The Hives is a Scandinavian band from Fagersta, Sweden. Founded in 1993. The line-up has not changed for almost the entire time of the band's existence, including: Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (vocals), Nicholaus Arson (guitarist), Vigilante Carlstroem (guitar), Dr. Matt Destruction (bass), Chris Dangerous (drums) Direction in music: "garage punk rock". A characteristic feature of Hives are the same stage costumes in black and white. Only clothing models are updated from performance to performance.
The main stages of creativity The Hives
The Hives was officially formed in 1993. But, in fact, the performances began back in 1989. "Sounds Like Sushi" was the group's debut mini-compilation. The first full-length album “Oh Lord! When? How?" the band released under the label "Burning Heart Records" (an independent recording studio in Sweden).
According to the legend, maintained by The Hives themselves, the group was created by a certain Mr. Randy Fitzsimmons. The group members received notes from him with instructions to gather in a specific place at a specific time. Randy became a permanent producer and lyricist. In fact, no one has ever seen the person in question. Perhaps Fitzsimmons, some fictitious image, the personification of the collective "I" of The Hives.
The first studio album "Barely Legal" was released in 1997, the second disc a year later. The tour of the group began in the same 97 year.
The Hives 2000-2006: skyrocketing popularity and peak career
In 2000 the band released their second full length studio album Veni Vidi Vicious. The most famous tracks from this compilation are "Hate to Say I Told You So", "Supply and Demand" and "Main Offender". The release of the video for the single "Hate to Say I Told You So" in Germany became a landmark. After watching which Allan McGee invited the group to sign a contract with the Poptones label.
A year later, The Hives recorded a collection of their best songs "Your New Favorite Band". The seventh place of this album in the national ranking of England according to the UK album charts can be considered a success. Re-released during that period include: the tracks "Main Offender" and "Hate to Say I Told You So", the album "Veni Vidi Vicious". The works occupy quite high lines in the ratings of Great Britain and the USA.
The Hives tour lasted two years, representing one long tour with stops in different cities and countries.
The third collection was "Tyrannosaurus Hives", recorded in 2004. To create this album, the band deliberately interrupted their tour of the states and Europe, returned to their native Fagerst. The most famous single "Walk Idiot Walk" at the start took 13th place in the charts in England. Another composition "Diabolic Scheme" was used in the film "Frostbite".
The debut of The Hives tracks on the world screens began four years earlier, with "Hate to say I told you so" in the American film "Spider-Man". Prior to this, the band's music was often included in video game audio.
In the early first half of the 2000s, the group received a number of music awards: "NME 2003" ("best stage costumes" and "best international group"), 5 Swedish annual Grammy awards (23rd annual Grammis Awards). The music video for the single "Walk Idiot Walk" won the "Best MTV Music Video" award.
"Renewal" of the composition
In the middle of 2007 The Hives update the band's website: the cover of the forthcoming album "The Black and White Album" is displayed on the main page. The overall design becomes more "rough". "The Black and White Album" was recorded in three countries: Sweden, England (Oxford), USA (Mississippi and Miami).
Since 2007, the group began to actively act in advertisements for branded goods and promotional videos for films. Shooting takes place in different countries of Europe and on the American continent. Here we are talking about the international recognition of the team: in 2008, The Hives performed at the opening of the NHL All-Star Game in the USA (single "Tick Tick Boom"). In the same year, the team received another Swedish Grammy Award for Best Performance.
The band's fifth collection of tracks is released on their own label Disque Hives. Includes 12 songs.
Dr. Matt Destruction left the band in 2013 to be replaced by bassist The Johan and Only (stage name Randy Gustafsson). The song "Blood Red Moon" is already released as a product of the work of the renewed composition of The Hives. In 2019, drummer Chris Dangerous announces his indefinite hiatus from public performance, replaced by Joey Castillo (formerly of Queens of the Stone Age).
Thus, The Hives released their first album in the "live" format with an already updated line-up. "Live at Third Man Records" is released at the end of September 2020. The collection is characterized by an energetic style of music performance.
The Hives have been on the scene for almost 30 years. At the same time, the composition remains more or less stable all this time (the two mentioned replacements are only related to the health of the participants). Probably, the team is so united by a common idea - a certain “sixth member” Randy Fitzsimmons.
