichtbilder.de.
  9. ^ "8. Nikolaut Rockfestival (official)". Kulttempel.com.
  10. ^ a b Dieter Jaeschke (9 January 2017), Ruhr Nachrichten (ed.), Ein Guter Jahrgang (in German), Dortmund{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ^ "Facebook". Facebook.
  12. ^ "FORMOSA "Danger Zone" (CD 2020)". Rocknewz. 14 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Formosa als Support von Nazareth bestätigt!". Musikiathek. 23 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Rock Spektakel 2020". Rockspektakel.de.
  15. ^ "Formosa: "Danger Zone" erscheint am 13.03. über Metalville Records". Time for Metal – das Metal Magazin. 15 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Formosa veröffentlichen Video zum Song Sold My Soul aus kommendem Album". Soundmagnet.
  17. ^ Metalhead (14 March 2022). "FORMOSA und das Hackbrett". Metal-heads.de (in German). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  18. ^ "FORMOSA: 'Dynamite'-Akustik-Video enthüllt". Rockhard.de. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  19. ^ "FORMOSA: Billing des Formosa Bierfests 2022 enthüllt". Rockhard.de. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Die Band". Formosa.
  21. ^ a b "Formosa – Sorry For Being Sexy". Tempelores Magazine. 28 February 2018.
  22. ^ a b Andreas Schiffmann. "Formosa: Sorry For Being Sexy (Review/Kritik) – Album-Rezension (Hardrock)". Musikreviews.de.
  23. ^ a b c Mislav Mihaljević (9 March 2018). "Review: Formosa – Sorry For Being Sexy". Metal Jacket Magazine.
  24. ^ Z7 Konzertfabrik, 4133 Pratteln. "/".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ a b c "Formosa: Danger Zone (Review/Kritik) – Album-Rezension (Hardrock)". Musikreviews.de.
  26. ^ Rockslave (4 April 2019). "04.04.2019 Nazareth". Metalfactory.ch. Retrieved 9 May 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  27. ^ Anke Hellweg. "FORMOSA: Danger Zone". Vampster.
  28. ^ Mislav Mihaljević (22 March 2018). "Report: Formosa @ Randevu/Danđn Bar, Osijek, 21.3.2018". Metal Jacket Magazine.
  29. ^ Anke Hellweg (28 February 2018). "FORMOSA: Sorry For Being Sexy". Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Formosa – Danger Zone". Time for Metal – das Metal Magazin. 28 February 2020.
  31. ^ Andreas Schiffmann. "Formosa: Danger Zone (Review/Kritik) – Album-Rezension (Hardrock)". Musikreviews.de.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Formosa_(band)&oldid=1220704491"