Heartland

Hi,

I'm a big fan of the swedish artist Joakim Thåström (born 1957), who's in my book a couple of pinholes above TSOM. From time to time I think he's got the best rock voice in the world. I figure that there must be other local heroes like Thåström around the world who mainly does their music in other languages than english. Who are yours?

Yes, there is a connection between Thåström and TSOM, read further.

CAREER phase #1, 1977-1982, EBBA GRÖN
----------------
Thåström stared his career as a singer in the punk group Ebba Grön ("Ebba Green") who got their name from a police call sign. They ended up as the, by far, biggest punk band in Sweden. And their biggest hit was a cover of Blå Tåget's "Staten och kapitalet" ("The state and the capital") close floolowd by Ung & kåt. ("Young and horny")

Examples (in swedish):

Staten och kapitalet (The state and the capital) Lyrics in swedish and quick-n-dirty translation.

Häng Gud (Hang God) Lyrics in swedish and quick-n-dirty translation.


CAREER phase #2, 1983-1988, IMPERIET
----------------
After Ebba Grön broke up some of the remaining memebers formed Imperiet ("The empire") and moved more towards regular rock. The dominated the alternative music scene in sweden during these years. Thåström still was the lead singer.

Examples (in both english and swedish):

CC Cowboys (english) with Lyrics

CC Cowboys (swedish) with Lyrics

Märk hur vår skugga (Behold our shadow) English and Swedish lyrics by CM Bellman 1740-1795.

CAREER phase #3, 1989-1991, SOLO
----------------
After Imperiet broke up Thåström released a couple of solo records that pretty much carried on where Imperiet ended. During this phase Thåström drifted further and futher towards industial rock.

Examples: (in swedish)

Alla vill till himlen (Everyone wants to heaven) Lyrics with QnD translation.

Djävulen och jag (The devil and I) Lyrics with QnD translation.

CAREER phase #4, 1992-1998, PEACE, LOVE AND PITBULLS
----------------
As always, when Thåström became too popular among ordinary people in sweden he did something to tear it down. This time he dived head-first into the industrial project PEACE, LOVE & PITBULLS. Lyrics in english. This is where the connection to TSOM comes up... Andrew will shake his tailfeather at PLP.

Examples: (in english)

Caveman (English)
Kemikal (English)
Be my TV (English)
Caveman live (English)

CAREER phase #5, 1999- SOLO and SÄLLSKAPET
----------------
After the brakup of PLP Thåström went solo once again, and this time back to electric rock. This is probably what TSOM fans will like best.

Examples: (swedish)

Höghussång (High-rise song) Lyrics and QnD translation.

Släpp aldrig in dom (Never let them in) Lyrics and QnD translaton.

after a couple of albums Thåström turned semi-aucustic/industrial/something both solo (mostly acoustic) and with SÄLLSKAPET (instrumental industial). It's during this accoustic period he elevated up to god-like proportions in my book.

Examples:

SOLO:
Främling överallt (Stranger everywhere) (Swedish, partly instrumental.) Lyrics and QnD translation

Kort BIOGRAFI med litet testamente (Short BIOGRAPHY with a small will) Lyrics and QnD translation

SÄLLSKAPET: (more or less instrumental)
Ravic

Rum 212 (Room 212)

Now write something like this about your local hero. Please?

Molly
Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Very nice presentation. Thåström is indeed a class act.

There's not much to be said about my hero that you don't already know.

From my town mainly The founder of the Comitee Cap Anamua and The Green Helmets, Rupert Neudeck, gives reason why this p**hole that is this city deserves to survive. I shall notify the Bomber Command the day he dies.

you need the yoghurt fairy.

Cologne is in charge of providing fairies.

and you, yoghurt.

<-Says "Cheese".

no dear... wrong dairy product...

man milk?

Dandelion and Burdock. Not Irish. But Yorkshire. I think.

I spent a lot of my teens in Rochdale, birthplace of the Co-op. They're my "local heroes".

abridged wrote:Dandelion and Burdock. Not Irish. But Yorkshire. I think.

Very unavailable in Glesga, much to the chagrin of my Uncle and I

James Blast wrote:Molly
Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Aye, "the Mum"



Isn't he local?

abridged wrote:Dandelion and Burdock. Not Irish. But Yorkshire. I think.

Very unavailable in Glesga, much to the chagrin of my Uncle and I

Lech Janerka. very local artist-hero- he lives about 30 in by foot from my home. absolutely great song writer also a very good in writing intelligent, wise, funny and sarcastic lyrics. heres: http://www.myspace.com/lechjanerka , sample of his music.

Ah Tesco's do it. In Derry at least. Including a diet variety!

abridged wrote:Ah Tesco's do it. In Derry at least. Including a diet variety!

Diet??

Yeah. The evil of Tesco's knows no bounds...

Auntie Claire and AndrewS are my local heroes.

The Midget Submarines, the famous acid-folk band from Boston, Lincs.

I'm from Panama, so my local heroes are a bit thin on the ground.

Manuel Noriega..ol Pineappale face was a puppet of the CIA until the USA stormed the country by using close to 10,000 troops, stealth bombers and some of the most heinous hostage and imprisonment tactics seen in this modern age. But, big thumbs up to him for eventually standing up to the Yanks and giving them the finger when they said jump and he told them to swivel on it!!


The man who invented the Panama hat. Globally known and worn by the likes of James Bond and rich old guys on yachts in Cannes with rampant totty on their arms a quarter of their age !! Nice.

The man who invented Panama Cigars ( see above but subistute the word 'worn' to 'smoked')

Carlos Duran . Big hitter in the ring for many years ! Dead hard!!

The guy who claimed to of died in a canoeing accident only for his wife to cash in his life's insurance and for them to resurface some years later in the tranquil Bounty advert paradise that is...Panama!! Fools..don't you ever watch the Discovery Channel . Not so much local hero , but more of a village idiot who ran off to Panama - no one runs off to Panama !!

Me. Nuf sed

I've had many in the past, but most have gone on to...things less heroic.

However, the following (who very happily played the same bill last night ) have held their places for quite awhile with no indications of throwing in the towel any time soon:

Legion Within.

Their bass player (Raven aka Erika) is a friend, but I swear this isn't nepotism. Their frontman, William, is the love child of Bowie and Peter Murphy. They are, in fact, opening for Murphy next month. I may die and go to heaven. (Well, not quite, but close. )

Abney Park

Yeah, okay, they played Whitby. For some of you, that's not a bad thing. For the rest, it's the kiss of death. They aren't the dread g-word; they are steampunks. And they're bloody awesome! And funny! They brought their old guitarist on to guest for the second half of last night's show - again, died-and-gone-to-heaven material. (Except I was already in, erm, 'Heaven' - I do wonder if it was intentional or inadvertent irony in naming a club in a basement... )

Can I be really sickening and say my heroes are my Dad and my Daughter?

Rainer von Vielen - a really versatile guy.

Eddy Wally of course.

IZ.