N o r t h S i d e - Hoven Droven

Hoven Droven's music is a unique and powerful blend of traditional folk and fierce hard rock, where violin and electric guitar duel for the audience's attention. This combination is complemented by a diverse background created by sax, Hammond organ, drums, percussion and bass. Keywords: power, finesse and playful virtuosity.

The band’s name is a slang phrase which means, uh, "whatever" (at least in the province of Jämtland in northern Sweden). In their case, it could just as well mean "things will take care of themselves." Despite sometimes chaotic organizational methods, none of them are able to explain how they have managed to perform on almost every major Swedish television and radio program and in North America. Looking at their individual schedules, it’s a wonder that the band can get together to play at all.

Hoven Droven are:

Björn Höglund (drums and percussion) has toured with Swedish funk-rocker Paulo Mendonca and worships Peter Criss.
Guitarist Bo Lindberg claims he is a star in Japan with his former avant-rock band Myrbein. If the truth be known, he's a music teacher who's been in almost every band to come out of Östersund in the past 10 years.
Saxophonist Jens Comén is often seen in rock-pop-jazz-big band-punk bands around town displaying his natural gifts (with his instrument).
Pedro Blom is the band’s bassist, and plays in other roots music groups. Otherwise, he's a big fan of AC/DC and Mötorhead.
Hoven Droven’s violin-playing front man is Kjell-Erik Eriksson. His original interest in Swedish folk music has taken on a stronger bite and higher volume with Hoven Droven. He also plays traditional acoustic music in the band Triakel.
Janne Strömstedt (Hammond Organ) likes to play everything from salsa to country. In April 2000, Janne made the difficult decision to leave the band: "For a long time I've found it difficult to find a good way of combining the particular conditions under which HD is touring, with the rest of my life. Unlike most of the others in the band I have a busy everyday life, with another job apart from the music. I´m also touring quite a lot with Triakel." He will be missed, but the five-piece Hoven Droven will keep rocking harder than ever.

Their first Swedish album "Hia Hia" was released in 1995, recorded at Peak Studios with engineer/producer Erik Benholm. Early in 1996 they got together again to record "Grov." Selections from both of these releases are included on NorthSide's 70+ minute compilation titled Groove -- their first North American record release and one of NorthSide's first releases.

Summer 1999 saw the band at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, where they had 8000 people on their feet, hands raised high above their heads, doing an ancient Swedish mosquito-killing dance. On their return home to Östersund, they began recording their newest album.

More Happy Moments with Hoven Droven marks a number of departures for the band. Trumpet player Gustav Hylén left the band to spend more time with his family and set up Home Studios in Revsund, where the disc was made. (You can see a "home movie" from the recording sessions on the NorthSide enhanced CD). New member Janne Strömstedt's organ work now underpins the band's sound, making it more heavy and more elegant all at the same time. For this release also, the band decided to work with vocalists. On three tracks they are joined by the lovely female voices of Ulrika Bodén and Sofia Sandén (from Ranarim and Rosenberg 7.) Swedish music legend Stefan Sundström can be heard with the band on two of the five extra MP3 tracks which are included on the enhanced CD.

The English translation of the band's name -- “helter skelter” or “whatever” -- also happens to describe the band’s relationship to their Swedish roots. Hoven Droven's commitment to brain tickling arrangements and head-banging grooves is infectious, and they routinely rock your socks off. (Spare socks recommended at all times!)

Reviews

"...blows your speakers in waltz time." –- Rhythm
"Warning, this album eats conifer trees and granite boulders. Sheer class." -- Simon Jones, Folk Roots (UK)
"Here’s a band who can take old polskas and waltzes from the dark corners of early Sweden and make them sound romantic and sweet, or like Edgar Winter's ‘Frankenstein.’" -- Cliff Furnald, Rootsworld

Links

Hoven Droven Swedish homepage
Home Records, HD's Swedish label, run by Gustav Hylén, former member of the band.
Complete tour dates listing