Teddybears

Teddybears originated in Sweden during the early 1990s and quickly drew notice for their broad stylistic range as well as their habit of performing in oversized bear masks. The collective, whose participants have also helmed videos, short films, and advertising spots, explored electronic, dance, rock, and reggae sounds, yet began life as a grindcore outfit. Patrik Arve and Joakim Åhlund, the latter also known as guitarist for the Caesars, first connected at art school in Stockholm and soon brought in Åhlund’s sibling Klas on guitar. Rejecting conventional grindcore nomenclature, they abandoned the name Skull in favor of Teddybears, a nod to a 1950s ensemble that included Phil Spector. Once their drummer departed, the remaining members turned to drum machines, guitars, and vocoders, yielding the electronically oriented Rock 'n' Roll Highschool in 2000 and Fresh five years later. After signing with Atlantic, the group issued its debut American album, Soft Machine, in September 2006; that set included contributions from Iggy Pop, Annie, Neneh Cherry, Mad Cobra, and Ebbot Lundberg of the Soundtrack of Our Lives. Devil's Music appeared in 2010 and showcased Eve, B.o.B, the Flaming Lips, CeeLo Green & the B-52's, and Robyn. Following an extended hiatus, the band resurfaced in 2015 via preview recordings that featured reggae star Beenie Man and dancehall king Cutty Ranks, then delivered Rock On at the start of 2016.