Ulysses (German band)

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Ulysses is a German progressive rock band from the early 1990s with an international line-up. They were part of a colourful scene of new bands, labels and magazines that emerged in Germany at that time.[1] Musically, they were less influenced by the German "Krautrock" phenomenon but initially oriented strongly towards the second generation of British progressive rock bands[1] (E.g. Marillion, IQ, Pendragon). Hegarty & Halliwell would have classified them as part of third wave of progressive rock bands, who can also be described as a second generation of neo-progressive bands.[2] So one might not wonder that most reviewers heard similarities to Marillion, Galahad and Änglagård in their music which is characterised by a strong emphasis on melodies and the integration of folkloristic elements, abrupt changes of moods (mostly melancholic and sombre) and partly complex and ever changing arrangements often moving towards a climax.

## History

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Ulysses was established in 1990 in Wiesbaden by bassist Ender Kilic, guitarist Mirko Rudnik and keyboarder Thomas Diehl.[3] Their name refers both to the ancient Greek hero Οδυσσέας and to James Joyce's best-known work Ulysses.[4]

Joined by Dane drummer Jasper Stannow and Australian singer Gerard P. Hynes, Ulysses recorded their first studio demos in December 1991.[5][6] After Stannow left the band, Ulysses found their permanent drummer in Robert Zoom. With this line-up they recorded their debut album "Neronia" produced by renowned British musicians Clive Nolan (Arena, Pendragon, Shadowland) and Karl Groom (Threshold) in 1993.[7] Guest vocalist on two tracks was Tracy Hitchings (Quasar, Strangers On A Train, Landmarq).[7]

Ulysses' "Neronia" CD was released on Michael Schmitz's and Thomas Waber's renowned Inside Out Music label. A cassette edition was licensed to Metal Mind Production/Massacre Records.

With their new singer, Marc Jost, Ulysses promoted the Neronia album throughout Europe,[8] playing shows and festivals in Poland,[9] Germany and the Netherlands, and opening for Pendragon on their "The Window of Life" European tour in 1994.[10]

In 1995 Ulysses played in the final of Germany's oldest and best-known rock festival for young talent, the 1822-Rock Festival.[11]

Due to a looming naming rights dispute, Ulysses changed their band name to Neronia in 1995[12] and after many line-up changes released their second album "Nerotica" in 2004.

At the end of 2011, the Ulysses album Neronia was voted into Germany's Prog Top 40 by the German rock magazine Eclipsed.[13]

In 2021, Ulysses reunited with most of the original line-up named Ulysses Resurrection Project.

A remastered and expanded 2CD set of the band's debut album was released in October 2023 on the Polish label GAD Records/chickadisc to mark the 30th anniversary of the first release.[14]

## Discography

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### Studio albums

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* 1992: Ulysses (Ulysses/self release/Cassette-EP)Ulysses (20) - Ulysses
* 1993: Neronia (Ulysses/Pyramusic CD-Album)Ulysses – Neronia (1993, CD)
* 1994: Neronia (Ulysses/SPV/InsideOut CD-Album)Neronia
* 1994: Neronia (Ulysses/Metal Mind Productions Records/Massacre Records Cassette-Album)Ulysses – Neronia (Cassette)
* 2002: w/o title (Neronia/Nova Entertainment CD-EP)
* 2003: Nerotica (Neronia/Nova Entertainment CD-Album)Nerotica by Neronia
* 2023: Neronia 30th Anniversary Edition (Ulysses/GAD Records/chickadisc; 2CD-Set)[15][16]

### Compilations

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* 1992: Music for a Better World (Bamot Island Film & Records) Ulysses - Teenage Sweethearts - Demo
* 1992: The Secret World - Skelletons in the Cupboard II (Clive Nolan Cassette-Sampler, Fan Club release) Ulysses - Teenage Sweethearts (Demo)
* 1995: 1822-Rock Festival Finale 5. März 1995 (Frankfurter Sparkasse) Ulysses - She-Cat (live)1822-Rock-Festival Finale 5. März 1995 (1995, CD)
* 2004: Empire Art Rock 71 (Empire Music) Neronia - Drenched In Tears Empire Art Rock 71 (2004, CD)
* 2004: Music From Time And Space Vol. 8 (Eclipsed) Neronia - One Moment Music From Time And Space Vol. 8 (2004, CD)

### Music videos

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* 1994: Forever Lost[17]

## Members

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### Original members

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* Ender Kilic – bass (1990–present)
* Mirko Rudnik – guitars (1990–present)
* Thomas Diehl – keyboards (1990-1995)
* Jasper Stannow – drums (1991-1992)
* Gerard Hynes – vocals (1991-1993)

### Current members

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* Ender Kilic – bass, keyboards (1990–present)
* Mirko Rudnik – guitars, keyboards, b-vox (1990–present)
* Robert Zoom – drums, keyboards, b-vox (1992–present)
* Gerard Hynes – vocals (1991-1993, 2021–present)

### Former members

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* Andreas Simon – drums (1990)
* Peter Lerch – drums (1991)
* Marc Jost – vocals, guitars (1994-1995)
* Thomas Cordey – keyboards (1995)

## External links

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* Ulysses Rersurrrection Project

## References

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1. ^ a b Borrink, Mike (2011-12-20). "Die Geschichte des Progressive Rock, Teil 6 Deutschland (II)" [The History of Progressive Rock, Part 6 Germany (II)]. Eclipsed (in German). 136. Aschaffenburg (DE): Sysyphus Verlags GmbH: 50–53.
2. ^ Hegarty, Paul; Halliwell, Martin (2011). Beyond and Before: Progressive Rock Since the 1960s. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 199\. ISBN 978-0-8264-2332-0.
3. ^ ULYSSESinfo 6/94 (Ulysses press kit)
4. ^ Schaefer, Wolfgang (1994-06-14). "Typisch britische Teutonen" [Typical British Teutons]. Rock Hard (in German). 85. Dortmund: Holger Stratmann: 104–105.
5. ^ Pyramusic Promotions: ULYSSESbio, 1994-06
6. ^ PYRAMUSIC Promotions: ULYSSES promo sheet, 1992-02
7. ^ a b Schäfer, Wolfgang (March 1994). "Ulysses Neronia (Pyra Music/SPV)". Rock Hard. 82. Holger Stratmann: 88.
8. ^ Schäfer, Wolfgang (June 1994). ""Typisch britische Teutonen", Prog - Die Progressiv- Kolumne in Rock Hard" ["Typically British Teutons", Prog - The Progressive column in Rock Hard]. Rock Hard (in German). 85. Dortmund: Holger Stratmann: 104–105.
9. ^ Grzesiek Kszczotek inTyklo Rock, 1994-07
10. ^ Habusta, Chris (August 1994). "Progressiv - Ulysses stehen für Progrock" [Progressive - Ulysses stand for Progrock]. Soundcheck (in German). 9. Bergkirchen: PPV Presse Project Verlags GmbH: 189.
11. ^ Spindler, Wolfgang (1995-03-07). "Raum & Klang - ein Dissens" [Space & Sound - A Dissent]. Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). 56. Frankfurt am Main: 21.
12. ^ "NERONIA - Ulysses: Neronia (1993)".
13. ^ Borrink, Mike (December 2011). "Die Geschichte des Progressive Rock, Teil 6" [The History of Progressive Rock, Part 6]. Eclipsed (in German). 136. Aschaffenburg: Sysyphus Verlags GmbH: 50–53.
14. ^ "Ulysses -Neronia (2CD)".
15. ^ "Ulysses - Neronia (2CD)".
16. ^ "Neronia 30th Anniversary Remaster 2CD - set".
17. ^ Wolff, Stefan (1994-11-10). "Auf Kuba die Heavy-Charts gestürmt. Die "Progressive Rock"-Band Ulysses bastelt konsequent an der Karriereleiter" [Storming the heavy charts in Cuba. The "progressive rock" band Ulysses is consistently tinkering with the career ladder.]. Wiesbadener Kurier (in German). Wiesbaden: VRM.