The Nordic music scene

The Nordic countries have a lot of good to great music to offer, and have for quite some time. Some bands and artists are world famous, others unknown even at home. I want to present some of both here from time to time, and anyone is of course welcome to chime in.

Let us start with Swedish 80s band IMPERIET
(Swedish for "The Empire"). They started out as RYMDIMPERIET (The Space Empire), a side project for some of the members of punk band Ebba Grøn. Very well known in Scandinavia, but I doubt anyone outside of here knows them. They did seven albums, my own favourite is maybe their 4th album SYND (Sin). Today, founder Joakim Thåstrøm is a relatively successful solo artist.

APOPTYGMA BERZERK is a Norwegian band (although it is really just Stefan Groth working with various people in studio and on stage). Formed in 1989, I first saw them in 1990 and have seen them more than any Norwegian act, mostly because I knew the guys, and they also supported acts like Die Krupps and The Young Gods. 8 albums so far, their early stuff was the best. This is from their second album "7":

For those who like black metal, Norwegian ILDSKJÆR was formed in 1993, changed their name to KEEP OF KALESSIN in 1995, split up in 2000, but reformed in 2003.
Seven albums so far. This is from their fifth album REPTILIAN (2010):

At what one might call the opposite end of the scale, I quite like A-ha. They were my first ever live gig (in '88), and I saw them again in 2019 doing their debut album in full followed by a hits set (which ended with The Living Daylights, which made me pretty damn happy).

Blunt Instrument wrote:

At what one might call the opposite end of the scale, I quite like A-ha. They were my first ever live gig (in '88), and I saw them again in 2019 doing their debut album in full followed by a hits set (which ended with The Living Daylights, which made me pretty damn happy).    

Never been a fan, but they do deserve a mention here as the only ones from outside the English-speaking sphere to ever do a Bond theme so far.
I have also caught them doing TLD live, by accident. Walking past a free outdoor show just as they started on that song, I decided to stay and catch that number. The audience had a good time, singing along on the chorus.

Come on, sing along now everyone.

Norwegian band MADRUGADA was formed in 1993, but went by various other names until 97. Their debut album came out in 1999 and went straight to no.1 nationally. After one of their members died in 2007, they gave out their sixth and final album with the original line-up the following year. Ten years later they reformed and published another album last year. For some reason, they have always been huge in France. This is from their third album GRIT:


And one from their debut album INDUSTRIAL SILENCE:

Swedish THE WANNADIES were formed in 1988, and gave out six albums from 1990 to 2002. A couple of years ago they reformed. This is one of their best known songs, from their third album BE A GIRL:

Norwegian A PLACE TO PRAY were active mid 80s-early 90s. I do not know much about them. They gave out the tapes/albums Thelema and Disciplina Arcana in the 80s. This is from their third and final tape (I think):

Another Norwegian band: (yes, this thread is bound to be biased, but anyone can join in)
BEL CANTO was formed in 1985 (starting out as BEL KANTO). They released six albums 1987-2002. This is from their third album SHIMMERING, WARM AND BRIGHT:


And here they are live with a track from their fourth album MAGIC BOX:

Swedish TEDDYBEARS started out in 1991 as SKULL, and have released four albums 1993-2004 as TEDDYBEARS STHLM, then four more 2006-2015 as TEDDYBEARS.

from their debut YOU ARE TEDDYBEARS.

Norwegian duo SYK KJÆRLIGHET (Sick Love) released one album in 1984 titled IDENTITET/IMAGE.

Norwegian band DET GLADE VANVIDD published three albums 1986-1988. In 1989 they changed their name to SHAKESPEARE IN THE BUSH, but only released one single under that name.
This is from the compilation album THE REST OF DET GLADE VANVIDD (1984-1989).

I bet everyone knows Icelandic Bjørk Gudmundsdottir. She started out as a solo artist in 1977 aged 11, then went on to work in several bands of various genres such as SPIT AND SNOT, JAM 80, EXODUS, TAPPI TIKARRASS, ROKKA ROKKA DRUM, KUKL and THE SUGARCUBES.I saw Sugarcubes in the late 80s, and the guest band was themselves in disguise, something I did not learn until later.
Since then she has released ten studio albums on her own. This is from her debut DEBUT from 1993:

Swedish band BOB HUND (Bob Dog) have been going since 1991. They have so far released nine studio albums between 1993 and 2019.
This is from their second album OMSLAG: MARTIN KANN (Cover: Martin Kann) from 1996:

Swedish singer/songwriter STINA NORDENSTAM (Stina being short for Kristina) gave out six albums from 1991 to 2004. This is from her second album AND SHE CLOSED HER EYES (1994):

Swedish artist REIN (Joanna Reinikainen) has been releasing music since 2016, and is touring with Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 this year. New acquaintance for me.

Norwegian rock band CAN CAN existed 1983-1987, and gave out two albums in 1984 and 1986 plus one soundtrack. This is from their first album EN LEK I FORHOLD:

Norwegian rock band CC COWBOYS have taken their name from a song by Swedish Imperiet, talked about earlier on this thread. Since 1990 (when I saw them live) they have released 11 albums. This is from their debut BLODSBRØDRE (Blood Brothers):

Norwegian band QUADROMACHETAS only gave out one album, A LITTLE BIT FUN, A LITTLE BIT SLAUGHTER in 1982.

Norwegian band DUM DUM BOYS has enjoyed immense popularity at home.They started as a punk band in 1979 by the name WANNSKRÆKK.In 1985 they changed their name to Dum Dum Boys after the Iggy Pop song. They have released 11 albums from 1988 to 2018, and this is from their second album SPLITTER PINE:

Swedish band ELDKVARN (Gristmill) gave out their first album in 1974, but then went under the name PISKA MIG HÅRT (Whip me hard). In 1976 they changed their name to Eldkvarn,and gave out further 23 studio albums under that name until 2011. In 2015 they split up. My own favourite album is their 11th, HIMMELSKA DAGAR (Heavenly days).

Another Swedish band, TWICE A MAN from Gothenburg, has always had quite the ethereal sound. It is really a duo, that started out in 1978 as COSMIC OVERDOSE. Changed their name in 81, and released their first album in 82. They have released 23 albums, including collections. This is from their sixth, WORKS ON YELLOW :

Swedish ELEGANT MACHINERY started as Pole Position in 1988, changed their name in 1989 after their lead vocalist joined. They have split up and reunited a couple times over the years, along with a few changes in the line-up. 11 albums from 1991-2016.

from their 1993 album SHATTERED GROUNDS.

fom their debut album.

Norwegian singer/songwriter Per Bergersen was born in 1960, and shot to death by a friend at the age of 29 in 1990. All he ever published was the demo tape REDRUM PSYCHOSIS in 1985, and a track on a flexidisc distributed by an anarchist street paper, which is where I first discovered him. Later, the cd PB came out, consisting mainly of Redrum Psychosis material and some live recordings.

Norwegian band TURBONEGRO (often spelled TRBNGR in the early years) started out in the late 80s, but have changed their line-up more than once since then. they split up in 1998, but reformed in 2002. Their first album came out in 1992, and for a couple years in the mid 90s, they changed their name to STIERKAMPF after getting a new vocalist. Their 10th and latest album so far came out in 2018.
This is from their debut album HOT CARS AND SPENT CONTRACEPTIVES:


In 2001, a tribute album was released named ALPHA MOTHERFUCKERS, by various known and unknown bands.