Fallnären

Fallnären
Fallnären performing at Raikonir Fest in 2006
Background information
Origin	Gothendral, Delkora
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	1979 (1979)–2006 (2006)
Labels	Riot Records
Website	www.fallnären.del
Past members	Valentin Oberg Mattias Jonessen Tore Vodner Jonny Grenborg Kol Vossgaard

Fallnären was a Delkoran punk rock band formed in Gothendral in 1979. Although it never achieved the same level of commercial success as other bands of the era, the group is considered to have had some influence on the genre. Kol Vossgaard, the first Green Party chancellor of Delkora, was the group's original bassist, playing from 1979 to 1983.

Biography

The band was formed in 1979 while Oberg and Jonessen were studying at Gothendral University. Grenborg, a longtime friend of Jonessen's, joined the group as its drummer that year and introduced the group to Vossgaard, who joined as its bassist. Fallnären began playing at local bars and nightclubs, slowly building a devoted following in the city. In 1980, the group was approached about playing at Sundering Fest that year. Their performance helped vault the group into the spotlight, leading to a record deal with Riot Records. The band began recording their first studio album Respektløshed, which debuted in 1982 and proved to be an underground hit. In 1983, Vossgaard left the band to focus on his doctoral studies. The band took a year long hiatus while searching for a new bassist, eventually bringing on Tore Vodner in 1984.

Kognition, released in 1985, proved to be a breakthrough hit for the band, eventually reaching number 10 on Lyudetliste. Following the success of the album, there was an effort to book a series of nationwide tours, which were hampered by the group's antagonistic relationship with the major record companies and tour promoters. In particular, many venues refused to host the band because of its vulgar lyrics and members' on-stage antics, which often included drug use, passing out LSD to concert attendees, and profanity-laden tirades against record industry executives. In 1985, after the Izenhoth Municipal Council voted down a resolution introduced by the mayor to ban the group from performing in the city, they organized a concert at a football stadium across from the municipal complex, hanging a giant banner with a spray-painted middle finger outside. Despite these and other issues, the band managed to play to a number of sold-out crowds throughout the country.

After releasing Ildsjæl in 1987, the band announced it would be going on an extended hiatus. During this time, Oberg became involved with an number of other punk rock acts that achieved some success. After Vossgaard unexpectedly became chancellor following the 2002 Federal Government Crisis, the band saw a spike in their publicity, with Anarkiland becoming a best-selling album upon its release two years later. In an interview with the DBS prior to the election, Oberg remarked, "Kol was always kind of a nerd, but you better fucking believe we're voting Green." In 2005, while the band played at a venue in Abenvard, Vossgaard made a surprise appearance on stage, playing bass for the second set.

After releasing Schemata in 2005, the group began performing far less. In 2006, Oberg announced the band would be breaking up later that year. Oberg and Vodner largely retired from the music scene, while Jonessen subsequently embarked on a relatively successful solo career. In 2015, Grenborg was arrested in Tordenhelm after throwing a brick at a member of a far-right biker gang following a confrontation outside of a nightclub, but was later released without charges.

Line-up

• Valentin Oberg (Lead vocals, guitar)
• Mattias Jonessen (Guitar, supporting vocals)
• Tore Vodner (Bass)
• Jonny Grenborg (Drums)

Discography

• Respektløshed (1982)
• Kognition (1985)
• Ildsjæl (1987)
• Genopdragelse (1999)
• Mytteri af Mange (2001)
• Anarkiland (2004)
• Molotov i Ansigtet (2005)