Marten Andersson
Encyclopedia
Marten Andersson is the bass guitar
ist for the hard rock and heavy metal groups Lizzy Borden
, George Lynch's
(Lynch Mob), Starwood and Legacy. He is also known for smaller TV and movie acting parts as well as authoring a successful music reference book.
and Iron Maiden
. Marten had a passion for playing various different musical instruments but soon considered bass his main instrument. Marten once asked his father to buy him a guitar only to have the guitar traded in for a bass two weeks later. At the age of 16 he had already performed shows and recorded with various local bands but he had bigger aspirations. He wanted to take on Hollywood. By the age of 18 Marten moved to Los Angeles to study music and it did not take long before he started touring the world and recording with the heavy metal band Lizzy Borden
. Named after the band's lead vocalist and known for their outrageous and theatrical stage shows.
Marten Andersson spent the next decade with Lizzy Borden, recording CDs and playing/touring together with bands such as: Deep Purple
, Kings X, Dio
, Yngwie Malmsteen, WASP
and Motörhead. Lizzy Borden previewed their CD 'Deal With the Devil' at the 'Wacken open air Festival Germany', in front of 35 thousand people followed by a world wide tour. Longtime Lizzy Borden fan, artist and multimedia entrepreneur Todd McFarlane
(best known for his creation of Spawn
and stylistic revision of Spider-Man
) was enlisted to capture the essence of Lizzy Borden for the Stage show and the CD cover art. Tragedy struck the band when guitarists Alex Nelson and Corey James were killed in a car accident and the band broke up shortly after.
In 2006, Borden announced that they have reformed with new guitarist Ira Black and on November 1, 2007 "Appointment With Death" was released worldwide. The CD also features guest appearances by George Lynch (Dokken/Lynch mob), Jonas Hansson (Silver Mountain), Dave Meniketti (Y&T), Corey Beaulieu (Trivium) among others. The video for "Tomorrow Never Comes" was nominated for video of the year and was in the Top 25 Metal Videos of 2008 on MTV's Headbangers Ball. The follow-up video for "Under Your Skin" premiered in April the same year.
In early 2008 the band announced various festival appearances including Sweden Rock Festival (Sweden), Kobetasonik festival (Spain) and Bang Your Head Festival (Germany). In November 2008 Lizzy Borden toured the United States with Finnish Monster Rockers Lordi
. Lizzy Borden was the first-day headliner of the two-day Keep It True XII festival at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen Germany. In 2010 the band performed at Rocklahoma and Rock Gone Wild festivals in North America and announced Japan tour dates and 2 extensive European tours, performing in 15 Countries including festival appearances throughout the world.
In the late 90's Andersson played with Jessica Simpson
's and Jennifer Lopez
guitarist Joy Basu, as well as recording two CDs entitled 'Second to None' (1996) and 'The Rocks' (2000) with "The Jonas Hansson Band", fronted by Swedish guitar player Jonas Hansson. Hansson was considered by many as the first guitar ace to emerge from Scandinavia. The group featured members from Alice Cooper
, Alcatrazz
, Marty Friedman Band (Megadeth
) and Silver Mountain.
In 2001, Marten Andersson released a solo project entitled, Legacy with various guest musicians, including Jonas Hansson co-producing and playing lead guitar. Andersson was handling bass and rhythm guitar duties. The CD was mixed and produced by Andersson and Hansson at Mastergroove Studio's in Granada Hills, California with the assistance of Mastergroove studio owner Dave Morse (whose credits includes Aerosmith
, Guns N' Roses
, Van Halen
and Warrant
). The CD received excellent reviews in the hardrock, Heavy Metal press but did not generate much noise in mainstreet media.
In 2003, Marten co-founded the Hollywood rock outfit Starwood
with Lizzy (Borden), Joey Scott and Joe Steals. The band, (considered by some an updated, more modern version of Lizzy Borden) released their debut CD "If It Ain't Broke, Break It!" worldwide on Metalblade Records (2005). Their signature high energy rock in the vein of Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses
and The Darkness made Starwood popular after just only one album and has gathered airplay in many places over the World with videos for the songs 'Subculture' and 'Bad Machine'. The band did a series of successful concerts in 2005 and are said to be working on a follow-up CD.
In 2003, Marten was picked by former Dokken
guitarist George Lynch
to join his band Lynch Mob. Andersson most recently finished his Fifth tour with the band, which included a marathon 26 shows in 30 days and a much talked about appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The line-up was: George Lynch - Guitars, Andrew Freeman
- Vocals, Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath/Dio) - Drums and Mårten Andersson - Bass
), 'Rock N' Roll Detective' (NBC
Pilot), 'Midnight Heat', 'Divas' and 'To the end of Times'. Marten has been quoted as saying "It was just a phase I went through".
and 8 string basses, mainly because of the fuller sound and his influence of bass players such as Tom Pedersson of Cheap Trick
and Doug Pinnick of Kings X. Marten most recently previewed his 'Marten Andersson 8 String" with the following statement. "I have played ESP's for most of my life," explained Marten Andersson. "Working together with ESP, and based on my ideas and specs we have created a prototype of my first custom bass. This is a true, unique 8 string bass that has been refined in my head for a couple of years. I chose top components and the highest standards and craftsmanship that ESP offers. This bass stays in tune throughout a full headlining set and it is one of the loudest, most powerful basses I have ever heard."
This bass was designed on Marten’s original specifications and comes with top of the line pickups and hardware, but can be outfitted with either EMG or Seymour Duncan pickups, Schaller or Dunlop Straplocks, and Black or Chrome hardware. Featuring a standard 8 string ESP B Series neck (with different headstock), 34" scale with 24 frets. The model incorporates a metallic red sparkle finish with star inlays as fret markers. Fretboard/inlay: rosewood/stars and Gotoh Tuners.
Marten holds bass clinics, music seminars, performs at music trade shows and gives a limited number of private lessons. His book "Make Label Contact" (SCI Publishing), a reference and musicians guide, aimed towards musicians for record companies and demo submissions is widely considered to be a definitive guide for any musician.
Andersson also dedicates himself to a variety of charity organizations for breast cancer and animal welfare.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist for the hard rock and heavy metal groups Lizzy Borden
Lizzy Borden (band)
Lizzy Borden is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Lizzy Borden is also the name of the band's lead vocalist.-History:Lizzy Borden specializes in the shock rock style originated by artists such as Alice Cooper and Kiss...
, George Lynch's
George Lynch (musician)
George Lynch is a hard rock/heavy metal guitarist best known as a member of the band Dokken, his own bands Lynch Mob and Souls of We.-Pre Dokken:...
(Lynch Mob), Starwood and Legacy. He is also known for smaller TV and movie acting parts as well as authoring a successful music reference book.
Biography
Born as an only child, it was in the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden that Marten developed an interest in becoming a musician after being exposed to bands such as KISSKISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. Marten had a passion for playing various different musical instruments but soon considered bass his main instrument. Marten once asked his father to buy him a guitar only to have the guitar traded in for a bass two weeks later. At the age of 16 he had already performed shows and recorded with various local bands but he had bigger aspirations. He wanted to take on Hollywood. By the age of 18 Marten moved to Los Angeles to study music and it did not take long before he started touring the world and recording with the heavy metal band Lizzy Borden
Lizzy Borden (band)
Lizzy Borden is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Lizzy Borden is also the name of the band's lead vocalist.-History:Lizzy Borden specializes in the shock rock style originated by artists such as Alice Cooper and Kiss...
. Named after the band's lead vocalist and known for their outrageous and theatrical stage shows.
Marten Andersson spent the next decade with Lizzy Borden, recording CDs and playing/touring together with bands such as: Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, Kings X, Dio
Dio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
, Yngwie Malmsteen, WASP
WAsP
WAsP is a PC program for predicting wind climates, wind resources, and power productions from wind turbines and wind farms. The predictions are based on wind data measured at stations in the same region. The program includes a complex terrain flow model, a roughness change model, and a model for...
and Motörhead. Lizzy Borden previewed their CD 'Deal With the Devil' at the 'Wacken open air Festival Germany', in front of 35 thousand people followed by a world wide tour. Longtime Lizzy Borden fan, artist and multimedia entrepreneur Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn....
(best known for his creation of Spawn
Spawn (film)
Spawn is a 1997 American superhero film loosely based on the comic book of the same name, by Todd McFarlane and published by Image Comics. Directed and co-written by Mark A.Z. Dippé , the film stars Michael Jai White in the leading role...
and stylistic revision of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
) was enlisted to capture the essence of Lizzy Borden for the Stage show and the CD cover art. Tragedy struck the band when guitarists Alex Nelson and Corey James were killed in a car accident and the band broke up shortly after.
In 2006, Borden announced that they have reformed with new guitarist Ira Black and on November 1, 2007 "Appointment With Death" was released worldwide. The CD also features guest appearances by George Lynch (Dokken/Lynch mob), Jonas Hansson (Silver Mountain), Dave Meniketti (Y&T), Corey Beaulieu (Trivium) among others. The video for "Tomorrow Never Comes" was nominated for video of the year and was in the Top 25 Metal Videos of 2008 on MTV's Headbangers Ball. The follow-up video for "Under Your Skin" premiered in April the same year.
In early 2008 the band announced various festival appearances including Sweden Rock Festival (Sweden), Kobetasonik festival (Spain) and Bang Your Head Festival (Germany). In November 2008 Lizzy Borden toured the United States with Finnish Monster Rockers Lordi
Lordi
Lordi is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band, formed in 1996 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume-designer, Mr. Lordi. The band is known for wearing monster masks and using pyrotechnics during concerts...
. Lizzy Borden was the first-day headliner of the two-day Keep It True XII festival at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen Germany. In 2010 the band performed at Rocklahoma and Rock Gone Wild festivals in North America and announced Japan tour dates and 2 extensive European tours, performing in 15 Countries including festival appearances throughout the world.
In the late 90's Andersson played with Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
's and Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
guitarist Joy Basu, as well as recording two CDs entitled 'Second to None' (1996) and 'The Rocks' (2000) with "The Jonas Hansson Band", fronted by Swedish guitar player Jonas Hansson. Hansson was considered by many as the first guitar ace to emerge from Scandinavia. The group featured members from Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...
, Marty Friedman Band (Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
) and Silver Mountain.
In 2001, Marten Andersson released a solo project entitled, Legacy with various guest musicians, including Jonas Hansson co-producing and playing lead guitar. Andersson was handling bass and rhythm guitar duties. The CD was mixed and produced by Andersson and Hansson at Mastergroove Studio's in Granada Hills, California with the assistance of Mastergroove studio owner Dave Morse (whose credits includes 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...
, 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...
, Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
and Warrant
Warrant (American band)
Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
). The CD received excellent reviews in the hardrock, Heavy Metal press but did not generate much noise in mainstreet media.
In 2003, Marten co-founded the Hollywood rock outfit Starwood
Starwood
Starwood may refer to:* Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide* Starwood Amphitheatre* Starwood Club of Los Angeles, California* Starwood Festival...
with Lizzy (Borden), Joey Scott and Joe Steals. The band, (considered by some an updated, more modern version of Lizzy Borden) released their debut CD "If It Ain't Broke, Break It!" worldwide on Metalblade Records (2005). Their signature high energy rock in the vein of Velvet Revolver, 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...
and The Darkness made Starwood popular after just only one album and has gathered airplay in many places over the World with videos for the songs 'Subculture' and 'Bad Machine'. The band did a series of successful concerts in 2005 and are said to be working on a follow-up CD.
In 2003, Marten was picked by former Dokken
Dokken
Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
guitarist George Lynch
George Lynch (musician)
George Lynch is a hard rock/heavy metal guitarist best known as a member of the band Dokken, his own bands Lynch Mob and Souls of We.-Pre Dokken:...
to join his band Lynch Mob. Andersson most recently finished his Fifth tour with the band, which included a marathon 26 shows in 30 days and a much talked about appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The line-up was: George Lynch - Guitars, Andrew Freeman
Andrew Freeman (musician)
Andrew Freeman is a vocalist and guitarist who has played for a number of bands. Most notably for the punk rock group, The Offspring, and for hard rock guitarist George Lynch's Lynch Mob.- The Offspring :...
- Vocals, Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath/Dio) - Drums and Mårten Andersson - Bass
Acting
According to imdb database, Andersson's acting credits includes smaller parts in movies and TV shows such as 'Sweet Justice' (Melissa GilbertMelissa Gilbert
Melissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie...
), 'Rock N' Roll Detective' (NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Pilot), 'Midnight Heat', 'Divas' and 'To the end of Times'. Marten has been quoted as saying "It was just a phase I went through".
Bass equipment and more
Marten has been an endorser and long time user of companies such as ESP Basses. Marten switches between 4-string electric bassesBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and 8 string basses, mainly because of the fuller sound and his influence of bass players such as Tom Pedersson of 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...
and Doug Pinnick of Kings X. Marten most recently previewed his 'Marten Andersson 8 String" with the following statement. "I have played ESP's for most of my life," explained Marten Andersson. "Working together with ESP, and based on my ideas and specs we have created a prototype of my first custom bass. This is a true, unique 8 string bass that has been refined in my head for a couple of years. I chose top components and the highest standards and craftsmanship that ESP offers. This bass stays in tune throughout a full headlining set and it is one of the loudest, most powerful basses I have ever heard."
This bass was designed on Marten’s original specifications and comes with top of the line pickups and hardware, but can be outfitted with either EMG or Seymour Duncan pickups, Schaller or Dunlop Straplocks, and Black or Chrome hardware. Featuring a standard 8 string ESP B Series neck (with different headstock), 34" scale with 24 frets. The model incorporates a metallic red sparkle finish with star inlays as fret markers. Fretboard/inlay: rosewood/stars and Gotoh Tuners.
Marten holds bass clinics, music seminars, performs at music trade shows and gives a limited number of private lessons. His book "Make Label Contact" (SCI Publishing), a reference and musicians guide, aimed towards musicians for record companies and demo submissions is widely considered to be a definitive guide for any musician.
Andersson also dedicates himself to a variety of charity organizations for breast cancer and animal welfare.
Touring/CD credits
- Author of the book 'Make Label Contact' (SCI Publishing)
- Jonas Hansson Band 1996-2000
- Legacy 1998-2002
- Starwood 2003-2006
- George Lynch 2003–2010
- Lizzy Borden 1992–present