Dregen

The band announced the start of an indefinite hiatus beginning in 2010. During this hiatus, Dregen released a personal autobiography, followed by his first solo record in September 2013.[1] After a five-year absence, Backyard Babies returned in 2015, going on to release Four by Four later that summer.

• Name — Dregen • Birth Name — Andreas Tyrone Svensson • Alias — Dregen, Dregen Hellacopter, Åsk Dregen, Jerry Lee Hellacopter, Sue Ellen • Born — 12 June 1973 • Genre — Garage rock, punk rock, glam punk, glam rock, hard rock, glam metal • Occupation — Guitarist • Years Active — 1987–present • Current Member Of — * Backyard Babies • The Hellacopters

Dregen formed rock band Backyard Babies in 1987 with his childhood friends Tobias Fischer, Peder Carlsson and Johan Blomqvist in their hometown of Nässjö. The band later moved to Stockholm to pursue wider success. The group signed a record deal and released their debut album Diesel & Power in 1994. Also in 1994, Dregen met singer and guitarist Nicke Andersson who at that time played drums with Swedish death metal outfit Entombed. Together they formed another band, The Hellacopters. The band found success in 1996 with their album Supershitty to the Max!, which won a Swedish Grammis award. It was followed in 1997 by the record Payin' the Dues. The band also toured with Kiss. That same year, Backyard Babies released their sophomore and Grammis-winning album Total 13. By the end of the 1990s, Dregen decided to leave The Hellacopters and subsequently focused on recording and performing with Backyard Babies.[2] The album Making Enemies Is Good was released in 2001, and Backyard Babies were awarded a second Grammis award. They toured the world several times and opened for AC/DC during a European tour.[3] Since then, the band have released a number of EPs, singles and albums such as Stockholm Syndrome, People Like People Like People Like Us, Backyard Babies and Them XX. The latter resulted in an anniversary tour in 2010, following which the band announced an indefinite hiatus.[4] In May 2011, Dregen joined former-Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe.[5] Monroe, writing on his website, said As of July 2011, Dregen was working on his first solo album.[7] The album, titled Dregen, was released on 25 September 2013. In 2016, Dregen reunited with The Hellacopters for the 20th anniversary of their debut album.[8] In 2022, the band released their first album in 16 years, Eyes of Oblivion.[9]

Dregen was formerly married to fellow Swedish singer Pernilla Andersson,[10] who is also the mother of their first child, a son named Sixten.[11] The couple announced their separation on 1 June 2015.[12]

section • Illustration — Dregen at the 2011 Ilosaarirock festival • Guitars • Gibson ES-335 – Goldtop finish and Classic 57 bridge and neck pickups. • Gibson ES-335 – Cream white finish, Lundgren bridge pickup and Classic 57 neck pickup. • Gibson ES-335 – Black finish, DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup and Classic 57 neck pickup. • Sundberg S-J2 acoustic – Luthier-built with custom skull inlays. • Effects • Jim Dunlop Cry Baby • MXR MC-401 Boost • Amplifiers • Fender Super Sonic Heads through 4x12" Fender cabinets – Used live since 2009. • Fender Bassman heads modified by Tommy Folkesson through 4x12 Marshall cabinets – Used live until 2009. • Fender Prosonic – Used during later studio recordings. • Orange TH30 head and Orange PPC212V cabinets - Used since 2021