THE HISTORY

The boys in Clawfinger met at the "Rosenlund

Hospital" in Stockholm, where they served as

orderlies, having it "up to here with shit and piss".

While they were working, their minds were in the

world of music. Zak knew rap (rapping as he

walked along the corridors) and Bård knew metal

(humming early tentative metal riffs). By October

`90 the two got together and made some songs. At

a nervous moment, in the hospital smoking room,

the result was played to co-worker Jocke. They all

agreed it had something and Jocke started

making better drumbeats (drum programming) for

the songs. The group brought in Erlend as a

second guitarist. A batch of four-track demos later,

by the middle of `91, a couple of songs were

ready, one of them being "Nigger". A friend at the

National Swedish Radio took their demo and -

"don't ask me how", Zak says - "Nigger" became

Demo of the week, played five nights in a row. Per

Kviman, head of A&R for MVG Records, heard the

song on his car stereo, and in `92 Clawfinger

signed with MVG Records.

The debut album, "Deaf Dumb Blind", was

released in the spring of `93. Its hybrid of metal

and rap was called "the finest hard rock debut

album ever to come out of Sweden" by Expressen,

one of the leading evening newspapers in

Sweden. The album was released internationally

by MVG in Sweden, Polygram in Norway, Metal

Blade in North America and WEA everywhere

else. The album has sold in excess of 600,000

copies and entered the German, Swedish,

Norwegian, Danish and Swiss charts. It reached

GOLD status in Germany, Sweden and Norway.

Being a Scandinavian band (Erlend and Bård are

from Norway, Zak and Jocke are from Sweden),

Clawfinger played at all the major Scandinavian

festivals in the summer of `93. In the autumn the

same year, they undertook European tours with

Alice In Chains and Anthrax. A 55-date European

headline tour took place in the spring of `94.

During `94 Clawfinger played at festivals such as

Rock am Ring, Rock in Reim (Germany), Dynamo

Festival (Holland), Tourhout Festival and Werchter

Festival (Belgium), Roskilde (Denmark) Out in the

Green Festival (Switzerland) Hultsfred and

Storsjöyran (Sweden).

Clawfinger have received many prestigious

awards in Sweden. At the Zeppelin Awards in `94

(the only music awards for rock in Sweden),

Clawfinger made a grand slam with four awards

(Breakthrough, Best Hardrock, Best Producer and

Best Video), which was followed the same year by

two Grammies (Best Hardrock and Best Video) at

the Swedish Grammy Awards.

In 1995, the second album "Use Your Brain" was

released. The band had now gained some

experience as musicians. As the frontman Zak

commented, "the difference between the first

album and the second one is 160 gigs". The album

became critically acclaimed and has sold over

400.000 copies worldwide.

In 1995 the band played at the gigantic Monsters

of Rock Festival in South America with Ozzy

Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Faith No More and

Megadeth.

THE NEW ALBUM "CLAWFINGER"

After four years of hard work the band took a well

deserved break. They spent some months with

their closest friends and family and "got their

batteries reloaded". Back together again, they

were clearly inspired and had lots of new ideas

and melodies. They "explored" new musical

territories and a lot of exciting "experimental

recordings" were made. In a shorter term - they

developed and found some new musical directions

for the coming record.

Still, the new album has that typical

Clawfinger-sound, with rap/melody vocals and

hard-driven guitar riffs, but it also includes new

elements. The songs, especially the vocals, have

more melodies (instead of rap) than before.

Another example of the new elements is the

"space" within many of the songs. This gives a

great contrast-effect to the dynamic parts, both as

a relaxing and spiritual break in the songs and as a

"climax-builder" before the big crescendo.

The first single and video from the album is

"Biggest & The Best", a hard-hitting, almost

provocative, song with an aggressive feeling. It

sounds to some extent like earlier

single-successes from Clawfinger. The lyrics are

tough on - and makes fun of - all those people "who

believe that they're God's gift to the human race".

In another song, the anti-religious "Two Sides",

they use influences from oriental music. In fact,

some of the lyrics are in Arabic! Translated into

English the lyrics goes, "Allah is the greatest, Allah

is the only one who can help you". So the

Clawfinger-boys are Muslims? No, rather the

opposite. The song discusses how religions can

be misused to abuse people, but remember that

there are always two sides to every story!

The album consists of 12 tracks, plus a special

CD-ROM bonus track which gives everyone the

opportunity to make their own Clawfinger-song. It

includes drums, guitars and bass loops etc. And

that's not the end of it. Once the song's done, one

can send it to Clawfinger and participate in a

contest. The winner will be flown to Sweden to help

produce the song that will be released as a B-side

on a forthcoming single with Clawfinger!

The album was recorded in the Decibel Studio in

Stockholm. It's produced by American producer

Peter Reardon, who started out in the Houston

punk rock scene and ended up engineering and

mixing rap records for artists like Coolio, Geto

Boys and Scarface to name but a few. Rich

Mouser recorded the album, and it was mixed by

(the in Sweden almost legendary) Stefan Glauman,

in the MVG Studio.

Clawfinger will embark on a major European tour

at the end of October. After that they may just pay a

visit to Asia, Australia and the U.S.

The album will be released on September 29th,

1997.

TRACKLIST COMMENTS BY ZAK TELL

1. Two Sides (4.04)

Faith comes from inside yourself and not from

dedicating your whole life to an organised religion.

If you don't believe in yourself then no religion in the

world can ever help you or save you. That's what I

believe, but I still try to keep an open mind because

all religions have something worth thinking about,

so whatever belief you belong to remember that

there are two sides to every story!

2. Hold Your Head Up (3.27)

We all make mistakes and we all take wrong turns

every once in a while, but as long as you do what

you do in good belief then there's no reason why

you shouldn't be proud of what you achieve.

There's nothing wrong with learning from mistakes

- so hold your head up high!

3. Biggest & the Best (3.50)

You see them everywhere, in the government or in

a band, your next door neighbour or a friend you

thought you had. I wish they didn't exist but whether

I like it or not there are people alive who truly

believe that they are god's gift to mankind! It

takes a lot of tunnel vision and lack of confidence

to believe that you are truly the biggest and the

best!

4. Chances (2.57)

Are you satisfied with everything the way it is? I

don't think anyone ever is! Life is full of

opportunities and chances. Don't be afraid to take

them. If you risk a little bit of your security and

conformity you could win a whole lot more! I'm still

learning how to be less scared of challenges!

5. Don't Wake Me Up (4.01)

I don't want to work, I don't want to get out of bed, I

don't want to do anything at all so please let me

stay here under my blanket and dream about the

way I wished my life was! I think everybody has had

these kind of mornings....every morning?

6. Not Even You (2.46)

Hmm another frustrated love song, where do they

come from? Relationships are not always fun and I

guess these lyrics pretty much sums up all the

negative sides of trying to live your life with

someone you love. I wouldn't say that these lyrics

are all self experienced but there are certainly

parts of them I recognise! Just in case anybody

might be interested, I do believe in working things

out, cos' I see far too many people who break up

just because a relationship has entered the 2 year

crisis of taking each other for granted. No matter

how many times you break up from a relationship

just to start a new one, you are still going to enter

the grey zone at one time or another!

7. Nobody Knows (3.13)

Let's be honest here, everybody likes gossip and

everybody wants to know all the latest stories but

some people are possessed with sticking their

noses into other people's business! These

people will pretend that they don't know and don't

care, but you will surely find them drooling over the

latest scandal concerning somebody else´s

private life. Don't open your mouth if you don't know

how to close it!

8. I Can See Them Coming (3.41)

Imagine that the "Biggest & the Best"-guy/girl has

finally lost his/her mind and gone one step too far

seeing him/herself as the centre of the whole

universe. Well, this song is about what happens

when you start believing yourself too much and

when you start taking yourself too seriously, or else

it could be about something completely different!

9. Wrong State of Mind (3.47)

It's where you're from, it's where you're at, there's

no wrong place and no wrong time, only the wrong

state of mind! We all find ourselves in situations

where we feel like strangers. Maybe we should try

and remember that when we're in our comfortable

home environment and somebody else is the

stranger!

10. I'm Your Life & Religion (3.54)

Once again I slip into the religious maze! Religion

is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world,

don't get addicted! No one has all the answers to

your problems, there is no one person who is

going to rescue you and nobody is going to save

the world for you! I'm sorry my friend, but you are

going to have to sort your shit out yourself, think for

yourself, find yourself and live with yourself, accept

yourself for what you are and most important of

all...... believe in yourself!

11. Crazy (2.41)

This song made itself so don't ask me what it's

about or how it came to be!

12. I Guess I'll Never Know (4.50)

This is the most personal song I've ever written and

there were a lot of tears involved while making it. I

hope from the bottom of my heart that people can

take this song for what it is without judging it

because of the way it differs musically from all the

other Clawfinger songs. When you lose someone

you love, a small part of you dies and there are no

words that can describe those emotions, but at the

same time it gives you the strength to keep on

moving forward and the confidence to promise

yourself you'll NEVER GIVE IN!.......who said life

* - "Bloody hell! Bloody fucking hell! Bloody bloody fucking fucking hell!

Do I have your attention yet? Yes, then I shall begin...

Clawfinger are going to finally become huge. Simply awesome, is the

best way I can describe this band to you. This band are so good, this

single ("Two Sides") is so good. Clawfinger make the Prodigy look

and sound like a pub covers band", the fanzine BB 13 writes.

- Kerrang reviewed the Wolverhampton gig 4 out of 5 and writes

"Keyboard player and occasional second vocalist Jocke Skog is

enjoyably insane. With characters like Skog around, entertainment

value is unquestionable."

* Some examples from the English press cuttings:

- Kerrang gives the album 4 out of 5 and the author thinks that the new

album "contains a whole handful of catchy ditties and more hooks than

a fisherman's duffel bag."

- The fanzine Green Monster writes: "The first track 'Biggest & The

Best' makes The Prodigy sound like Sheryl Crow and 'Not Even You'

makes the Chili Peppers sound like Wet Wet Wet."

- The Guardian seems to have overdosed on something, since he

writes: "Clawfinger are three middle-class white boys from

Oxfordshire who funded their first single with money awarded by a

local Church of England." Hello?

- The fanzine Hard Roxx ends their review with "If you want

something that you can play loud and shout along to whilst banging

your head and dancing stupidely, you really can't do any better than

this."

- Top Magazine thinks that "The Swedes have crafted their most

adventurous work yet."

- The Student paper Bare Facts writes: "Tremendous! Just proves that

Sweden are more than Abba and Roxette."

Reviews Clawfinger

Clawfinger with a new glow 4/5

Clawfinger is back with their third and maybe most important album.

Without exaggerating, I would say that the new CD is as strong as

their debut. It's still about heavy rock, hard and straight forward

arrangements and explosive vocals. There are lots of surprises in their

expression; one sound but a lot of different gears. The producer they

choose is the American Peter Reardon, who is behind the success of

bands such as Coolio and Geto Boys. The difference is obvious, there

is a new glow over Clawfinger. Already in the opening track "Two

Sides", they show a new exciting side where the music is wrapped in

with Indian rhythms and the adventure continues with uncountable

experiments. In the song "Chances" they use harmony vocals which is

a nice contrast to Zak’s everlasting primal screams. The only weak

track is the uninteresting and annoying "Wrong state of Mind".

Stylewise some parts can sound a bit like Faith No More. When "Don't

wake me up" starts I'm sure I've landed in Metallica-land but there are

anyway a few comparisons; they never intrude on their integrity,

Clawfinger’s new CD stands strongly on it's own!

(Kvõllsposten 26/9/97 Joachim Smith)

Clawfinger

Clawfinger’s debut "Deaf, Dumb, Blind" was a very good debut and

the expectations were high for the follow-up. Those expectations were

granted productionwise, but not songwise. On the self-titled third

album it feels like they've completed the circle. Strong songs and a

superb production from Peter Reardon (who previously worked with

Coolio and Scarface amongst others) result in Clawfinger’s strongest

album so far. It actually feels like they've made progress on all levels.

Zak Tell actually sings (?!) on a few of the tracks and there's a few trip

hop vibes that can be traced, but they're still on top of the list of heavy

guitar riff bands.

(Sundsvalls Tidning 97/09/24 Martin Larsson)

 Strong commercial brew 4/5

It's easy to kick someone who's already lying down, especially if the

victim has a nerd name tag like Clawfinger. But if you like professional

heavy metal of the modern sort then it's hard to deny that this is by far

the band’s best album, regardless of the current music climate.

Therefore it's a pity that the sceptical audience is introduced to

Biggest & the Best as the first single, even though it's an effective

heavy song, it hardly changes the picture of the Clawfinger that

emerged in 1995 with the monotone and tedious Use Your Brain

album. A much better alternative would have been the albums highlight

"I can see them coming", a hypnotising groove that is moulded

right next to the Prodigy's "Breathe". Or why not "Nobody knows"

which combines a twisted riff with a cool acoustic guitar and a strong

chorus to top it? I'd like to draw a parallel between Clawfinger and

Aerosmith. They share the same love for wide songs with choruses that stick to your mind and a super professional production. They both

turn themselves to a consumer group that doesn't want demanding

music. The difference this time is that they treat you to a wider

variation, which is strengthened even more thanks to Zak Tell rapping

less hysterically and singing more.

A strong commercial brew.

(26/9/97 Expressen Martin Carlsson)

I can't say that I'm jealous of the position that Clawfinger is in. When

the band started a few years ago it was one of many bands that was

part of the new construction called rap metal. The band succeeded in

selling quite a few records especially in Germany, and the future looked bright. Already on the follow up album "Use Your Brain" the

problem became visible. Clawfinger couldn't do much more than they

had done on the first album and rap metal was already starting to feel

like yesterdays news. So now when it's time for their third album they

should be looking for new ground to break for the sake of their own

survival. But they don't and because of that we can predict that

Clawfinger haven't got much more to give. Sure there's one or two fun

riffs on the record but the

stiff and preaching tone punctures the promising the impact.

(26/9/97 Svenska Dagbladet Stefan Malmqvist)

Sweden’s Rammstein is back on track. Whether or not it's unfair to

call them that when they might have been formed before the Germans can be discussed but it's really quite uninteresting. Zak Tell doesn't

sing in German and nobody sets him on fire live. Apart from that the

similarities between the bands are easy to find, the over explicitness,

the glued-on authority and last but not least the very present

meagreness is striking in both bands. Clawfinger would never dream

of leaving the door slightly open, instead they kick it open musically

and lyrically. Just like Rammstein they feel like a tail-heavy colossus

grinding on and trying to convince us about their excellence by adding

more coal to the fire, a sample or a guitar riff. There's no progression

on the record, instead it's a waterproof sales safe musical hybrid with

lyrics that no one can misunderstand or interpret in more than one

way. just like before. Whether or not Rammstein has integrated halting

rhymes as one of the fundamental building materials in their

songwriting, I'm not the right man to judge, but with Clawfinger it

seems to be the highest priority. Where Rammstein’s musical bottom

can be seen as a speculative circus where those involved are maximally aware of the turkey value Clawfinger feels painfully serious.

Apart from the swinging "Wrong state of mind", it's hard to find any

extenuating circumstances.

(October 1997 Nöjesguiden Örjan Hulthén)

 Rapping Rockers spread out 3/5

Clawfinger’s specific music style could have made them play

themselves into a musical rap metal corner, but Clawfinger have

without changing their sound to much widened themselves. On the

new record there are more pronounced traces of industrial music. Zak

Tell has toned down the rapping a bit (maybe he can't do it more than

he has without taking singing lessons to train his "normal voice") and

the tuned down guitars bring about

a dark feeling somewhere between doom and 70's rock. The

production is very sharp and thoroughly done ,it's heavy but the sound is still very modern and fresh. Just listen to the extremely smashing

guitarsound. Songs like "Two sides", "Biggest and the best",

"Chances" and "Don't wake me up" are brilliant. The only thing that

lowers the grade is that there are a few boring fillers on the album.

(03/10/97Aftonbladet Annika Sundbaum-Melin)

Mostly worn and tired riffs

Just like their colleagues in rage against the machine the

Swedish/Norwegian rap metal combo Clawfinger have painted

themselves into a corner. When you mix rapping staccato talk with the

maximum heavy riffs then you'll in the best of cases get an efficient,

hypnotical result .If things turn out bad then all you do is come to a

standstill.

The worn out nagging factor can become very high. This fact is all to obvious on Clawfinger’s third album. Here you can hear riffs and ideas

that were already worn out and tiring on the second album. And all of

this in spite of the fact that they've even used Coolio’s producer to

become more rap and less metal, but sorry, Clawfinger’s new album

feels passé already in advance.

(01/10/97Östgöta Correspondenten Jerry Prytz)

Heavy-heavier-Clawfinger.

No, probably not if you ask the person who’s up to date with the

universes entire collection of extreme metal mayhem but in my record

collection Clawfinger are one of the hardest bands. The bands third album is no departure from the earlier stuff. The riffs are hard without

becoming tail heavy and Zak Tell is rapping better

than ever. In contrast to all the lazy uncommitted rappers he leans

forward and demands the listeners total attention. In Zak Tell’s worst nightmares we're all a bunch of egoists on our way to insanity because

of our blind belief in the superhuman ideals. The only objection I have

is that the message is drummed in with such power that the painful

irony of the lyrics go lost, remember how the Clawfinger song "Nigger"

was misinterpreted to the point where the band was accused of being

racist. Well most of the time the ironical twist is impossible to

misunderstand, "Nobody is perfect/but I'm pretty fucking close" Zak

declares on "Biggest & the best" and how right he is....

(03/10/97 Võrmlands folkblad Rockuppslaget Björn Stefanson)

Among the heaviest 

Clawfinger

The first album was a fun and exciting surprise, the second one

strengthened their position and the new one, well it's one of the

heaviest albums made in Sweden. Furthermore there are quite a few

musical surprises: Cello, stringquartet, acoustic guitar and good

background singing from Antoinette Salegh(just the name!!!).

Otherwise Clawfinger are recognisable. Erlend’s and Bård’s guitars

are extremely heavy (who said Norwegians are wimps?) Jocke’s

framing is earcatching and Zak Tell’s rap and vocals are powerful all

topped off with distinct choruses. If they had been able to vary

themselves a bit more then it would have been a complete

success, now it's "only" good from a band that are definitely on their

way!

(Björn G Stenberg)

Egyptian vocals accompany Stakka B...eh, Zak Tell on the opening

track of Clawfinger’s new album. It's only one of the many unusual

elements on the bands self titled third album. Obviously the

Swedish-Norwegian quartet realised that after two similar albums they

needed to do something different, and they have made a remarkable

shape up. They make use of programming techniques to the

maximum and they create a musical landscape that changes as often

as the Swedish weather. The monotonous sound they used to have to

make people bounce up and down is gone, now they use keyboards

as frequently as faith No More and some of the singing parts even

compete with E-Type. There is no reason for worry though because

Clawfinger stick to their origin .The hard and heavy guitars, the

melodies and Zak Tell’s frenetic vocals are still very rooted in the

music. Zak’s singing is better and the songs have different characters

throughout the album. Maybe some of the lyrical lines like "We're the

biggest the best better than the rest(why was that the single when so

many other songs are better??)and "Nobody knows it until you expose

it" are childishly typical for Clawfinger