Cover discography
Some of my absolute favourite artists!
When I was 7 years old my grandma bought me a Elvis Presley-record called The Rockin' Days. In some strange way, it went straight into my bones and has stayed there ever since. I don't recall any other artist that has affected me like Elvis. He's been with me all my life, through joy and sorrow, as a comfort - SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE TALKS BADLY ABOUT THE KING I'LL SLIT YOUR THROATS! ALRIGHT?!
Back in 1988 many of my friends and people we met out on tour told me my vocals sounded like Elvis Costello and my music was influenced by him. The thing was - I hadn't even heard him! Except Watching The Detectives that I had on a compilation LP. The talk got me to look into Mr Costellos music and what I found was GREAT! And nowdays I must admit that he's a big influence on my music...
The same goes for The Beach Boys. When we (Psychotic Youth) recorded the album Some Fun back in '89, we brought in Chips Kiesbye from the well known swedish combo Sator as a co-ordinator/producer. He got us hooked on the choir-thing. We found our personal touch through using complexed choirs to fast power-pop. I got the taste for it and started to investigate deeper and found the kings of choir-vocalists The Beach Boys. Brian Wilsons work is state of the art!
One of the bands that got me started in the fanzine-business is the New York combo The Fuzztones. I did my own fanzine called Straight From The Grooveyard (or S.F.T.G) betwen 1985-87 where I wrote about the ”garage-wave” that was sweping the world. I released some flexi-discs and cassettes that came along with the fanzine and one of the (supposed to be) flexis was by The Fuzztones. The mastertape was lost in the mail on its way to the printing factory in London. But through this I got to know Rudi Protrudi (singer/songwriter) and met them when they visited sweden. Lot’s of funny storys to be told, like when we (Fuzztones and me) was kidnapped (actally we was invited, but to these guys you don’t say no...) by the bike-gang Chyenne Riders and much frolic took place... Anyway - I still love those guys and their music. They stick to their believes and I admire that. Just like The Nomads! (Love them too!)
I don’t know one person that haven’t been a Kiss-fan when they’re around 10 years old. I wasn’t no exception. I had my entire room filled with poster (from the swedish poster-magazine called Poster), even had the cealing filled with those lovely cartoon-like posters! Kiss will definitilly (how the hell do you spell that word?) go down to the history book.
When I was a kid I hung out with my best friend Anders Nordstrand (also our former bassplayer). His brother Sven was a big record collector. We lived way out on the countryside where there was no record shops to be found. And everytime he had a package delivered by mail with records we sneaked in to his room and checked it out. One day there was a Ramones album called Rocket To Russia and I guess that was the first time I got a hard-on from music! After that I started to check out the original recordings of the covers Joey and the lads did. I found Tommy James & The Hondells, Four Baggys... Thanks Joey! Without you wouldn’t sit here doing this.
I guess I could be sitting listing up hundreds of bands but I won't. Just a few that has been important to me, like - Paul Collins Beat, Plimsouls, Stooges and tons of New Wave bands...

I hope this gave you some picture about the background to my songs with Psychotic Youth, and HEY! - Be careful out there!

Jörgen Westman.


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