{{Short description|Norwegian pop group}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Harrys gym | image = Harrys Gym.jpg | caption = | origin = Bergen, Norway | genre = indie, pop | years_active = 2006–2013 | label = Hype City, Universal Music | website = [http://www.harrys-gym.com/ harrys-gym.com] | current_members = Anne Lise Frøkedal<br/>Bjarne Stensli<br/>Erlend Ringseth<br/>Ole Myrvold }}
'''Harrys gym''' (sometimes misspelled as '''Harry's Gym''') was a Norwegian pop group. The band consisted of Anne Lise Frøkedal (vocals, guitar), Erlend Ringseth (keyboard), Bjarne Stensli (drums), and Ole Myrvold (bass guitar). The band was formed in 2006, released their debut album, ''Harrys gym'', in October 2008 and split up on 11 January 2013.
== History == === Formation === All four band members were previously a part of Dharma, along with Ole Øvstedal, former guitarist of Euroboys. In 2004 they released the album ''Dreamland, Baby'' to positive reviews.<ref name="musiq">{{cite web|url=http://www.musiq.no/anmeldelse.php?anmno=765|title=Dharma - Dreamland, Baby|last=Ellingsen|first=Geir Atle|publisher=musiq.no|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-07}}</ref> Vocalist Anne Lise Frøkedal wrote two of the songs for the album, the rest were provided by Øvstedal.<ref name="musiq"/> "We were young ... maybe we were naïve", drummer Bjarne Stensli later said of the album; "the band was unfinished, it sounded strange".<ref name="lyd">{{cite web|url=http://www.nrk.no/lydverket/videopremiere-harrys-gym-top-of-the-hill/|title=Videopremiere: Harrys gym - "Top Of The Hill"|last=Mokkelbost|first=Erlend|author2=Beate Grøndahl|date=2009-01-14|publisher=NRK Lydverket|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-07}}</ref>
In a 2004 interview, Frøkedal mentioned a distinct difference in songwriting style between herself and Øvstedal.<ref name="dharma"/> These differences eventually led to Øvstedal's departure.<ref name="dagsavisen"/> Bassist Ole Myhrvold later referred to it as "a musical divorce".<ref name="studvest">{{cite web|url=http://studvest.no/kultur.php?art_id=9712|title=Mystiske gymnasiaster|last=Iversen|first=Stian|date=2008-11-12|publisher=Studvest|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-09|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617071808/http://studvest.no/kultur.php?art_id=9712|archivedate=2009-06-17}}</ref> The remaining four members decided to stay together and reformed under a new name, "Harrys gym".<ref name="dagsavisen">{{cite news|url=http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/musikk/article377192.ece|title=Pop som gymnastikk|last=Rakvaag|first=Geir|date=2008-10-28|newspaper=Dagsavisen|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-06|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706171603/http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/musikk/article377192.ece|archivedate=2009-07-06}}</ref> Whereas the name "Dharma" had been inspired by the novel ''The Dharma Bums'' by Jack Kerouac,<ref name="dharma">{{cite news|url=http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/musikk/article263264.ece|title=Dharma: Øst møter vest|last=Pedersen|first=Bernt Erik|date=2004-09-07|newspaper=Dagsavisen|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-07|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617181225/http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/musikk/article263264.ece|archivedate=2009-06-17}}</ref> the new band was named after an abandoned fitness center in the same building as their rehearsal space.<ref name="dagsavisen"/><ref name="studvest"/> The band deliberately omitted the possessive apostrophe from the name, to adhere to Norwegian grammatical rules. According to Frøkedal, Harrys gym is a "more pure pop band" than Dharma, with a "cleaner and more stringent sound".<ref name="dagsavisen"/>
=== Debut album === thumb|right|Performing at the Slottsfjell festival, 2009 Harrys gym released their eponymous debut album, on 27 October 2008. The album was produced by Stensli, with all songs written by Frøkedal. ''Dagbladet'' rated it 5 out of 6. According to the reviewer, "Anne Lise Frøkedal's vocals doesn't sound like leaves on the ground, but rather snow in the air, swirling and massive, weightless and fragile ..."<ref name="db">{{cite news|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2008/10/28/551828.html|title=Harrys Gym|last=Vollset|first=Peter|date=2008-10-28|newspaper=Dagbladet|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-07}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''Verdens Gang'' rated it 4 out of 6, characterizing the music as "fascinating dream-indie".<ref name="vg">{{cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/musikk/artikkel.php?artid=521650|title=Harrys Gym: "Harrys Gym" |last=Østbø|first=Stein|date=2008-10-28|newspaper=Verdens Gang|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-05-29}}</ref> One of the songs from the album, "Whisper", is played twice in the Norwegian horror film ''Cold Prey 2''.<ref name="dagsavisen"/> "To sit in Colosseum Kino and hear our own song in that setting was insane", Stensli later said.
Another song, "Brother", was put in rotation by NRK P3 in November 2008.<ref name="p3">{{cite web|url=http://nrkp3.no/ny-musikk-pa-p3-fra-alta-til-new-york/|title=Fra Alta til New York|last=Rivedal|first=Maria|date=2008-11-28|publisher=NRK P3|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-09}}</ref> The song caught the attention of Universal Music Norway, and after several meetings, the band was eventually signed.<ref name="ha">{{cite web|url=http://www.h-avis.no/article/20090216/PULS/895004581/1272/KOMMUNE03|title=Harrys Gym på Universal|last=Horvei|first=Truls|date=2009-02-16|publisher=Haugesunds Avis|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2009-06-09|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617193437/http://www.h-avis.no/article/20090216/PULS/895004581/1272/KOMMUNE03|archivedate=2009-06-17}}</ref>
=== What Was Ours Can't Be Yours === Harrys gym released their second album 'What Was Ours Can't Be Yours' in the UK and mainland Europe in February 2011 on Oslo-based label Splendour. The band worked on the album with UK producer James Rutledge.<ref name="facebookprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/harrysgym?sk=info|title=Harrys Gym Official Facebook Profile|last=Lester|first=Paul|website=Facebook |year=2010|accessdate=2011-06-09}}</ref>
=== Festivals === Harrys gym has performed twice at the by:Larm festival. ''NME'' placed them in their top 5 list of artists of by:Larm 2008.<ref name="nme">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/blog/index.php%3Fblog%3D15%26p%3D3380%26more%3D1%26c%3D1|title=by:Larm 2008 - last night and the highlights|last=Cochrane|first=Greg|date=2008-02-25|magazine=NME|accessdate=2009-06-07 }}</ref> Their performance also received a positive notice from ''Drowned in Sound'''s reviewer, who was particularly impressed by Frøkedal's vocals and guitar. He lauded the band for an "entirely engaging set, equal parts delicate and muscular".<ref name="dis">{{cite magazine|url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/3022531|title=by:Larm 2008: the DiS review|last=Skinner|first=James|date=2008-03-07|magazine=Drowned in Sound|accessdate=2009-06-07|archive-date=2009-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617200730/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/3022531|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their 2009 performance was well received by ''Clash'', who highlighted the "stupidly talented drummer", and Frøkedal's "acerbic vocals" for particular acclaim. He compared the latter to the vocals of Garbage and The Knife.<ref name="clash">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/bylarm-2009-clash-highlights|title=By:Larm 2009 - Clash Highlights|last=Bennett|first=Matthew|date=2009-02-23|magazine=Clash|accessdate=2009-06-07}}</ref>
=== Breakup === The band announced their breakup on 11 January 2013 on their Facebook page.<ref name="facebook">{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/harrysgym/posts/512438895445794|title=Kjære du som har...|last=Harrys|first=Gym|publisher=facebook.com|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2013-01-27}}</ref><ref name="breakup13">{{cite web|url=http://www.h-avis.no/puls/harrys-gym-er-historie-1.7721505|title=Harrys Gym er historie|last=Grønstad|first=Jøran|date=14 January 2013 |publisher=Haugesunds Avis|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2013-01-27}}</ref>
==Discography== *''Harrys gym'' (2008) *''What Was Ours Can't Be Yours'' (2010)
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.myspace.com/harrysgym Harrys Gym] at MySpace
{{Authority control}}
Category:Norwegian pop music groups Category:Musical groups established in 2006 Category:2006 establishments in Norway Category:Musical groups from Bergen