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John NorumSwedish hard rock guitarist and one of the founders of the Swedish band 'Europe'
Date of Birth: 23.02.1964
Country:  Sweden |
Content:
- Biography of John Norum
- Early Career
- Departure from Europe
- Solo Projects and Collaborations
- Return to Europe
- Recent Work and Personal Life
Biography of John Norum
John Norum, whose full name is John Terry Norum, was born in 1964 in Vardo, Norway. From a young age, he had a passion for rock music, particularly inspired by Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard. At the age of 10, he acquired his first guitar and discovered bands like Deep Purple and Kiss. In fact, when he formed his own teenage rock band, Norum used the famous Kiss makeup to resemble his rock idols.
Early Career
At the age of 14, Norum began touring the country with a punk rock band. In 1978, he met Tony Reno and Peter Olsson, and they formed the trio WC, which later evolved into the band Force and eventually gained worldwide fame as Europe. The Swedish band achieved tremendous success, especially with the release of the album "The Final Countdown" in 1986.
Departure from Europe
Despite the global success of Europe, Norum had mixed feelings about it and decided to leave the band. After fulfilling their touring commitments, he officially left Europe in late 1986 to pursue his own path. Although his departure slightly cooled the enthusiasm of some fans, it did not affect the commercial success of the band.
Solo Projects and Collaborations
In the following year, Norum released his first solo album, "Total Control," and embarked on a major tour to support it. He made several attempts to collaborate with other rock musicians, playing with Eddie Meduza & The Roaring Cadillacs and Dokken. In London, he met Glenn Hughes, but they were unable to work together. In 1992, Norum released his second project, "Face the Truth," collaborating with his former Europe colleague Joey Tempest.
Return to Europe
By the late 1990s, Norum realized that many fans still wanted to see him as part of Europe. In the original lineup, the band reunited and performed together again, much to the delight of their devoted followers. Norum was often referred to as the "coolest solo guitarist in the world" by Europe's dedicated fanbase.
Recent Work and Personal Life
In 1999, Europe, including Norum as one of the two guitarists, performed on a floating stage in Stockholm just five minutes before the new millennium. They played their famous songs "The Final Countdown" and "Rock the Night." In 2004, Europe released the album "Start from the Dark," followed by "Secret Society" in 2006.
Meanwhile, Norum continued to develop his own projects alongside his work with Europe. He released the album "Optimus" as a birthday gift to himself on February 23, 2005. In 2009, Europe released the album "Last Look at Eden," featuring Norum, and he released another solo album titled "Play Yard Blues" in 2010.
Known for his honest approach to hard rock, Norum incorporates blues elements into his music, and his playing is characterized by melodic and clean sound. He has never relied heavily on effects, instead focusing on his playing to achieve a deep and intricate guitar sound.
In addition to his music career, Norum has made a couple of appearances in films, including "On the Loose" in 1985 and the comedy "Far Out Man" in 1990.
In his personal life, Norum lived in the United States for several years and married Michelle Meldrum, the founder and lead guitarist of the rock band Phantom Blue and the Swedish metal band Meldrum. They had a son named Jake Thomas in September 2004. Michelle passed away on May 21, 2008. Later, Norum got engaged to his Swedish girlfriend, Camilla Wahlander.
