DumDum Boys are a
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band from
Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
.
They are one of the most successful Norwegian rock acts of all time, and are considered one of the "four great" bands who popularized modern rock with Norwegian lyrics in the mid-to-late 1980s (along with
Jokke & Valentinerne
Joachim Nielsen (8 September 1964 – 17 October 2000), better known as Jokke, was a Norwegian rock musician and poet. He was the frontman of Norwegian rock band Jokke & Valentinerne, the brother of cartoonist Christopher Nielsen, and son of th ...
,
Raga Rockers and
DeLillos). Before breaking into the mainstream they were known as a
punk rock act under the name Wannskrækk.
History
Wannskrækk (1979–1985)
DumDum Boys started in the late 1970s as a punk rock act under the name ''Wannskrækk'', inspired by acts such as
Lasse Myrvold and
The Aller Værste!, who pioneered punk rock with Norwegian lyrics. They played gigs extensively in Trondheim and gained a cult following. They released two singles, ''Faen Kuler Treffer Aldri Riktig'' (1981) and " ...12"... " (1982), and one live album, ''Wannskrækk/Liliedugg - Last Opera/Live Ritz Trondheim 12. juni 84 ''. In 1992 a compilation album was released, "Wannskrækk - Riff (1980-1985)" which consisted of released and unreleased material from that period.
DumDum Boys (1985)
In 1985 Wannskrækk adopted a more mainstream, rock sound and took the name ''DumDum Boys''
(after a song by
Iggy Pop and
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
).
[ The following year, they released their first single "Sorgenfri".][
]
''Blodig Alvor'' (1988)
Their first album, ''Blodig Alvor'' (1988) broke into the sales charts at #14. The album received the Spellemannprisen
Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizat ...
for best rock record of the year.
''Splitter Pine'' and ''Pstereo'' (1989–1990)
Their second album ''Splitter Pine'', was released in 1989, which also received a Spellemann award, and was certified gold
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
. The third album ''Pstereo'', released in 1990, also received the award.[
]
1990–2018
From 1990 to 2012 DumDum Boys has released eight albums, of which six reached #1, one #2, and one #7 on the Norwegian charts.
In 2011 they played a special concert as ''Wannskrækk'' at the music festival Øyafestivalen
Øyafestivalen is an annual Norwegian music festival held in the Tøyen Park, Oslo. It has grown quickly since its modest start in 1999 and has become one of Norway's biggest and most important music festival
The festival has previously feat ...
in Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
.
Discography
Albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
EPs
*1986: ''Bapshuari'' (EP)
DVDs
*2004: ''DumDum Boys i Dødens Dal'' (live, DVD)
Notes
References
{{Authority control
Norwegian rock music groups
Spellemannprisen winners
Musical groups established in 1985
1985 establishments in Norway
Musical groups from Trondheim