May 2, 2023 brought exciting news for fans of high-energy European punk ’n’ roll. A global statement declared that a Swedish act were at last returning to the scene with their first album for more than a decade, and the group’s singer promised mischief and fireworks galore.
“There’s no maturity or anything like that bullshit, because who wants mature rock ’n’ roll?” he opined. “That’s where people go wrong, I feel. It’s like rock ’n’ roll, but adult, [and] nobody wants that! That’s literally taking the good shit out of it. Rock ’n’ roll can’t grow up. It is a perpetual teenager and this album feels exactly like that, which is all down to our excitement – and you can’t fake that shit.”
These words belong to the reliably charismatic Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, frontman with The Hives, assuming his place on the stump to announce the release of The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons. Good news. Great stuff. But in an ideal world, or in a parallel universe, the quote would be attributable to one Stefan Granberg, the guitarist and lead singer with fellow Swedes Randy. Although small the constituency may be, there are those among us who would regard this clarion call as heralding the long-overdue return of one of the most exciting bands of all time.
