(Slease Rock, Glam, Rock'n'Roll) Dregen - Dregen - 2013, MP3, 320 kbps

You´ve seen him, definitely heard him. And if you´re Swedish, chances are even your grandmother knows who he is. Truth be told, if you´re into rock music Dregen simply don´t need a further presentation. However, if you happen to have missed out on Swedens premier rock star – let´s take it from the beginning

Dregen - born Andreas Tyrone Svensson – knew early on that he was meant for something different than a traditional 9 to 5 gig based in the small town of Nässjö, Sweden. Together with childhood friends Nicke Borg, Peder Carlsson and Johan Blomquist he formed what later would turn out to be the pride of his home town – the Backyard Babies.

The band decided to go for it and left Nässjö, moving to the capital Stockholm in pursuit of their dream – to take Backyard Babies to the very top. It didn´t take long before Dregen and his mates had earned themselves a record deal and in 1994 their debut album ”Diesel & Power” hit the streets. That very same year Dregen met singer and guitarist Nicke Andersson who at the time played drums with Swedish death metal outfit Entombed. As it turned out they both had a lot in common and out of this new friendship yet another classic Swedish rock band was born – The Hellacopters.

The Hellacopters made it big in 1996 with their album ”Supershitty To The Max” (it also won a Swedish Grammy award). It was followed 1997 by the record ”Payin´ the Dues” and they got the great opportunity to tour with legendary KISS. The success of the band quite literally made way also for the Backyard Babies. That very same year marked the release of another Grammy winning album – ”Total 13” – which became the breakthrough of the Backyard Babies. Few have had the pleasure to play in two of the biggest rock groups in Sweden. Even less people have done so simultaneously! By the end of the 90´s Dregen came to realize that however pleasant a situation it may have been, it wouldn´t do anyone good in the long run. Dregen hence soon returned to his roots and carried on his journey with the Backyard Babies. And the rest is, as they say, history. Rock history to be exact.

When the album ”Making Enemies is Good” was released in 2001, Backyard Babies definitely ruled the rock´n roll kingdom of Sweden. Having been awarded with yet another Grammy award they toured the world several times and even did a European tour opening up for AC/DC, a feat no other Swedish band to date can match. Since then the band have released a number of EP´s, singles and albums such as “Stockholm Syndrome”, “People Like Us Like People Like Us”, “Backyard Babies” and “Them XX”. The later resulted in a anniversary tour and an indefinite hiatus followed in 2010.

But maybe you already know all of the above. However, most people don´t know that Dregen once was auditioning for the role as guitarist with Guns ´n Roses. Or that he´s a talented artist when it comes painting, is one son of a gun at playing poker and reel the big ones in while fishing.

In May 2011 Dregen also joined Michael Monroe, from former legendary outfit Hanoi Rocks.

Michael on Dregen:
Dregen is the perfect choice for this band. We are a group of very strong individuals and we really needed a great personality as a guitar player. Dregen has the whole package together – he’s a killer guitarist, a brilliant showman,
looks great and has the right kind of attitude and taste in music.
I feel very glad and lucky that he was willing and able to join us. Dregen is a real star and a true rocker at heart.
I can’t wait to start rockin’ out with him in the band!

You also don´t know how Dregens upcoming solo album sounds like. But in 2013 you, and the rest of the world, is about to find out. At this point we´ve only read the very first pages of Dregens career and no one knows how things will end.

From now on it´s a one man army.