Steve Bjorklund
Encyclopedia
Steve Bjorklund a/k/a Steve Björklund a/k/a Steffan Bjorklund was born ca. 1960 in Chicago, Illinois. He was an early figure in the first punk rock
music scene in Chicago. He briefly attended Roycemore School
in Evanston, Illinois
. His first known recorded appearance was in July, 1978, as a guitarist-singer with the protopunk
-garage
-New Wavish band The Rabbits, who opened a show in Schaumburg, Illinois
by power-pop up-and-comers Pezband
.
After the breakup of The Rabbits in fall, 1978, Bjorklund formed the project band Strike Under
with his brother Chris. Strike Under produced one record, the 1981 5-track pressing, Immediate Action, which received mixed reviews but has nevertheless been called an "integral document to the history of punk rock in Chicago." Strike Under featured Pierre Kezdy, who would later play with Naked Raygun
and Pegboy
; the band, besides releasing its own record, also appeared on the seminal 1981 Busted at Oz LP, an historic document of the second wave of Chicago punk, recorded at the legendary club Oz before it closed down.
Following the breakup of Strike Under, Bjorklund briefly formed another Chicago punk band, Terminal Beach. In 1987, Bjorklund's brother Chris, joined The Effigies
, a more successful Chicago punk band fronted by Kezdy's brother John. Steve Bjorklund formed Breaking Circus
in Chicago; their initial EP release included the memorable song (Knife in the) Marathon.
He relocated to Minneapolis, where Breaking Circus continued. Breaking Circus was active through approximately 1988 and is considered an important example of early post-punk/industrial music
in Minneapolis.
Later, Bjorklund was a member of Minneapolis band Balloon Guy. Bjorklund continued to work in the recording industry, with a number of punk bands in Chicago and Minneapolis, through the early 1990s, credited primarily as producer or as mastering re-mixer.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
music scene in Chicago. He briefly attended Roycemore School
Roycemore School
Roycemore School is an independent, nonsectarian, co-educational college preparatory school located in Evanston, Illinois serving students in junior kindergarten through Grade 12. The School's current enrollment is approximately 255 students.-History:...
in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. His first known recorded appearance was in July, 1978, as a guitarist-singer with the protopunk
Protopunk
Protopunk is a term used retrospectively to describe a number of musicians who were important precursors of punk rock in the late 1960s to mid-1970s, or who have been cited by early punk musicians as influential...
-garage
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
-New Wavish band The Rabbits, who opened a show in Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg is a city located in Cook County in northeastern Illinois. A common misspelling of the city name is Schaumberg, a spelling which persists on some modern maps. Schaumburg is located just under northwest of downtown Chicago and approximately northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As...
by power-pop up-and-comers Pezband
Pezband
-Early career:Their first album, 1977's Pezband, received a great deal of critical acclaim, with Record World declaring them the "Most Promising New Act of the Year," with more positive reviews from Billboard and Trouser. Lyrics for all songs on this album were re-written by John Paul Morris, later...
.
After the breakup of The Rabbits in fall, 1978, Bjorklund formed the project band Strike Under
Strike Under
Strike Under was an influential Chicago punk rock band of the early 1980s. It was started by Steve Bjorklund after the demise of The Rabbits. The principal musicians, besides Bjorklund, were his brother Chris , Pierre Kezdy , and Bob Furem .Strike Under was founded in 1979 or 1980...
with his brother Chris. Strike Under produced one record, the 1981 5-track pressing, Immediate Action, which received mixed reviews but has nevertheless been called an "integral document to the history of punk rock in Chicago." Strike Under featured Pierre Kezdy, who would later play with Naked Raygun
Naked Raygun
Naked Raygun is a Chicago-based punk rock group. Initially active from 1980 to about 1992, Naked Raygun had several short-lived reunions afterwards and a full-time reformation in 2006....
and Pegboy
Pegboy
Pegboy is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois with a relatively large cult following. They were founded in 1990 by John Haggerty , along with his brother Joe Haggerty , Larry Damore , and Steve Saylors...
; the band, besides releasing its own record, also appeared on the seminal 1981 Busted at Oz LP, an historic document of the second wave of Chicago punk, recorded at the legendary club Oz before it closed down.
Following the breakup of Strike Under, Bjorklund briefly formed another Chicago punk band, Terminal Beach. In 1987, Bjorklund's brother Chris, joined The Effigies
The Effigies
The Effigies is an early post-hardcore group from Chicago. The band, first formed in 1980, was active for approximately a decade, undergoing multiple personnel changes, with frontman John Kezdy the only constant, before disbanding in 1990 . The band released 5 LPs and several EPs, most on...
, a more successful Chicago punk band fronted by Kezdy's brother John. Steve Bjorklund formed Breaking Circus
Breaking Circus
Breaking Circus was a postpunk band from the 1980s, based in Chicago and later Minneapolis, led by guitarist and vocalist Steve Björklund.-History:...
in Chicago; their initial EP release included the memorable song (Knife in the) Marathon.
He relocated to Minneapolis, where Breaking Circus continued. Breaking Circus was active through approximately 1988 and is considered an important example of early post-punk/industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
in Minneapolis.
Later, Bjorklund was a member of Minneapolis band Balloon Guy. Bjorklund continued to work in the recording industry, with a number of punk bands in Chicago and Minneapolis, through the early 1990s, credited primarily as producer or as mastering re-mixer.