The Lords of Liechtenstein

Congratulations to the Lords of Liechtenstein and Jean Rohe, local favorites who have been chosen for Friday’s prestigious emerging artists showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

Falcon Ridge is like the Woodstock of folk music, on a rolling farm in the Berkshires from Aug. 1-3, 2014.
In a genre where your next meal is a big deal, this noontime showcase is a really big deal.

It’s launched careers of such popular acts as Red Molly, Gathering Time, Spuyten Duyvil and We’re About 9.

With any luck, LoL duo Dan and Noah Rauchwerk of Holmdel and Jean, a Paterson native, will go on to make tens of dollars in the glamorous world of acoustic music!

If the Brothers Rauchwerk seem sheepish about all this, it’s because they really do want to pull the wool over your eyes, and ears.

They are to Argyle sweater-vests what Michael Jackson was to white gloves. We hear they are angling for Woolite to sponsor their first world tour.

We cannot take credit for the boys’ careers, beyond giving them a tent to play in during a downpour on the Morristown Green. (Argyle’s pretty good when wet; guitars and ukuleles, not so much.)

So there, we took credit anyway.

The Lords and Jean Rohe are darlings of The Minstrel in Morris Township.

Friday’s showcase at Falcon Ridge runs from noon to 5 pm. Twenty-four acts will play. The crowd votes on who gets invited back next year for a longer set. - MorristownGreen.com

Dan and Noah Rauchwerk are The Lords of Liechtenstein. They also brothers from New Jersey who just happen to play quirky, fun, and thought-provoking songs while entertaining their audiences with their brotherly squabbles and teasing. Don’t let the argyle sweater vests fool you, these two young men have something to say and sing about.

The Lords of Liechtenstein are one of 24 Emerging Artists chosen for this year’s Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. The Emerging Artist showcase is always one of the highlights of the festival. The musicians are chosen by a three-member jury and are given the opportunity to perform two songs (not to exceed ten minutes). The audience votes for their favorites and three or four acts are asked to return to the main stage the following year.

Okay, I’ve got to ask the inevitable question: Why did you name yourselves the Lords of Liechtenstein?

We heard that Liechtenstein was the only country that you can rent out for corporate functions. We were so impressed by this blatant expression of capitalism that we decided to proclaim ourselves its lords. Also most people don’t know anything about Liechtenstein, so we can just make up facts about it and get away with it!

Whose idea was it to make a fashion statement with your distinctive sweater vests? They are memorable, that’s for sure!

It was Noah’s. He is the kind of fashionable person who would wear argyle sweater vests without any hint of irony, and they were just in his closet.

How long have you been playing together as a duo?

We’re brothers, so we have been playing music together for our whole lives, but The Lords of Liechtenstein has only existed for about 7 years.

You both seem so natural on stage, does that come naturally or did you have to work on that aspect of your act?

It’s natural. That’s pretty much how we interact all the time. We’ve found that if we try to plan our jokes out in advance then they fall flat, so we just rely on our chemistry as brothers and wing it.

Now about your music–you have an interesting mix of quirky and comical songs and some serious songs as well. Do you like the element of surprise in your live shows so that your audience doesn’t really know what to expect next?

Yes, we do! We feel very strongly about making sure that the audience has fun at our shows, hence the silly songs, but we also believe in music as a force of social change, hence the serious material. The two balance each other out and keep the evening from getting too ridiculous or too morose.

Do you work on songs together or do you write independently of each other?

We tend to write independently. It allows us to express ourselves individually without stepping on each others’ toes in the writing process.

Who would you say are your biggest inspirations in terms of songwriting and also of performance?

Noah’s biggest songwriting influences are Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) and John Prine. Dan’s are Taylor Goldsmith (of Dawes) and Kate Rusby. The Smothers Brothers have been the biggest influence on our performance style. Who doesn’t love a good show of brotherly animosity?

Dan, tell us about the CD project that you worked on as your senior project at Rutgers. It’s not often that you hear about a folk musician who majored in business with a minor in African studies and then went on to write songs that managed to merge both topics!

Our cousin Firew is from Ethiopia, so I have long been interested in African food issues. When the time came to work on my senior project, I wrote a thesis on the economic causes of post-colonial food crises in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria. Dry enough for you? I thought so too, so I wrote and recorded an album of songs telling the stories of individuals involved in these crises. Each song was sung from the perspective of a different person. There’s one sung by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, one by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, one by a wealthy American donor, etc. Thanks to Noah for contributing some great percussion to the album! - Everything Sundry

Paging Dr. Demento: The Lords of Liechtenstein have a tender ballad for you.

It’s called Siberia, and well… we don’t want to spoil it for you. Just watch the video.

Brothers Dan and Noah Rauchwerk are to sweater vests what Michael Jackson was to white gloves. The Holmdel natives delivered two rollicking sets as openers for Christine Lavin at The Minstrel in Morris Township last week.

Let’s just hope that Dan and Noah never find true love. It would ruin them as songwriters. - MorristownGreen.com

Alternative folk-rock duo, The Lords of Liechtenstein, released “The War To End All Wars,” the first single off their upcoming album, Siberia. The track is available exclusively at Hotathon for a limited time, supporting Veterans for Peace, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a community for veterans and also expose the true and human cost of war and militarism.

“We’re excited to share this song with our fans, and with supporters of VFP. It’s important that people hear this message. More and more of our veterans are coming home, and they need our support,” said Dan Rauchwerk, lead singer for The Lords.

Mike Reid, Executive Director at VFP, discussed his experiences working with the Artist, “Working with The Lords and Hotathon has been affirming for us. When the band jumped on our idea to release the song on International Peace Day, and when I first heard the song, I knew these guys were for real. I knew they understood what we’re trying to do for the veterans who sacrificed so much.”

The song tells the story of several veterans – fictional, but chillingly realistic - and how they are consumed by and live with the pain of war, even years after coming home.

No doubt, ever since John Lennon said “give peace a chance,” music has played an essential place in shaping the conversation about what is possible. This campaign gives “fanthropists” an opportunity to support a message of peace and salute the brave men and women who defend our freedom.

For the first time in a Hotathon campaign, purchasers of the studio recording will also receive an exclusive video of a live performance of the song.

The song will be for sale in the Hotathon through late October 2012 with a minimum of 80% of sales going to Veterans for Peace. Afterward the song will be available on the album Siberia by The Lords of Liechtenstein.

Just by coming to Hotathon, enjoying the song, spreading the word and purchasing the song, everyone can make a difference and support Veterans for Peace and its mission.

About Hotathon:
For Artists, Hotathon is an online retail and promotional platform. For non-profit organizations, Hotathon is a commercial co-venture. For music fans and supporters of non-profits, Hotathon offers a unique experience to discover and share what matters most. For more information visit http://www.hotathon.com or call 917-922-5238.

About The Lords of Liechtenstein:
Acoustic-rock duo The Lords of Liechtenstein is comprised of two brothers, Dan (guitar/banjo/vocals) and Noah (ukulele/piano/percussion/vocals) Rauchwerk. Together, Dan and Noah write songs in an acoustic-rock tradition, incorporating elements of folk, reggae, and funk. The Lords’ simple yet catchy melodies draw an audience into accessible lyrics that inspire with powerful social and emotional commentary. With or without amplification, the brothers put on energy-packed live shows and occasionally kick each other onstage in a peaceful sort of way. For more information contact: lordsnj@gmail.com

About Veterans for Peace:
We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others: to increase public awareness of the costs of war; to restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations; to end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons; to seek justice for veterans and victims of war and to abolish war as an instrument of national policy. To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.
For more information visit:vfp@veteransforpeace.org - WSET.com

Alternative folk-rock duo, The Lords of Liechtenstein, released “The War To End All Wars,” the first single off their upcoming album, Siberia. The track is available exclusively at Hotathon for a limited time, supporting Veterans for Peace, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a community for veterans and also expose the true and human cost of war and militarism.

“We’re excited to share this song with our fans, and with supporters of VFP. It’s important that people hear this message. More and more of our veterans are coming home, and they need our support,” said Dan Rauchwerk, lead singer for The Lords.

Mike Reid, Executive Director at VFP, discussed his experiences working with the Artist, “Working with The Lords and Hotathon has been affirming for us. When the band jumped on our idea to release the song on International Peace Day, and when I first heard the song, I knew these guys were for real. I knew they understood what we’re trying to do for the veterans who sacrificed so much.”

The song tells the story of several veterans – fictional, but chillingly realistic - and how they are consumed by and live with the pain of war, even years after coming home.

No doubt, ever since John Lennon said “give peace a chance,” music has played an essential place in shaping the conversation about what is possible. This campaign gives “fanthropists” an opportunity to support a message of peace and salute the brave men and women who defend our freedom.

For the first time in a Hotathon campaign, purchasers of the studio recording will also receive an exclusive video of a live performance of the song.

The song will be for sale in the Hotathon through late October 2012 with a minimum of 80% of sales going to Veterans for Peace. Afterward the song will be available on the album Siberia by The Lords of Liechtenstein.

Just by coming to Hotathon, enjoying the song, spreading the word and purchasing the song, everyone can make a difference and support Veterans for Peace and its mission.

About Hotathon:
For Artists, Hotathon is an online retail and promotional platform. For non-profit organizations, Hotathon is a commercial co-venture. For music fans and supporters of non-profits, Hotathon offers a unique experience to discover and share what matters most. For more information visit http://www.hotathon.com or call 917-922-5238.

About The Lords of Liechtenstein:
Acoustic-rock duo The Lords of Liechtenstein is comprised of two brothers, Dan (guitar/banjo/vocals) and Noah (ukulele/piano/percussion/vocals) Rauchwerk. Together, Dan and Noah write songs in an acoustic-rock tradition, incorporating elements of folk, reggae, and funk. The Lords’ simple yet catchy melodies draw an audience into accessible lyrics that inspire with powerful social and emotional commentary. With or without amplification, the brothers put on energy-packed live shows and occasionally kick each other onstage in a peaceful sort of way. For more information contact: lordsnj@gmail.com

About Veterans for Peace:
We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others: to increase public awareness of the costs of war; to restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations; to end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons; to seek justice for veterans and victims of war and to abolish war as an instrument of national policy. To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.
For more information visit:vfp@veteransforpeace.org - WSET.com

Daniel Rauchwerk had chosen the topic for his senior thesis: a comparative study of the food crises in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria. But he aspired to more than an economic analysis.

“I wanted to capture the deep humanistic and emotional aspects of malnutrition and starvation in these countries,” says Rauchwerk, a business major with a minor in African studies.

So, as an accompaniment to his written work, he composed a CD of original music. The 10-song album took him three months to write. Rauchwerk sings and plays guitar on the recording, backed by his younger brother Noah on drums and vocals. Ranging from ballads to reggae to pop, the songs portray a mosaic of African history and culture.

“Each {song} presents the story of a person in crisis,” says Rauchwerk, who recently performed selected tunes for students and faculty as part of his Capstone project, a requirement of the honors program of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Rauchwerk sings track number two, for example, “King Selassie Come Let Me Down,” from the perspective of an Ethiopian citizen criticizing Haile Salassie - an emperor once extolled as the returned Messiah - for his neglect and cover up of the Ethiopian famine. (Selassie died in a suspected assassination in 1975.)

Another song, “No Country is Mine” captures the despair of the Ibo people of Biafra, which seceded from Nigeria during the late 1960s, sparking a war in which a million civilians died in fighting and from famine. The Republic of Biafra was eventually reabsorbed into Nigeria.

Creating a full-length album has been Rauchwerk’s dream since middle school, when he began singing in bands in his hometown of Holmdel. He and Noah, five years his junior, perform as an acoustic-rock duo, The Lords of Liechtenstein.

The creative material for a CD, however, didn’t present itself until his aunt adopted a 2-year-old boy from Ethiopia in 2006.

“My cousin Firew (pronounced like fray-oh) is the reason I began to study Africa,” Rauchwerk says. “He came here knowing words in two languages, Amharic and Sudamo. If he had to learn everything about our culture, I figured it was only fair that I learned about his.”

At Rutgers, Rauchwerk studied comparative African literature and African history, along with economics and marketing, transferring into the School of Business-Newark and New Brunswick his junior year.

“Business’s influence over the human psyche is fascinating,” he says. “But all of this power is useless unless it is applied for the betterment of mankind.”

His study of the economic causes of Africa’s famines is intertwined the country’s politics and people.

Rauchwerk hopes someday to work in nonprofit marketing -- for a human rights or environmental advocacy organization. But right now he’s thrilled to be starting a part-time job as a promotions assistant at WRXP, a rock station in New York, which will leave time for composing, performing, and marketing his Africa CD. The CD is available on his Band Camp website and all proceeds go to G-Roots, a Toronto-based nonprofit that is developing and implementing a seed loan program in northern Ghana.

The last track on the album, he says, sums up what the project is about for him. It’s called ‘I am Hungry’ – a mother’s prayer for her starving child. “Listen to my hunger song and sing it to the world,” she sings . . . begging the world to help her child even though it’s too late for her.

“That lyric,” says Rauchwerk, “is the message of my CD: to not let these people become more statistics in our history books.” - Rutgers Focus

Daniel Rauchwerk had chosen the topic for his senior thesis: a comparative study of the food crises in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria. But he aspired to more than an economic analysis.

“I wanted to capture the deep humanistic and emotional aspects of malnutrition and starvation in these countries,” says Rauchwerk, a business major with a minor in African studies.

So, as an accompaniment to his written work, he composed a CD of original music. The 10-song album took him three months to write. Rauchwerk sings and plays guitar on the recording, backed by his younger brother Noah on drums and vocals. Ranging from ballads to reggae to pop, the songs portray a mosaic of African history and culture.

“Each {song} presents the story of a person in crisis,” says Rauchwerk, who recently performed selected tunes for students and faculty as part of his Capstone project, a requirement of the honors program of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Rauchwerk sings track number two, for example, “King Selassie Come Let Me Down,” from the perspective of an Ethiopian citizen criticizing Haile Salassie - an emperor once extolled as the returned Messiah - for his neglect and cover up of the Ethiopian famine. (Selassie died in a suspected assassination in 1975.)

Another song, “No Country is Mine” captures the despair of the Ibo people of Biafra, which seceded from Nigeria during the late 1960s, sparking a war in which a million civilians died in fighting and from famine. The Republic of Biafra was eventually reabsorbed into Nigeria.

Creating a full-length album has been Rauchwerk’s dream since middle school, when he began singing in bands in his hometown of Holmdel. He and Noah, five years his junior, perform as an acoustic-rock duo, The Lords of Liechtenstein.

The creative material for a CD, however, didn’t present itself until his aunt adopted a 2-year-old boy from Ethiopia in 2006.

“My cousin Firew (pronounced like fray-oh) is the reason I began to study Africa,” Rauchwerk says. “He came here knowing words in two languages, Amharic and Sudamo. If he had to learn everything about our culture, I figured it was only fair that I learned about his.”

At Rutgers, Rauchwerk studied comparative African literature and African history, along with economics and marketing, transferring into the School of Business-Newark and New Brunswick his junior year.

“Business’s influence over the human psyche is fascinating,” he says. “But all of this power is useless unless it is applied for the betterment of mankind.”

His study of the economic causes of Africa’s famines is intertwined the country’s politics and people.

Rauchwerk hopes someday to work in nonprofit marketing -- for a human rights or environmental advocacy organization. But right now he’s thrilled to be starting a part-time job as a promotions assistant at WRXP, a rock station in New York, which will leave time for composing, performing, and marketing his Africa CD. The CD is available on his Band Camp website and all proceeds go to G-Roots, a Toronto-based nonprofit that is developing and implementing a seed loan program in northern Ghana.

The last track on the album, he says, sums up what the project is about for him. It’s called ‘I am Hungry’ – a mother’s prayer for her starving child. “Listen to my hunger song and sing it to the world,” she sings . . . begging the world to help her child even though it’s too late for her.

“That lyric,” says Rauchwerk, “is the message of my CD: to not let these people become more statistics in our history books.” - Rutgers Focus

For our Fourth of July special, we bring you a piece of Americana: folk group The Lords of Liechtenstein.

Yes, while Liechtenstein is another country, these brothers remind me of good old fashioned entertainment that could have taken place in America 200 years ago.

Their music is both insightful and inquisitive. Curiosity about worldly problems is reflected in anecdotal songs questioning the world around them. Dan Rauchwerk picks apart political puzzles and Noah Rauchwerk questions the core of our emotions, predominantly love.

While The Lords of Liechtenstein cater their music to a given audience, I found their appeal universal. Through sing-a-longs that split the cafe into a competition that was both friendly and smart (no one will be forgetting the melody to their song “Do You?” for quite a while) and jovial banter about the world around us that prompts us to question everyday occurrences and think of how we can improve them, I was distinctly reminded of bards of years past making light of the ailments of their time, uniting a crowd through shared hardship, and inspiring the audience to both recognize and happily embrace the questions that bond us all together. - Websong

New York City-based sibling duo The Lords of Liechtenstein makes its debut on Mountain Stage, recorded live at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, W.Va. Brothers Noah and Dan Rauchwerk have been performing under the same roof for quite some time, but it wasn't until a decade ago that they decided to become "Lords," after discovering Liechtenstein was the only country that could be rented out for corporate functions. Ever since then, the two singers and songwriters have used their benevolent folkship to string together a soundscape akin to Simon & Garfunkel binging on The Everly Brothers and Netflix comedies while donning matching sweater vests.

The Lords of Liechtenstein's latest self-release is Downhill Ride to Joyland. - NPR.org