Cato Salsa Experience

Cato Salsa Experience (&quotCato;" pronounced KAh-Toe) are the perfect combination of loud 'n fun. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, the hard charging, garagey band with splashes of psychedelia returns to tear up the Morning Becomes Eclectic studios with band members Cato Thomassen on vocals and guitar, Christian Engfelt on bass, Nina Bjorndalen on keyboards (missing their first appearance due to illness) and Duck Jon Magn Riise on the drums.

Emperor Norton signed Cato Salsa Experience, releasing their debut album, A Good Tip for a Good Time, in the summer of 2002. The album shines with a multitude of delightful monster riffs, danceable garage band grunge and straight ahead in your face drum and guitar bashing. During all that rocking out they don't forget the catchy pop music elements. Energy wise, they are reminiscent of their Scandinavian brothers, The Hives, but much more playful.

&quotPeople; have compared us to more aggressive music, but we don't put any effort into being aggressive. We are not angry. We just want things to be up-tempo and danceable," says Christian.

&quotAs; far as the sound goes," relates Cato, &quotYou; can say that we are into vintage gear, but we don't necessarily want the music to be totally retro, some pastiche kind of deal. We want to sound new and fresh, but are inspired by various elements from the entire rock 'n' roll history."

Cato Salsa Experience came to be after the guys were discussing mutual feelings of dissatisfaction in their respective bands while putting back LOTS of espresso. The friends then decided to adjourn for a frenetic, caffeine-crazed jam in a nearby rehearsal room. It was following that initial jam that the new band and their sound was born. Nina, whom they, &quotmet; at a party and they thought was pretty cool", came on board afterwards to complement the sound with keyboards and added percussion.

As far as live bands go, Cato Salsa Experience is a must see. New Musical Express named Cato Salsa Experience &quotthe; most happening band in Norway" and so the buzz and the sound of buzzing guitars continues.

Written by Harold Cane (http://www.emperornorton.com/mod/artistpage.php3?artist=cato_salsa_experience)