I
Sebastian

About:

19 december 1949

Born as Knud Torben Christensen in Sønderborg, Denmark, he began playing guitar in 1966 during boarding school. Inspired by his example Donovan he began writing songs and traveled around with "Summer Bus". He recorded a few English-language singles in 1970 and the LP 'The Goddess' (1971). Although he refuses to see himself as a protest singer he found a listening ear with the protest movement of that time when he changed to writing songs in Danish. The first single ‘Lossepladsen bløder’ (the landfill bleeds) and a performance at the first Roskilde festival led to a growing fame. In the until 1974 Sebastian almost always appeared alone on stage with his guitar perfecting an acoustic sound. At the end of that year he formed his first band and recorded the electric album ‘Gøgleren, Anton og de andre’ and gradually changing into a mature rock sound. His breakthrough to the main public came with him writing and performing the soundtrack for the youth movie ‘Måske ku' vi’ in 1976. The succes gave Sebastian enough credit to pursue his other aspiration of being a serious musicalscore writer. In 1979 he wrote music to lyrics of Bertol Brecht for a theatre show called ‘Tiderne skifter’. Although critics were not unanimous enthusiastic Sebastian himself calls it one of his best accomplishes in the Seventies. Just after he surrounded himself with a "supergroup" with Kenneth Knudsen (keyboards), Niels Henriksen (guitar), Michael Friis (bass), Alex Riel (drums) and young singer Lis Sørensen. Especially with Lis he would form a long lasting professional relationship writing many of her songs also for her solo albums. After a string of bestselling albums this line up partly dissolved in 1983 with only Henriksen and Sørensen to the new band.

But by the mid Eighties his other aspiration of being a musical composer gradually took more and more time next to his rock career. In 1985 he wrote blockbuster musical “Skatteøen” for the Folketeatret. This led directly to another task with Brecht lyrics and " Det gode menneske fra Sezuan " for TV theater in 1988 (later expanded to include five additional songs to Gladsaxe Theatre eight years later). " Sezuan" and the overriding subsequent 1989 project in 1988-89 - the symphonic " Dyndkongens datter " made Sebastian recluse from the limelight and only acting occasionally as a minstrel in the “Dyndkongens datter” ballet performances. For the next decade and more Sebastian spend his time and fame writing music and Danish adaptations for films and musicals like ‘Ronja Røverdatter’ (1991), ‘Gøngehøvdingen’ (1992), ‘Cyrano’ (1993), ‘Aladdin’ (1995), ‘Hans Christian Andersen’ (1996), ‘Pippi’ (1998), ‘Den nye Cyrano’ (2000) and ‘Klokkeren fra Notre Dame’ (2002). In 1999 he even became artistic director for the theatre company Mastodonterne. In 2003 he made a return to the pop-stage with the ‘Trubadurens aften’ tour. Still it would take until 2011 before he releases an album with new material. In 2012 he celebrates his 40th anniversary with a remastered compilation of his best work. He also releases a new score based in texts by H.C. Andersen called 'I Danmark er jeg født'. This can be considered to be a follow up to his 1980 'Nattergalen' Andersen-project.

On the web:

- Sebastian's website: http://www.sebastian.info/

What do we think:

DB: One of the most credible singer/songwriters in the European music scene. Musically he could be categorized under the label 'quality radio friendly rock'. This label does not mean 'boring oldies' however. Sebastian's music he made in the 70's and 80's is of high standard and features some outstanding craftmanship. In Denmark he stands on lonely hights. He sigh for the higher art led to his breakaway from popmusic in the 90's and more into modern light theatrical work.

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

Frank Boeijen (Netherlands)

Georg Danzer (Austria)

Albums (excluding his musical scores and soundtracks):

- The Goddess - 1971

- Den store flugt - 1972

- Over havet under himlen - 1973

- Blød lykke - 1974

♪♪♪♪ - Gøgleren, Anton og de andre - 1975

- Måske ku' vi - 1976

♪♪♪ - Ulvehøjen - 1977

♪♪♪ - Ikke alene Danmark - 1978

♪♪♪♪ - Cirkus fantastica - 1979

- Live - 1980

♪♪♪♪ - Stjerne til støv - 1981

♪♪♪♪♪ - 80'ernes boheme - 1983

♪♪♪♪ - Tusind og een nat - 1984

- På vulkaner - 1987

- Øjeblikkets Mester - 2011

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided