Biogrphy
COUNTRY LANE is a band from the french-speaking part of Switzerland, hailing from La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Neuchatel district. The band was formed in October 1970 by guitarist Reymond Amey, keybordist Olivier Maire and rhythm guitarist Freddy von Kaenel. The next year, after several personnal changes, a rhythm section was added to the original trio: between July and October 1971, bassist Giancarlo Duella and drummer Jean-François Donzé completed the line-up that was responsible for the band’s only album called “Substratum”... Olivier MAIRE was alwas aiming at perfection as an intrumentalist. He was born in Bienne on the 1st of september 1951. Intended to be a doctor in the first place, he nevertheless made time to learn piano, guitar and organ. His first band experience was with a group called STRUCTURES, going on with COUNTRY LANE. Tragically, he died in a motorbike accident on a greek road, a few years after the release of “Substratum”. Raymond AMEY was born on the 20th of November 1952 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. An accomplished musician, he was an outstanding performer on both six ans twelve strings electric guitars, beside playing synthesizers and kazoo. Furthermore, he proved to be an honest singer and a gifted composer. A photographer in civil life, he made he musical debut with RHINOS and NEXT TIME, two local bands who achieved some success way back in the early Seventies. A Childhood frien of the aforementioned ans a former member of the GOLDEN BIRDS, Freddy VON KAENEL was born in the same town, same year, yet on the 16th of March. Of cousre, he played the same instrument... Nevertheless, he soon developed his own style, playing essentially acoustic or twelve strings electric rhythm guitar. He describes himself not without humour as being... “To COUNTRY LANE what wheat floor is to bechamel sauce.”, meaning that he was an efficient binder between the diffenrent musical tendencies at work within the band. He also was an established high-level economics. GianCarlo DUELLA is also a native of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Actually he was born one year after his buddies, on the 7th of March 1953. He started playing bass quite by chance, shortly before joining COUNTRY LANE. Yet, he quickly made great progress, establishing himself as an extremely talented musician who wasn’t afraid to call his skills into question. Having music and exhausting high-technology studies on the go at the time, he usually hides his shyness behind reserve. Born April 16th 1952, Jean-François DONZE was a self-taught percussionist, who started his drumming career on... Kitchen ustensiles!!! This happend quite unaffectedly at a rather hectic party together with some close friends. Forever bitten by the percussive bug, he discovered that he was cut out for drumming. He made his debut with OPEN ROAD before landing up in COUNTRY LANE. He descibes himself as a very pleasant humain being, who wouldn’t be as powerful a performer except for what he calls mischieviously “small outbursts of madness...”. A graphic arts student (He designed the album’s inside cover drawing.) and a lover of surrealistic painting and Frank ZAPPA’s music, Jean-François DONZE is most of all a tireless creativ person.
