The Hives

Originally from the small Swedish town of Fagersta, the garage-rock band The Hives has built its reputation on sharp melodies played in suits. Comprised of five musicians hidden behind nicknames or pseudonyms, including Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (vocals), his brother Nicholaus Arson (lead guitar), Vigilante Carlstroem (rhythm guitar), Dr. Matt Destruction (bass), and Chris Dangerous (drums), the Scandinavian group signed with the local label Sidekicks Records for their first EP Oh Lord! When? How? (1996). They later turned to Burning Heart Records, a more established label, for their album Barely Legal. (1997) Three years later, The Hives achieved a broader audience with Veni Vidi Vicious, reaching 50th position in national sales and receiving a gold record, which was arguably unusual for a garage-rock band. The song "Have to Say I Told You So" became an anthem at concerts and caught the attention of British producer Alan McGee, who obtained the rights to it, along with "Main Offender," for the compilation Your New Favourite Band. This led to the reissue of the first track, which reached number 23 in the UK and number 6 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. From then on, The Hives' fame spread internationally, and in 2004, they released Tyrannosaurus Hives (Number 1 in Sweden, number 7 in the UK, and number 33 in the US), featuring "Walk Idiot Walk" (number 15 in Sweden), whose video won at the MTV Music Awards. In 2005, the group won five Swedish Grammi awards. Their album The Black and White Album (2007), recorded between Mississippi and Miami, also performed well worldwide. Many of The Hives' songs have been featured in movie soundtracks and commercials, including "Tick Tick Boom" with the group collaborating with notable artists including Timbaland, who invited the quintet to perform on his 2007 track "Throw It on Me" followed by "A Christmas Duel" with Cyndi Lauper in 2008. The Hives returned in 2012 with their label Disques Hives for Lex Hives (number 7). The following year, Dr. Matt Destruction was replaced on bass by Johan Gustafson, known as The Johan and Only. He participated in numerous festival appearances and the live album Live at Third Man Records (2020), supervised by Jack White. In 2023, The Hives released The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, recorded at ABBA singer Benny Anderson's studio in Stockholm, referencing the fictional composer and manager, considered the 6th member of the group.