Karl Rosqvist
Encyclopedia
Karl Rosqvist also p.k.a. Karl Rockfist is a Swedish
/ Finnish drummer who has been mostly active in the American music scene. He played in the Swedish metal band Sorg in the early to mid 90s.
In 2001 he joined the California based band Steel Prophet
who are considered pioneers in the American power metal
scene. He recorded two studio albums with Steel Prophet. Both were released by Nuclear Blast
Records worldwide.
In 2004 he became a member of the Los Angeles band The Chelsea Smiles
who signed a recording contract with Capitol Records
/ EMI
. Rosqvist appears on all three releases by The Chelsea Smiles
.
In 2007 he was the touring drummer in the metal band Danzig
. He also performed Misfits songs live with original singer Glenn Danzig
and guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein
.
He is also the drummer in the band Son of Sam
and appears on their second release Into the Night which was released by Horror High Records in 2008. The band is considered an "all star band" which featured Steve Zing
of Samhain
, Todd Youth
from Murphy's Law
, Motörhead, Danzig
and singer Davey Havok
from the band AFI
.
In 2009 he played drums as part of the Cheap Trick
show Sgt. Pepper Live
in Las Vegas, performing with artists such as the five time platinum selling recording artist Joan Osborne
and Ian Ball
of the band Gomez
.
In 2009 Karl was also seen backing up Guns n' Roses
piano player Dizzy Reed
in his solo band along with fellow The Chelsea Smiles
band mates Todd Youth
and Johnny Martin
.
In 2010 Karl joined the legendary rock singer Michael Monroe
s band. The band consists of ex- Hanoi Rocks
member Sami Yaffa
on bass, Ginger
from The Wildhearts
on guitar and Steve Conte
from The New York Dolls on guitar. In 2011 Ginger
was replaced by Swedish guitarist Dregen
of Hellacopters and Backyard Babies
fame.
In August, It was announced that legendary producer Jack Douglas
(Aerosmith
, John Lennon
) will be producing Monroe's upcoming studio album, which is set for an early 2011 release.
In September, Michael Monroe signed a recording deal with Universal Music, who will distribute Monroe's upcoming studio and live albums.
In 2010, the first single "American Dream" was released on One Voice by Capricorn, a band formed by Karl, Phil Caivano (of Monster Magnet
) and Todd Youth
(of Murphy's Law
, Danzig, Ace Frehley
, Glen Campbell
and The Chelsea Smiles
).
The Michael Monroe
record Sensory Overdrive
topped the Finnish albums chart on its first week of release and spent 22 weeks in the Top 4. On November 9, 2011, Sensory Overdrive
won the "Album of the Year" award at the 2011 Classic Rock Magazine awards.
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....
/ Finnish drummer who has been mostly active in the American music scene. He played in the Swedish metal band Sorg in the early to mid 90s.
In 2001 he joined the California based band Steel Prophet
Steel Prophet
Steel Prophet is an American power metal band led by the founder and main writer Steve Kachinsky.-History:The band started in the middle of the 1980s in Middletown, Connecticut. The group's initial lineup consisted of Kachinsky on guitar, Gary Stocking on vocals, Wayne Faircloth on bass, and Harry...
who are considered pioneers in the American power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
scene. He recorded two studio albums with Steel Prophet. Both were released by Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
Records worldwide.
In 2004 he became a member of the Los Angeles band The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles are a hard rock/sleaze rock band formed in 2004 featuring guitarist Todd Youth , Karl Rosqvist of Danzig, Steel Prophet, Skye Vaughan-Jayne of Bullets and Octane, Johnny Martin and RJ Ronquillo....
who signed a recording contract with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
/ EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Rosqvist appears on all three releases by The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles are a hard rock/sleaze rock band formed in 2004 featuring guitarist Todd Youth , Karl Rosqvist of Danzig, Steel Prophet, Skye Vaughan-Jayne of Bullets and Octane, Johnny Martin and RJ Ronquillo....
.
In 2007 he was the touring drummer in the metal band Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
. He also performed Misfits songs live with original singer Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
and guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein , is an American guitarist best known for his material with the horror punk band the Misfits.-Life and career:...
.
He is also the drummer in the band Son of Sam
Son Of Sam (band)
Son of Sam is an American horror punk band that is a side project created by Todd Youth in 2000, during his tenure as the guitarist for Danzig. The band's initial line up featured members of Samhain, Danzig, and AFI. Much like its members' other work, Son of Sam plays in the horror punk style, and...
and appears on their second release Into the Night which was released by Horror High Records in 2008. The band is considered an "all star band" which featured Steve Zing
Steve Zing
Steve Zing drummed for Implosion, Mourning Noise, and The Undead before joining Samhain and a Pale Horse Named Death....
of Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
, Todd Youth
Todd Youth
-Biography:Youth grew up in New York and started playing as young as 12 years old in several New York City hardcore bands. He made his playing debut with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also appeared for New York City act Warzone until around 1986...
from Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (band)
Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
, Motörhead, Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
and singer Davey Havok
Davey Havok
David Paden Marchand , more commonly known by the stage name Davey Havok, is the lead vocalist of the American rock band AFI and the electronic music band Blaqk Audio....
from the band AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
.
In 2009 he played drums as part of the Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
show Sgt. Pepper Live
Sgt. Pepper Live
Sgt. Pepper Live is a performance by American band Cheap Trick with a full orchestra which was released on 25 August 2009, in commemoration of the forty-second anniversary of the release of the historic album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles. Both a live album and a companion...
in Las Vegas, performing with artists such as the five time platinum selling recording artist Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...
and Ian Ball
Ian Ball
Ian Ball is an English singer songwriter, most notable for being part of the indie rock band Gomez, sharing lead vocals and guitars. He has also performed and released a solo recording. He is also a member of the 14 piece supergroup Operation Aloha along with fellow Gomez member Olly Peacock...
of the band Gomez
Gomez (band)
Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, comprising Ian Ball , Paul "Blackie" Blackburn , Tom Gray , Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock . The band is distinguished for having three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments...
.
In 2009 Karl was also seen backing up Guns n' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
piano player Dizzy Reed
Dizzy Reed
Dizzy Reed is a contemporary rock musician, and occasional actor. He is best known for his tenure as the keyboardist & pianist for the rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he has played, toured and recorded since 1990...
in his solo band along with fellow The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles are a hard rock/sleaze rock band formed in 2004 featuring guitarist Todd Youth , Karl Rosqvist of Danzig, Steel Prophet, Skye Vaughan-Jayne of Bullets and Octane, Johnny Martin and RJ Ronquillo....
band mates Todd Youth
Todd Youth
-Biography:Youth grew up in New York and started playing as young as 12 years old in several New York City hardcore bands. He made his playing debut with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also appeared for New York City act Warzone until around 1986...
and Johnny Martin
Johnny Martin
John Wesley Martin was an Australian cricketer who played in 8 Tests from 1960 to 1967. Martin grew up on the central coast, near Taree, one of 10 children of the manager of Burrell Creek's post office and general store, which Johnny himself ended up managing...
.
In 2010 Karl joined the legendary rock singer Michael Monroe
Michael Monroe
Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm , best known by his stage name, Michael Monroe, is a Finnish rock musician, and multi-instrumentalist who rose to fame as the vocalist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, and has served as the frontman for all-star side projects, such as Demolition 23...
s band. The band consists of ex- Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
member Sami Yaffa
Sami Yaffa
Sami Yaffa is a bass guitarist best known for his time in Hanoi Rocks during the 1980s. He is currently the bassist for the New York Dolls and the Michael Monroe band. He also plays guitar in his own band "Mad Juana".-Biography:Yaffa first began playing music when only fourteen years old in 1977...
on bass, Ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
from The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts are a British rock group originally formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The band's sound is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music, often described in the music press as combining influences as diverse as The Beatles and 1980s-era Metallica...
on guitar and Steve Conte
Steve Conte
Steve Conte is an American singer and rock musician and lead singer of the band The Contes, along with his brother John Conte, both formerly members of the band Crown Jewels. He is perhaps more popularly known for his collaborations with composer Yoko Kanno, as well as being former lead guitarist...
from The New York Dolls on guitar. In 2011 Ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
was replaced by Swedish guitarist Dregen
Dregen
Andreas Tyrone Svensson , is best known as the former guitarist The Hellacopters and current guitarist of Backyard Babies and the newest member of Michael Monroe's band, replacing Ginger as guitarist....
of Hellacopters and Backyard Babies
Backyard Babies
Backyard Babies are a rock band, from Nässjö, Sweden. The band was formed in 1987 and over the years they have released five studio albums and won a Swedish Grammy. The band is now located in Stockholm, Sweden....
fame.
In August, It was announced that legendary producer Jack Douglas
Jack Douglas (record producer)
Jack Douglas is an American record producer. He was born in New York City. Starting out as folk musician and performer, he worked on Robert Kennedy's senatorial campaign as a song-writer. Douglas then moved to England and joined a succession of bands before returning to New York to attend the...
(Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
) will be producing Monroe's upcoming studio album, which is set for an early 2011 release.
In September, Michael Monroe signed a recording deal with Universal Music, who will distribute Monroe's upcoming studio and live albums.
In 2010, the first single "American Dream" was released on One Voice by Capricorn, a band formed by Karl, Phil Caivano (of Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...
) and Todd Youth
Todd Youth
-Biography:Youth grew up in New York and started playing as young as 12 years old in several New York City hardcore bands. He made his playing debut with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also appeared for New York City act Warzone until around 1986...
(of Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (band)
Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
, Danzig, Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
, Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
and The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles are a hard rock/sleaze rock band formed in 2004 featuring guitarist Todd Youth , Karl Rosqvist of Danzig, Steel Prophet, Skye Vaughan-Jayne of Bullets and Octane, Johnny Martin and RJ Ronquillo....
).
The Michael Monroe
Michael Monroe
Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm , best known by his stage name, Michael Monroe, is a Finnish rock musician, and multi-instrumentalist who rose to fame as the vocalist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, and has served as the frontman for all-star side projects, such as Demolition 23...
record Sensory Overdrive
Sensory Overdrive
Sensory Overdrive is the sixth studio album by Finnish glam rock singer Michael Monroe, released on March 14, 2011, through Spinefarm Records...
topped the Finnish albums chart on its first week of release and spent 22 weeks in the Top 4. On November 9, 2011, Sensory Overdrive
Sensory Overdrive
Sensory Overdrive is the sixth studio album by Finnish glam rock singer Michael Monroe, released on March 14, 2011, through Spinefarm Records...
won the "Album of the Year" award at the 2011 Classic Rock Magazine awards.
Discography
- Sorg "I Mina Drömmars Dal" (1995)
- Sorg "Devastated Light" (1996)
- Steel Prophet "Book of The Dead", Nuclear Blast Records (2000)
- Steel Prophet "Unseen" , Nuclear Blast Records (2001)
- Various Artists "A Metal Crusade" - Tribute To Saxon, Dwell Records (2001)
- Vindikation "Chamber of Discontent" (2004)
- The Chelsea Smiles "Nowhere Ride EP", Capitol Records (2005)
- The Chelsea Smiles "Thirty Six Hours Later", Acetate Records/People Like You (2006)
- Jimmy Williams "Sonic Divergence", Guitar Nine Records (2007)
- Son of Sam "Into The Night", Horror High Records (2008)
- The Chelsea Smiles (Self Titled), Demolition Records (2009)
- Michael Monroe "Another Night In The Sun- Live in Helsinki",Spinefarm/Universal Music (2010)
- Capricorn "American Dream 7 inch" , One Voice Records (2010)
- Michael Monroe "Sensory Overdrive", Spinefarm/ Universal Music (2011)
- Michael Monroe "'78". Single/7 inch, Spinefarm/Universal Music (2011)
- Michael Monroe "Superpowered Superfly". Single/7 inch, Spinefam/Universal Music (2011)
External links
- Karl Rosqvist on www.librariusMetallicus.com
- Danzig on www.MetalArchives.com
- The Chelsea Smiles on www.Fuzz.com
- Vindikation on www.MusicMight.com
- SORG on www.MusicMight.com
- Steel Prophet on www.MetalArchives.com
- Steel Prophet on www.MusicMight.com