Jens Johansson

Jens Johansson
Jens Johansson

Jens Johansson performing at the Ilosaarirock 2009 festival Background information Born November 2, 1963 Stockholm, Sweden Power metal, heavy metal, progressive metal Musician Keyboards 1982present

Genres Occupations Instruments Years active

Associated acts Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Dio, Stratovarius, Johansson (The Johansson Brothers), HammerFall Website www.panix.com/~jens [1]

Jens Ola Johansson[2] (born November 2, 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish power metal keyboardist and pianist. He is notable for his high-speed neoclassical and fusion style.

Biography
Johansson is son of Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson and brother of the heavy metal drummer Anders Johansson. He is highly influenced by classic Rock keyboardists like Don Airey, Eddie Jobson and Jon Lord.[3] In 1982, the classically trained Johansson left the jazz fusion band Slem and joined the Swedish metal band Silver Mountain, which also included Anders. In 1983 he left Sweden for California and joined guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen as a member of his band, Rising Force. Numerous records and world tours ensued and he stayed with Yngwie until 1989. Johansson also played with the band Dio between 1989 and 1990. Like Anders, he began an ongoing collaboration with Jonas Hellborg in 1989 which has resulted in several progressive and avant-garde recordings, including Dissident, Silent Run (an acoustic piano trio record with Ginger Baker on drums) and the hard core progressive fusion record, E. In 1993, Johansson co-founded a progressive blues metal project, The Johansson Brothers, and recorded a self-titled record. In 1996, with a different line-up, they recorded another album, Sonic Winter, this time under the name "Johansson", with Yngwie Malmsteen guesting on guitar. The last Johansson record, The Last Viking, a more

Jens Johansson "European metal" oriented album, was released in 1999 with special guests Michael Romeo and Gran Edman. Johansson has released several instrumental solo records such as Fjderlsa Tvfotingar, Ten Seasons (a piano solo album improvised in the Mark Kostabi gallery, New York), Heavy Machinery (with Anders and Allan Holdsworth) and Fission (with Anders, Shawn Lane and Mike Stern) and many collaborations with other artists, metal compilations and Berends Brothers' band Mastermind. He co-founded Heptagon Records to distribute his own recordings and that of other musicians, such as guitarist Benny Jansson and bassist Magnus Rosn. Johansson auditioned for Dream Theater after Kevin Moore left the band in 1994[4] but due to many delays by the band in making a decision he instead joined Finnish Power metal band Stratovarius. Since 1995 he has remained in Stratovarius, and still releasing solo albums and appearing as a guest or session musician in other projects. Jens is a self-confessed computer nerd, admitting to have started on an Atari ST (which he still owns), and having coded software in C, as well as his own website in Perl.[5]

Gear
He has used many types of keyboards and synthesizers throughout his career. Amongst his favourites are the Korg Polysix, Yamaha DX7 (from the Rising Force times to present), the Oberheim Matrix Series and the Roland JV-1080 sound module. Johansson is also fond of the Hammond Organ and has used Kurzweil synthesizers. Johansson is a computer fan and long-time Steinberg programs user (like Cubase). An example of his interest in computers is his record Fission, which is replete with special effects and sound experimentations. For his famous lead sound he uses a Morley JD-10 amp simulator as distortion.

Studio albums
Title Silver Mountain: Shakin' Brains Yngwie Malmsteen: Rising Force Yngwie Malmsteen: Marching Out Yngwie Malmsteen: Trilogy Erik Borelius: Fantasy Yngwie Malmsteen: Odyssey Yngwie Malmsteen: Trial By Fire Dio: Lock Up the Wolves Deadline: Dissident Stephen Ross: Midnight Drive Anders Johansson: Shu-Tka Ginger Baker: Unseen Rain RAF: Ode To A Tractor Shining Path: No Other World Jonas Hellborg Group: E Snake Charmer: Smoke And Mirrors Dave Nerge's Bulldog: The Return Of Mr. Nasty Robert Blennerhed: Seven Shrapnel Records Polydor Polydor Warner Bros. Records Polydor Polydor Polydor Label Year 1983 1984 1985 1986 1988 1988 1989 1990 1991 1991 1992 1992 1992 1992 1993 1993 1994 1994

Jens Johansson

3
1994 1994 1996 1996 1997 1997 1998 1998 InsideOut Records 1998 1998 1999 1999 InsideOut Records 2000 2001 2001 2001 Magna Carta Records 2002 2002 2002 2003 2003 Spinefarm Records Black Listed Records 2003 2004 2004 Steamhammer Records 2005 2009 Noise Records Noise Records Noise Records Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast Sanctuary Edel Music 1996 1997 1998 2000 2003 2003 2005 2009 2010 Edel Music 2011

Smoke On The Water - A Tribute Tony MacAlpine: Premonition Anders Johansson, Jens Johansson and Allan Holdsworth: Heavy Machinery Yngwie Malmsteen: Inspiration Anders Johansson: Red Shift The Johansson Brothers: Sonic Winter It-Saksa: Let's Kompromise Snake Charmer: Backyard Boogaloo Mastermind: Excelsior Jens Johansson: Fission Benny Jansson: Flume Ride The Johansson Brothers: The Last Viking Mastermind: Angels Of The Apocalypse Einstein: Einstein Too La Leyenda Continua - Tributo A Rata Blanca Silver Mountain: Breakin' Chains Andy West With Rama: Rama 1 Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One: Space Metal Benny Jansson: Save The World Aina: Days Of Rising Doom Barilari Sonata Arctica: Winterheart's Guild Mastermind: To The World Beyond Spastic Ink: Ink Compatible Kamelot: The Black Halo HammerFall: No Sacrifice, No Victory Stratovarius: Episode Stratovarius: Visions Stratovarius: Destiny Stratovarius: Infinite Stratovarius: Elements, Pt. 1 Stratovarius: Elements, Pt. 2 Stratovarius: Stratovarius Stratovarius: Polaris Avantasia: Angel Of Babylon Stratovarius: Elysium

Jens Johansson

Related links
Jens Johansson's Homepage [1] Heptagon Records [6] Stratovarius Homepage [7]

References
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] http:/ / www. panix. com/ ~jens/ http:/ / c1. ac-images. myspacecdn. com/ images01/ 104/ l_5849e444d739de8d31c351cefae66c9c. jpg http:/ / dmme. net/ interviews/ johansson. html | Influence Jens Johansson's Homepage - Interviews (http:/ / www. panix. com/ ~jens/ interviews. par?HILITE_Dream-Theater#HED_TAG_2) Jens Johansson - Programming (http:/ / www. panix. com/ ~jens/ comp. par) http:/ / www. heptagon. se http:/ / www. stratovarius. com

(http://dmme.net/interviews/johansson.html) Jens interview in 2001. Some text taken from the 'Heavy Machinery' album booklet and Jens Homepage.

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Jens Johansson Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=458990959 Contributors: Acroterion, Aeternus, Agent 86, Agnte, Amberrock, Aussie Ausborn, Barbara Johanna, Betacommand, Bobo192, Bornintheguz, Bunnyhop11, Caiaffa, Ceyockey, Colomero, CommonsDelinker, CorreXDa, Cricket02, D6, DeLarge, Death2, Deconstructhis, DimhoLt, Elrith, FMAFan1990, Fair Deal, Fhhf, Fluffernutter, Fratrep, Gargaj, Gasheadsteve, GreatWhiteNortherner, GregMinton, Gringo300, Gwernol, Harmoniced, ITshnik, Imagery, Irongoxi, J04n, Jannex, Jens Johansson, Jobe6, Joolz, Jwoodger, Kl4m, Koavf, Krash, Lolknuth, MBA77, Mac Dreamstate, Mak17f, Martarius, MartinDK, Mattbr, Mike Selinker, Mikinator, Mintleaf, Neo139, Nocturneofsilence, Offski, Pax:Vobiscum, Platypuspus, Preston67, Proudkin, Robbinhood.92, Rock Soldier, SWAdair, Scripteeze, Shadowjams, ShelfSkewed, Slysplace, Snowmanradio, Someguy1221, Stratovariusfan664, Synastikki, Tassedethe, Tecnoir, Teevee, Twsx, Unyoyega, Victor Lopes, Wiki libs, Woohookitty, Xfile420, Xnux, Xymmax, Yuletide, 155 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Jens Johansson - Ilosaarirock 2009.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Jens_Johansson_-_Ilosaarirock_2009.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Tuomas Vitikainen

License
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