Demons (band)
Encyclopedia
"Demons" is a punk rock
/garage punk
band from Sweden
. The band includes quotation marks in their name to differentiate themselves from other bands with a similar name. Their music has been described as "punk 'n' roll", but the band claims it should only be described as high-energy rock. Their musical style relies heavily on the energy derived from punk rock
. Influences include sixties garage rock bands such as The Sonics
, The Standells
and Shadows of Knight
, The Velvet Underground
, The Stooges
and New York Dolls
; and punk rock bands suck as The Damned, The Heartbreakers
and The Saints
; and early hardcore punk
bands such as Black Flag
, Bad Brains
and Dead Kennedys
. "Demons" has often been compared to contemporary groups like New Bomb Turks
, The Hellacopters
and Electric Frankenstein
.
The band established themselves in the mid-nineties Swedish punk/garage rock scene with releases such as Electrocute and "Demons"... Come Bursting Out!. "Demons" initially gained more popularity in the United States
than in their homeland, and thus much of their music has been released on American record labels, most notably Gearhead Records
based in Oakland, California
. They have completed several US and European tours, including two appearances at SXSW. "Demons" are known for their wild, loud shows and high energy rock and roll. Their collective fashion style blends 1970s punk rock aesthetic with 1950s rebel, including pompadour
hairdos and Brothel Creepers footwear.
.
In the mid- to late-1990s, "Demons" tracks appeared on many compilation releases such as Another Real Cool Time - Distorted Sounds from the North and released their debut single "Electrocute" on Ruff Nite Records. Their six-track EP "Demons"... Come Bursting Out! was released in 1998. The album was recorded in Sunlight Studio
with Tomas Skogsberg (known for his work with The Hellacopters
as well as several notable Swedish death metal bands such as Entombed
). The band signed with Gearhead Records in 1999, and released their debut album Riot Salvation in 2000.
. The Nomads resigned from the tour following the attacks on World Trade Center
. In March 2002, the band went on their second US tour. They began recording their follow up album Stockholm Slump with Tomas Skogsberg shortly after the tour ended. Before the album was mixed, "Demons" headed out to play the Scandinavian Gearfests (music festival coordinated by Gearhead Records) held in Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo. After the album's release, they embarked on another coast-to-coast US tour, with the New Bomb Turks
. "Demons" performed extensively throughout Europe in 2003. They toured the US again in 2004 after the release of Demonology - If You Can´t Join Us Beat Us, a collection of tracks from compilations and other rare recordings. In 2006, the band toured Scandinavia, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. In 2009, "Demons" toured Italy following the release of Ace In The Hole. The band only played a handful of shows in 2010 due to personal reasons.
Jeanneau was musically involved in a large number of bands while growing up in Umeå
, with styles ranging from blues to hardcore
. In the nineties and early 2000s, he played with Fivel
, Hypno Sex Rays and Handsome Stranglers (which also included Ahlgren). Jeanneau has played bass in a rock and roll-soul band called The Vanjas with Vanja Renberg (the daughter of Stefan Sundström
) since 2008.
artists such as Dr John, they used a one-string acoustic guitar and homemade instruments to achieve a sound that mixed blues, gospel
and country
-inspired acoustic punk. Later additions to the group were Joakim Ericson from The Nomads, Anders Graham Paulsson formerly with Atomic Swing
, and Gustav Bendt from Monster
and Moneybrother on saxophone. As a six-piece, they have released two singles, and evolved a unique style, with Ahlgren as a confrontational front man and the band performing their street corner brand of voodoo blues.
before disbanding in the early 2000s.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/garage punk
Garage punk
Garage punk is a fusion of garage rock and punk rock. It is fast-paced lo-fi music characterized by a dirty, choppy guitar sound—usually played by bands who are on independent record labels or who are unsigned...
band from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The band includes quotation marks in their name to differentiate themselves from other bands with a similar name. Their music has been described as "punk 'n' roll", but the band claims it should only be described as high-energy rock. Their musical style relies heavily on the energy derived from punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. Influences include sixties garage rock bands such as The Sonics
The Sonics
The Sonics are an American garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington, originating from the early and mid-1960s. Among The Sonics' contemporaries were The Kingsmen, The Wailers, The Dynamics, The Regents, and Paul Revere & the Raiders...
, The Standells
The Standells
The Standells are a garage rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in the 1960s, who have been referred to as the "Godfathers of Punk Rock", and are best known for their 1966 hit "Dirty Water," now the anthem of several Boston sports teams.-The 1960s:...
and Shadows of Knight
Shadows of Knight
The Shadows of Knight are an American rock band from the Chicago suburbs, formed in the 1960s, who play a form of British blues mixed with influences from their native city. At the time they first started recording, the band's self-description was as follows: "The Stones, Animals and Yardbirds...
, The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, The Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
and New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
; and punk rock bands suck as The Damned, The Heartbreakers
The Heartbreakers
Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, also known as The Heartbreakers, were an American rock & roll band formed in New York in May 1975. The band was part of the first wave of punk rock.-History:...
and The Saints
The Saints (band)
The Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
; and early hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands such as Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
and Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
. "Demons" has often been compared to contemporary groups like New Bomb Turks
New Bomb Turks
The New Bomb Turks are an American punk rock band formed at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 1990. The founding members are Jim Weber, Eric Davidson, Bill Randt, and Matt Reber. Sam Brown replaced Bill Randt on drums in 1999. Early on their inspiration came from the Devil Dogs, Lazy...
, The Hellacopters
The Hellacopters
The Hellacopters were a Swedish garage rock band that was formed in 1994 by Nicke Andersson , Dregen , Kenny Håkansson and Robert Eriksson . Andersson had been the drummer for death metal band Entombed and Dregen was taking a break from his full-time band Backyard Babies...
and Electric Frankenstein
Electric Frankenstein
Electric Frankenstein is an American band from Whippany, Clifton, and other areas of New Jersey. Their music is generally considered punk rock, but includes elements of hard rock and Heavy Metal as well...
.
The band established themselves in the mid-nineties Swedish punk/garage rock scene with releases such as Electrocute and "Demons"... Come Bursting Out!. "Demons" initially gained more popularity in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
than in their homeland, and thus much of their music has been released on American record labels, most notably Gearhead Records
Gearhead Records
Gearhead Records is an independent record label that started in San Francisco, California. It was later co-run out of Davis, California and is now totally run out of Woodland, California . The label was formed in April 2000 by Michelle Haunold and Mike LaVella. In 2006, the company was split in...
based in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. They have completed several US and European tours, including two appearances at SXSW. "Demons" are known for their wild, loud shows and high energy rock and roll. Their collective fashion style blends 1970s punk rock aesthetic with 1950s rebel, including pompadour
Pompadour (hairstyle)
Pompadour is a tall style of men's haircut which takes its name from Madame de Pompadour.There are Latin variants of the hair style more associated with European and Argentine tango fashion trends and occasionally with late 20th century musical genres such as rockabilly and country.The pompadour...
hairdos and Brothel Creepers footwear.
Band History
In the late 1980s, Mathias Carlsson and Stefan Jonsson, both just thirteen years old at the time, formed the band Jawbation with school friends. Drummer Mikael Jacobsson and bassist "Muffins" Brink joined later. Jawbation slowly disintegrated and morphed into a new band, which they named "Demons" on the advice of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy from The CrampsThe Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
.
In the mid- to late-1990s, "Demons" tracks appeared on many compilation releases such as Another Real Cool Time - Distorted Sounds from the North and released their debut single "Electrocute" on Ruff Nite Records. Their six-track EP "Demons"... Come Bursting Out! was released in 1998. The album was recorded in Sunlight Studio
Sunlight Studio
Sunlight Studios is a recording studio in Stockholm, Sweden.It has been a popular choice for Swedish death metal bands such as Treblinka, Tiamat, Katatonia, Entombed, and Dismember.A chronological "discography" of the studio can be found here:...
with Tomas Skogsberg (known for his work with The Hellacopters
The Hellacopters
The Hellacopters were a Swedish garage rock band that was formed in 1994 by Nicke Andersson , Dregen , Kenny Håkansson and Robert Eriksson . Andersson had been the drummer for death metal band Entombed and Dregen was taking a break from his full-time band Backyard Babies...
as well as several notable Swedish death metal bands such as Entombed
Entombed (band)
Entombed is a Swedish death metal band which formed in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. Though Entombed began their career as an early pioneer of Scandinavian death metal which initially differed itself from its American counterpart with its distinct guitar tone, by the early 1990s their sound had...
). The band signed with Gearhead Records in 1999, and released their debut album Riot Salvation in 2000.
Current
- Mathias "Hep Cat Matt" Carlsson - Lead vocals & Guitar
- Micke Jacobsson - Drums & Backup vocals
- Tristan "TJ" Jeanneau - Bass & Backup vocals
Former
- Stefan Jonsson - Guitar (years 1995 - 2005)
- "Muffins" Brink - Bass (years 1995 - 2004)
Tours
In September 2001, "Demons" embarked on their first American tour. They were part of a package including The Nomads and The FleshtonesThe Fleshtones
The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York by Keith Streng and Marek Pakulski The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The...
. The Nomads resigned from the tour following the attacks on World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
. In March 2002, the band went on their second US tour. They began recording their follow up album Stockholm Slump with Tomas Skogsberg shortly after the tour ended. Before the album was mixed, "Demons" headed out to play the Scandinavian Gearfests (music festival coordinated by Gearhead Records) held in Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo. After the album's release, they embarked on another coast-to-coast US tour, with the New Bomb Turks
New Bomb Turks
The New Bomb Turks are an American punk rock band formed at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 1990. The founding members are Jim Weber, Eric Davidson, Bill Randt, and Matt Reber. Sam Brown replaced Bill Randt on drums in 1999. Early on their inspiration came from the Devil Dogs, Lazy...
. "Demons" performed extensively throughout Europe in 2003. They toured the US again in 2004 after the release of Demonology - If You Can´t Join Us Beat Us, a collection of tracks from compilations and other rare recordings. In 2006, the band toured Scandinavia, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. In 2009, "Demons" toured Italy following the release of Ace In The Hole. The band only played a handful of shows in 2010 due to personal reasons.
Full length albums
- "Riot Salvation" (Gearhead Records RPM 018) (LP/CD 10/00)
- "Stockholm Slump" (Gearhead Records RPM 032) (LP/CD 9/02)
- "Demonology-If You Can´t Join Us Beat Us" (Gearhead Records RPM 042) (CD 3/04)
- "R!ot In Japan" (Ryow-Ken Record FZCY-9001/2) (2CD 4/04)
- "Ace In The Hole" (Alaska Productions ROAAR CD002) (CD/LP 09/08) - Originally scheduled for release in the Fall of 2007 by a new larger Swedish record label.
- "Scarcity Rock" (Alaska Productions ROAAR LP003) (LP/CD 11/10) - Album press sheet read: "Exploring dystopian subjects, the dark side of psychedelia and ugly forms of 50's and 60's subcultures, "Demons" has cooked up a gumbo that is Scarcity Rock." Released on vinyl with a free copy of the album in CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format. A promotional video directed by Matt Broadley was released for the opening track, "Signal Turns Red".
EPs and 10"
- ""Demons" ...Come Burst!ng Out!" (Steer Records 10.001) (10" 12/98) - Re-released by Gearhead Records on CD and 12" in September 2000
- "(Her Name Was) Tragedy EP" (Alaska Productions/Swedish Punks RAM 001) (CD 10/06) - Stefan Jonsson left the band for personal reasons prior to recording the EP, "Demons" continued as a trio.
Singles and 7"
- "Electrocute" (Ruff Nite Records RNR 007) (7"-single 11/97) - B side contains tracks "Run Me Over" and "Some Days Are Worse Than Others". All three were written by singer/guitarist Mathias "Hep Cat Matt" Carlsson. The record was exclusively printed on black and red vinyl, with only 1,000 copies made.
- ""My Bleeding Heart"" (Tornado Ride) (7"-single 02/09) - The Swedish magazine Denimzine awarded the single a "nine out of ten".
Compilations
- "Another Real Cool Time - More Distorted Sounds From The North" (Fuzzbomb Records Fuzz 001) (CD 11/96)
- "Hell On Earth-Hail To Misfits" (Tribute Records Tr 004) (CD 2/97) (re released in USA by Cleopatra in 2000)
- "Stranded In A Dolls House-A Tribute To Johnny Thunders And Jerry Nolan" (Hurtin´ Records 005) (CD 5/97)
- "Weird, Waxed And Wired" (Radio Blast Records RBO 19) (CD 6/98)
- "Swedish Sins ´99" (White Jazz Records Jazz 014) (CD 3/99)
- "Flattery-A Tribute To Radio Birdman Vol 2" (NoMango Records Mark Ivb/fr-016b) (CD 2/00)
- "Riot On The Rocks Vol 2" (Safety Pin Records Sprotrcd 002) (CD 9/00)
- "Smash Up Derby" (Gearhead Records RPM 041) (CD 2/03)
- "The Thingmaker" (Gearhead Records RPM 051) (CD 2/04)
- "Welcome To Gearhead Country" (Gearhead Records RPM 061) (CD02/06)
- "Flattery-A Tribute To Radio Birdman Vol 3" (NoMango Records Mark Ivc/fr-016c) (CD 4/07)
- "Bootleg Series Vol 1 (Up North/Downunder)" (Bootleg Booze - Booze 024) (LP 12/09)
Other projects
Carlsson's first band, Rabieshundarna, eventually evolved into Jawbation in the early nineties. Carlsson has also worked with Belinda Kordic (formerly with STABB), on her solo project, Killing Mood. On her debut album "Just Another Love Song" he contributed with guitar, slide guitar, harmonica and arrangements on several tracks.Jeanneau was musically involved in a large number of bands while growing up in Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
, with styles ranging from blues to hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. In the nineties and early 2000s, he played with Fivel
Fivel
The Fivel was a historical river in the province of Groningen in The Netherlands. It received its water from peat bogs around Kolham and Slochteren, flowed past Woltersum, Wittewierum and Ten Post, and meandered north of Winneweer. The Fivel debouched inte a wide estuary of the Wadden Sea...
, Hypno Sex Rays and Handsome Stranglers (which also included Ahlgren). Jeanneau has played bass in a rock and roll-soul band called The Vanjas with Vanja Renberg (the daughter of Stefan Sundström
Stefan Sundström
Stefan Sundström is a Swedish singer/songwriter and troubadour. After dropping out of school, he started playing in small bands such as Trots, Läppstars and Apache, which later went on to become Weeping Willows. Sundström's music often refers to other important Swedish musicians like Evert Taube,...
) since 2008.
The Crypt Kicker Five
In 1995, Carlsson formed the acoustic group The Crypt Kicker Five (also called The Crypt Kicker 5 and CK5) with Odd Ahlgren from The Robots and Vejde Gustavsson from Mazarine Street. Inspired by rhythm and bluesRhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
artists such as Dr John, they used a one-string acoustic guitar and homemade instruments to achieve a sound that mixed blues, gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-inspired acoustic punk. Later additions to the group were Joakim Ericson from The Nomads, Anders Graham Paulsson formerly with Atomic Swing
Atomic Swing
Atomic Swing is a Swedish pop rock group formed in 1992. Their debut album, A Car Crash in the Blue, produced several hits in the Swedish charts. After an intense period the band split up, in 1997...
, and Gustav Bendt from Monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
and Moneybrother on saxophone. As a six-piece, they have released two singles, and evolved a unique style, with Ahlgren as a confrontational front man and the band performing their street corner brand of voodoo blues.
Matching Numbers
In the late nineties, Carlsson formed the garage band Matching Numbers with Ahlgren, Ericson, and Björn Grunner. In 1998, they recorded a version of Suzy Quatro's "Daytona Demon" for the compilation Swedish Sins '99, released by White Jazz Records. The band later included Paulsson on bass. Matching Numbers appeared on the compilation Riot On The Rocks Vol 2 released by Safety Pin Records, and released a split single with The Immortal Lee County KillersThe Immortal Lee County Killers
The Immortal Lee County Killers were an American rock band from Auburn, Lee County, Alabama. Playing in the punk blues style, as well as garage punk, the band consisted of Chetley "Cheetah" Weise on vocals/guitar, plus assorted musicians over its roughly three incarnations.Weise had formerly...
before disbanding in the early 2000s.