Biography
A German-based folk-rock outfit incorporating elements of Eastern European traditions, Poems for Laila came together in Berlin during 1989 with initial direction from the duo Nikolai Tomás and Roy Eisenberg. At that stage the lineup also featured Melissa Lour, Nile Arndt, and Speedy Sheppard. The blend of Hungarian and Russian folk elements with rock arrangements drew notice from the panel at the 1989 Berlin Senate song competition. Not long afterward the group issued its debut album, Another Poem for the 20th Century, via the independent Berliner Vielklang imprint. After an extended European tour and several television spots, Poems for Laila secured a deal with Polydor and promptly delivered two albums for the label, La Filette Triste in 1991 and Katamandu in 1992, before moving to the sister imprint Phonogram. The 1994 release I Shot the Moon was helmed by Roxy Music luminary Phil Manzanera. While the band maintained momentum into 1995, Nikolai stepped away to pursue solo work, later issuing his own recordings and assembling Die Band auf Eis. The 2000 appearance of a best-of compilation revived interest in the group’s catalog and prompted Nikolai’s return; the band then unveiled the studio album On a Wednesday in 2002. Frühstück In Budapest arrived in 2004, accompanied by a successful nationwide tour. A brief hiatus followed in 2005–2006 while Tomás concentrated on individual projects. Poems for Laila resurfaced in 2007 with a substantially altered roster and issued the album Klamm that same year. Plans were made for a live DVD and CD marking the band’s twentieth anniversary in 2008.
Albums
