Profile of
The Hives
Type(s) of Music: Punk, rock, garage rock, 80's fusion rock
Names of Members of Group:
Howlin'
Pelle Almqvist
Nicholaus Arson
Vigilante Carlstroem
Dr. Matt Destruction
Chris Dangerous
Place of Origin: Fagersta, Sweden
Year the Act Began: 1993
Musical Influences: |
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History of
The Hives
When, in 2001, they played 250+ shows, wowed audiences from Tokyo to
Trondheim, from Glasgow to Georgia, reintroduced rock in the mainstream
(No, I mean actual ROCK MUSIC) and truly became everybody and their
mama's new favourite band, their plan had already been in action for
seven years. Formed in the small industrial town of Fagersta, Sweden in
1993, the Hives, then in their early teens, were saved from boredom and
despair by Mr. Randy Fitzsimmons. He came to them with the idea to start
a musical group based on everything he and the band found exciting.
After teaching themselves to play instruments and then practicing,
perfecting and polishing their craft, they released their first album
Barely Legal in 1997 to much acclaim. A perfect statement of teenage
willpower over pretty much everything else, it was hailed by people fed
up with the staleness of contemporary rock. Here was a band with roots
but a mind of their own. Style and grace yet swerve and brute force. Not
to mention the sheer energy to power the watch on your wrist and the sun
in the sky. Touring commenced and took them several laps around Sweden
and Europe gathering a cult following that grew steadily upon each
visit. Dressed in black and white and looking out of sight the gloves
were off and they were ready for anything.
In the year 1999, the Hives have a new bag of tricks and a handful of
Fitzsimmons originals. They know exactly what to do - record a record so
good the world can't ignore it. They release Veni Vidi Vicious and
nothing is ever the same. Rave reviews, more touring and that steadily
growing cult following that can no longer fit into the clubs they play.
A full year and a half of sold out shows later...
Cue big time UK industry guy and all round music fan Alan McGee (Oasis,
Primal Scream, Creation Records) sees the Hives on German TV and decides
that this is important. He has the band put together a form of greatest
hits for his Poptones label. Your New Favourite Band, as the result is
dubbed, catches a sleeping England by surprise. Rock music that is
exciting and dangerous not really being the toast of the town lately.
Cue 'Rock is back!' headlines in newspapers and on TV. "We always knew
the world would catch on, we just had to wait them in", as the band
themselves say. Cue hits "Hate To Say I Told You So" and "Main Offender"
and things are drastically different. People in the UK once again
connect rock bands with showmanship, excitement and an actual good time.
Your new favourite band? Indeed. |
Listen & Watch Music
Audio
Tick Tick Boom
Videos
Fall Is Just
Something Grown Ups Invented
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Barely Legal (1997)
Burning Heart |
Veni Vidi Vicious (2000/2002)
Burning Heart |
Tyrannosaurus Hives (2004)
Interscope |
The Black and White Album (2007)
Interscope |
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"Well, Well, Well" 1:02
"A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T" 2:12
"Here We Go Again" 2:12
"I'm a Wicked One" 1:45
"Automatic Schmuck" 2:17
"King of Asskissing" 1:46
"Hail Hail Spit n' Drool" 1:27
"Black Jack" 2:45
"What's That Spell?..Go to Hell!"1:41
"Theme From..." 2:49
"Uptempo Venomous Poison" 1:13
"Oh Lord! When? How?" 1:42
"The Stomp" 1:54
"Closed for the Season" 2:34 |
"The Hives - Declare Guerre Nucleaire"
1:35
"Die, All Right!" 2:46
"A Get Together to Tear It Apart" 1:52
"Main Offender" 2:33
"Outsmarted" 2:22
"Hate to Say I Told You So" 3:22
"The Hives - Introduce the Metric System in Time" 2:06
"Find Another Girl" (Butler, Mayfield) 3:12
"Statecontrol" 1:54
"Inspection Wise 1999" 1:37
"Knock Knock" 2:10
"Supply and Demand" 2:26 |
"Abra Cadaver" 1:33
"Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones" 2:00
"Walk Idiot Walk" 3:31
"No Pun Intended" 2:20
"A Little More for Little You" 2:58
"B Is for Brutus" 2:36
"See Through Head" 2:21
"Diabolic Scheme" 3:00
"Missing Link" 1:56
"Love in Plaster" 3:11
"Dead Quote Olympics" 1:59
"Antidote" 2:30
"Uptight" (UK bonus track) 2:25
"The Hives Meet the Norm" (UK bonus track) 2:06 |
"Tick Tick Boom" - 3:25
"Try It Again" - 3:29
"You Got It All... Wrong" - 2:42
"Well All Right!" - 3:29
"Hey Little World" - 3:22
"A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors" - 2:37
"Won't Be Long" - 3:46
"T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." - 3:37
"Return the Favour" - 3:09
"Giddy Up!" - 2:51
"Square One Here I Come" - 3:10
"You Dress Up for Armageddon" - 3:09
"Puppet on a String" - 2:54
"Bigger Hole to Fill" - 3:37
Click here to read our
review of The Black and White Album |
