Clawfinger

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Clawfinger
Origin Stockholm, Sweden
Genre(s) Rapcore
Industrial metal
Years active 1989–present
Label(s) Nuclear Blast
Associated acts Emigrate
Website clawfinger.net
Members
Zak Tell
Jocke Skog
Bård Torstensen
André Skaug (live)
Henka Johansson (live)
Former members
Morten Skaug
Erlend Ottem

Clawfinger is an Industrial Rapcore band from Sweden and was one of the earliest bands to adopt this sound. Clawfinger is known for aggressive but melodic music and tackling political and anti-racist themes in their songs.

Contents

[edit] Band history

The band's origin dates back to the summer of 1989 when Zak Tell and Jocke Skog met while working together at the Rosegrove Hospital somewhere in the vicinity of Stockholm. In 1990 they were joined by the Norwegian guitarists Bård Torstensen and Erlend Ottem that were also working at the same hospital. Soon the four realized their similar interests in music. Bård and Erlend previously played in a band called Theo in their hometown Arendal back in Norway. Their free time was invested in exploring the musical world, composing and writing songs while evolving into a band.

Their original demo comprising of three tracks ("Waste of Time", "Nigger" and "Profit Preacher") quickly secured them local radio airplay and consequently brought them to the attention of the MVG label. "Nigger" is an anti-racism statement that caused quite a stir and was a massive success; it was also released as a single. By the beginning of the 1990s, Clawfinger self-released their debut Deaf Dumb Blind. This sold in over 600,000 copies worldwide and was critically acclaimed in Swedish press. With the addition of André Skaug and drummer Morten Skaug, Clawfinger went on tour and played at countless European festivals including major support slots with Anthrax and Alice in Chains.

The band received many awards, including two home Grammies at the Swedish Grammy Awards in 1994 for best hard rock band and best music video. After touring, they went straight back in the studio to record their second album, Use Your Brain. After the release of this album they went on yet another touring campaign, most notably participating at Ozzy Osbourne's Monsters of Rock Festival in South America and rocking alongside American metal counterparts like Megadeth, Faith No More, and Alice Cooper. Back in Europe they continued their touring campaign by participating at festivals and countless gigs.

[edit] Members

[edit] Current members

[edit] Former members

  • Morten Skaug - Drums
  • Erlend Ottem - Lead-guitar
  • Ottar Vigerstøl - Drums

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

[edit] Singles

From Deaf Dumb Blind

  • "Rosegrove" (Scandinavia only) (1993?)
  • "Nigger v1" (Scandinavia only) (1993?)
  • "Nigger v2" (1993)
  • "The Truth" (1993)
  • "Warfair" (1993)
  • "Warfair" Remixes (1993)

From Use Your Brain

From Clawfinger

  • "Biggest & the Best" (1997)
  • "Two Sides" (1997)
  • "Don't Wake Me Up" (1998)
  • "Two Sides" E.P. (1999)

From A Whole Lot of Nothing

  • "Out to Get Me" (2001)
  • "Out to Get Me" - Limited Edition 1 (2001)
  • "Out to Get Me" - Limited Edition 2 (2001)
  • "Nothing Going On" (2001)

From Zeros & Heroes

From Hate Yourself With Style

  • "Dirty Lies" (Promo-CDS) (N0vember 2005)
  • "Without a Case" (Video single) (December 2005)

From Life Will Kill You

  • "The Price We Pay" (Video single) (July 2007)
  • "Prisoners" (Video single) (September 2007)

[edit] Videos

Most of these videos can be downloaded from the Official Clawfinger Pages. All the video clips from 1993-1997 can be found on the "Hate Yourself With Style" Bonus DVD.

  • Nigger v1 (1993?)
  • Nigger v2 (1993)
  • The Truth (1993)
  • Warfair (1993)
  • Pin Me Down (1995)
  • Do What I Say (1995)
  • Tomorrow (1996)
  • Biggest & the Best (1997)
  • Two Sides (1997)
  • Out to Get Me (2001)
  • Nothing Going On (2001)
  • Recipe for Hate (2003)
  • Recipe for Hate (2003) (Edit by Jocke Skog)
  • Grumpy Old Men On A Mission (2005) (web released documentary on the making of "Hate Yourself With Style") 46.55min
  • Dirty Lies (2005)
  • Hate Yourself With Style (2005) (web-only video by Bard Torstensen)
  • Without a Case (2005)
  • The Price We Pay (2007)
  • Prisoners (2007)

[edit] Live recordings

[edit] External links