Eela Craig

Eela Craig was an Austrian rock band that combined progressive rock with jazz, classical music, electronic music and Christian texts at the beginning of the 1970s. The band's name is without any further meaning.

History

The group was founded in 1970 in Linz. In the summer of 1971, the first long- playing record Eela Craig was recorded in an edition of 1,500 copies, which led to comparisons with more established bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, Gentle Giant or Colosseum among the critics. In 1972, the band played with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra some joint appearances, which led to that then several appearances followed in prestigious opera houses in Italy, Germany and Austria, which was extremely unusual for a rock group at the time.

In 1975, a contract was signed with Virgin Records, and over the next few years created more singles and albums, from which especially the Christian concept album Missa Universalis 1978 protrudes. It is the musical realization of a high mass ( celebration of the Holy Mass ), which includes all unit prescribed texts in Latin, German, English and French. The compositions are similar in the works of Anton Bruckner; music are all elements of rock music and electronic music used. The premiere of this work was carried out on the Bruckner Festival of Linz and evoked an overwhelming, positive media coverage.

Between 1982 and 1986, nothing was heard of the group, however produced Bognermayr and Zuschrader under the name Bognermayr / Zuschrader on which was founded by Bognermayr 1980 New Age Label Erdenklang more albums with partly also Christian content. Published in 1987 under the name Eela Craig then three singles who are more likely attributable to contemporary pop music. In 1988, the so far last album Hit or Miss appeared.

On 17 November 1995, the group met for a one-off live appearance in Linz. At the same Hubert Bognermayr published a compilation titled Symphonic Rock.

Two founding members are now deceased: Bognermayr on 17 March 1999, Willi Orthofer in the night of 16 to 17 May 2010 of a heart attack.

Discography

Singles

• Stories / Cheese ( 1974)
• A Spaceman Came Travelling / Heaven Sales ( 1979)
• Mo -bike Jive / Carry On ( 1981)
• Linz / Feel me so ... (1987 )
• Il Tempo... / Lovers in Love ( 1987)
• Christmas / (Instrumental ) ( 1987)
• Lord's Prayer / Our Father (1988 )

Albums

• Eela Craig (1971 )
• One Niter (1976 )
• Hats of Glass (1977 )
• Missa Universalis (1978 )
• Virgin oiland (1980 )
• Hit or Miss ( 1988)