Shivering Spines
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Shivering Spines was a Swedish indie rock band from Jönköping, active from 1988 to 1993. They won PolyGram's Rock Band of the Year for 1990 and had a top-40 single, "Heaven Is...", in 1992.
Shivering Spines was formed in 1988. The initial line-up was Fredrik "Fido" Johansson (drums), Pelle Gustafsson (vocals), Dan Jälmeborg and Sven-Åke Svensson (bass);[1] Svensson and Jälmeborg were veterans of a punk band, Pöbel Möbel, which had formed on the Råslätt housing estate in Jönköping.[2][3][4] Johansson, also formerly of Pöbel Möbel, soon moved to the US, and was replaced by Johan Häll on drums and Janne (Jannicke) Meijner, also a punker, on guitar.[1][3][4]
For their 1989 debut single, on Tilt Records, they released a video for the A-side, "Desert Hum"; some members of the band were in the media track at Södra Vätterbygdens folkhögskola.[1] "Desert Hum" was called "cowboy rock" by one rock writer,[4] but also showed influences from Irish folk music.[5] In early 1990 they released a second single, "Judas Kiss", also on Tilt Records,[1][3][4] praised in one rock magazine as "hit[ting] the mark squarely".[6] The song "Judas Kiss" is included on the compilation album The Swedish Stand 1990.[7]
The band was named "Rock Band of the Year" in 1990 by PolyGram,[3][4] after which they gained wider recognition in Sweden, performing at a prominent club in Stockholm and at festivals including Dala-Rock and the Hultsfred Festival.[1] The award came with a deal to record a single; after hearing nothing further, Shivering Spines eventually sent in "Heaven Is..." and a second song, but PolyGram were unenthusiastic.[3] Released in 1992, the single peaked at number 36 in the Swedish singles chart.[8]
In 1993, they released their debut album, Garlic Escargots, on Brimstone.[1][3] The album showed their eclecticism, including a cover of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" and other songs blending pop and folk with rock; Jälmeborg played mandolin as well as guitar.[3][9] "Repulsion", which comes close to grunge,[3] was recorded in 1992 live at a club in Jönköping and includes Gustafsson auctioning off a watch.[1]
The album was well received, but Shivering Spines broke up later in 1993.[1][5] Häll has since been in several bands including Hellspray.[10][11]
Discography
Desert Hum / Power (7", Tilt Records, Spines 001, 1989)
Judas Kiss / Pros and Cons of Convertible Homes (7", Tilt Records, Spines 002, 1990)
Live Kulturhuset 14 sept-91 (MC, Tilt Records, Spines 003, 1991)
Heaven is... / The Night Before Today (7"/CD, PolyGram, 866750-7, 1992)
Garlic Escargots (CD, Brimstone Production, BRCD 9301, 1993)
