Hank von Helvete

Hank von Helvete
Hank von Helvete at Coachella 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Hans Erik Dyvik Husby
Also known as	Hank von Helvete, Hertugen, Herr Tugen, Hertis
Born	15 June 1972
Genres	Punk rock, Death punk, Glam punk, Hard rock, Heavy metal, Pop, Folk music
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar
Associated acts	Turbonegro, Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult[1][2][3][4]

Hans Erik Dyvik Husby (born 15 June 1972), also known as Hank von Helvete, Hertugen and Hærtis, most famous for being the former lead vocalist of the Norwegian death-punk band Turbonegro.^[5][6] While not explicitly addressed to date, the name Helvete was adopted due to its meaning "hell" or "a place of suffering"</ref>Wiktionary

Husby's band is most well known for their tongue-in-cheek humor dealing with homosexual aesthetics and punk rock antics, and the formation of a genre they label "death punk". The band formed in the late 1980s and put out a few records before disbanding in 1998 when Husby's heroin addiction made him unable to perform. After going through rehab, Turbonegro reunited in 2002, but Husby and the band "laid it on ice" in 2010.^[7][8] The main reason for this was his new lifestyle as a sober family man.

Husby went through detox while living at the Moskenes island in Lofoten, Norway. Here he worked at Norsk Fiskeværsmuseum in Å, as well as working as a presenter at Moskenesradioen, a local radio station.

One of Husby's favorite singers is David Bowie^{[citation needed]}.

During the Norwegian TV show "Først og Sist" in 2005 Husby was asked this question from the TV host: "Do you like plants, Hank?". On this Hank replied "No, but I've been addicted to one".

Husby is married to model Gro Skaustein (28). The couple have a daughter together, who was born on December 21, 2008.^[9]

In 2009, he had a joint #1 hit alongside Maria Solheim in the Norwegian Singles Chart with "Rom for alle". The song stayed at #1 for 3 weeks including the Christmas chart for 2009.

He claims to have now dealt with his drug addiction problem thanks to the Scientology drug rehab program Narconon.^[10] He played the title role in Cornelis, a Swedish film from 2010 about the singer-songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk.

On 6 June 2011, Hank, alongside his new band Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult, released their first album I Declare: Treason. Fall 2011 he was a judge in Norwegian Idol. His biography was released in Norway October 2012, written by famous writer and poet Havard Rem, where he speaks openly about his life so far.

Discography

with Turbonegro:

Albums

• Never is Forever (1994)
• Ass Cobra (1996)
• Apocalypse Dudes (1998)
• Scandinavian Leather (2003)
• Party Animals (2005)
• Retox (2007)

Live albums

• Darkness Forever! (1999)

Compilations

• Love It To Deathpunk (Australian Best-of Compilation, 2001)
• Small Feces (Box set of rarities, 2005)
• This Ain't No Fucking Melodic Punk 7" (Probe Records, 1995)

Splits

• Stinky Fingers 10" Vinyl (1995) – split EP with Flying Crap
• Flabby Sagging Flesh 7" Vinyl (1995) – Turbonegro / Anal Babes Split

EPs

• (He's a) Grunge Whore 10" Vinyl EP (1993)

Singles

• "Denim Demon" 7" Vinyl (1995)
• "Bad Mongo" 7" Vinyl (1995)
• "I Got Erection" 7" Vinyl (1995)
• "Prince Of The Rodeo" 7" Vinyl (1996)
• "Suffragette City" 7" Vinyl (1997)
• "Get It On" 7" Vinyl (1998)
• "Fuck the World (F.T.W.)" 7" Vinyl & CD (2003)
• "Locked Down" 7" Vinyl & CD (2003)
• "Sell Your Body (To The Night)" 7" Vinyl & CD (2003)
• "High On The Crime" (2005)
• "City Of Satan" CD (2005)
• "Do You Do You Dig Destruction" Mobile-only Download & CD (2007)

Solo:

• 2009: "Rom for alle" (a duo with Maria Solheim – #1 hit in Norway in 2009)

References