Turbonegro

The death-punk band Turbonegro take an energetic approach to music that both celebrates and spoofs the sleazy vibe of hard-rock and metal acts. The Oslo, Norway, group played their first show in early 1989, with a lineup that featured bassist (and later drummer) Thomas “Happy-Tom” Seltzer and guitarist Rune “Rune Rebellion” Grønn. Early on, Turbonegro deployed over-the-top (and unsavoury) stage antics and outfits that almost overshadowed their music. However, the band’s embrace of comically ill-fitting denim—and the addition of guitarist Knut “Euroboy” Schreiner—signalled a shift forward that came to sonic fruition on 1996’s Ass Cobra, which was tinged with inspiration from hardcore and metal. Turbonegro broke up in 1998 but reunited in 2002 to great acclaim and bigger concert crowds, with the following year’s Scandinavian Leather in particular drawing notice for its glam and ’70s-hard-rock flourishes. The band continue to record and tour, weathering changes such as the 2010 departure of vocalist Hank Von Helvete (who died in 2021) and powering on.