|
|
|
|
|
 Taken by Michelle van Dijk |
 |
Joey Tempest, or Joakim Larsson which is his real name, was born the 19th of august 1963 in Stockholm, Sweden. He went to the school "Odenslunda skola" in Upplands Väsby, a suburb to Stockholm. He used to play football and icehockey, and was very good in it. He was also driving go-cart and became number four in Sweden in 1974. Then the music became more important. His first idol was Elton John, and the favourite song was "Crocodile Rock". He played guitar and piano very early. Together with a friend he played for his classmates and friends outside his house and in his school. He listened to Sweet and Slade, and that two groups got Joey to start the band "Made in Hong Kong" together with three friends. Joey was singing and playing the guitar, but started a little later to play bass instead. Later he started a new band called Roxanne which he worked serious with. On his spare time he also worked with mopeds and on that way Joey met John Norum. In 1981 he left Roxanne for Force, which became the beginning to Europe. You can read more about the group on my Europe homepage.
 Joey with an Guinness. |
In 1985 Joey made his debut as a producer for John Norum´s sister Tone Norum. Joey also sang the chorus and played all the instruments except some guitar solos and a few drum- and keyboard parts. Tone´s single "Stranded" became a big hit. The song was first ment for Europe but it was a bit to soft for them. You can clearly hear on the rest of the album that Joey have made the songs. They often sounds like the Europe-songs but are a little more of the pop-style. The same year Joey wrote the song "Give A Helping Hand" which was recorded by "Swedish Metal Aid", a composition of all of the best Swedish hardrockers. It was for a collection for Etiopia. This was the first time that Joey worked together with the producer of the single, Kee Marcello, who later became a member of Europe.
 |
In 1992 Joey worked together with John Norum for the first time since John left Europe. On John´s album "Face The Truth", Joey sang on the song "We Will Be Strong". Joey also participated to write the song "Counting On Your Love".
In 1995 when Europe seems to be history, Joey begun his solo debut with the album "A Place to Call Home". The album is more grown up than Europe´s music. That´s real rock, and went very popular in Sweden. Joey has been of the toplists in the most countries in Europe with this album. The album sold gold in Sweden, and that is very good. Even in Lebanon and Japan he is popular. He has also been touring there. On one song, "Right to Respect", John Norum is playing guitar. It´s possible that we will hear more from Joey and John together in the future. On the album Joey are playing the guitars, and he has of course been writing all the songs by himself.
 |
Joey is now living in a new big house with his English girlfriend Lisa on the country
south of Dublin in Ireland. He has been in Nashville, America the most time of
1996 and the beginning of 1997. He has been recording his second album there.
The first single "The Match" was released in the end of March in Sweden. The
album, "Azalea Place" was released the 25:th of April in Sweden. The producer
of the album is Richard Dodd. He has been working with Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow
and Traveling Wilburys. Joey is playing most of the guitars, bass and synthesizers
him self. On a couple of songs, Elvis Presley´s old guitarist Reggie Young
is participating. The second single is "The One In The Glass".