Band Members:
Thord Klarström - guitar, lead vocals
Peter Samuelssen - guitar
Niklas Nord - bass
Mikael Karlsson - drums
Thord Klarström
Date of birth: Feb 11th 1976
Occupation: Logistic development/Musician/Sound engineer
Instrument: Vocals, guitar
Gear: Ibanez & ESP/LTD guitars, Engl Amps, TC Electronics effects EMG & Seymour Duncan pick-ups, Jim Dunlop picks, Shure Microphones
Other bands: None at the moment
About me: I was born and raised in a small village just outside Arvika in western Sweden. I got my first electric guitar at the age of seven and started messing around with it. My newfound joy quickly turned to misery after watching a W.A.S.P. video and deciding it would be a good idea to modify my guitar to look like Blackies Warlock guitar (Dad! Where’s the saw?). Needless to say I wouldn’t be playing guitar any time soon after that. After years of nagging at my parents I finally got a new one at the age of 11 and started playing more seriously, joined my first band at the age of 14, and have been playing in different bands since. During my musical journey I have played just about anything that ends with metal. In the summer of 2007 I decided to return to my roots and write some classic heavy metal tunes just for the fun of it, really, and after trying out different singers for some months without finding what I wanted, I decided to handle the vocals myself. The songs turned out pretty good and the quest for a complete line-up took it’s start. At that point Gallows End was born!
Favourite musicians: John Norum, Jon Nödtveidt, Glenn/KK, Michael Romeo, Yngwie J Malmsteen, Andy Timmons, Kiko Loureiro, James Hetfield, Dave mustaine John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, Kai Hansen, Alexi Laiho and many more
Favourite bands: Kamelot, Sinergy, Gamma Ray, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dissection, Death, Morbid Angel, Accept, Symphony X, Dream Evil, Opeth and many more
Best albums: Kamelot - The Black Halo, Symphony X – V, Iron Maiden – Seventh son of a seventh son, Judas Priest – Defenders of the faith, Metallica – Black album, Dissection – Retribution (Storm of the lights bane), Morbid Angel – Blessed are the sick, Sinergy – To hell and back, Opeth – Blackwater Park
Other interests: Literature, History, Mythology, Soccer, sound engineering
Favourite movies: Everything by Monty Python, Spaceballs, Terror on Elm Street, Highlander
Favourite TV show: M.A.S.H, That 70s show, Simpsons, Benny hill, Las Vegas
Drinks: Water, Coffee, Carlsberg Export, Black Velvet
Eats: Swedish cuisine, Italian food
Peter Samuelsson
Date of birth: 19 Nov 1968
Occupation: Graphical Designer / Musician
Instrument: Guitar
Gear: ESP guitars equipped with EMG’s, Hughes and Kettner Amps.
Other bands: No other bands, but some solo work as a guitarist, for fun…
About me: I started to play the guitar at the age of seven, when I got my first acoustic guitar, and my older stepbrother taught me some rock’n’roll riffs. Since then I have been playing guitar almost every day of my life, but I didn’t really start to practice before I was all grown up. When I was around twelve or thirteen I got my first electric guitar, a Duke, and a old amp that was probably manufactured in the fifties, at least it looked that old. I don’t remember the name, or even if it had one. I only played chords, goofed around trying to make strange sounds, and I played the rock’n’roll riffs I was taught earlier (driving my family nuts) up until I was around 16. At that age I started to explore the soloing world, and I was extremely bad at it, but I had fun. I didn’t learn any form of scale or music theory (besides new chords) before I was at least twenty years old. Oh, if you haven’t figured it out already, I’m self-taught, and I did it all the wrong way...
I have been active in bands since the early eighties. Mostly power metal, heavy metal, thrash, speed and hardrock bands. But also pop, folk and experimental music. The guitar isn’t my only instrument, I have also been a bass player in a few bands, and I really like the bass as an instrument. You can’t play a more thankful instrument. I have also been trying the life as a drummer some, but I’m not very good at it. I think you need to be a special kind of person to become a good drummer
Favourite musicians: Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, Kai Hansen, Steve Morse, Adrian Smith, Steve Harris, Victor Wooten, John Myung, Nicko McBrain, Mike Portnoy, Daniel Zimmermann, Aikawa Nanase, Bruce Dickinson…
Favourite bands: Iron Maiden, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Kamelot, Jethro Tull, Alice Cooper, Clannad, Green Day, Kiss…
Best albums: Iron Maiden – Seventh son of a seventh son, Gamma Ray – No world order, Jethro Tull – Heavy Horses, Blind Guardian – Nightfall in Middle Earth, Bruce Dickinson – Accident of birth
Other interests: Movies, mostly horror movies, Roleplaying games (pen and paper,
and online), Paintball…
Favourite movies: Saw, The hills have eyes, Braveheart, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Alien…
Favourite TV show: Gaki No Tsukai
Drinks: Water, Whisky, Wine and Coffee… Oh and Milk…
Eats: Lots! Love Chinese food…
Niklas Nord
Date of birth: December 2nd 1976
Occupation: Music Teacher/Musician
Instrument: Bass
Gear: Status Energy 4-string Bass, Dunlop strings, Hartke 120W 15” Kickback amp
Other bands: The Random Victims as Nick nasty (http://www.myspace.com/therandomvictims)
Funky Academy as Boogieman (htpp://www.myspace.com/funkyacademy)
About me:
The PG-13 version: Born and raised in Duved (Close to the ski resort Åre) in the north of Sweden. Started playing music at age 5. Went through Flute, piano and alto saxophone before settling with the electric bass. After years of education I graduated from Ingesund Music College in Arvika as a Music teacher for all stages in school and electric bass and rock group. Now working as a music teacher for 13-16 yr olds and playing as much as possible in my spare time.
The pure fucking metal version: I am a 31 year old music college graduate who has played almost every style there is, from free-form jazz through Dream Theater though children's songs to pure fucking heavy metal in Gallows End.
I have in the past played the bass in Stålbritta, guitar/sampler in Subsonic Mind and now play the drums in The Random Victims and the bass in Funky Academy besides mauling the strings in Gallows End.
Favourite musicians: Jaco Pastorius, Les Claypool (and the rest of Primus), Maynard James Keenan (and the rest of TOOL), Peter Dolving (singer in The Haunted), Obsidian C (guitarist in Keep of Kalessin), Max Cavalera and the reason why I started palying bass: Steve Harris from Iron Maiden!
Favourite bands: TOOL, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, The Haunted, Entombed, Keep of Kalessin, Dimmu Borgir, Sepultura, Soulfly, Monster Magnet, Helloween, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Who, Clutch, Volbeat, Job for a Cowboy, Iron Maiden,
Best albums: Opiate, Undertow, Aenima, Lateralus and 10.000 – TOOL; Versus and rEvolver – The Haunted; I, II, III and IV – Led Zeppelin; Machine Head – Deep Purple; Black Sabbath and Paranoid – Black Sabbath; To ride, shoot straight and speak the truth – Entombed
Other interests: Computers, Poker, Tattoos, Movies, Games in general
Favourite movies: Dogma, Monty Python and the search for the Holy Grail, The Lord of The Rings Trilogy,
Favourite TV show: House MD
Drinks: Beer and beer and lots of beer (and never say no to some red wine should the opportunity present itself)
Eats: Everything!
Mikael Karlsson
Date of birth: Apr 29, 1986
Occupation: Musician
Instrument: Drums
Gear: Pearl, Export Drums, Sabian Cymbals
Other bands: None at the moment
About me: I’m born and raised in Arvika, Sweden. My interest in music started at a very young age, my oldest brother was playing guitar and while watching him playing riffs and solos the idea of playing some instrument myself started to grow. At first I thought of learning to play the guitar but it was the drums that really caught my interest to start playing. At the age of 14, me and two of my other brothers started a band and from that day on I knew that drumming were the thing for me. I’m self taught, never had any lessons. I have played in a few bands before but mainly in other genres and it never felt quite right, as if something was missing. I started getting into more heavy stuff and since then metal is the main genre for me, and to play in Gallows End is my dream come true.
Favourite musicians: At the moment....Alter Bridge, Lost Horizon, At Vance....
Best albums: At the moment.... One Day Remains-Alter bridge, A Flame to the Ground Beneath-Lost Horizon, Dragon chaser-At Vance, Heart Of Steel-At Vance
Other interests: Playing guitar, videogames, movies, hanging out with friends
Favourite movies: Almost all of Chris Farley’s movies and Wayne’s World 1&2
Favourite TV show: Seinfeld (best show of all time)
Drinks: Coffey, Water, Beer
Eats: A little bit of everything
