Mercury Blues - Kuno Lauener and the V8
12/19/2023
We never met, Kuno Lauener and I, at least not face to face. But it was back in the eighties when I bought my first Züri West record. 7:7 was one of my favorite songs back then, even though Bern was quite far away from Zurich.
Kuno Lauener always managed to write song lyrics that were captivating. And the automobile was a recurring theme in his songs. Hanspeter's sports car, for example, which was initially "en heisse Schlitte", but later was no longer so "spitz" because it had a "child seat".
And on the latest album, if you can still say that about a CD (or a streaming album), a car is given a place of honor. It's a blue Mercury with a V8 roar that plays a very special role in Mercury Blues. The exact model is not mentioned, perhaps it is one of the ones pictured?
Lauener, who was born just a few weeks before mit, announced two years ago that he was suffering from "multiple sclerosis", a nasty disease. The fact that he still managed to release another record with his re-formed band is commendable. The fact that the record turned out so well makes it a great buy. And yes, the band is happy about every CD or vinyl sale, because Lauener's troupe can perhaps just about afford the studio rent from the Spotify sales. So, people, buy "Züri West - Loch dür Zyt" if you like Bernese-German rock. Not just because of the hymn to Mercury ...
P.S. Oh yes, perhaps it should also be mentioned that the CD itself features an Opel GT ...
