2010 saw the departure of lead singer Hank Von Heveltes to deal with a continuing drug problem. This came after the band announced in 2009 that they were going on hiatus. Considering Turbonegro wasn’t getting any younger and that the number of ‘ex’ members outnumbered current members, it seemed likely that we’d seen the last of the band. Their loyal legion of fans, The Turbojugend, an organised mafia-like group of fans numbering in the thousands, saw things differently however. In the midst of their hiatus, an invitation was extended, and as bassist and founding member Happy Tom tells it, it was that invitation which changed Turbonegro for the better.
“We got this invitation to go play at our fan club convention with the Turbojugend in Hamburg,” says the 43-year-old bassist, reached on the phone from his Oslo home.
“We heard that different people were going to sing different songs, so we thought, ‘Why the fuck not?’ It’s not like we were all just sitting at home. We kind of have this legacy we have to take care of. And we thought it would be fun to go down and party.”
Yet the pressing issue at hand was replacing lead singer Helvetes. Tom insists the solution came rather casually. “When we were thinking about who to get to sing, someone suggested Tony [Sylvester, former frontman of Dukes Of Nothing] because he knows the band’s songs and he knows the industry. He was going to come to Oslo anyway that weekend, which was weird. We had other people like Damian from Fucked Up doing songs. But Tony, he’s got such a great voice and he’s so charismatic, so we thought he sounded great.”
Sylvester couldn’t have been more acquainted with Turbonegro. He was president of the London chapter of the Turbojugend and also served as the band’s UK press officer. The connection was instant, and there was no looking back for Happy Tom and Turbonegro. “We weren’t sure what the fans were going to think. We thought half the crowd would be into it but the other half would start throwing bottles,” he says of their first show with Sylvester. “But there was this huge emotional roar after the first song,” he continues. “I saw people started to cry, I even saw a guy throw himself off the balcony! And that was between songs!”
The band utilised the energy from the addition of Sylvester and turned it into Sexual Harrassment, their first album in five years. It’s a fresh, revitalised approach and Turbonegro sound reinvigorated. “We’ve actually turned it up a notch for Tony,” says Happy Tom. “It’s a brand new band, but it’s also very much Turbonegro. There’s some pissed off people out there, I’m sure. But I think we’re back and we’re happy about our latest record. We think it’s one of our best of all time. It’s certainly our most commercial record, as it’s the first one to hit #1on the Norwegian charts.”
Sexual Harrassment has certainly pleased the Turbojugend. Modern music fans are faced with a plethora of choices when it comes to their listening pleasures, but Tom believes that it’s more about the group mentality than the adoration of their nine studio albums. It’s a refreshing and humble stance from the oft-goofy group.
“The reason we have these loyal fans is because they feel the same way as us. It’s not a cult though; it’s not like once you get into the club, you can’t get out. It’s not North Korea or anything. A lot of the people in the club aren’t even fans of the band, but they’re fans of being in this dedicated club. Some of the best friends I have in my life I’ve met through the Turbojugend. They’re just people; beer drinkers, rock’n’rollers. It’s kind of like a punk rock retirement home.”
Their new record hasn’t just satisfied their fans; it’s also satiated Happy Tom’s desire to please that old devil called rock’n’roll. Amidst all the gimmicks the band once utilised, from their outlandish song titles to the makeup band members adorn at shows, it’s rock and roll that Happy Tom ultimately stays loyal to. He does, however, think of rock and roll in a different manner than many of his peers. But that’s Turbonegro for you.
“We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and we have our silly image that we’re kind of trapped in. It’s a love-hate thing with this band. The one thing we do take seriously is rock and roll. In no way ever would we try to be ironic when it comes to rock and roll. That’s our fans lifeline. I’ve been in bands since I was 11-years-old; it’s my life. We try to take care of it. It’s like this crazy old whore that you have to keep paying money to. You can’t leave it. We’ve got a soft spot for her.”
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
