Band Members
Band Members
Stevie Klasson
Stevie Klasson is one of Sweden's most respected guitar players. Born on July 28 in 1968 in Södertälje, Sweden. He started playing in punk bands at the age of 13. Spent my teenage-years playing with Linus and the Loosers, Fridays Angels, Neon Leon and Intergalactic Overguist.
Started up the Pipeline Club with Kenny Silver in 1986 and spent the nights cutting my teeth with 100s of musicians passing thru Stockholm.
In the summer of 1987 he made friends with Johnny Thunders (bless his heart) who took him under his wings. That started a collaboration that lasted until Johnny's death in 1991. He spent most of those years on the road in North America or hanging out in New York City, but after Johnny tragically passed away, New York lost it's magic and he moved his base of operations to London. There he made a living playing sessions, dealing vintage guitars and writing songs with Patti Palladin.
In 1999 he went back to Stockholm to hang out for a bit... and never went back. While he had been away Stockholm had developed a great music scene and he started hanging with some really hip players; Surjo Benigh, the finest bass player ever made from flesh n' bone, Janne 'Captain' Peterson Piano Professor Supreme, and next up Louisianas finest, Brady Blade... and voila...
The Mighty Hightones were born and they played their first gigs in January of 2000. Since they were all working musicians they would all be out working other gigs and sessions, sometimes together backing other artists, but still they would do about a few gigs a year.
During this time he also toured and recorded with Diamond Dogs, Conny Bloom's Groovies Inc., Hanoi Rocks, Freddie Wadling, Spain, Magnus Lindbergh, Master Henry Gibson, Big Walker, Jimmy Dawkins etc.
Then in 2006 Stevie and Surjo were sitting around rappin' a little after a gig somewhere and he'd go, "For Christ's sake Klasson, we've been camping together for 6 years doing High Tone/ Fat Chance-gigs, isnt time we made an album..!?!!" And the rest is history.
With a little help from a lot of low friends in high places, Nick Royale (Hellacopters), Robert Strängen Dahlqvist (Hellacopters), Vigilante Carlstroem (Hives), Mattias Bärjed (Soundtrack Of Our Life), Peter Svensson (Cardigans), Chris Wilson (Flaming Groovies), Darrell Bath (Vibrators / Uk Subs), Brady Blade (Emmylou Harris) & Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols)! and the magic ears of Conny Wall, he recorded his album 'Dont Shoot the Messenger'.
Fredrik Olsson
Fredrik was born in the Swedish city of Umeå in 1973. Deeply involved in music from an early age, he played the cello and recorder before settling on the guitar and immersing himself in the local rock and blues scene. After studies at the Piteå Academy of Music, he spent a year in the US, soaking up the roots of blues and jazz in New York City.
After returning to Scandinavia, Fredrik found himself in the jazz scene of Stockholm, working extensively with veteran musicians such as Bernt Rosengren, Tommy Koverhult, Ann-Sofie Söderkvist and many other greats of the earlier generation of modern jazz. Much of the last decade has been spent touring and recording with The Glenn Miller Orchestra as well as the collective group The New York Exchange, plus countless others. He has performed in many countries across the globe including Iceland, Israel, France, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia, in addition to extensive US touring.
Fredrik is now very much excited to travel to Asia with blues great Derrick Walker, reconnecting with his blues roots. The future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades!
Rolf Fredriksson
Rolf Fredriksson
Grew up in Örebro, Sweden, where he started playing classical guitar at eight, and later on Johnny Shines style. Started playing drums at eleven. There he met the argentinian percussionist Luis Agudo when he was 15 years old. Inspiration by Agudo and drummer Sjunne Ferger led to further musical studies, first 2 years in Skåne, Sweden, where he played jazz in groups like Big Fun and and made his first record with the jazz group Quintessence. He then entered the Royal Music Academy in Stockholm 1980 and studied there for 4 years, and played with a lot of bands during that time. New Event (with tenorist Ander Ekholm), Mr Walker(!) (with guitarist Thomas Janzon) and Scotty Prestons Union to name a few. He also got an increasing interest for african music and played with Nävgröt (ganda-style) and Jedidjah (Congo-hilife). In 1982 he took a 3 month trip to east Africa to study african music and culture.
From 1985 to 1991 he worked as a drummer at jazz-ballet classes at the swedish Opera Ballet and the Dance Academy in Stockholm. There he met and worked with drummer/percussionist Rupert Clemendore and dancers like Vanoye Aikens, Jane Darling and Thomas Bergren amongst others. He accompanied Aikens, the former member of Catherine Dunham Dance Company, on a 2 hour documentary film about jazz-dance history from Bojangles to Michael Jackson. Family matters led to a break in the career, but back in Skåne 1994 he found a place, playing djembe and doun-doun in the traditional Guinean cultural group Afro Tiambo (Conacry). Back in Stockholm 2008 he picked up the drum kit again and found work 2009 as a house drummer at Sta Clara's blues jam, where he is still working at present.
Mats Dimming
Tallest bass player on Earth? Probably. Together with his bass and his
beard he is actually just over four meters!
Dimming was born in Västra Tunhem outside of the city of Vänersborg,
Sweden, in 1986. He started playing the double bass at the age of 10
and he hasn´t let go of it since!
After earning his Master in Arts and Education Degree at Ingesund
School of Music he now works as a freelance musician based in
Stockholm, Sweden.
He is active within jazz, blues and folk music communities, performing
regularly with, among others, The Original Swedish Arvika Blues
Breakers, Tangurka & Gammeldansk, APUH!, Gallimatias Orkester and
Daniel Wikslund at venues and festivals around Europe and the US.
Dimming is mostly known for his steady groove and bouncing swing, but
also for his witty and imaginative virtuosity. He has been described
as "a gift from God to the music world".
He dreams that when his beard has grown white, he will get a PhD in
Alternate bass.