1980

Identity becomes avantgarde-rock group Ballet Mécanique. Makes his debut as a recording artist with the single Avenues Of Oblivion. Works concurrently with poetry and graphical images in relation to the group's multi-media concerts, performances that also involve film, slides and a dance ensemble. Releases the tapes 1st - 18th and Den Triumferende Amor ('The Triumphant Cupid'). Performs at the Gammel Kongevej 13 AB project (a 3-day art festival with music, exhibition and theatre performances) with his electronical duo Dialogue. Forms legendary Danish rock group Before with singer Fritz Bonfils. Exhibits graphic artwork and performs with Ballet Mécanique at the NÅ-80 cultural arrangement (another 3-day festival made by artists of the new 80-generation). Publishes the magazines Consumer's Guide To Welfare Part I - III. Also contributes to several issues of Iklipsx (a Danish post-punk art and music magazine).

1981

Publishes the magazine Consumer's Guide To Stupidity. Ballet Mécanique collaborates with Danish performance theatre group Billedstofteateret at the Fortropper ('Vanguard') arrangement, a line of events also including poet and critic Poul Borum. Releases the tape Uden Titel ('Untitled'). Arranges The Art And Music Triangle Project, an event that also include avantgarde group No Knox - an ensemble in which MH subsequently plays drums from 1981 to 1982. Makes contributions to the anthology Platform. Makes his album debut with Ballet Mécanique's The Icecold Waters Of The Egocentric Calculation, a release still regarded as a cornerstone in contemporary Danish music history (figures on the list over the 50 most important releases in Danish rock ever in Danish rock encyclopedia 'Politikens Rockleksikon'). Writes the music for the film Nattens Engel ('Angel Of The Night') with Danish poet Michael Strunge. Forms the fusion group Pesteg Dred, a band continually mutating in form, expression and members (at one point including Danish painter Peter Bonde). Contributes to the Italian label Trax's cassette release Vietato Ai Minori, a compilation featuring new European composers.

1982

Forms the experimenting and multi-media inspired theatre group The Art Ensemble Of Copenhagen with whom he performs the show Giv Folket Brød, Vi Spiser Kage ('Give The People Bread, We Eat Cake') in April. During the same month Ballet Mécanique and Billedstofteateret perform a new version of their collaboration Forben ('Forelegs') originally performed at the 'Fortropper' ('Vanguard') arrangement a year earlier. Releases the album For with Ballet Mécanique in the autumn at which point the group is terminated. Forms the ensemble Under For which continues the line and style of Ballet Mécanique, working with a more classical line-up including cello, violin and harp. Performs on and contributes to the international Traxtra album project with other experimenting composers from all over the world.

1983

Makes his debut as a writer with the book Genopbyggelsen Er Stoerre End Selve Skabelsen ('The Recreation Is Greater Than The Creation Itself'), a writing that arouses equal amounts of excitement and furore at the time of its release (being "one of the most incomprehensible Danish books ever written", quote-unquote). Releases his first record as a solo artist, the 12" mini-album Ritual featuring three compositions for strings and percussion. Admitted to The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (Schools of Visual Arts) in Copenhagen. Performs his composition Inskription ('Inscription') in the Danish National Radio which is transmitted directly as well as released independently by both the art magazine Kong and the Dutch label Sisyphos Productions (both editions being tapes). Performs with Under For at the World Music Days in Aarhus Musikhus. Contributes to the anthology Perler For Svin ('Pearls For Swine'). Forms the rhythmically based avantgarde ensemble SS-Say, making its debut at the William S. Burroughs arrangement in Copenhagen in the autumn. Performs at the Before record Sister Culture after having left the band during 1981. Plays periodically with the modern opera inspired group Alive With Worms.

1984

Releases the large-scaled Under For debut album Apparently All The Same. Opens the exhibition Gud Og Grammatik ('God And Grammar') at Charlottenborg with four compositions written for Tibetan horns and tape-loops. Writes the music to and performs in the Claus Bohm film Totem. Releases the Under For 12" single Free-Force Structure. Releases his second book Fremmedgoerelsens Identitet ('The Identity Of Alienation'). Writes, composes and instructs the multi-media theatre performance Parade with The Body-Art Ensemble Of Copenhagen.

1985

Releases the 12" ep Fusion with SS-Say. Makes his album debut as a solo artist with Relief upon which he plays all instruments. The new art magazine Atlas releases the at the time unreleased Pesteg Dred album Years Of Struggle Against The Lies, The Stupidity And The Cowardice on cassette as a supplement to its first edition. Forms the electronic pop group Front And Fantasy with now deceased Martin Krog, a duo making their first and final single with the 12" Treatment. Releases the last record with the Under For ensemble, the 12" single Warfare.

1986

Releases the double-album Cutting Through (subtitled 'The Final Recordings') in February, a work consisting of one record with grandiose pop/rock music and one record dedicated to MH's work in the field of ambient music. Writes the music for the Danish dance company Nyt Dansk Danseteater's performance Mellem To Evigheder ('Between Two Eternities'). Isolates himself for 2 years of metaphysical studies.

1988

Records the comeback album Presence during the summe, his first work to be released as both cd, lp and mc in September. The record contains compositions such as "Magnum Opus" and the title track "Presence", uniting the modern, electronically inspired pop music with classical arrangements and instrumentation. Works actively as a lecturer on universities and colleges all over the country. The single Beat Of The Drum from the album ends being the most played Danish single on the leading Danish radio station The Voice that year (only surpassed by John Farnham's "The Voice").

1989

Establishes his own label Mind And Media, which releases the cassette and booklet The Hall Of Mirrors. Forms the trash-group and multi-media show And Then Again with the video instructor Henrik Möll. Releases his third book Kontinuum ('Kontinuum'). Writes the music to the video film series The Point Of No Return from which the musical soundtrack is released separately on Counterpoint. Releases the compilation cd The Martin Hall Document. Writes and performs a Requiem at Taksigelseskirken (a church in Copenhagen) in December, dedicated to 'Presence' co-producer Flemming Nygaard, who died in the autumn.

1990

Releases the highly acclaimed album Imperfect simultaneously with the video cassette Audio-Visual in May. A month later follows And Then Again album Dreamworld, recorded live on the group's 1989 tour. Releases the Palladium 7" ep. Releases the Grammy-nominated album The Rainbow Theatre at the end of the year, featuring the at that time 67 year old former cabaret singer Irma Victoria. Contributes to the anthology For Laenge Siden Lige Foer ('Long Ago, Just Before'). Performs at the Peter Bonde 7" double-single epUntitled.

1991

Releases the Read Only Memory album with (East-) German singer Aud Wilken. Contributes to the anthology Museum Midt Paa Dagen ('Museum In The Middle Of The Day'). Releases the tapes A Mind And Media Index and A Martin Hall Index. Writes the music to two short films on the video release Video Trance Mission released by the Swedish label PCP.

1992

Starts working with and recording the album A Touch Of Excellence. Releases the tape A Split Index.

1993

Releases the cd single Sweet Mystery with his NTT project (a duo with singer Tina Schäfer) during the summer and in September his first single as a singer for more than three years, the huge radio hit Strange Delight. Releases his massive "second" comeback album A Touch Of Excellence in October, a body of work that includes performances from 45 Danish musicians such as world-famous Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. The record blends many different styles and elements and is considered to be his best and most important album so far. Writes the music to the critically acclaimed Bjarne Solberg installation exhibition Sfaere ('Sphere'). The Read Only Memory track All The Way Down is being released as a bonus 7" single with the magazine Adventure (Adventure 9), an edition including a special 16-page MH-interview with full discography and personal comments to all releases (Adventure 10).

1994

Performs at the exclusive Venue festival for modern music (the concert being transmitted live as well as mixed and broadcasted later by Danish National Radio). Releases the cd single Angel Of The Night featuring the title track from the film Nat Og Dag ('Night And Day') as a bonus track. Goes on his first major Denmark tour throughout March and April, the Pandemonium Tour. Produces the debut album with Danish techno act Godheads during the summer. Releases the (in)famous cd album Phantasmagoria - The Second Coming with the at the time 72 year old diva Irma Victoria. Ends the year with the midnight concert Ceremony Of Purification at Hellig Kors Kirken (another church in Copenhagen) which marks the start of a new chapter in his artistic and musical development, primarily emphasizing his dramatic potential as both a singer and a songwriter.

1995

Receives the honoury award from DJBFA (The Association of Danish Composers) in March. Performs a series of new and old compositions accompanied by the string quartet Den Danske Kvartet in the concert hall of The Danish National Radio with direct live coverage. Receives the prestigious 3-year grant from The National Fund for the Endowment of The Arts in April. Performs with Den Danske Kvartet at the Roskilde Festival that summer. Writes the music for the performance show Conflicto Fetish Party in Alexandra in August. Produces and arranges the Irma Victoria contribution track on the Steppeulvene tribute album Hip as well as writing a substantial part of the lyrics on the Grammy-winning Ester Brohus album Heart Of Desert Longing. Writes the Christmas song for the Danish National Radio, December Days and December Nat (December Night).

1996

Releases the cd single Cradlemoon in January and the highly acclaimed album Random Hold in February. Releases his debut novel and fourth book entitled Verdensdagene ('The World Days') in March as well as the cd ep Extended Play, the latter including several newly recorded tracks not included on the album. Performs his only concert in Denmark that year in Cirkusbygningen (Copenhagen) in May, a concert featuring full album line-up (electric ensemble as well as strings). The concert is recorded and transmitted by the Danish National Radio. Opens the Kulturby 96 (Copenhagen being the cultural city of Europe in 1996) project Digtere Under Verden ('Poets Underneath The World') with a series of word- and soundscapes transmitted from beneath the town square via 25 buried loudspeakers at the end of August. Writes half of the lyrics on the Silent Violence double-platinum album by major Danish act, singer Hanne Boel, released throughout Europe during September. Contributes with material to the German sampler cd Electrocity Volume 8.0 in November.

1997

Random Hold ranks as #3 on the well-respected Danish music magazine ZOO's top 100 for 1996 (only surpassed by R.E.M.'s 'New Adventures In Hi-Fi' and Suede's 'Coming Up') and is appointed "cd release of the year" in the Danish National Television programme Tilt. The limited edition titles Testcards 1989-1995 (a double-cd featuring formerly unreleased demo material) and the 7" ep Hallmark 1-4 are released during April and May. Contributes with material to the German sampler cd Bouquet Of Dreams Volume 3. In October Public Propaganda releases 'Random Hold' in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (a company formerly known for their work with artists such as Bjork and Prodigy). At the same time the new Danish label Lidocaine releases MH's radio concert with Den Danske Kvartet from 1995 under the title Performance. Appears on the Top 30 over the most important albums in Danish rock anthology 'Politiken's Dansk Rock Leksikon 1956-1997' with two titles, Ballet Mécanique's 'The Icecold Waters Of The Egocentric Calculation' as far as the eighties are concerned and 'Random Hold' in relation to the nineties.

1998

Records the tracks "Visibility" and "Love In Vein" with the German techno act Trauma which is featured on the album Phase III. Writes all lyrics for the Hanne Boel album Need proclaimed as her best album ever by the press as well as the European single hit 'Salt Of Your Skin'. Releases his fifth book Uden Titel ('Untitled') in September, a collection of short prose poetry which is received very well. Contributes to the ninth International Symposium of Electronic Art at John Moores University in Liverpool throughout September and October. In November MH appears at Vega's spoken word festival as one of the headlining acts, a seance where he presents the audience with the novel Sygdommen ('The Disease') (the manuscript is never formally released, only read aloud on this single occasion and then made available for the audience present at the event). Contributes with the story 'Ni Cigaretter' ('Nine Cigarettes') to the Christmas anthology Julehistorier ('Christmas Stories'). Starts recording his next album as well as heading into the preliminary work to do with the Operanord project Gilles' Requiem.

1999

Grammy-nominated as songwriter of the year in the categories "hit of the year" ('Salt Of Your Skin') and as "songwriter of the year" (with Hanne Boel and Ole Hansen). Releases the single Burning Sugar from the new album Adapter, a track that goes straight to the top of the airplay chart at the Danish National Radio and becomes one of the most played singles in the first quarter of the year (the cd single contains six different versions of the track). 'Adapter' is received very well by the press and MH plays a series of exclusive concerts, emphasizing his capability as a high-class performer (the Copenhagen show at Store Vega is being recorded and broadcasted by the Danish National Radio). The album release is followed by the Just A Feeling cd single containing additional video material. Operanord's Gilles' Requiem opens in August, a major theatre production set up in an old factory in Copenhagen where MH appears as the only Danish composer among a team of international artists. Contributes to the anthology Kortprosa 1999 ('Short Prose 1999') with the piece 'Noter I Vilkaarlig Raekkefoelge' ('Notes In Random Order') released in September. Invited to contribute to The Liverpool Biennial Of Contemporary Art running from the end of September to the beginning of November. The limited edition double-cd Testcards 1994-1997 featuring rare demo recordings and previously unavailable concert material is released in October, the same month as Ole Bornedal's (director of the film 'The Night Watch' starring Ewan McGregor, Nick Nolte and Patricia Arquette) play Gud Bevare Danmark opens at the theatre Oestre Gasvaerk theatre - a play musically set in scene by MH.

2000

Releases the album Playlist with Saccharin, a collaboration with Greek/Swedish singer Katja Andersson. In March the spectacular album Boel & Hall is released in several European countries, a collaboration with Hanne Boel uniting the two artists on a recording (so far MH has only figured as a songwriter in this connection). The album goes gold during the first week of its release and contains the hit singles 'Chance Of A Lifetime' and 'Can't Help Myself'. In the spring and summer MH writes an additional theatre score to the legendary Danish play Aladdin by Adam Oehlenschlæger, a supplement to Carl Nielsen's original music. The production is performed at Ulvedalene (an outdoor venue in the middle of a forest outside Copenhagen) by Gladsaxe Teater during June and July and involves more than 200 actors and musicians as well as horses and elephants (MH is complimented for his ability to write new material to the play without disturbing the traditional score). Writes the soundtrack for the critically acclaimed film Digter ('Poet') by Danish director Claus Bohm, a film about the generation of Danish poets who have had their debut during the nineties.

2001

In March MH releases the single My Argentine Rose followed by the purely classically orchestrated work Metropolitan Suite. The album is produced by and written in collaboration with the Danish visual artist Christian Skeel and the work is highly praised by the press. Simultaneously with this album MH releases the book Kommunikaze with the subtitle '1000 Dage I Cockpittet' ('1000 Days In The Cockpit'), a three-year diary covering MH's work and personal development from January 1998 to December 2000. This release is surrounded by a massive media interest and marks MH's finest literary achievement so far (as a writer he is compared to both Søren Kierkegaard and Oscar Wilde). Signs an international publishing contract with EMI Music Publishing, Germany in April. Is given the honour to write the music for the opening of Ingvar Cronhammar's grand-scale building work Elia in Herning (a Danish city), a monument inaugurated September 27 (the composition, a 23-minute long orchestral work, is included as a cd in the book about the project). Surrounded with great interest by the Swedish media After this MH opens his own exhibition A Hospital Room at Ystads Konstmuseum (an art museum in Sweden), an installation based on the sounds and images made through a series of conversations with a dying hospital patient (now permanently displayed at the museum). Releases the controversial double-cd Memorial – Finest Moments And Famous Last Words on the one year date of Danish diva Irma Victoria's death (November 10). Apart from including a documentary commemorating the life and art of the artist, the album contains written contributions from a series of internationally acclaimed artists as well as a guest appearance by the Danish Raveonettes singer Sharin Foo.

2002

Writes and produces the music for Gladsaxe Teater's major 2002 launch, the theatre version of 'Lady Of The Camellias'. The score is released under the title Camille - Original Soundtrack and stars the mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini, the choir Konsort and the orchestra The Vista Dome Ensemble. The album is proclaimed as one of MH's finest works ever by an unanimous press. In April Danish multi-platinum act Caroline Henderson releases Naos, an album where Hall writes most of the material in collaboration with the artist (including the two single tracks "Try" and "All That We Are"). In June he appears in Henrik Marstal's book Alt Hvad Musikken Kan ('Everything That Music Is Capable Of'), a release subtitled "conversations about music and life", and in July he contributes to the Lars Bukdahl anthology Digte Til Drengene ('Poems For The Boys'). In August MH takes part in the 'Sound & Literature' festival in Århus where he is interviewed about his work as both as a writer and a composer, and in September he opens the Kulturbro biennale (a Danish Swedish collaboration between museums in both countries) at Ystads Konstmuseum in Sweden with the work Audiofile: Helena 64 (an electro-acoustic performance lasting 33 minutes). Ends the year with the November broadcast of Keine Hinterwelt, a production for P2 (the classical radio channel on The Danish National Radio), a miniature opera written for and performed by the mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini assisted by MH's ensemble.

2003

In May MH is included in Kraks Blå Bog ('Krak's Blue Book'), the prestigious book of summation of the most important people in Danish art and culture. Contributes to the long awaited Danish book about the eighties Dengang i 80’erne ('At That Time in the Eighties') with the story about Ballet Mécanique (so far the most complete coverage of the history of the group) in June. Writes the Belgravia hit "She Shines" performed by Aud Wilken, a track that stays on P3's airplay chart all summer. On September the 1st MH releases two albums on his new label Panoptikon, the new songwriter album Music Hall with the explanatory subtitle "Martin Hall Songs Performed by Starlets, Divas, Chanteuses and Comediennes" (a collection of primarily new songs performed by a cavalcade of new Danish female talents such as Lise Westzynthius, Mette Sand Hersoug from Moon Gringo, Catbird feat. Billie Koppel and Tanja Thulau from Luke) as well as his legendary Danish National Radio concert from 1983 Inskription which thereby gets released on cd for the first time. This piece of work is released in relation to its 20 years jubilee and is performed in a new and modernised version live in Århus (the second largest Danish city) on September 11 by the new Danish electronica act Wäldchengarten. In November MH collaborates with Danish-Australian author Jeff Matthews and releases the book and cd project Wheelchair Wildstyle, a novel with its own soundtrack included.

2004

Radio hit with Yesteryear's remix of "Moody" performed by Tanja Thulau from Luke (the track stays on the airplay chart of P3 at the Danish National Radio for more than six months). Increases his activities as a lecturer. In June MH releases the album Das Mechanische Klavier, a piece of modern opera featuring songs performed by the mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini and narratives read by the German scholar Herbert Zeichner. Writes the music for Patricia Davelouis' short film Taagekysten ('The Shore of Fog'). Composes the musical setting for The Danish National Radio production of two Per Højholt short stories in relation to the author's death in October ("Mr. Hamilton Fish" and "Genital and abdominal self-surgery"). Declines to extend his international publishing deal as a songwriter (comment to the press: "I've done my military service now"). Spends the autumn and winter finishing his new novel.

2005

In April MH releases his first cd as a singer for more than six years, the ep Introducing Roseland featuring the grandiose radio hit “Roseland”. Acts as one of the leading contributors in Dannelseskaravanen in May ('Caravan of Culture and Education'), a conference in the Danish Parliament about culture and education instigated by MP Margrethe Vestager. In June MH performs his first concert since the beginning of 1999 at the Danish castle Hindsgavl, a highly profiled event involving video, poetry and full ensemble (tickets are sold out months ahead). The concert is recorded and transmitted by the Danish National Radio. Releases You Know Why They Hate Me in two remix versions in July, one by Labelpuck, the other by Hess Is More. Releases his long awaited major novel Den Sidste Romantiker ('The Last Romantic') in August, a monumental 700 pages piece of work reflecting a young man’s journey over 25 years, from the summer of 1980 up until present day (the time of the release being autumn 2005). The book is received with a massive media hype and constitutes Hall’s literary breakthrough in terms of both attention and sales (this time critics compare him with writers such as Aksel Sandemose and Gustave Flaubert). In November MH stages the literary performance Kopfkino at Roskilde Bibliotek, a journey through sound, images and text involving the narrator Herbert Zeichner and the classical singer Andrea Pellegrini.

2006

Releases the single Damage Control in January, a 5-track ep with no connection to the subsequent album. In February MH launches one of his principal works, his first solo album as a singer in seven years, Facsimile (apart from ten new tracks the cd contains a bonus-dvd, a visual setting for the album as a whole). The album is praised as one of his best records ever by an unanimous press. In February Under For’s 1984 club hit "Free-Force Structure" is included on the German compilation cd Aderlasss Vol. 4 which is released in most of Europe (a double-cd containing classic goth and electro tracks selected by ten leading European clubs). In March MH plays his first concerts in both Aarhus and Copenhagen since 1999, March 19 at Aarhus Teater (an old theatre hall) and March 24 at Store Vega. Writes the music for the Danish poet Nicolaj Stochholm’s new literary suite Færden ('Movement') transmitted on P2 in The Danish National Radio on April 9. Participates at several Marcel Proust lectures in the same period, both as a guest at the salons of The Danish Proust Society as well as at Charlottenborg. Releases the limited edition cd Hindsgavl Slot 180605 in relation to the one-year anniversary of this concert, a production made in collaboration with The Danish National Radio. Throughout July and August MH's book Den Sidste Romantiker ('The Last Romantic') becomes "book of the month" in its re-release as a paperback on Gyldendal (without comparison the biggest Danish publisher), and in September Ballet Mécanique's legendary debut album The Icecold Waters Of The Egocentric Calculation is finally released as cd in a special 25-years anniversary edition. The Sony-BMG album is attended by the independently released 7" single Intellectual Self-Mutilation. Issues the download single Torn Envelope (Radio Remix) the same month. In October MH writes the music for the internationally acclaimed Danish installation artist Ingvar Cronhammar's exhibition Racing Cars - The Art Dimension at Aros, Denmarks biggest art museum (the work is also released on cd). Plays at Glyptoteket (another Danish museum) with a classical line-up of 17 musicians on October 24 in relation to TRAX 2006, a campaign arranged by The Danish National Radio (among other contributors the concert features appearances from The Danish Chamber Players as well as trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg). Writes on a regular basis for the two Danish newspapers Jyllands-Posten and Dato for the rest of the year. Furthermore, MH appears on Efterklang's One-Sided LP, released in America at the end of December (on the track "Tu Es Mon Image" from 'Facsimile').

2007

Continues his work as feature writer for the Danish newspaper Dato until mid-April. Writes the soundscape to the project As If Through A Glass And Darkly, an installation project at Odense University College Of Engineering created by Ingvar Cronhammar, which is inaugurated on June 20. Participates as composer in the annual classical summer festival at Fuglsang Herregård (a Danish manor) in relation to a concert with The Danish Chamber Players in August. In September MH makes his literary debut in Germany via his contribution to the anthology Die Schönsten Weihnachtsgeschichten Aus Skandinavien (a book in which he finds himself in very distinguished company, the other contributors being world-famous authors such as August Strindberg, Herman Bang and H.C. Andersen). Releases the download single World On A String in the same month and the box set Catalogue (Martin Hall 1980-2007) in November, a collection of five audio-cd’s and a dvd covering his musical career from 1980 up until the time of the release (all in all 81 music tracks and 15 dvd-features). A major percentage of the material consists of new recordings, i.e. one disc contains entirely new remixes by names such as Dub Tractor and Prinz Ezo (a.k.a. Bjørn Svin). The recordings also include guest visits from legendary Danish artists such as Else Marie Pade and Marquis Marcel de Sade. In the same month MH also receives the Klub Golem Award 2007, a price given to a person or group of people who have exerted substantial significance on the Danish underground scene.

2008

In February MH’s novel ‘Den Sidste Romantiker’ (The Last Romantic’) is published in Lithuania (‘Paskutinis Romantikas’). In March he releases Infodemens, a set of writings subtitled ‘Notes And Essays – A Season’. The book contains a line of articles written in the past year as well as several new essays written in places such as Prague and Buenos Aires. In the same month MH also makes his motion picture debut as an actor in the film Flammen og Citronen ('The Flame and the Lemon') by Danish director Ole Christian Madsen, the most expensive Danish-language production ever made. Figures in the lineup of authors attending CPH.LITT.08 (Copenhagen Literature Festival 2008) in June. From the middle of August till the end of October MH acts as one of the three judges in DR’s (Danish National TV) Talent 2008, the Danish version of 'Britain’s Got Talent' (the two others judges being film producer Erik Aalbæk Jensen and musical star Julie Steincke). In the beginning of September MH releases the download single Delirious produced and performed in association with the young Danish group Marybell Katastrophy, and later that month follows the single-cd collection Catalyst (Singles 1982–2008) on which he collaborates with Danish writer, director and singer Claus Beck-Nielsen Memorial.