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Memorials
Star quality is so much more than just fame, fortune and success.
Elusive, almost impossible to pinpoint, it is still instantly recognizable
and the people who have it are uniquely special. They give our more
ordinary excistences a touch of magic for they are all that bit larger
than life. Their light shines so brightly that, when it is suddenly
snuffed out, we are left shocked and saddened and our own lives seem all
the poorer...
 started out in a basement in
east Berlin in the year of our Lord 1989. It was a tight group of sex
individuals named Ted Johnsson (vocals, guitar), Antonio Barkett (bass,
harmonica), Scott Lamén (guitar), Helga Kenner ( backvocals), Olga
Dietermejer (piano) and André Bernard (drums). They got some great
reviews and soon released their debut album called "Supersonic
Lurch". It was recorded on a 4-track studio by Dirk Grieder ( who
died mysteriosly in a carcrash).
In 1990 Ted, Antonio, Scott, Helga and Olga died while playing at Stone
festival in France. Crack and other drugs were involved and the
underground scene was living on the edge. But André Bernard had a
fighting spirit...
The very next month he moved to Sweden and started up again with new
members. was back! Harder,
stronger and meaner! The new members were Rolf Weutherich (vocals), Bill
Hickman (guitar, backvocals) and Love Antonsson (bass). Their single
"Live and be fried" were never released but the band was working
hard to stay alive.
André Bernard's body finally broke down on the afternoon of 10 May 1991.
He was dubbing the sound to the final print when he collapsed in a fit of
vomiting and convulsions. He was rushed to hospital. Dr Peter Nygren, a
leading neurosurgeon, was called in. He administrated the drug Manitol to
reduce a swelling in Andrés brain, and prepared for surgery if this did
not work. It didn't.
Shortly after the bandmembers set themselves on fire to honour Andrés
death. Hotel witnesses confirm that Bill and his friends started partying
early that Sunday. Room sevice delivered drinks and food and noted the
chaos, the loud music and the spaced-out look on Bill«s face. They knew
it was a drugs high, but they still brought the drinks. Everyone but Bill
Hickman died. There were two funeral ceremonies. The first was a
traditional Buddhist service in Hong Kong. Outside the Kowloon Funeral
Parlour, a crowd of 25.000 fans wept. The second one was secret and hidden
away from the fans.
Bill relied on drink and drugs to deal with the pressures. He could also
live a very quiet life when he wanted to, tending his garden and
entertaining friends at home instead of partying. Close friends say they
belive he wished he could have had a family. An 18-month period, known as
the "Satanic Weekend" began. His mind cleared enough to produce
"Wheel of Whales", in October 1994. He got some help from old
friends named Jonas Awertoft, Nicco Paraskevas and the mysterious drummer
Andreas Larsson.
Everything stopped at 10.50 pm on 8 December. Mikael Andersson,
25-year-old fan and born-again Christian, put four bullets into Bill«s
back as he returned from the studio. This incident made Jonas, Nicco and
Andreas very upset. They were going to fulfill Bill«s dream and started
to jam in the summer of -96.
Their first demo called"Spank Lurch" was recorded. It took the
new group a while to get going. They did the usual round of gigs in
colleges,pubs and clubs. They amuzed the crowds with wipped cream,
make-up, dresses and weird humour. From then on
were the main act in a media circus.
Their second demo called "Out of my mind" was quite a success
and got some various reviews. Although Nicco never announced to the world
that he was gay-ninja, he lived a life of promiscuous homosexuality. But
he would oscillate between one-night stands and prolonged, domesticated
relationships. He often said that his promiscuity was a way of hiding from
his loneliness. This affected the group and they had to record an album
called "Female dolls for her pleasure". The band recorded the
whole album lying down, wearing pink dresses and decorated the whole room
with flowers, paper-hearts and glitter. It was released in -98 and was
recorded by Anders Johansson (bass-player of another famous band called
The Creeps).
Very soon a strange man called Adam Svanquist contacted .
He was a former hacker who needed friends to hide him from the police. The
first gig he made was terrible. Five songs into the set he smashed his
guitar, walked off stage and climbed a speaker stack, threatening to jump,
screaming at the audience below. He joined the group shortly after. His
skills were amazing, sexy and yet classic.
In 1999 the single "Syntax Error" was born. Four super songs
called "Lovepotion nr 666", "Goddamn chihuahua",
"Shovedin" and "Peel the labels" was recorded in less
than 8 hours.
No matter how much some of us might like to
deny it, no one really wants to be an unknown, to be just "someone
else". We all belive that we deserve better than what we have, and it
is fame and celebrity-those modern touchstones-which seem able to solve
all our problems, to open life«s doors and give us the easy life we know
is our due. To be famous, in one way or another, is everyone«s dream.
Follow your dreams, be horny and make love to music.
Hug's N'Kisses
Jonas Awertoft
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