Joey Tempest
Encyclopedia
Joey Tempest is the vocalist and main songwriter
in the Swedish heavy metal
band Europe
. He has written hits like "The Final Countdown
", "Rock the Night
" and "Superstitious
".
suburb
Upplands Väsby. His biggest idols were Thin Lizzy
and Led Zeppelin
. During his teens, he played in a number of bands such as Jet, Blazer, Made in Hong Kong and Roxanne. At that time he alternated between playing rhythm guitar
and bass
, in addition to lead vocals.
John Norum
, drummer
Tony Reno
and bassist
Peter Olsson
. Force immediately began building a reputation and a fanbase in the suburbs of Stockholm. In 1982, they changed their name to Europe and won the music competition Rock-SM. The first prize was a record deal with Hot Records. Europe released five albums between 1983 and 1991, with Joey Tempest as the singer, frontman and songwriter.
" was the biggest; it topped the sales chart in 26 countries, sold 8 million copies, was played at the ending ceremony at the 1988 Summer Olympics
, became the musical theme of the millennium celebrations and is now a ringtone in hundreds of thousands of mobile phone
s all over the world. In March 1992, Europe ended their final tour in Portsmouth
and did not perform together again until New Year's Eve 1999 to 2000.
was released. According to himself it is "his singer/songwriter album". The album, which was produced by Dan Sundquist, was recorded in Stockholm and London using Swedish musicians. Europe band mate John Norum guests on one of the tracks. Tempest also played guitar on the album. A Place to Call Home sold platinum in Sweden and it was a big success internationally.
Later the same year he commenced his first European tour as a solo artist. The following year he was nominated for a "Best Swedish Artist" Grammy. Four singles were taken from the album, "A Place to Call Home", "Under the Influence", "We Come Alive" and "Don't Go Changing On Me".
The next album Azalea Place
was released in 1997. The next solo album was recorded in Nashville by producer Richard Dodd, known for producing artists such as The Travelling Wilburys and Tom Petty. Where A Place To Call Home had Tempest writing all the material, the new album was written together with others. Among these were Chris Difford from Squeeze and Will Jennings. "Azalea Place was mostly written in the studio and was therefore more improvised and experimental", Tempest commented on the production. "The Match", "The One In The Glass" and "If I'd Only Known" were released as singles. "The Match" became one of the most played songs on Swedish radio and the album achieved gold status. The following year Tempest participated in Mike Batt's Philarmania, with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as backing. He performed Bruce Springsteen
's "Born To Run".
In the autumn of 2002 he released his third solo album, Joey Tempest
. The producer team behind the album was "DeadMono", consisting of Malcolm Pardon and Fredrik Rinman. The team has also worked with Eskobar
, Lisa Miskovsky
and Stakka Bo. Also collaborating on the album are Chris Difford, former Europe member Mic Michaeli, and guitarist Adam Lamprell. The first session took place in Konk Studios, The Kinks old London studio, where Tempest jammed with English musicians who had formerly played with Massive Attack. This session produced "Magnificent", "Kill For A Girl Like You" (B-side of the first single "Forgiven") and "Sometimes". Work continued in Stockholm, this time with Swedish musicians, including Mic Michaeli. "Superhuman" originated from this session. After that, Tempest kept on working with Adam Lamprell in a temporary studio in London.
Presently Tempest commutes between London and Dublin. Of his song writing Tempest has said, "Dreamless and Magnificent have a lot of London in them. Losers is influenced by both London and Dublin. Living there can be very intense, almost chaotic. They’re tough cities and I'd never have written the lyrics I did without living there." Some lyrics can also be related to his homeland, reflections on living abroad, and learning to live with new people.
His serious end is about the A1, and his sharp (acute) one can reach an E4. The final touch is practically perfect.
Mic Michaeli
in April 1984. A couple of years earlier, Tempest had borrowed a keyboard from Michaeli and used it to compose the main keyboard hook of the song "The Final Countdown". After a jam session
in 1985, Michaeli and Tempest co-wrote the ballad "Carrie
". Later that year, Tempest wrote the soundtrack for the Swedish film On the Loose
, as well as the song "Give A Helping Hand" for the benefit project Swedish Metal Aid. The song was produced by future Europe bandmate Kee Marcello
. In 1986 Tempest wrote and produced the album One of a Kind for Tone Norum
, John Norum's younger sister. Tempest also collaborated with John Norum on the single "We Will Be Strong" from Norum's album Face the Truth
in 1992. This was Tempest and Norum's first collaboration since Norum left Europe in November 1986.
After Europe went on hiatus in 1992, Tempest released three solo albums. The first album, A Place to Call Home
featured a guest appearance from John Norum on the song "Right to Respect". Several songs on the third album, Joey Tempest
, were co-written by Mic Michaeli. 2004 saw the release of Europe's comeback album, Start from the Dark
, featuring the band's classic Final Countdown
line-up with John Norum on guitar. The follow-up, Secret Society, was released in 2006, and Last Look at Eden
in 2009.
with his wife Lisa Worthington-Larsson and their son James Joakim.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
in the Swedish heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Europe
Europe (band)
Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in Upplands Väsby in 1979 under the name Force by vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum and drummer Tony Reno. Although widely associated with glam metal, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and hard rock elements...
. He has written hits like "The Final Countdown
The Final Countdown (song)
"The Final Countdown" is a rock song by the Swedish band Europe released in 1986. Written by Joey Tempest, it was the first single from the band's third studio album which was also named The Final Countdown. It is considered by some to be the band's most recognizable and popular song. The song...
", "Rock the Night
Rock the Night (song)
"Rock the Night" is a single released by the Swedish heavy metal band Europe. The song was written by vocalist Joey Tempest in 1984 and premiered on the band's Wings of Tomorrow tour the same year....
" and "Superstitious
Superstitious (song)
"Superstitious" is a 1988 single released by the Swedish heavy metal band Europe. It was the first single released from the album Out of This World. It charted at #31 in the Billboard Hot 100, #9 at the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #34 in the UK Singles Chart....
".
Early life
Before becoming the artist Joey Tempest, Joakim Larsson learned how to play the piano and the guitar. He played football, ice hockey and competed in go-cart; he once came in fourth place in the Junior Cart Race, a Swedish championship. Like many of the other Europe members, he grew up in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
Upplands Väsby. His biggest idols were Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. During his teens, he played in a number of bands such as Jet, Blazer, Made in Hong Kong and Roxanne. At that time he alternated between playing rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, in addition to lead vocals.
Career
In 1979, he formed the band Force with guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
John Norum
John Norum
John Norum is a rock music guitarist and founder of the Swedish band Europe . Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a side solo project...
, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Tony Reno
Tony Reno
Tony Niemistö is a Swedish musician, best known as Tony Reno, the original drummer in the rock band Europe. He played on Europe's first two albums, Europe and Wings of Tomorrow. He parted company from the band before the second leg of the Wings of Tomorrow tour in 1984...
and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Peter Olsson
Peter Olsson
Peter Olsson was the original bassist in the Swedish hard rock band Force, which would later change its name to Europe. Olsson formed Force in Upplands Väsby in 1979, together with vocalist and keyboardist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum and drummer Tony Reno.Olsson left the band in 1981 and...
. Force immediately began building a reputation and a fanbase in the suburbs of Stockholm. In 1982, they changed their name to Europe and won the music competition Rock-SM. The first prize was a record deal with Hot Records. Europe released five albums between 1983 and 1991, with Joey Tempest as the singer, frontman and songwriter.
The Final Countdown
During the years with Europe, Joey wrote numerous international big hits. "The Final CountdownThe Final Countdown
The Final Countdown is a 1980 science fiction film about a modern aircraft carrier that travels through time to just before the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor...
" was the biggest; it topped the sales chart in 26 countries, sold 8 million copies, was played at the ending ceremony at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, became the musical theme of the millennium celebrations and is now a ringtone in hundreds of thousands of mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s all over the world. In March 1992, Europe ended their final tour in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and did not perform together again until New Year's Eve 1999 to 2000.
Solo work
In 1995, Tempest's solo debut A Place to Call HomeA Place to Call Home (album)
A Place to Call Home is the first solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on 20 April 1995 and presented a different sound compared to Europe....
was released. According to himself it is "his singer/songwriter album". The album, which was produced by Dan Sundquist, was recorded in Stockholm and London using Swedish musicians. Europe band mate John Norum guests on one of the tracks. Tempest also played guitar on the album. A Place to Call Home sold platinum in Sweden and it was a big success internationally.
Later the same year he commenced his first European tour as a solo artist. The following year he was nominated for a "Best Swedish Artist" Grammy. Four singles were taken from the album, "A Place to Call Home", "Under the Influence", "We Come Alive" and "Don't Go Changing On Me".
The next album Azalea Place
Azalea Place
Azalea Place is the second solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on April 25, 1997....
was released in 1997. The next solo album was recorded in Nashville by producer Richard Dodd, known for producing artists such as The Travelling Wilburys and Tom Petty. Where A Place To Call Home had Tempest writing all the material, the new album was written together with others. Among these were Chris Difford from Squeeze and Will Jennings. "Azalea Place was mostly written in the studio and was therefore more improvised and experimental", Tempest commented on the production. "The Match", "The One In The Glass" and "If I'd Only Known" were released as singles. "The Match" became one of the most played songs on Swedish radio and the album achieved gold status. The following year Tempest participated in Mike Batt's Philarmania, with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as backing. He performed Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's "Born To Run".
In the autumn of 2002 he released his third solo album, Joey Tempest
Joey Tempest (album)
Joey Tempest is the third solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on October 21, 2002.Three songs were co-written by Europe keyboardist Mic Michaeli.-Track listing:...
. The producer team behind the album was "DeadMono", consisting of Malcolm Pardon and Fredrik Rinman. The team has also worked with Eskobar
Eskobar
Eskobar is the name of a Swedish indie/pop band that was founded in 1996 some 30 kilometres north of Stockholm, in the small town of Åkersberga...
, Lisa Miskovsky
Lisa Miskovsky
Lisa Miskovsky is a Swedish musician. Her mother is Finnish and her father is from the Czech Republic.-Biography:...
and Stakka Bo. Also collaborating on the album are Chris Difford, former Europe member Mic Michaeli, and guitarist Adam Lamprell. The first session took place in Konk Studios, The Kinks old London studio, where Tempest jammed with English musicians who had formerly played with Massive Attack. This session produced "Magnificent", "Kill For A Girl Like You" (B-side of the first single "Forgiven") and "Sometimes". Work continued in Stockholm, this time with Swedish musicians, including Mic Michaeli. "Superhuman" originated from this session. After that, Tempest kept on working with Adam Lamprell in a temporary studio in London.
Presently Tempest commutes between London and Dublin. Of his song writing Tempest has said, "Dreamless and Magnificent have a lot of London in them. Losers is influenced by both London and Dublin. Living there can be very intense, almost chaotic. They’re tough cities and I'd never have written the lyrics I did without living there." Some lyrics can also be related to his homeland, reflections on living abroad, and learning to live with new people.
Voice and style
Technical characteristics are delicious. It has a melodic voice remarkably similar to that of Freddie Mercury, and with certain modulations and expressiveness Phil Lynott of the band Thin Lizzy. His record moves with comfort between baritone and tenor, without complications in none of the points.His serious end is about the A1, and his sharp (acute) one can reach an E4. The final touch is practically perfect.
Musician
Tempest played the keyboards on the first two Europe albums before the band decided to recruit keyboardistKeyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Mic Michaeli
Mic Michaeli
Gunnar Mathias "Mic" Michaeli is the keyboardist in the Swedish rock band Europe. Like many of the other Europe members he grew up in Stockholm suburb Upplands Väsby...
in April 1984. A couple of years earlier, Tempest had borrowed a keyboard from Michaeli and used it to compose the main keyboard hook of the song "The Final Countdown". After a jam session
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
in 1985, Michaeli and Tempest co-wrote the ballad "Carrie
Carrie (song)
"Carrie" is a 1987 hit single and power ballad released by the Swedish heavy metal band Europe. It was the third single released internationally from the album The Final Countdown, and it is their highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart -- peaking at #3 during the fall of 1987...
". Later that year, Tempest wrote the soundtrack for the Swedish film On the Loose
On the Loose (1985 film)
On the Loose is a Swedish film released in 1985. It was directed by Staffan Hildebrand and distributed by Föreningsfilmo AB. It stars Tomas Fryk and Carina Lindström and features appearances by rock 'n' roll singer Jerry Williams and the hard rock band Europe.-Plot:Peter works as a welder in his...
, as well as the song "Give A Helping Hand" for the benefit project Swedish Metal Aid. The song was produced by future Europe bandmate Kee Marcello
Kee Marcello
Kee Marcello is a Swedish musician, best known as the former guitarist in the rock band Europe. He is currently pursuing his solo career.-Career:...
. In 1986 Tempest wrote and produced the album One of a Kind for Tone Norum
Tone Norum
Tone Norum is a Swedish pop singer who gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. She is the younger sister of John Norum, the Europe guitarist.-Biography:Her debut album, One of a Kind, was released in 1986...
, John Norum's younger sister. Tempest also collaborated with John Norum on the single "We Will Be Strong" from Norum's album Face the Truth
Face the Truth (John Norum album)
Face the Truth is the second solo album by John Norum, the guitarist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released in 1992.Former Black Sabbath / Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes sang several of the songs on the album. The song "Opium Trial" is a cover version of the Thin Lizzy song...
in 1992. This was Tempest and Norum's first collaboration since Norum left Europe in November 1986.
After Europe went on hiatus in 1992, Tempest released three solo albums. The first album, A Place to Call Home
A Place to Call Home (album)
A Place to Call Home is the first solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on 20 April 1995 and presented a different sound compared to Europe....
featured a guest appearance from John Norum on the song "Right to Respect". Several songs on the third album, Joey Tempest
Joey Tempest (album)
Joey Tempest is the third solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on October 21, 2002.Three songs were co-written by Europe keyboardist Mic Michaeli.-Track listing:...
, were co-written by Mic Michaeli. 2004 saw the release of Europe's comeback album, Start from the Dark
Start from the Dark
Start from the Dark is the sixth studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. It was released on September 22, 2004, by Sanctuary Records...
, featuring the band's classic Final Countdown
The Final Countdown (album)
The Final Countdown is the third studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. Released on 26 May 1986 through Epic Records, the album was a huge commercial success selling over 3 million units in the United States alone, peaking at number 8 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and reaching high...
line-up with John Norum on guitar. The follow-up, Secret Society, was released in 2006, and Last Look at Eden
Last Look at Eden
Last Look at Eden is the eighth studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. It was released on September 9, 2009 in Sweden by Universal and was released on September 14, 2009 in the UK, by Edel Music's international rock music label earMUSIC....
in 2009.
Personal life
Joey Tempest is currently living in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with his wife Lisa Worthington-Larsson and their son James Joakim.
Solo albums
- A Place to Call HomeA Place to Call Home (album)A Place to Call Home is the first solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on 20 April 1995 and presented a different sound compared to Europe....
(1995) - Azalea PlaceAzalea PlaceAzalea Place is the second solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on April 25, 1997....
(1997) - Joey TempestJoey Tempest (album)Joey Tempest is the third solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on October 21, 2002.Three songs were co-written by Europe keyboardist Mic Michaeli.-Track listing:...
(2002)