The return of Turbonegro
Turbonegro became one of the most famous Norwegian bands ever during the 90s, and gained fan bases all over the world. The future looked bright ahead, until the band had to call it quits in 98 due to their front man’s drug addiction. But behold! Turbonegro is back and ready to once again take over the world.
Turbonegro is Thomas ”Happy-Tom” Seltzer’s brainchild. He wanted a band which was different then all the ”fakers” he felt was corrupting the rock scene. He puts it this way:
- Rock ’n’ Roll shouldn’t be a championship in earnasty and down-to-earthiness, but rather a display of magic and brilliance and power. It’s 1 % hard work and 99 % hormones.
So in 1988 Seltzer formed Turbonegro with his friends Rune Rebellion and Pål Pot Pamparius. The line-up changed later to include Chris Summers, Euroboy and lead singer Hank von Helvete. They had their first gig in 1989 in Copenhagen and released their first single the same year. The self proclaimed ”Denim Demons” quickly became one of the most popular bands on the Norwegian rock scene, and large fan bases called ”Turbojugend” kept growing all over the world. They toured all over Europe and the States and released albums like ”Ass Cobra” and ”Apocalypse Dudes” which are declared classics by bands like The Hives, Placebo and the Beastie Boys.
It all ended in 1998, on their sold-out ”Darkness Forever”-tour where, sadly, front man Hank had to be committed due to his heroin addiction. A tribute-album followed where bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Supersuckers and Satyricon covered Turbonegro songs. Everyone believed Turbonegro would never be heard from again, but this summer they resurrected at the Norwegian Quart festival (mainly because they were offered a substantial amount of money) and played two more dates at other festivals. They signed with Burning Heart records afterwards and are currently recording their new album which is set to be released spring next year.
At the Quart-festival they proved that the deathpunk attitude is still intact, and the expectations for the new album are huge. But that shouldn’t worry a band like Turbonegro too much. In their deathpunk corrupted minds they have always been superstars and other bands can’t hold a candle to them, or as Happy-Tom so eloquently put it:
- Other bands happening these days are good at nudism, we are pornstars.
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