Mainstream rock is alive and well in Scandinavia. It must be the cold climate that adds something extra to guitar-based grand-standing rock & roll that just makes it seem brighter and fresher. Bands as diverse as Atomic Swing (Sweden) and Grand Island (Norway) have large followings and long careers in Northern Europe without ever making much of an attempt at the U.S. market. Many musicians see the U.S. as either too huge or too decentralized to make an impact.

Oslo's Bigbang (not to be confused with the Korean group of the same name) is trying to change that. In 2007 they moved to Los Angeles, formed an alliance with Oglio Records, and started writing and recording for the sprawling challenge of America. They quickly released a compilation of some of their better older recordings, and in January 2010 released their first U.S. album, Edendale.

Bigbang's leader, Øystein Greni, grew up immersed in classic rock like the Stones, The Who, Hendrix, etc.  (His father was in a band that toured with the New Yardbirds aka Led Zeppelin in the late '60s.) Later he subsumed the alternative scene of Hüsker Dü, Dinosaur Jr., and Pearl Jam, while incorporating the folk rock introspections of Neil Young and Tom Petty.  In other words, he's been a creature of rock when he formed Bigbang in 1992.

They have a well-deserved live reputation and apparently thrive on touring, with many YouTube videos as evidence. Look for them in your town soon!

~ Stephen M.H. Braitman