Joey Tempest

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Joey Tempest, whose real name is Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson, is a Swedish singer and the lead singer of the rock band Europe. He was born in Stockholm in 1963 and grew up in the suburb of Upplands Väsby. As a child he recorded songs from British and American radio on a tape recorder. His biggest influences were Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin. In 1979 he came up with his stage name, inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest and by the song Sparks of the Tempest by the group Kansas.

Music and breakthrough

He formed the band Force with guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson and drummer Tony Reno, which later became Europe. Tempest wrote most of Europe's hits, such as The Final Countdown, Rock the Night, Cherokee, Open Your Heart and Carrie. The Final Countdown topped the sales charts in 26 countries and was played at the closing of the 1988 Olympic Games. Out of This World followed in 1988, and Prisoners in Paradise.

Influence

After the band's hiatus he began a solo career. In 1995 his debut A Place to Call Home appeared, a singer-songwriter album that he himself described as influenced by Van Morrison and Bob Dylan. Azalea Place followed in 1997 and Joey Tempest in 2002. Almost twelve years after the break-up, Europe returned in 2004 with the same line-up, with Start from the Dark. Tempest stands for the Scandinavian hard rock of the 1980s, in which a huge synthesizer theme and staying power came together.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1995A Place to Call Home
• 1997Azalea Place
• 2002Joey Tempest