Janne Stark - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Janne Stark is a Swedish

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

guitarist, writer and author.

Biography

Stark recorded his first 7" single with the band Paradize in 1979, then formed the band Overdrive

Overdrive (band)

- History :The band was formed in 1992 by Dragan Midorović . The band performed as a cover band with various band lineups until the arrival of Damir Milutinov and Aleksandar Midorović , when they started writing their own material. The band released their debut album No More Words through the...

in 1980. He released the 12" MLP Reflexions in 1981, after which the band was signed by Planet Records and released the albums Metal Attack (1983) and Swords And Axes (1984). The band split in 1985 and Stark formed Overheat together with former Overdrive-singer Pelle Thuresson on bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

. The band only lasted a few years and made no official recording.

In 1991 Stark participated in the national guitar competition Guitar Battle, where he went to the finals two years in a row, earning him tracks on the CD compilation Guitar Heroes Of Sweden.

In 1995 Stark formed the band Locomotive Breath

Locomotive Breath

"Locomotive Breath" is a song by the English progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their 1971 album, Aqualung. It is notable for a long bluesy piano introduction and its flute solo by rock flute virtuoso Ian Anderson...

. The band released its debut album Train Of Events in 1997 and 1998. The follow-up Heavy Machinery was released in 2002 and the band's third album Change Of Track was released in October 2005. This album featured Marcel Jacob

Marcel Jacob

Marcel Karl Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Last Autumn's Dream.-Biography:In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

(Talisman

Talisman (band)

Talisman was a Swedish hard rock band characterized by an international melodic/powerful sound.-1980s - Getting together:Talisman was formed by bass player Marcel Jacob, who had previously played with Rising Force, John Norum Group and Power.While Jacob was playing with John Norum, he started...

, Yngwie Malmsteen) on bass. After this the band took a long (and still lasting) break, with only a brief break to record the track "Fill Your Head With Rock" for the 2008 Sweden Rock Festival CD sampler.

In 1996 Stark released his first book, The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Hard Rock And Heavy Metal 1970-1996, a 400 page encyclopedia featuring more than one thousand Swedish recording bands. In 2002 his second effort Volume 2 was released. Both books released by Premium Publishing. A third book is in the writing process, but is not due until 2010.

Besides playing guitar in his ordinary bands, Stark has also made guest appearances on recordings by many bands, including Narnia

Narnia (band)

Narnia is a Christian neo-classical progressive power metal band founded by guitarist Carl Johan Grimmark and singer Christian Liljegren. The band formed in Sweden in 1996. Their album themes heavily reference The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis....

, Blinded Colony

Blinded Colony

The Blinded is a melodic death metal band from Karlshamn, Sweden, formerly known as both Stigmata and Blinded Colony. They are currently unsigned and recording the pre-preproduction of their third studio album...

, Faith

Faith (band)

-History:Faith was founded in 1984 by Roger Johansson , Christer Nilsson and Peter Svensson , who had always been the stable part of the line-up ever since. But in the beginning the band was a four-piece: another guitarist, named Jörgen Thuresson, was also a member of the group.The band didn't...

, VII Gates

VII Gates

VII Gates is a heavy metal band from Sweden, started in 1999 by swedish guitarist and composer Jonas Arvidsson. The band got signed by Soundriot Records in 2002, and released the first album "Fire, walk with me" in 2003/2004. The album was very well received in most magazines and ezines around the...

, Chris Catena, Rod Chappell Band, Audiovision, From Behind (featuring former Samson

Samson (band)

Samson was a British hard rock band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. They are best known for their first three albums with future Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, then known as "Bruce Bruce", and drummer Thunderstick , who wore a leather mask and performed on stage in a...

-singer Nicky Moore

Nicky Moore

Nicky Moore is a vocalist who is best known as a former member of the British band Samson. He replaced Bruce Dickinson who left the band to join Iron Maiden in 1982. Moore left Samson in the late 80s and rejoined in the late 90s....

), Zello etc.

He is also responsible for layout and/or artwork for albums by his own bands, as well as Zello, Neon Rose, Zeelion, Axia, RAW, Have Mercy and others.

In December 2006 Janne was part of the one-off Sweden Rock All Star Band which also featured Udo Dirkschneider

Udo Dirkschneider

Udo Dirkschneider is a German heavy metal singer who is best known as the vocalist in German heavy metal band Accept and later U.D.O.After leaving Accept in 1987, Dirkschneider formed the band U.D.O....

, Ian Haugland

Ian Haugland

Håkan Jan "Ian" Haugland is the drummer in the Swedish rock band Europe. When he was eight months old, he and his family moved to the Swedish suburb Märsta. He joined Europe in the summer of 1984, replacing Tony Reno. Previously Haugland had played in a number of bands, including Trilogy, where...

, Ryan Roxie

Ryan Roxie

Ryan Roxie Ryan Roxie Ryan Roxie (born in Sacramento, California, December 1, 1965 is an American guitarist/singer-songwriter currently residing in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the founding member of Roxie 77 and probably most well known for his guitar work with Alice Cooper, Slash, Casablanca, Dad's...

, Oscar Dronjak

Oscar Dronjak

Oscar Fredrick Dronjak is the rhythm and lead guitarist and founder of the Heavy Metal band HammerFall. Prior to the success of HammerFall, he also played and released albums with the death metal acts Ceremonial Oath and Crystal Age....

etc.

In 2007 Stark released the debut by his new solo project Mountain Of Power on Grooveyard Records, dedicated to his influences from the seventies, such as Derringer

Derringer

The term derringer is a genericized misspelling of the last name of Henry Deringer, a famous 19th-century maker of small pocket pistols. Many copies of the original Philadelphia Deringer pistol were made by other gun makers worldwide, and the name was often misspelled; this misspelling soon became...

, Moxy

Moxy (band)

Moxy was a Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band, formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1974, from previous members of the rock group, Leigh Ashford — which included singer Douglas "Buzz" Shearman Earl Johnson , Bill Wade Moxy was a Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band, formed in Toronto, Ontario in...

, Stray Dog

Stray Dog (band)

Stray Dog were a blues-based hard rock band of the early 1970s. They recorded two albums before disbanding around 1975.- Career :They originally formed in Texas under the name of Aphrodite, from there they moved to Denver, Colorado, they became very popular with the audience's in Denver...

, Captain Beyond

Captain Beyond

Captain Beyond was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971.-History:The original line-up for Captain Beyond were singer Rod Evans, drummer Bobby Caldwell, guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt, bassist Lee Dorman and keyboardist Lewie Gold...

and Budgie

Budgie (band)

Budgie is a Welsh Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band from Cardiff. They are widely considered as one of the first heavy metal bands and a seminal influence to many acts of that scene, with fast, heavy rock being played as early as 1971. The band has been noted as "among the heaviest metal of its day"...

, featuring guests like Dan Swanö

Dan Swanö

Dan-Erland Swanö is a Swedish musician who is currently the vocalist, guitarist, ex-bassist and ex-drummer for the band Nightingale as well as the Owner of Unisound but he achieved fame as the vocalist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Edge of Sanity.As a multi-instrumentalist he is...

, Björn Lodin

Björn Lodin

Björn Lodin is a Swedish singer, song writer and producer, primarily famous for his work with his band Baltimoore.-Biography:...

, Thomas Larsson

Thomas Larsson

Thomas Larsson is a Swedish guitarist and song writer, perhaps most famous for his work with singer Glenn Hughes and with the band Baltimoore. He has also released a few solo albums.-Biography:...

, Anders Johansson

Anders Johansson

Anders Johansson is a Swedish musician. He is the son of Jan Johansson, famous jazz pianist and brother of keyboardist Jens Johansson.-Biography:...

, Chris Catena, Jonas Hansson, David Fremberg, Mikael "Nord" Andersson and Mike Andersson.

Further more an album with his collaboration with singer Chris Catena, christened Teenage Rampage, will release their debut in 2008. Also the resurrected Overdrive

Overdrive (band)

released the new album Let The Metal Do The Talking on Lion Music in January 2008.

In 2007 Stark joined forces with Björn Lodin

Björn Lodin

Björn Lodin is a Swedish singer, song writer and producer, primarily famous for his work with his band Baltimoore.-Biography:...

and Mikael "Nord" Andersson in a completely new band called incarnation called BALLS. The bands debut album Chameleon was released on October 10, 2008, but the band folded shortly after its release. Janne and Mikael are still composing songs together for a forthcoming solo album by Mikael. Janne also contributed with guest guitars on releases by Thalamus

Thalamus

The thalamus is a midline paired symmetrical structure within the brains of vertebrates, including humans. It is situated between the cerebral cortex and midbrain, both in terms of location and neurological connections...

, M.O.B, Alyson Avenue

Alyson Avenue

Alyson Avenue is a Swedish classic rock band. The band's musical style was described as "AOR". The band has released two albums: Presence of Mind and Omega, and are currently recording a third, which will feature previous lead singer Anette Olzon....

and Tower Of Stone.

In August 2008 The Encyclopedia of Swedish Punk was published by Premium Publishing, written by Peter Jandreus, but where Stark is credited for layout, additional text and research. In mid 2008 Janne started working on his own third encyclopedia of Swedish hard rock, due to be released 2010(Premium Publishing). Stark is also writing a History Of Swedish Hard Rock & Heavy Metal also due out in 2010.

In 2007 Stark started collaborating with Token/Scudiero keyboardist Mikael Rosengren in what was to become the band Constancia. The band's debut Lost And Gone was released on Frontiers Records in July 2009 and a release in Japan on King Records (with bonus track Wasted) is due to be released.

In 2010 Overdrive

Overdrive (band)

started working on their seventh release, entitled Angelmaker. It was released in January 2011.
In March 2011 Overdrive

Overdrive (band)

released the vinyl LP The Angelmaker's Daughter which featured six non-CD tracks plus three tracks from Angelmaker.

Equipment

Guitars

Gibson Les Paul Studio - with True Temperament neck

Epiphone Strat - with True Temperament neck

Eugen Strat - with True Temperament neck (custom built)

Gibson Explorer 76 Reissue

Fender Stratocaster HW1

ESP Eclipse

Peavey T40 bass

ESP B55 5-string bass

Amps

Hughes & Kettner Trilogy + 4x12" cab

Hughes & Kettner WARP 7

Orange Tiny Terror

Accessories

Xotic Effects BB-Preamp

Sound Groove Univibe

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Dunlop Cry Baby

Keeley Compressor

Boss Octaver

Ibanez Chorus

Boss Delay

Boss Acoustic Simulator

POD XT

Roger Mayer Octavia

Reference: http://www.overdrive.se/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=2

Releases featuring Stark

Paradise- "Caress of Steel" (7", 1980)

Overdrive- "Reflexions" (MLP, 1981)

Overdrive - "Rockslaget" (3LP comp, 1982)

Overdrive- "Metal Attack" (LP, 1983)

Overdrive- "Swords And Axes" (LP, 1984)

Janne Stark - "Guitar Heroes Of Sweden Vol 1" (CD, 1991)

Janne Stark - "Guitar Heroes Of Sweden Vol 2" (CD, 1992)

Paradize - "Swedish Metal Explosion" (CD, bootleg, 199?)

Overdrive - "Swedish Hard Rock & Heavy Metal" (3CD, 1996)

Locomotive Breath - "Swedish Hard Rock & Heavy Metal" (CD comp, 1996)

Overdrive - "Swedish Hard Rock & Heavy Metal" (3CD comp, 1996)

Locomotive Breath- "Train Of Events" (CD, 1997 Eu, 1998 Jap)

Locomotive Breath - "Released By X-mas" (CD comp, 1998)

Locomotive Breath - "Thousand Days Of Yesterdays - Captain Beyond tribute" (CD comp, 1999)

Overdrive- "Metal Attack" (CD re-issue, 1996)

Overdrive- "Swords And Axes" (CD re-issue, 1996)

Narnia- "Awakening" (CD, 1997) - guest

Locomotive Breath - "Power From The North" (CD comp, 2000)

Overdrive- "Overdrive" (7" Pic disc, 2001)

Locomotive Breath- "The Spirit Of The Black Rose - Phil Lynott tribute" (2CD comp, 2001)

Overdrive- "Mission Of Destruction - Live" (CD, 2001)

Locomotive Breath- "Heavy Machinery" (CD, 2002)

Locomotive Breath- "Train Of New Events" (CD, 2003)

Spearfish- "Back For The Future" (CD, 2003) - guest

VII Gates- "Fire, Walk With Me" (CD, 2003) - guest

Locomotive Breath- "Raisin' Hell In Blekinge" (CD comp, 2003)

Faith- "Salvation Lies Within" (LP, 2003) - guest

Blinded Colony- "Divine" (CD, 2004) - guest

Locomotive Breath - "The Sweet According To Sweden" (CD comp, 2004)

Zello- "First Chapter, Second Verse" (CD, 2004)

Audiovisions- "The Calling" (CD 2005) - guest

Locomotive Breath- "Change Of Track" (CD, 2005)

Overdrive- "Resurrected" (MCD, 2006)

Planet Alliance- s/t (CD, 2006)

Mountain Of Power- s/t (CD, 2006)

Tower Of Stone- "Painting Tomorrow" (CD demo, 2007) - guest

Teenage Rampage- "Too fast for love - A millennium tribute to Mötley Crüe" (CD comp, 2007)

The Kaars- "Göra Maul Kaaa" (CDS, 2007)

John Garner's Sir Lord Baltimore - "Sweden Rock Festival 2007" (CD comp, 2007)

Overdrive- "Sweden Rock Festival 2007" (CD comp, 2007)

Chris Catena- "Booze, Brawds and rockin' hard" (CD, 2007) - guest

Mörrum's Own- "Mörrum Ka" (MCD, 2007)

Chris Catena- "Discovery" (CD, 2008) - guest, composer

Overdrive- "Let The Metal Do The Talking" (CD, 2008)

Teenage Rampage- "Rough 'N Ready" (CD, TBR)

Teenage Rampage - "Lick It Up: A Millennium Tribute to Kiss" (comp 2008)

Thalamus- "Beneath A Dying Sun" (CD, 2007) - guest

M.O.B- "The Greatest Enemy" (CD, 2008) - guest

Pavic- "Unconditioned" (CD, 2008) - lyrics

BALLS- "Chameleon" (CD, 2008)

Locomotive Breath - "Sweden Rock Festival 2008" (CD comp, 2008)

Constancia - "Sweden Rock Festival 2009" (CD comp, 2009)

Alyson Avenue - "Omega" (CD, 2009) - guest guitars

Constancia - "Lost And Gone" (CD, 2009)

Mountain Of Power - "Volume Two" (CD, 2010)

Audiovision - "Focus" (CD, 2010) - guest guitars

Ruined Soul - "My Dying Day" (CD, 2010) - guest guitars

Overdrive - "Angelmaker" (CD, 2011)

Overdrive - "The Angelmaker's Daughter" (LP, 2011)

Grand Design - "Rock For Japan" (comp CD, 2011) - guest

BALLS - "Rock & Roll Train" (comp CD, 2011)

Overdrive - "Embrace The Sun" (comp CD, 2011)

Locomotive Breath - "Embrace The Sun" (comp CD 2011)

Biography

Equipment

Releases featuring Stark

Further reading