Teddybears

Teddybears
Teddybears performing in Stockholm on November 16, 2006
Background information
Also known as	Skull, Teddybears STHLM
Origin	Sweden
Genres	Hardcore punk (early), rock, electronic
Years active	1991–present
Labels	BMG, Atlantic Records
Associated acts	Caesars, Les Big Byrd, Kleerup, Robyn, Thomas Rusiak
Website	devilsmusic.org/
Members
Patrik Arve Joakim Åhlund Klas Åhlund
Former members
Erik Olsson Glenn Sundell

Teddybears (formerly Teddybears STHLM) is a Swedish band formed in 1991, known for mixing pop, rock, hip-hop, electronica, reggae, punk and many other genres.

History

They began as Skull, a grindcore group.^[1] The band initially consisted of singer Patrik Arve and the brothers Joakim Åhlund and Klas Åhlund, before drummer Olsson joined them. They released their debut album You Are Teddybears in 1993 and their second album, titled I Can't Believe It's Teddybears STHLM followed in 1996. Their third album Rock 'N' Roll Highschool came out in 2000 and consisted of electronic elements, which were a departure from the band's previous hardcore sound. A fourth album, Fresh, was released in 2005 and included the singles "Cobrastyle" and "Hey Boy".

As for the name, "If you're familiar with the Swedish or Norwegian black metal scene, you know back then every band was called things like 'Corpse Grinder From Hell,' Joakim Åhlund says. "So we called ourselves the Teddybears as an 'anti' thing."^[1] Band members wear large bear masks in album art and promotional photographs.

Joakim Åhlund is also the lead guitarist and songwriter for the band Caesars, who are best known for "Jerk It Out." Klas Åhlund has also produced most of the Caesars' albums. Klas Åhlund also produced Robyn's 2005 self titled album. The two brothers also direct television ads and music videos.

Their song "Cobrastyle" was used in the FIFA 06 and Forza Motorsport 2 video games. It was also used in the ending credits of the film Employee of the Month. A part from their song "Move Over" ("Rock 'n' Roll Highschool") was used in the 2005 video game Driv3r. In a recent commercial, Intel had used a sample of the band's song "Different Sound", to promote their new Intel Core 2 Duo processor. The band's song "Cobrastyle" was featured prominently on the pilot episode of NBC's 2007 comedy show Chuck. In 2009, Telus used the track "Ahead of My Time" in their 'Downtime' TV advertisement.^[2]

Their song "Different Sound" was featured on the soundtrack album for the Hugh Grant film Music and Lyrics. They also made a remix of "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees which was featured on the 2007 album, Bee Gees Greatest (Special Edition).^[3]

The group has a global music publishing deal with BMG Music Publishing. They have signed to Atlantic Records and Big Beat/Atlantic Records released their first North American album, Soft Machine on September 12, 2006, under the shortened moniker Teddybears.^[4] The album includes appearances from Iggy Pop, Annie, Ebbot Lundberg of The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Mad Cobra, Elephant Man, and Neneh Cherry.^[1]

In an interview with Scandinavian news agency TT Spectra, Joakim Åhlund states that he is working on a new Teddybears album. Two tracks are already recorded with rapper Slick Rick and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne.^[5]

In an August 2009 interview with Swedish newspaper Expressen Joakim Åhlund states that the new album will be released during the fall and that it will feature a song with Swingfly and Coco Sumner, the daughter of Sting. He explains that the album will be a party album but one track will be more political and criticize the American religious right.^[6]

In the summer of 2009 they released the track Get Mama a House as part of the advertising campaign for a Swedish real estate company.^[7]

Members

• Patrik Arve – Lead vocals, bass, programming, percussion, keyboards
• Joakim Åhlund – Bass guitar, bass, programming, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar
• Klas Åhlund – Guitars, bass, programming, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals

Former members

• Erik Olsson – Drums, vibraphone
• Glenn Sundell – Drums

Discography

Albums

EPs

• "Women in Pain" (1991)
• "Extra Pleasure" (1993)
• "Step on It (We Are The Best!)" (German Release Only) (1994)

Singles

• "Purple Rain" (1995)
• "Magic Finger" (1996)
• "Kanzi" (1996)
• "Ahead of My Time" featuring Daddy Boastin' (1999)
• "Yours to Keep" featuring Paola (2000)
• "Automatic Lover" (2000)
• "Hiphopper" featuring Thomas Rusiak (2000)
• "Rock 'n' Roll Highschool" featuring Thomas Rusiak (2000)
• "Cobrastyle" featuring Mad Cobra (2004, US release: 2006)
• "Hey Boy" featuring Swing-Fly (2004)
• "Little Stereo" featuring Daddy Boastin' (2005)
• "Punkrocker" featuring Iggy Pop (2006)
• "Yours to Keep" featuring Neneh Cherry (2006)
• "Get Mama A House" (2009)

Guests

• Thomas Rusiak – Magic Villa (2000), appears on "Hiphopper" & "STHLM's Finest"
• Daddy Boastin' – Efterlyst (2002), co-writers & producers of 4 tracks
• Robyn – The Rakamonie EP (2006), co-writers & producers of "Cobrastyle"
• Robyn – Robyn (2007, international edition), co-writers & producers of "Cobrastyle"
• Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low (2009), remixed "Arma-goddamn-motherfucking-geddon"

Appearances

• "Different Sound (feat. Malte)" has been used in the following places:
  • On episode 14 "Starlet Fever" of CBS' Shark
  • On an Intel Core Duo TV advertisement
  • In the 2007 romantic comedy Music and Lyrics
  • On episode 41 "The Mole" of Numb3rs
  • On episode 4.11 ("Everything In Its Right Place") of One Tree Hill
  • In the 2007 movie Mad Money starring Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes
• Xbox Live's Major Nelson currently uses the track "Move Over" on his weekly Blogcast
• "Ahead Of My Time (feat. Daddy Boastin')" has been used:
  • in the movie The Air I Breathe (2007)
  • in a series of Telus commercials, Canada-Wide, spring 2009
  • in the TV series Life season 1 episode 11 (2007)
• Axe Dandruff commercial has "Hey Boy" playing in the club

References

• Lars Lovén, allmusic.com

External links

• Official website
• Teddybears at MySpace
• PUNKCAST#1121 live @ Studio B, Brooklyn, Mar 2 2007. (RealPlayer, mp4)