In 1993, a Dusseldorf based progressive band were looking for a lead vocalist and finally found HJ Klein, an experienced guitarist, vocalist and composer. Their line-up already consisted of two keyboardists, a guitarist, a drummer and a guy who played doubleneck bass & guitar. The group's name was given SHADES OF DAWN. In autumn of the same year, after playing a gig at an international street fair, guitarist Karl Nothen quit the band.
In 1994 SHADES OF DAWN started recording the music on which they had been working before. In 1995, bass player/guitarist Wolfgang Schmidt and female keyboard player Annette Schepermann left the band. They were replaced by keyboard wizard Cyrill Stoletzky and bass player Theo Labs.
During the summer of 1997, SOD embarked upon recording sessions for a brand new album entitled "The Dawn Of Time" and played together with POVERTY’S NO CRIME and THOUGHTSPHERE at the "A night in Progressive Rock" festival in Dusseldorf. The album was released in April 1998. In July 1998, the band successfully played along with Colosseum, Wishbone Ash, Caravan, Man, Edgar Broughton Band, John Mayall and others, at the Burg Herzberg Festival, Germanys most famous Hippie Festival.
In February 1999 bassplayer Edzard Schmidt joined the band but, left already in mid-April. By the end of September, he surprisingly showed up again. However, in February 2000 he went to Osnabrück. Then, Theo Labs turned up in June, unexpectedly offering his collaboration once more but, left again in December 2000.
In February 2002 the group performed on the German "PROGPARADE NO.3" in Neustadt. March 2002 brought bass player Chris Waelter to Shades of Dawn. The band successfully performed at the "Unterrather Rockday" and other events. He unfortunately had to leave the band in January 2003. Therefore, from mid-2003 on, Shades of Dawn played on stage with Edzard Schmidt again, for instance at a fund-raising event to benefit the homeless.
In 2004 SOD played at the Bergkeller in Reichenbach, legendary by now, and did a concert with the band MORPHELIA in Aurich. The album "From Dusk till Dawn" was finally taking shape and was mastered between October 2004 and January 2005. At the same time, SOD started recording their 3rd album.
In January 2005 SOD’s former bass player Theo Labs got in touch with the band again. In this reunition they played on a Progressive Rock Festival in Essen, Germany in July. End of October Cyrill Stoletzky quit. Theo Labs also had disappeared from earth without saying a word.
July 2006 brought new keyboardist Uli Moosbrugger to the band, and in September bassplayer Klaus Lohr came aboard. In October the band signed a worldwide distribution contract on the french label MUSEA.
November 2006: Uli Moosbrugger left Shades of Dawn.
February 2007: "From Dusk till Dawn" finally released.
April 2007: New 2nd keyboardist Bernie Marx joined the Band.
August 2007: 1st Gig in the new line up on an Open Air Feast in Dusseldorf.
September 2007: Great sold out show together with German Rock Legend "Jane" in Jever.
October 2007: Progressive Rock Night in Gelsenkirchen together with "Vertigo".
November 2007: Show in Leverkusen
2008: The band will perform at 1st Kraut Rock Festival in Wuppertal, together with Jane and other German Rock Legend "Birth Control".
Watch out for more to come.....
Pleased to virtually meet you! Thank you for joining my circle of cyber friends, for excepting the add words and for sharing your Beautiful Music with me. I really enjoyed listening to your tracks. Great Sound and Vibes! K E E P * O N * P R O G I N '!! Take care and have yourselves an inspiring week. Warmest Regards from Toronto, Canada.
You have a really unique sound, and great tunes! There's so much good stuff comming out of Germany...some of our other MySpace friends such as Shamall and FlamingBess spring to mind. We'd love to play Germany some day! We'd ask you to play Norway, but it's such a tiny country ; )
Thanks for the add and congratulations for the band, the progressive sound is great!!! I hope to see Shades of dawn one day here in south America! Here in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, there is a lot of fans of progressive and Krautrock like me! Best wishes, CLAUDIO ODDONE
Na ich wollt ja ne BESONDERE CD =) Endlich ist zumindest mal die Gitarre mit umgezogen =) Nur das Cajon fehlt noch, dann kann auch hier die Bude rocken =)
Hey, sorry in letzter Zeit wars bei mir ein wenig stressig... Bin umgezogen =) Also jetzt nochmal zurück zur CD... Ich konnt mir zum ersten mal die Songs in Ruhe anhören und ich muss sagen, die sind echt super! =) *träum* Und wie um alles in der Welt bekomm ich nun ne wunderschöne CD von euch ???
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