Kim Larsen

All Music Guide:

One of Danish rock's leading sellers and most respected artists, Kim Larsen came to prominence as a member of what many consider to be Denmark's greatest contribution to the rock canon, the '70s band Gasolin'. Born in Copenhagen on October 23, 1945, Larsen teamed up with Franz Beckerlee, Wili Jønsson, and Søren Berlev in 1969 as Gasolin'. The band would soon become the biggest thing in Danish pop/rock, releasing nine albums from 1971 to 1978, and keeping its legacy intact by refusing to regroup in any way, shape, or form -- outside of interviews and the like. Although Larsen did release a solo work in 1973, it was not until the breakup of Gasolin' that the Dane's solo career really got moving. Beginning in 1978, Larsen began releasing a steady stream of solo work that would find him equaling the sales tallies that his former group had roped in. His 1983 album, Midt Om Natten (Middle of the Night), became the biggest-selling album in that nation's history, with over 500,000 sold. In the late '80s, Larsen formed the first of his side bands, Kim Larsen & Bellami, which released four albums from 1986 to 1992. Larsen released another solo platter, Hvem Kan Sige Nej Til en Engel? (Who Can Say No to an Angel?), in 1994, before forming yet another Larsen-led band for 1996's Kim Larsen & Kjukken -- obviously the band shared the name of its first release. With Kjukken, Larsen issued a string of well-received work, including eight releases from 1996 to 2006's Gammel Hankat (Old Tomcat). In 2007, and keeping with Larsen's propensity for highly popular work in Denmark, Larsen & Kjukken released the number one live collection En Lille Pose Støj.

Wikipedia:

Kim Melius Flyvholm Larsen (born October 23, 1945 in Copenhagen) is a Danish rock musician.

Inspired by The Beatles and rock and roll, Larsen began as a songwriter and guitarist. In 1969 he met Franz Beckerlee and Wili Jønsson, and the three founded Gasolin' which, later joined by drummer Søren Berlev, became one of the most successful Danish rock bands. The band dissolved in the late 1970s and has always refused to reform although they remain very popular decades after their seventies heyday, which has contributed to their myth and magic. In 2006, the documentary movie Gasolin' directed by Anders Østergaard, gave the history of the band and became a big hit in Denmark.

In the 1970s, following trends found in North America and the United Kingdom, Danish popular music styles began to diverge and audiences fragment. Many rock musicians in Denmark began to compose music and texts that reflected more realistic Danish social settings and ideals. Danish musicologist Charlotte Rørdam Larsen states that in the 1970s, Danish groups such as Kim Larsen's Gasolin' gave Danish music a special Danish rhythm and significance, linguistically, if not wholly distinct musically from international styles.

Kim Larsen released a number of solo albums in the eighties, topping in 1983 with the album Midt om natten (In the Middle of the Night), which became the most sold Danish music album in history, with more than 532,000 copies sold. In 1986, he founded the band Kim Larsen & Bellami and released four albums until 1992, when the band broke up. He then released another solo album, Hvem kan sige nej til en engel (Who Can Say No To An Angel). In 1995, Larsen moved to Odense, the main city of the island of Funen, and found new success with his new band, Kim Larsen & Kjukken and the Swedish producer Max Lorentz.

Kim Larsen has had a number of successful album releases throughout the 80s, 90s and 00s and is possibly the most successful artist in Danish popular music history. As a solo artist, Larsen has sold approximately 3 million records, a remarkable feat considering Denmark's total population of approximately 5.4 million people (as of 2005). In the 2000s Larsen remains a top concert draw and continues to be very popular in Denmark and elsewhere in Scandinavia.

Protest singer

Larsen has many times voiced his opposition to the established society and instead advocated the right to be different from the mainstream: The album and movie Midt om natten revolves around this subject as does the album 231045-0637. The title for this last album is Kim Larsens social security number which is strictly personal. Larsen was against the big database of every citizen, implied by this title.

As a heavy smoker, he paid in August 2008 an advertising campaign which showed the text "Tillykke med rygeforbudet - Gesundheit macht frei !!!". The first sentence means "Congratulations on the smoking ban" in Danish, the second sentence means "health makes free" in German. Whilst smoking bans are allegedly not made to protect smokers, but non-smokers, Kim Larsen constructed a connection between smoking bans and such Nazi phrases as Arbeit macht frei.

Albums

Gasolin'

Note: Compilation and live records not included

Kim Larsen solo (1st period)

Kim Larsen & Bellami

Kim Larsen & Kjukken

PS Compilation albums not included

Kim Larsen solo (2nd period)