This is what the new song “Loch dür Zyt” sounds like.

Singer and vocalist Kuno Lauener’s illness with multiple sclerosis has put the Bernese band’s future in question. But now the band is showing its first signs of musical life. So it will continue, but there probably won’t be live concerts.

Stefan Kunzli/Media

For a long time it was unclear what would happen next for Zorrie West. In July 2017, singer-songwriter Kuno Lauener was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). He received his diagnosis on the day the band played at the Gurten Festival. The party turned into a horror trip. Lauener had forgotten the text messages and saw the whole thing twice.

Since then he has lived difficult years. Personally and professionally. In addition to his diagnosis, he lost his mother and father. In addition, he separated from his partner, the mother of his children. It was quiet around the band for a long time. The last album, “Love,” was released six years ago, and the last concert was more than five years ago.

“Loch dür Zyt” is a remake of Züri West’s debut single “ZW”.

Now there is the first sign of the band’s life. The song “Loch dür Zyt” is the lead single and the first musical harbinger of a new album that will be released on December 7 on the Sound Service label. The title of the song is a remake of the song “ZW” from the debut album “Sports and Music”. In fact, this is the first song the band has written in nearly 40 years.

The band has come full circle, having 40 years ago provided the soundtrack to Bern’s youth unrest around the Saffariya region with rebellious songs such as “Flachgleit”, “Schwinigers” and “Hansdampf” and fought a cultural-political battle for the Reithalle cultural centre. . The band embodied the protest stance of the movement at the time.

But a lot has happened since then. Over the years, the band has moved away from its strong and aggressive sound and is now one of the most successful and important bands in Switzerland. Of the original cast, only Kuno Lauener and Kos Fellmann remain. The two still form the solid core of the band today.

“Loch dür Zyt”, this new and updated version of “ZW” aims to illustrate this change. The new song is no longer frantic and fast. The tempo is significantly reduced, almost a bit slow, and the song sways slowly and confidently. Well… it adjusts with age.

Are the days of rock and roll over?

The changes made to the song seem to symbolize the new life situation. The text clip “We are attracted to you in Züri” has been replaced with “mis Lonely Härz, wo chlopfet u chlopfet”. And the words were completely deleted: “u fasch every Aabe, build every Aabe Rock’n’Roll”.

Is Zuri West’s rock ‘n’ roll time over? maybe. Things continue with Züri West, but perhaps a little differently than before. 62-year-old Kono Launer is doing well given the circumstances. The disease is stable. However, the autoimmune disease MS, which affects the central nervous system, is considered incurable. In order for his condition to remain stable, he must avoid any stress. Therefore live concerts with the band are out of the question. Ready to rock and roll!