Donkeyboy

Donkeyboy

Donkeyboy performing in 2009
Background information
Origin Drammen, Norway
Genres Pop, rock, electronica
Years active 2005–present
Labels Warner Music Norway
Associated acts Linnea Dale
Website donkeyboy.org
Members
Cato Sundberg
Kent Sundberg
Peter Michelsen
Thomas Drabløs
Alexander Garborg Ågedal

Donkeyboy are a pop band from Drammen, Norway, formed in 2005. The band consists of Cato Sundberg (vocals, rhythm guitar), Kent Sundberg (synth, backing vocals), Peter Michelsen (guitar, backing vocals), Thomas Drabløs (drums), and Alexander Garborg Ågedal (bass guitar).

Contents

Biography

Donkeyboy were signed to Warner Music after an employee came across their music on MySpace.[1] Their debut single, "Ambitions" was released on 26 March 2009 and was put into heavy rotation by NRK P3.[2] The song's chorus is built around a bassline similar to those used on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and some of Madonna's 1980s songs.[1] The song features guest vocals by Linnea Dale. "Ambitions" debuted on the Norwegian singles chart at number seven on 6 April 2009,[3] and reached the number one spot on 29 June, after 13 weeks on the charts. "Ambitions" remained at the number one spot for 12 consecutive weeks, before being replaced by the band's second single "Sometimes" on September 22. This was the first time ever for a Norwegian artist to occupy the top two spots on the singles chart.[4] Guitarist Peter Michelsen described the situation as "completely absurd".[4]

Donkeyboy's debut album Caught in a Life was released on 19 October 2009. It was produced by Simen M Eriksrud and Espen Berg at Livingroom Studios in Oslo. Sven Ove Bakke of Dagbladet gave the album four out of six, and described it as "revolving around its already established hits with a combination of self-assured conviction and uneasy duteousness."[5] He concluded that the album was overshadowed by its hit single.[5]

The band supported fellow Norwegians a-ha in the UK and Oslo legs of their Foot of the Mountain tour in November 2009.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions Album
NOR
[6]		 DEN
[7]		 SWE
[8]		 ICE
[9]
2009 "Ambitions" 1 — 1 27 Caught in a Life
"Sometimes" 1 — — —
"Broke My Eyes" 6 — — —
"Awake" 8 — — —
"Blade Running" 8 — — —
2010 "Stereolife" — — — —
2011 "City Boy" 2 10 — — TBA

References

  1. ^ a b Narverud Moen, Siri (2009-04-23). "Slik fikk Donkeyboy platekontrakt" (in Norwegian). NRK P3. http://www.nrk.no/lydverket/slik-fikk-donkeyboy-platekontrakt/#more-11909. Retrieved 2009-05-27. 
  2. ^ Myrvold, Kine (2009-03-26). "DonkeyBoy A-listet på P3" (in Norwegian). Drammens Tidende. http://dt.no/article/20090327/NYKULTUR/275564541. Retrieved 2009-05-27. 
  3. ^ "DonkeyBoy debuterer på VG-lista" (in Norwegian). Drammens Tidende. 2009-04-09. http://dt.no/article/20090409/NYKULTUR/732253365. Retrieved 2009-05-27. 
  4. ^ a b Røyseland, Halstein (2009-09-23). "Donkeyboy skapte norsk pophistorie" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. http://www.vg.no/musikk/vg-lista-topp-20/artikkel.php?artid=590179. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  5. ^ a b Bakke, Sven Ove (2009-10-15). "I skyggen av sin egen hit" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/10/15/kultur/musikk/musikkanmeldelser/anmeldelser/donkeyboy/8595022/. Retrieved 2009-10-20. 
  6. ^ http://lista.vg.no/artist_info.php?ArtistOp=show&artistId=5304
  7. ^ http://www.hitlisten.nu/
  8. ^ http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/
  9. ^ http://www.tonlist.is/Music/ChartList.aspx?ID=267

External links

Donkeyboy
Albums
Singles