For a quarter of a century the Swedish high energy rock outfit “DEMONS” have graced the underground rock and indie scenes. To use a quote from a writer: “DEMONS” are the most known, unknown band in Sweden” or another: “DEMONS” are, at the very least, the mortar that helped build the Swedish rock scene, going back the last 20 years. They’re Sweden’s dirty little secret”.
Whatever that means it’s hard to talk about the Scandinavian rock phenomenon without acknowledging the band’s effort. At least as they paved the way for Swedish rock music in the USA in the beginning of the aughts and have toured the world for 25 years, recording and releasing a truck load of albums, singles and compilation tracks.
It really begun in the USA where the band toured relentlessly during their early period, sharing the same US label with fellow Swedes The Hives and The Hellacopters. “DEMONS” was also invited by the latter to perform on their farewell tour in Scandinavia (The Hellacopters also opened up their album Head Off with a cover of a “DEMONS song).
With roots dating back to the late 80’s in Akalla, a suburb slightly north of Stockholm, three members of the future “DEMONS” started mixing Detroit style rock, 60s psychedelic punk with 70s punk rock and hardcore energy in the very early 90s. The motto was to “combine the energy of punk rock with the groove of The Stooges and MC5 and with the twin guitar assault of the New York Dolls”.
Coming up in the middle of Death Metal, Hip Hop and Indie Pop no one cared much about a bunch of kids from “Little Los Angeles” (as Akalla was named by its inhabitants) playing I Wanna Be Your Dog at Bad Brains speed. The band soldiered on and called it quits in 1994 but at the same time morphed into “DEMONS” around 1995. Fast forward a year or so and a solid scene had evolved around them with bands that are now revered and sometimes considered classic.
It’s a long, long story that involves everything you might expect from a band who have had a not so straight path, navigating through an unforgiving music business and dedicating their lives to play rock and roll regardless.
“DEMONS” are:
Matt ”Hep Cat Matt” Carlsson: guitar/vocals
Micke Jacobsson: drums/backing vocals
Tomo Sukenobu: bass/backing vocals
