Electric Boys
This Swedish funk-metal band was formed by vocalist/guitarist Conny Bloom (b. Blomquist) and bassist Andy Christell in 1988. As a duo, the pair recorded All Lips ‘N’ Hips, and finding themselves with a domestic hit, completed the band by recruiting guitarist Franco Santunione and drummer Niclas Sigevall. The self-produced FUNK-O-METAL CARPET RIDE was a strong debut, with memorable songs delivered in a heavy punk style with a distinct psychedelic edge, and led to world-wide deals with Atco in the USA and Phonogram elsewhere. The band replaced five songs on the original version of the debut with new, Bob Rock-produced efforts, and the revised FUNK-O-METAL CARPET RIDE made quite an impact, emerging as the rock world was opening its collective mind to the likes of Living Colour and Dan Reed Network. The band's colourful image and live shows only served to enhance their growing reputation. However, the funk-metal bubble had burst by the time that the more heavily psychedelic GROOVUS MAXIMUS appeared, and despite the potential of the Beatles-influenced Mary In The Mystery World (the album was actually recorded at Abbey Road), the Electric Boys struggled, and after a US tour with Mr Big, Santunione and Sigevall departed. Martin Thomander (guitar) and Thomas Broman (drums; ex-Great King Rat) replaced them on FREEWHEELIN' which abandoned funk in favour of a more '70s-inspired Aerosmith/Led Zeppelin groove, but this impressive comeback could not restore the band's waning fortunes, and they broke up shortly after release.