Samsø has always been the island of songs to me
One night almost 30 years ago, at the V58 rock club in Aarhus, a small group of my friends and, boldly decided that, we would meet and go to Samsø once we had had a few hours sleep, as we had heard rumours of amazing live music at Ballen Badehotel with some of our favourite bands as well as a good summer fete that was being held. That weekend was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with this island for my family and I.
A few of us went to the island time and again looking for refuge. We rented Walthers Hvile, which was called Samsø Bad at the time, and recorded my album “Morgendagens tåber”, whilst we were there. We arranged the first songwriter workshop at Ballen Badehotel where, among others, the legendary Eric Andersen participated, who used to be in a group of songwriters along with Bob Dylan who had to fight to be heard!
Once the songs and music starting shooting out of Ballen Badehotel, and Brundby Hotel was put on the market, it became the password for the seven of us who joined together to buy it with the plan to have a hotel full of songs and music. Luckily for us, Guf Turid Hanevold was one of the people we contacted, and today she and her son Rasmus still own and run the place in the beautiful spirit of songs and music. I think it is possible that Samsø, and Brundby Hotel in particular, have been an inspiration for, and origin of, more new songs than any other place in the world.
In 2006, after 10 years as islanders, we had to make the hard decision to move from Samsø back to the mainland due to work commitments and the ferry service, but this island continues to be a large part of our family DNA!
Now and again, I come across photos of nearly a hundred dancing children in a castle built of hay bales in Sælvigbugten. Photos of the sweatiest concerts at Brundby Hotel or photos of recording sessions jam packed with the best people from Dansebjerg or the amazing sunset at Sælvigbugten or even one from the Samsø’s Festival stage, and it just makes me dream of the day I am once again on stage together with my brother in music Michael Falch – on stage on the Island of Songs!
By Poul Krebs
About Poul Kreb
• Has published almost 30 albums.
• Is behind hits like ”Sådan nogen som os”,” Morrison, Dylan and Elvis” and ”Små sensationer”.
• Was a Samsø resident for almost 10 years, where he contributed to the creation of this country’s only rock hotel at Brundby.
• Co-initiator of the international songwriter project Thehouseofsongs.com which was established after a series of songwriting workshops on the Samsø
Last updated: 11/08/2020 14:12
