John Norum: creative career and personal life

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

John Norum is the founder of the Swedish band Europe, hard rock musician and composer. Working with the team, at the same time he is engaged in his own solo project. Throughout his creative career, he has worked with many hard rock stars. The artist's music is rich in blues motifs and is distinguished by a special melody and purity of sound.

Biography

John Norum was born on February 23, 1964 in the Norwegian city of Vardo, located in the north of the country. He spent his childhood in the suburbs of Stockholm.

The boy became interested in music in the early years of his life. At the age of eight, he was already a fan of Elvis Presley and Richard Cliff. At the age of ten, John got his first own guitar, which he begged from his mother. During this time, he heard and appreciated the music of Deep Purple and Kiss.

It was thanks to the song of the first group, namely, Strange kind of a woman, that the boy first had the desire to become a rock star. Having formed his first band as a teenager, John used Kiss-style makeup. Like many young people, the guy really wanted to be like hisidols.

Creativity

At the age of fourteen, John Norum already had his own punk band Dog Wayst, with whom he toured the country. In addition, the teenager signed up with Eddie Meduza, a popular Swedish rock and roll artist. The album with his participation received the status of gold in the artist's homeland. At this time, the young man performed under the pseudonym John Fuckfaster.

In 1978, the musician met Tony Niemisto and Peter Olsson, a drummer and bass player. The three of them created the WC team, which later turned into Force, and then Europe. In 1986, the group reached the peak of its popularity and became known throughout the world. But John Norum was neither inspired nor happy by this success. He was not satisfied with the pop sound of the compositions and a small salary with the tremendous success of the team. The guitarist is considering leaving the band.

John acted honestly towards his comrades. He announced his departure in advance and played all the scheduled concerts. On November 1, 1986, the musician left the band and began his solo career. Despite the fact that after the departure of the idol, many fans cooled towards the group, it did not lose its success.

At the beginning of John's independent career, he was greatly assisted by his longtime friend Marcel Jacob John. In the fall of 1987, the artist's first album was released, and four months later the musician went on tour.

At this stage, John Norum made several attempts to team up with other musicians. He met inGreat Britain with Glenn Hughes and invited him to his team, but cooperation did not work out. The tandem broke up after the first concert.

For the next two years John played with Don Dokken. Then the artist resumed solo activities. He recorded a joint composition with Tempest. John Norum received offers to restore Europe, but refused, because he did not want to change his place of residence. At that time he lived in California, and visited his homeland only occasionally.

In 1995, the musician released his third solo album. In 1997 John worked with Dokken again. Norum replaced the departed George Lynch at the end of the tour. The concert album, which was released in the same year, was a complete failure. The artist's solo career was not successful enough and did not bring significant results, as fans wanted to see their favorite band in full force, and not just one musician.

Soon, John figured it out himself. To everyone's joy, Europe has restored its line-up. After a long time, fans could again hear their favorite hits in a live performance of their favorite team. Five minutes before the dawn of the new century, the band performed on a floating stage in Stockholm.

Using the success of the listeners, in 2004 Europe opened a new page in its creative activity. The musicians recorded and released another album.

Besides, John Norum himself did not lose the opportunity and prepared material for his solo disc. On February 23 next year, the guitarist made a gift for his own birthday - he released a newalbum. The musician perfectly managed to combine work in a group and a solo career. In 2009, the team's next disc was released, and in 2010, his own.

As part of the band, the legendary guitarist has appeared in films twice. These were On the Loose in 1985 and Weird Guy in 1990.

Private life

During his stay in America, the musician met guitarist Michelle Meldrum, whom he later married. In 2004, the couple had their only son, who was named Jake Thomas. In 2008, the woman died of cancer. The artist continued to raise a four-year-old child alone. Below is a photo of John Norum with his son.

Later John got engaged to Camilla Wachlander.

John Norum today

At present, the musician successfully continues to combine personal creative activity and work in the Europe group. Fans adore their idol for his honest approach to hard rock and note such dignity as the lack of abuse of effects and focus on the game itself. Thus, the musician achieves a unique deep sound of the guitar. He was called and called the best rock guitarist.