Aqua (band)

Claus Norréen would be the quietest of the former members, remixing material for other artists, including Lazyboy's second single "Facts Of Life" under the Danny Red alias. Beck's work with the Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group's 1968 album Truth were seminal influences on heavy metal music, which emerged in full force in the early 1970s. Søren Rasted was a judge on the Danish version of Pop Idol, and would later begin work on the Lazyboy project, releasing "Underpants Go On The Inside" in January 2005 and making #5 in Australia. Beck was one of the first electric guitarists in the 1960s to experiment with electronic distortion (most notably in the Yardbirds 1966 album, Roger The Engineer), redefining the sound and role of the electric guitar in rock music and anticipating what Jimi Hendrix shortly thereafter took further. His performance was not as strong, though, and he has since been out of the spotlight. The song "Plan B" from this release earned him his fourth Grammy Award, again, for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance'. René Dif would also pursue a solo career, releasing "Let It All Out (Push It)" earlier than Lene, in 2002. The 2003 release of Jeff showed that the new electro-guitar style he used for the two earlier albums would continue to dominate.

Lene fell pregnant in 2004 with Søren's baby, and put her solo career on hold. During the 1980s and 1990s, Jeff Beck recorded sporadically: Flash (1985, including performances with Rod Stewart and Jan Hammer), Guitar Shop (1989), Crazy Legs (1993), Who Else (1999), and You Had It Coming (2001). Jeff Beck won his third Grammy Award, this one for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance' for the track "Dirty Mind" from You Had It Coming. The second single "Pretty Young Thing" was never released. It was followed up by a collaborative effort with keyboardist Jan Hammer on the 1976 Wired album, which also received critical acclaim. The first single would do well, though, "It's Your Duty" making number three in Denmark. charts. Lene Grawford Nystrøm would marry Søren Rasted and then release a solo album, "Play With Me", which flopped in Scandinavia (making number 74 in her native Norway). In 1975, Beck did a solo, all-instrumental jazz fusion album entitled Blow by Blow which received unexpectedly positive critical reviews and substantial sales, reaching number 4 in the U.S.

All four members continued working in the music industry. This group, too, failed to attract much critical attention and soon split up, although they did have a minor hit with a version of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" (Beck later played lead guitar on Wonder's Talking Book album). In 2001 lead vocalist Lene would collapse on stage and with the peak of Aqua's popularity passed and relationships within the band weakening, Aqua split up in mid-2001. After the failure of the second Jeff Beck Group (it disbanded in 1972), Beck formed the power trio Beck, Bogert, and Appice, with Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass. A third release from the album, "Freaky Friday" was planned but was pulled at the last minute. Wood later joined The Rolling Stones. Aqua would then perform at the Eurovision Song Contest of 2001, collaborating with the Safri Duo. Owing to friction within the band, Stewart and Wood left the group in 1969 to form The Faces.

This was followed-up by "Around The World", which despite being surprisingly anthemic would flop and make only number 26. The group produced two albums, Truth in 1968 and Cosa Nostra Beck-Ola the following year. The first single release from the album was "Cartoon Heroes", which made number 7 in the UK. The following year, Beck formed a new band, Jeff Beck Group, which featured him on lead guitar, Rod Stewart on vocals, Ron Wood on bass, Mick Waller on drums, and Nicky Hopkins on piano.
After a year of so out of the spotlight Aqua returned in 2000 with a new album, "Aquarius", and a more matured sound with a larger range of styles. Beck's tenure in the Yardbirds was a short one; he left after 18 months, partly for health reasons. The fifth single "Good Morning Sunshine", released in late 1998, performed poorly and made only number 18. In 1966, Jeff shared the dual-lead guitar role with Jimmy Page.

The fourth release would be "My Oh My", which didn't hit number one in the UK but was still a hit. In 1965, Beck joined the Yardbirds (after Eric Clapton left the group for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers). It was during Jeff's tenure with the Yardbirds that they recorded most of their hits. The follow-up single "Doctor Jones" would also be a UK number one, as would the third release from Aquarium, "Turn Back Time". "Turn Back Time" was taken from the Sliding Doors soundtrack and featured a less 'helium-induced' sound, gaining a lot of radio airplay. Like many rock musicians in the early 1960s, he began his career working as a session guitarist. The single would hit number one across Europe and would also be successful Stateside, going platinum in the US and becoming a rare million seller in the UK. Beck was born Jeffrey Arnold Beck in Wallington. The first single released from it was "Barbie Girl", a pop song seemingly about the children's toy but with 'double-meanings' which resulted in Barbie makers Mattel filing a lawsuit against the group (the lawsuit was dismissed in 2003). The electric guitarist Jeff Beck (born June 24, 1944) is a British rock musician who played in a number of influential bands in the 1960s.

In 1997 the group became known as Aqua and recorded the "Aquarium" album. Jeff (2003). The single performed poorly and the group decided to re-think their plans for success. You Had It Coming (2001). Originally known as Joyspeed, the group formed in 1995 and released a debut single called "Itzy Bitsy Spider" in Sweden and Denmark. Who Else! (1999). Aqua was a Scandinavian pop-dance band which consisted of Lene Grawford Nystrøm (born 2 October 1973, Tønsberg, Norway), René Dif (born 17 October 1967, Copenhagen, Denmark) and Claus Norréen (born 5 June 1970, Charlottenlund, Denmark) and Søren Rasted (born 13 June 1969, Blovstrød, Denmark). Crazy Legs (1993).

Get All "Aqua" Lyrics here (http://www.geocities.com/lleonardpler/play_aq.htm). Frankie's House (1992). "Aqua" committed fansite still updated today (http://www.aquarama.tk). Beckology (1991 anthology). Around The World (2000). Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989). Cartoon Heroes (2000). Flash (1985).

Good Morning Sunshine (1998). There And Back (1980). Turn Back Time (1998). Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group Live (1977). Doctor Jones (1998). Wired (1976). Barbie Girl (1997). Blow by Blow (1975).

Itzy Bitsy Spider (1995). Live In Japan (1974 - Japan only). Aquarius (2000). Beck Bogert Appice (1973). Aquarium (1997). Jeff Beck Group (1972). Rough And Ready (1971).

Beck-Ola (Cosa Nostra) (1969). Truth (1968).