220 Volt is among the most well known hardrock/metal acts from Scandinavia. Their now 8 album long history took a new turn a few years ago when the old line-up decided to give it a go again.
The band returned to the scene in 2002 after a 10 year break. The line-up now is the same as in 1981-1983. The very same guys that recorded their first ever single and eventually got a record deal with CBS/Sony. So far, 2 new albums have been released. “Volume 1†in 2002 and “Made in Jamtland†in 2005. The 20th anniversary of their first single “Prisoner of warâ€/â€Sauron†was the reason for re-grouping.
“Volume 1†was released in a limited edition (1000 copies only), for the closest fans. It contains new versions of the songs from the first single, plus 3 new tracks, 2 of them "Don´t come my way" and "On top of the world" in the myspace player right now. Plus 5 live tracks (soundboard recordings) from the great Sweden Rock Festival on june 8th 2002.
“Made in Jamtland†is a full live album, the first ever for the band. It was recorded at a few club shows in Jamtland, Sweden…the region where the guys in the band grew up. It contains some of the older 220 Volt material, paired with some of the classics.
The band was formed in 1979 by guitar players Thomas Drevin and Mats Karlsson. Sometime in April 1979 they made their live debut at a school dance. By then, singer Christer “Frille†Asell (nowadays called Naas) had been recruited. Shortly thereafter, bassist Mike “Larsson†Krusenberg joined, and a short while later drummer Peter Hermansson came along.
The band recorded their first 7†single “Prisoner of warâ€/â€Sauron†and released it in a 500 copies numbered limited edition. By this time they had built quite a reputation as a live act…and the single sold out immediately. It also happened to cross the atlantic and ended up at top 5 on a radio station. By this time CBS/Sony started to show an interest. A deal was signed in early 1983 and the band ended up doing 5 albums for CBS/Sony.
Jocke Lundholm joined the band on vocals, and Peter Olander eventually stepped in for Thomas Drevin on guitar from the third album and on. This line-up recorded 4 albums. "Mind over muscle" 1984/85, "Young and wild" 1987, "Eye to eye" 1988 and "Lethal Illusion" 1990-92 (released 1997)
The band headlined their own tours in Scandinavia and also supported AC/DC (7 shows) and Nazareth (12 shows). In 1992 things came to a halt and the band split-up. Problems with the record company, management issues and general lack of commitment from some members made the situation impossible. They decided to part as friends and that´s what happened.
A few of the guys stayed in the music business playing in cover bands and also backing other artists. The urge to play together again came from transferring old tapes to cd. A lot of stuff was found that didn´t make it to the first albums, things rejected by producers and the record company. This is the kind of stuff that was closer to what 220 Volt was all about in the beginning, and that´s what this line-up will try and breathe some life into now.
The guys are alive and kicking today..Please send us a message to ask any question!Discography:
220 Volt 1983
Powergames 1984
Mind over muscle 1985
Young and wild 1987
Eye to eye 1988
Lethal Illusion 1997
Volume 1 2002
Made in jamtland 2005
