Him Kerosene
Encyclopedia
Him Kerosene was a Swedish
1990s alternative rock
band founded in Luleå
.
inspired by The Beatles
and The Smiths
, although the band would be known for a harder and more dynamic sound than that. The band's home town Luleå had plenty of rehearsal studios and several bands were around, with members from one band often contributing to another. This was especially clear in the case of Him Kerosene, which during its lifetime saw members from several other famous Swedish bands. Two of the members in the first lineup, Kristofer Åström and Pelle Gunnerfeldt, were from the prominent hardcore band Fireside
and this increased media attention.
In 1995 local record company Ampersand Records released Him Kerosene's first album Recorder. Bear Quartet members Johan Forsling and Mattias Alkberg contributed with some of the music and lyrics. Forsling also became a Him Kerosene member for a brief period, replacing Kristofer Åström as he and Pelle Gunnerfeldt left the band.
After releasing the EP
Caper on Birdnest Records
and playing at several festivals during 1996, Him Kerosene got a new record deal with Telegram Records. The single Loser Outfit, the EP Whatever Gets You By and finally the album Start. Stop.
followed. At the time the band consisted of Niklas Quintana and Nils Renberg - the backbone of the band - together with two newer members: Tomas Turunen and Anders Ekström. Ekström was another proof that the music scene in Luleå was tight - he came from hardcore band Breach
, where also Niklas Quintana had a past.
Sales figures were a disappointment and Telegram Records dropped the band. Him Kerosene released one more EP, No Mend No Repair on label Chalksounds, before finally splitting up. Since then, band members have stayed in the music industry. For instance, Pelle Gunnerfeldt has produced music for The Hives
and Kristofer Åström has pursued a solo career - both of them have also kept playing in Fireside. Niklas Quintana and Tomas Turunen went back to Breach, and later formed the band The End Will Be Kicks.
influences. They once described their music as "punk
for the working class
".
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....
1990s alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band founded in Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
.
History
Him Kerosene started in 1991, at first playing pop musicPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
inspired by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, although the band would be known for a harder and more dynamic sound than that. The band's home town Luleå had plenty of rehearsal studios and several bands were around, with members from one band often contributing to another. This was especially clear in the case of Him Kerosene, which during its lifetime saw members from several other famous Swedish bands. Two of the members in the first lineup, Kristofer Åström and Pelle Gunnerfeldt, were from the prominent hardcore band Fireside
Fireside (band)
- Members :* Per Nordmark - drums* Pelle Gunnerfeldt - Guitar* Kristofer Åström - Guitar, vocals* Frans Johansson - Bass- Discography :* 2003 - Get Shot* 2000 - Elite* 1999 - Fantastic Four - Remixed* 1998 - Hello Kids* 1997 - Uomini D'onore...
and this increased media attention.
In 1995 local record company Ampersand Records released Him Kerosene's first album Recorder. Bear Quartet members Johan Forsling and Mattias Alkberg contributed with some of the music and lyrics. Forsling also became a Him Kerosene member for a brief period, replacing Kristofer Åström as he and Pelle Gunnerfeldt left the band.
After releasing the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Caper on Birdnest Records
Birdnest Records
Birdnest Records is a Swedish record company mainly dealing in punk music.-History:It was founded by Per Granberg who also plays in Charta 77. The company was founded as a DIY company with the intention of only publishing Granberg's own records in 1982, under the name Birdskit...
and playing at several festivals during 1996, Him Kerosene got a new record deal with Telegram Records. The single Loser Outfit, the EP Whatever Gets You By and finally the album Start. Stop.
Start. Stop.
Start. Stop. is a studio album by Swedish rock band , released in 1997.-Track listing:# "Hopey " – 2:35# "Landybugs " – 4:20# "United " – 3:01# "Before You Croke" – 3:03# "For how long can you hold your breath" – 4:39# "Neutrinio" – 3:17...
followed. At the time the band consisted of Niklas Quintana and Nils Renberg - the backbone of the band - together with two newer members: Tomas Turunen and Anders Ekström. Ekström was another proof that the music scene in Luleå was tight - he came from hardcore band Breach
Breach (band)
-History:Swedish band formed in Luleå 1993. First full length album released in 1995. Pelle Gunnerfeldt from Fireside recorded and mixed several of the groups albums. Shortly after the release of Kollapse the band announced that they had decided to split up. The band played a reunion show in...
, where also Niklas Quintana had a past.
Sales figures were a disappointment and Telegram Records dropped the band. Him Kerosene released one more EP, No Mend No Repair on label Chalksounds, before finally splitting up. Since then, band members have stayed in the music industry. For instance, Pelle Gunnerfeldt has produced music for The Hives
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band that first garnered attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the "greatest hits" album Your New Favourite Band, featuring their most well-known song "Hate to Say I Told...
and Kristofer Åström has pursued a solo career - both of them have also kept playing in Fireside. Niklas Quintana and Tomas Turunen went back to Breach, and later formed the band The End Will Be Kicks.
Discography
Him Kerosene played energetic, melodious high-tempo rock with hardcoreHardcore 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...
influences. They once described their music as "punk
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...
for the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
".
Albums
| Album information |
|---|
Recorder
|
| Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Start. Stop. is a studio album by Swedish rock band , released in 1997.-Track listing:# "Hopey " – 2:35# "Landybugs " – 4:20# "United " – 3:01# "Before You Croke" – 3:03# "For how long can you hold your breath" – 4:39# "Neutrinio" – 3:17... |
EPs
| Album information |
|---|
Caper
|
| Whatever Gets You By
|
| No Mend No Repair No Mend No Repair No Mend No Repair is an EP by Swedish rock band , released in 2001.-Track listing:# "No mend no repair" – 3:45# "Sleeping pill" – 4:50# "Playing for a dead audience" – 3:55# "Life is fair" – 1:16... |
Singles
| Album information |
|---|
Loser Outfit
|