southern records

Biography

Andrew Pekler's musical biography begins in Monterey, California. There he spent his high school years listening to Slayer and the Velvet Underground, learning the secrets of the electric guitar and playing in various bands. Next station, Heidelberg, Germany 1995, where Andrew found himself working in a record store and exploring alternatives to his guitar-based teenage socialisation. Soon he was involved in various musical projects; as guitarist and singer in garage rock/noise combo Mucus 2 and as multi-instrumentalist in pop/electronica band Bergheim 34 (Klang Electronic). In his free time at home, using a simple four-track tape machine, a keyboard and a mattress for a bass drum he worked on short instrumental sketches musically somewhere between Money Mark and Curd Duca. In 1998 Source Records released Sad Rockets' (the name Pekler gave this project) debut album 'Plays' to international acclaim.

One year later in 2000 we saw the release of Sad Rockets' 'Once Upon A Time Called Now' on Morbid (sub-label of Vienna's Cheap Records), and the album 'Transition' on US indie Matador. Sad Rockets' first first live gigs in the Spring of 2001 took Pekler and friends around much of Europe before the tour's successful conclusion at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona. His subsequent relocation to Berlin brought with it new contacts. Among them, Scape Records who requested a track for the 'Staedtizism 2' compilation. The mutual interest eventually resulted in 'Station To Station', Andrew Pekler's first full-length under his own name.

2004 saw Pekler back in the studio recording his second album /Nocturnes, False Dawns & Breakdowns/. The press response was extremely positive, with publications ranging from 'The Wire' to 'Spex' to 'TAZ' praising his fresh approach to sampling and improvisation. 'Strings & Feedback' released in 2005, was a slight departure from Pekler's previous works concentrating on texture rather than rhythm.

Two years on Pekler has joined forces with Kranky to release his third full-length 'Cue'. A vibrant, playful album that's full of evocative textures and open-ended lullabies.