- The Hellacopters
Infobox Musical artist
Name = The Hellacopters
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin =Sweden
Genre =Hard rock ,garage rock ,garage punk
Occupation =
Years_active = 1994–present
Label = Psychout Records Man's Ruin Sub Pop Universal Gearhead White Jazz
Associated_acts = EntombedBackyard Babies Thunder Express Death Breath The Diamond Dogs TrampStefan Sundström The SolutionThe Hydromatics Wild kings God Kills Sexsationals The Killbillies The Sewergrooves Urrke T & The Midlife Crisis
URL = http://www.hellacopters.com
Current_members =Nicke Royale Jens Robert DahlqvistKenny Håkansson Matz Robert Eriksson Anders Lindström
Past_members =Dregen Danne AnderssonMattias Hellberg The Hellacopters are a Swedish rock band that was formed in 1994, and have released six full length albums of their own material, a cover album, two compilations of non album work, six EPs, and many other official releases. In October of 2007 the band officially announced their break up after an extensive European tour and the release of a double disc live album. The band was, together with
The Hives , one of the most important Swedish bands in thegarage rock revival and one of the most influential rock bands in Sweden. [http://www.odysseyzine.com/articles/interview_hellacopters.html]Band history
Formation and Supershitty to the Max!
The first Hellacopters rehearsal took place on November 4, 1994, as just a jam session. Initially started as a side-project by then-Entombed drummer
Nicke Andersson (vocals/guitar), withBackyard Babies guitaristDregen (guitar), Kenny Håkansson (bass), and Robert Eriksson (drums). The name came from when Nicke did his last US tour with Entombed with Dregen as a roadie. They saw a magazine in San Francisco and one of the articles was about how the CIA was spying with helicopters on marihuana fields in Mexico and that the Mexicans called them The Hellacopters. [http://www.gang-bang.gr/issues/issue5/Hellacopters.htm] The band released their first single - 'Killing Alan' - in January 1995 on their own Psychout label. The single was recorded in only three takes.After releasing another single, '1995', the Hellacopters were signed by White Jazz Records and they released their debut album "Supershitty to the Max" in June 1996, which was recorded all live in only 26 hours. They then toured extensively, picking up a Swedish Grammy for their album, something that was very unexpected by the band. [http://www.gametwo.com/HELLACOPTERS.HTM] After recruiting Anders Lindström shortly before they supported Kiss on their Scandinavian dates in June 1997.
Payin' the Dues and Dregens departure
After these dates, they released their follow-up album "Payin' the Dues". Due to the success of his new band, Andersson left Entombed to concentrate on the Hellacopters. In 1998 the band toured Europe supporting
Gluecifer with which they recorded a split album with called "Respect the rock". Soon afterDregen left the band to concentrate on his old band, the Backyard Babies, after the tour. With stand-in guitarists Chuck Pounder andMattias Hellberg , The Hellacopters then played in 111 shows in four different countries, includingUnited States ,Canada ,Australia ,New Zealand , andJapan . While on tour in America the band also had the opportunity to jam with legendarey Detroit rocker Scott Morgan ofSonic's Rendezvous Band . [http://www.gametwo.com/HELLACOPTERS.HTM]Grande Rock and and String's joins the band.
In September of that year they recorded their third album "Grande Rock", featuring Anders Lindström on rhythm guitar. "Grande Rock" was a departure from their previous albums, with a more clean sound and was recorded in an "old hippie studio from the seventies" in the woods, where the band learned from an experienced engineer how to create a genuine seventies type sound. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmhV-c78eOs] In February 1999, Robert 'Strängen/Strings' Dahlqvist a guitarist the band had gotten to know at a bar was recruited to play guitar, completing the bands lineup.
High Visibility and Chips Kiesbye.
In 2000 the band recorded their first album recorded with Robert Dahlqvist. It was also their first time working with producer Chips Kiesbye who have done work with bands such as
Sahara Hotnights ,Millencolin ,The Nomads , The Turpentines, his own band Sator, and many other Swedish rockbands. Kiesbye would become their producer of choice and all studio albums to come were produced by him.By the Grace of God and sideprojects.
In early 2002 the band released their first non album compilation "Cream of the Crap Vol. 1" and in late 2002 came the follow up to "High Visibility" with "By the Grace of God" which was very successful in Sweden with both singles and videos getting high rotation, as well as reciving a Gold record. The band also had the opportunity to be the opening act for
The Rolling Stones , andZZ Top in Stockholm and Helsinki on their tour of 120 datees. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/music/thehellacopters_iv.shtml] Before recording their next album, the band decided to take a break. Nicke Royale work on his side project The Solution withScott Morgan releasing the album "Communicate!" in 2004 as well as record backing vocals forThe Cardigans album "Long Gone Before Daylight ". GuitaristRobert Dahlqvist started a sideproject calledThunder Express and also recorded and toured with Swedish singer/songwriter Stefan Sundström along with Nick Royale and former bandmateMattias Hellberg .Rock & Roll Is Dead and second American tour.
During their break the second non album works collection "Cream of the Crap Vol. 2" was released, the band claims the have enough material for a Vol. 3 and a Vol. 4 but there are no plans for more parts in the Cream of the Crap series. [http://www.odysseyzine.com/articles/interview_hellacopters.html] Drummer Robban and pianist Boba also did a small DJ tour in Italy before joining up with the rest of the band to record and release 'Rock & Roll Is Dead' in 2005, the name is a reference to the band's opinion about the state of the music industry. [http://www.gang-bang.gr/issues/issue5/Hellacopters.htm] In March 2006 The Hellacopters went on their first American tour in three years. They also toured Sweden with
The Hives ,Millencollin ,Backyard Babies andThe Soundtrack of our Lives on the 'Where the action is tour'.Head Off and break up announcement.
On 12 October 2007, The Hellacopters announced they would be breaking up after releasing their seventh full length album 'Head off', a collection of cover songs which will be followed by a last tour through Europe and Scandinavia. According to the band the reason for the break up was to quit while they were still on top and not because of tension within the band. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-r-tDJbfuw] In 2008 the 'Where the Action Is tour' was replaced with a one day festival in
Stockholm where The Hellacopters played alongside bands likeFoo Fighters ,Queens of the Stoneage ,The Hives ,Sahara hotnights , and others. To pay tribute The Hives performed (Gotta get som action) NOW! live on theHultsfred festival , calling it the greatest Swedish rock song ever written.Line up
Current members
*Nicke Royale (
Anders Niklas Andersson ) - Lead vocals & guitars
*Strings (Jens Robert Dahlqvist ) - Guitars, backing vocals
*Kenny (Kenny Håkansson ) - Bass
*Robban (Matz Robert Eriksson ) - Drums & vocals
*Boba Fett (Anders Lindström ) - PianoFormer members
*
Dregen - Guitars & vocals
*Chuck Pounder (Danne Andersson) - Guitars
*Mattias Hellberg - GuitarsOther contributors
*Scott Morgan - Vocals
*Howling Pelle Alqvist- Screaming
*Linn Segolson - Backing vocals
*Clarisse Muvemba - Backing vocals
*Måns - TriangleDiscography
Full length albums
*"
Supershitty to the Max! " (1996 )
*"Payin' the Dues " (1997 )
*"Grande Rock " (1999 )
*"High Visibility " (2000 )
*"By the Grace of God" (2002 )
*"Rock & Roll Is Dead " (2005 )
*"Head Off " (2008 )
*"Hellacopters - Live (TBA)plit albums
*"Respect the Rock" (with
Gluecifer ) (1997)
*"Respect the Rock USA" (withGluecifer ) (1999)
*"White Trash Soul" (withThe Flaming Sideburns ) (2001)EPs and 10"
*"Disappointment Blues" (1998)
*"Doggone Your Bad-Luck Soul" (1999)
*"Move Right Out Of Here" (1999)
*"Geekstreak (Japanese Only Press)" (2001)
*"Strikes Like Lightning" (November 17, 2004)
*"Same Lame Story" (August 10, 2007)Compilations
*"
Cream Of The Crap Vol. 1 " (2002)
*"Hellacopters 12" (2002)
*"Cream Of The Crap Vol. 2 " (2004)
*"Air Raid Serenades " (Their "best of" compilation) (2006)Singles and 7"
*"Killing Allan" (1995)
*"1995" (1995)
*"Now" (1996)
*"(Gotta Get Some Action) Now" (1996)
*"Misanthropic High" (1996)
*"Riot On The Rocks" (1997)
*"Soul Seller" (1997)
*"City Slang" (1998)
*"Like No Other Man" (1998)
*"Looking At Me" (1998)
*"Hey" (1998)
*"Dirty Women" (1999)
*"Twist Action In New York" (1999)
*"Down Right Blue" (1999)
*"The Devil Stole The Beat From The Lord" (1999)
*"Twist Action Over America" (1999)
*"Move Right Out OF Here" (1999)
*"Scott Morgan And The Hellacopters" (1999)
*"Twist Action In 2000" (2000)
*"It's Not A Long Way Down" (2000)
*"Toys And Flavour" (2000)
*"Hopeless Case Of A Kid In Denial" (2000)
*"Hopeless Case Of A Kid In Denial Flightcase" (2001)
*"No Song Unheard" (2001)
*"By The Grace Of God" (2002)
*"Carry Me Home" (2002)
*"Strikes Like Ligtning 7" Box" (2004)
*"Everything's on T.V." (2005)
*"I'm In The Band" (2005) (This song is in Guitar Hero 3 as Unlockable Content)
*"The Same Lame Story" (2007)
*"In The Sign of the Octopus" (2008)
*"Darling Darling" (2008)Split 7"
*"Electric Frankenstein vs The Hellacopters" (with
Electric Frankenstein ) (1997)
*"Rock & Roll Jihad" (with The Nitwitz) (1998)
*"New Bomb Turks / The Hellacopters" (withNew Bomb Turks ) (1999)
*"The Hellacopters / Powder Monkeys" (withPowder Monkeys ) (1999)
*"Check This Action" (withPowder Monkeys ) (1999)
*"Blå Tåget / The Hellacopters" (withBlå Tåget ) (1999)
*"Gearhead Magazine #10" (with Rocket From the Crypt) (1999)
*"Quadracopters / Hellajets" (with Quadrajets) (1999)
*"The Hellacopters / Adam West" (with Adam West) (2001)
*"Pack Of Lies" (with The Nomads) (2003)
*"The Hellacopters / Weaselface" (with The Weaselface) (2003)
*"The Hellacopters / Adam West" (with Adam West) (2004)
*"The Hellacopters / The Doits" (with The Doits) (2005)Other work
* "Frank wants you to join the 1996 Punk Rock'n'Roll Horrorshow" (1996)
* "Hell On Earth" (A tribute totheMisfits )
* "Kiss Covered In Scandanavia" (1997)
* "Flattery - A Tribute to Radio Birdman" (1999)
* "Gearfest!" (1998)
* "Nationalsånger - Hymner från Vågen och EPAs torg " (2002)
* "The Song Ramones The Same" (2002)
* "20 Years Too Soon A Tribute ToThe Nomads " (2003)
* "St. Valentines Killers" (2004)DVD
* "
Goodnight Cleveland " (2003)External links
* [http://www.hellacopters.com Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/hellacopters Official MySpace]References
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