Sahara Hotnights
Encyclopedia
Sahara Hotnights is a rock band
from Robertsfors
, Sweden
. Their style incorporates elements of garage rock
, power pop
and punk
. While in Australia
, Josephine Forsman bet on a horse named Sahara Hotnights and used the name for the band.
, Suits Anyone Fine, was released in 1997 to immediate success and critical acclaim in Europe
. Soon afterwards, the band signed with the Swedish label
Speech Records, and over the next two years released three further singles, Face Wet, Oh Darling!, and Nothing Yet. In 1999 Sahara Hotnights released their debut full-length studio album C'mon Let's Pretend
, which earned two Grammis
nominations.
The Drive Dead Slow EP appeared in April 2000, released on the BMG
label, before the band's second album Jennie Bomb
(named for Jennie Asplund) was released in 2001 (2002 in America). The timing of its release coincided with a surge in interest in Swedish rock'n'roll bands, such as The Hives
, The (International) Noise Conspiracy
, Mando Diao
and Hellacopters. The songs "On Top Of Your World" and "With Or Without Control" were released as singles. "Alright Alright (Here's My Fist Where's The Fight?)" is featured in Cheaper by the Dozen
, Stormbreaker
, New York Minute
and on the Jackass: The Movie
soundtrack.
Sahara Hotnights opened for The Hives
before releasing Kiss & Tell
in 2004 on the RCA
label. The tour sprouted from a relationship between Maria Andersson and Hives' frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist. "Hot Night Crash" and "Who Do You Dance For?" are singles taken from the album. "Hot Night Crash" also appears on the soundtrack of Burnout 3 and of Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
. The song "No Big Deal" is played in CKY
4.
A new single entitled "Cheek to Cheek" culled from their fourth studio album What If Leaving Is a Loving Thing
on Stand By Your Band Records was released via the band's MySpace
site. The album was released on April 18, 2007. Commenting on the lyrics on the album, songwriter Maria Andersson said: "if you read them you'll understand. The good thing with being able to write lyrics is that you can sit here and shut up about it."
Sahara Hotnights' sound has been described as a mix between Blondie
, The Ramones, and Nirvana
. Although their latest work has a more pop sound to it, Sahara Hotnights have always been influenced by classic rock and punk bands. When the Kiss & Tell
album was released, many accustomed to the unforgiving stance of Jennie Bomb
balked at their attempt to make an album that was dance crafty. However, Maria Andersson, described the Jennie Bomb album as having a "slick sound to the rock songs, while Kiss and Tell has a raw sound to the pop songs."
The band's fifth full length album, Sparks, was due to be released on February 25, 2009.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
from Robertsfors
Robertsfors Municipality
Robertsfors Municipality is a municipality in Västerbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Robertsfors.-History:In 1759 the small village Edfastmark became Robertsfors Bruk...
, 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....
. Their style incorporates elements of garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
, power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
and 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...
. While in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Josephine Forsman bet on a horse named Sahara Hotnights and used the name for the band.
History
The band formed sometime around 1991/1992, "due to boredom". Around 1995, they won a "battle of the bands" contest and were awarded with a chance to record their songs in studio. Their debut EPExtended 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...
, Suits Anyone Fine, was released in 1997 to immediate success and critical acclaim in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Soon afterwards, the band signed with the Swedish label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Speech Records, and over the next two years released three further singles, Face Wet, Oh Darling!, and Nothing Yet. In 1999 Sahara Hotnights released their debut full-length studio album C'mon Let's Pretend
C'mon Let's Pretend
C'mon Let's Pretend is an album by Swedish rock group Sahara Hotnights, released in 1999. It went on the win two Grammis. - Track listing :# "Push on Some More" – 3:34# "Quite a Feeling" – 3:44...
, which earned two Grammis
Grammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
nominations.
The Drive Dead Slow EP appeared in April 2000, released on the BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
label, before the band's second album Jennie Bomb
Jennie Bomb
Jennie Bomb is the second album from the all-girl Swedish rock band, Sahara Hotnights. It was released in 2001 . The album is named after band member Jennie Asplund....
(named for Jennie Asplund) was released in 2001 (2002 in America). The timing of its release coincided with a surge in interest in Swedish rock'n'roll bands, such as 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...
, The (International) Noise Conspiracy
The (International) Noise Conspiracy
The Noise Conspiracy is a Swedish rock band formed in Sweden in the late months of 1998. The line-up consists of Dennis Lyxzén , Inge Johansson , Lars Strömberg , and Ludwig Dahlberg . The band is known for its punk and garage rock musical influences, and its impassioned left-wing political stance...
, Mando Diao
Mando Diao
Mando Diao is an alternative rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. The band got their breakthrough with the release of the album Hurricane Bar. Their main fan base is in Sweden, Germany, and Japan although their influence has recently spread to Western Europe, most notably the UK.-Origin:The roots of...
and Hellacopters. The songs "On Top Of Your World" and "With Or Without Control" were released as singles. "Alright Alright (Here's My Fist Where's The Fight?)" is featured in Cheaper by the Dozen
Cheaper by the Dozen (2003 film)
Cheaper by the Dozen is a 2003 American comedy film about a family with 12 children . The film takes its title from the 1948 biography of the same name of Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbreth and their 12 children, but other than the title and the concept of a family with 12 children,...
, Stormbreaker
Stormbreaker (film)
Stormbreaker is a 2006 British spy film based on Anthony Horowitz's novel of the same name, the first novel in the Alex Rider series. It stars newcomer Alex Pettyfer as the teenage spy alongside actors Mickey Rourke and Bill Nighy...
, New York Minute
New York Minute (film)
New York Minute is a 2004 American teen comedy film starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen and Eugene Levy. It was directed by Dennie Gordon and released on May 7, 2004. In the film Mary-Kate and Ashley play twins with opposing personalities who have a series of misadventures around New York City...
and on the Jackass: The Movie
Jackass: The Movie
Jackass: The Movie is a 2002 American reality film directed by Jeff Tremaine with the tagline "Do not attempt this at home." It is a riskier and uncensored continuation of the stunts and pranks by the various characters of the MTV television series Jackass, which had completed its unique series...
soundtrack.
Sahara Hotnights opened 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...
before releasing Kiss & Tell
Kiss & Tell (Sahara Hotnights album)
Kiss & Tell is the third studio album by the Swedish rock band Sahara Hotnights, and was released on a major label.-Media appearances:The song Hot Night Crash was featured in the video game Burnout 3: Takedown and Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam....
in 2004 on the RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
label. The tour sprouted from a relationship between Maria Andersson and Hives' frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist. "Hot Night Crash" and "Who Do You Dance For?" are singles taken from the album. "Hot Night Crash" also appears on the soundtrack of Burnout 3 and of Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is a video game in the Tony Hawk series. The game was a launch title for Nintendo's Wii, and is also available for the Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation 2....
. The song "No Big Deal" is played in CKY
CKY (video series)
The CKY video series is a series of videos produced by Bam Margera and Brandon DiCamillo and other residents of West Chester, Pennsylvania. Four videos have been released to date, Landspeed presents: CKY , CKY2K, CKY 3, and CKY4: The Latest & Greatest...
4.
A new single entitled "Cheek to Cheek" culled from their fourth studio album What If Leaving Is a Loving Thing
What If Leaving Is a Loving Thing
What If Leaving Is a Loving Thing is the fourth studio album by Swedish band Sahara Hotnights, released through their own record company Stand By Your Band.-Track listing:#"Visit to Vienna" – 3:53#"The Loneliest City of All" – 3:43#"Salty Lips" – 3:25...
on Stand By Your Band Records was released via the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
site. The album was released on April 18, 2007. Commenting on the lyrics on the album, songwriter Maria Andersson said: "if you read them you'll understand. The good thing with being able to write lyrics is that you can sit here and shut up about it."
Sahara Hotnights' sound has been described as a mix between Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, The Ramones, and Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
. Although their latest work has a more pop sound to it, Sahara Hotnights have always been influenced by classic rock and punk bands. When the Kiss & Tell
Kiss & Tell (Sahara Hotnights album)
Kiss & Tell is the third studio album by the Swedish rock band Sahara Hotnights, and was released on a major label.-Media appearances:The song Hot Night Crash was featured in the video game Burnout 3: Takedown and Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam....
album was released, many accustomed to the unforgiving stance of Jennie Bomb
Jennie Bomb
Jennie Bomb is the second album from the all-girl Swedish rock band, Sahara Hotnights. It was released in 2001 . The album is named after band member Jennie Asplund....
balked at their attempt to make an album that was dance crafty. However, Maria Andersson, described the Jennie Bomb album as having a "slick sound to the rock songs, while Kiss and Tell has a raw sound to the pop songs."
The band's fifth full length album, Sparks, was due to be released on February 25, 2009.
Members
- Maria Andersson (born December 4, 1981, UmeåUmeå- 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...
, Sweden) – Lead vocals, guitar - Jennie Asplund (born November 24, 1979, RobertsforsRobertsforsRobertsfors is a locality and the seat of Robertsfors Municipality in Västerbotten County, Sweden with 2,010 inhabitants in 2005.Robertsfors is named after the Scotsman Robert Finlay, who, together with John Jennings, founded an ironworks there in 1751....
, Sweden) – Backing vocals, guitar - Johanna Asplund (born September 21, 1981, UmeåUmeå- 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...
, Sweden) – Backing vocals, bass - Josephine Forsman (born May 20, 1981, UmeåUmeå- 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...
, Sweden) – Drums
Albums
- C'mon Let's PretendC'mon Let's PretendC'mon Let's Pretend is an album by Swedish rock group Sahara Hotnights, released in 1999. It went on the win two Grammis. - Track listing :# "Push on Some More" – 3:34# "Quite a Feeling" – 3:44...
– 1999 (#15) - Jennie BombJennie BombJennie Bomb is the second album from the all-girl Swedish rock band, Sahara Hotnights. It was released in 2001 . The album is named after band member Jennie Asplund....
– 2001 Mainland Europe / 2002 UK/US (#2) - Kiss & TellKiss & Tell (Sahara Hotnights album)Kiss & Tell is the third studio album by the Swedish rock band Sahara Hotnights, and was released on a major label.-Media appearances:The song Hot Night Crash was featured in the video game Burnout 3: Takedown and Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam....
– 2004 (#4) - What If Leaving Is a Loving ThingWhat If Leaving Is a Loving ThingWhat If Leaving Is a Loving Thing is the fourth studio album by Swedish band Sahara Hotnights, released through their own record company Stand By Your Band.-Track listing:#"Visit to Vienna" – 3:53#"The Loneliest City of All" – 3:43#"Salty Lips" – 3:25...
- 2007 (#5) - Sparks - 2009 (#2)
- Sahara Hotnights - 2011
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 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.... |
||
| 1998 | "Nothing Yet" | — |
| "Face Wet" | — | |
| "Oh Darling!" | — | |
| 1999 | "Push On Some More" | — |
| "Drive Dead Slow" | — | |
| 2000 | "Quite a Feeling" | — |
| 2001 | "Alright Alright (Here's My Fist Where's the Fight?)" |
— |
| "On Top of Your World" | 28 | |
| "With or Without Control" | 33 | |
| 2004 | "Hot Night Crash" | — |
| "Who Do You Dance For?" | — | |
| 2007 | "Cheek to Cheek" | 10 |
| "Visit to Vienna" | 49 | |
| 2008 | "In Private" | 7 |
| 2009 | "Japanese Boy" | 59 |
Web sites
- http://portable-infinite.blogspot.com/2005/07/sahara-hotnights.html Interview by Alexander LaurenceAlexander LaurenceAlexander Laurence is a writer who was born in Los Angeles, California in May 1964. He attended CSULB and studied English Literature, where he graduated in 1988. He moved to San Francisco, California in 1989 and New York City in 1996. In that time, he attended classes at SF Art Institute and the...
(The Portable Infinite) © 2006