Dregen: Dregen

Backyard Babies’ Swedish sleaze-master gets serious

By Dave Ling
( Metal Hammer )
published

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After an infamous 25-year career everybody knew exactly what to expect of the debut solo release from the Backyard Babies and Michael Monroe guitarist, right? Well, not necessarily. Dregen is charged with all his typical spiky-topped attitude, but here there’s something a bit different.

Big Hearse and Refuse offer both maturity and a rich sense of variety. But best of all is the slightly evil, funk-laden blues of Flat Tyre On A Muddy Road – a tribute to Dregen’s late manager, Michael Sundén, littered with Satan and Lucifer references. The presence of several guests including Dregen’s Hellacopters co-founder Nicke Andersson on drums could have fostered predictability, but it doesn’t.

For those who anticipate or crave something disposable but fun then look no further the Kiss/Rolling Stones-flavoured One Man Army, but there’s more going on besides. Much, much more.

Dave Ling
Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.