The band's origin dates back to the summer of 1989 when Zak Tell and Jocke Skog met while working together at the Rosenlund Hospital somewhere in the vicinity of Stockholm. In 1990 they were joined by the Norwegian guitarists Bård Torstensen and Erlend Ottem who were also working at the same hospital. Soon the four realized their similar interests in music. Bård and Erlend previously played in a band called Theo in their hometown Arendal back in Norway. Their free time was invested in exploring the musical world, composing and writing songs while evolving into a band.
Their original demo comprising three tracks (Waste of Time, Nigger and Profit Preacher) quickly secured them local radio airplay and consequently brought them to the attention of the MVG label. "Nigger" is an anti-racism statement that caused quite a stir and was a massive success; it was also released as a single. By the beginning of the 1990s, Clawfinger self-released their debut Deaf Dumb Blind. This sold in over 600,000 copies worldwide and was critically acclaimed in Swedish press. With the addition of André Skaug and drummer Morten Skaug, Clawfinger went on tour and played at countless European festivals including major support slots with Anthrax and Alice in Chains.
The band received many awards, including two home Grammies at the Swedish Grammy Awards in 1994 for best hard rock band and best music video. After touring, they went straight back in the studio to record their second album, Use Your Brain. After the release of this album they went on yet another touring campaign, most notably participating at Ozzy Osbourne's Monsters of Rock Festival in Brazil and Chile, rocking alongside American metal counterparts like Megadeth, Faith No More, and Alice Cooper. Back in Europe they continued their touring campaign by participating at festivals and countless gigs.
Their self-titled album Clawfinger was released in 1997. The first song on the album is Two Sides, which expanded the band's reach by using female choir vocals and a Middle Eastern sound. The rest of the album continues with the band's typical aggressive voice and socio-political lyrics.
A Whole Lot of Nothing was the fourth album released on 23 July 2001. The music showcases the same aggressive guitars, with more distortion effects and sounds, adding a whole new level of diversification. As for the synthesizers, on this particular album they're more present than on any other of Clawfinger's works.
Zeros & Heroes was released in 2003 and it caused controversy in America because the song Step Aside did not sit well with most American audiences due to the fact it slams George W. Bush and the post 9/11 (and not only) military politics of the US. It offers yet another style change for the ears of the listener. The electronic sound and synthesizers from A Whole Lot of Nothing are gone and replaced by a more complex and melodic guitar riffing.
Hate Yourself With Style was released in 2005. The album continued the path entered on Zeros & Heroes and is characterized by hardrock style melodic speedy guitar riffs. The keyboards which particularly characterized A Whole Lot of Nothing have completely disappeared.
Life Will Kill You was released in 2007. It has spawned three singles: Prisoners, The Price We Pay, and Little Baby.
The band officially disbanded in 23 August 2013.
Current members:
Zak Tell — vocals
Jocke Skog — keyboards
Bard Torstensen — guitar
Henka Johansson — drums
Andre Skaug — bass
15 Minutes Of Fame
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I suppose you wanna go where the incrowd goes
And know everything the in crowd knows,
Saying everything right,
You keep you image tight with everyone you meet and greet
But the truth of it all is
That it's easy to fall if you can't stand on your own fucking feet
You haven't noticed that your nose is brown,
Well you're the clown of the town
But you think you're going up well I can promise you you're going down,
So stop wasting your time becos you're way out of line,
It's all imaginary fame,
You're not wearing a crown
And the only place you'll ever be famous in is in your own brain
fifteen minutes of being famous
A whole lifetime of being aimless
Fifteen minutes of being famous You're on your way to fame
A whole lifetime of being aimless you've made yourself a name
Someone always has to lose his seat so that somebody else can win,
And I really don't think that you're smart enough
To understand which seat you're in,
You can't win If you're not strong enough to stand for something
'cause' someone else will stand on you,
No matter what you do all you're ever gonna be
Is just another ass that they can screw
fifteen minutes of being famous You're on your way to fame
A whole lifetime of being aimless you've made yourself a name
Fifteen minutes of being famous the spotlight is aimed at you
A whole lifetime of being aimless and then it's somebody new
You suck celebrity cock
So you can make it to the top you co-operate what ever the vice,
But when you reach the top all you can do is drop
And that's when you start paying the price,
It's paradise when you go from rags to wearing riches
Suddenly everyone is your friend,
But the money only talks while your legacy walks
And then you're back to wearing rags again.
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Clawfinger's "11 Minutes of Fame" is an insightful commentary on the world of fame and celebrity. The track suggests that those who strive for fame often end up losing their own identity in the process, becoming willing puppets who go with the flow and follow the trends popularized by the "incrowd." The lyrics state that the illusion of fame is easy to fall for, and it's simple to succumb to the guise of image management and the pressure to become well-liked by everyone.
The song also highlights the fickle nature of the entertainment industry, pointing out that the only guarantee for those who gain fame is that it will eventually fade away. The track questions the authenticity of fame in the first place, describing the entire system as "imaginary fame" that does nothing to better one's life in the long run. The song suggests that people should focus more on building their character and living life on their terms rather than striving to be someone else entirely.
In conclusion, Clawfinger's "11 Minutes of Fame" is a thought-provoking commentary on the absurdity of fame and celebrity culture. The song urges listeners not to buy into the propaganda of fame and instead encourages them to find value in their own identity and the things that genuinely matter.
Line by Line Meaning
Any way the wind seems to blow is where you always end up turning your nose,
You're easily influenced by others and always follow the crowd.
Well I suppose you wanna go where the incrowd goes
You want to be part of the popular crowd.
And know everything the in crowd knows,
You want to be in the know about everything the popular people know.
Saying everything right,
You always say the right thing to impress others.
You keep you image tight with everyone you meet and greet
You maintain a perfect image to everyone you meet.
But the truth of it all is
However, the reality is,
That it's easy to fall if you can't stand on your own fucking feet
It's easy to fail if you rely solely on others and don't have the strength to stand on your own.
You're so busy kissing everyone's ass
You're too focused on pleasing everyone.
You haven't noticed that your nose is brown,
You haven't realized that you're being insincere and fake.
Well you're the clown of the town
You're the laughingstock of your community.
But you think you're going up well I can promise you you're going down,
You think you're on the rise, but actually, you're bound to fall.
So stop wasting your time becos you're way out of line,
Stop wasting your time trying to be someone you're not.
It's all imaginary fame,
The fame you're pursuing is not real or lasting.
You're not wearing a crown
You're not really a king or queen.
And the only place you'll ever be famous in is in your own brain
The only place you'll be famous is in your own imagination.
fifteen minutes of being famous
You'll only have a brief moment of fame.
A whole lifetime of being aimless
But you'll spend your whole life feeling lost and purposeless.
You're on your way to fame
You're on the path to fame, but it won't last long.
you've made yourself a name
You've established a reputation for yourself.
the spotlight is aimed at you
You're the center of attention and all eyes are on you.
and then it's somebody new
But soon, someone else will take your place as the new popular person.
Someone always has to lose his seat so that somebody else can win,
Someone always has to give up their place in the spotlight for someone else to take it.
And I really don't think that you're smart enough
However, I don't think you're intelligent enough,
To understand which seat you're in,
To realize you're not the one in control or in the most important position.
You can't win If you're not strong enough to stand for something
You won't succeed if you don't have the strength to stand up for what you believe in.
'cause' someone else will stand on you,
If you don't stand up for yourself, someone else will walk all over you.
No matter what you do all you're ever gonna be
Regardless of what you do, you'll really just be
Is just another ass that they can screw
Someone that people can manipulate and take advantage of.
You suck celebrity cock
You're willing to do anything to gain fame and attention from celebrities.
So you can make it to the top you co-operate what ever the vice,
You're willing to go along with anything, even if it's not morally right, to become successful.
But when you reach the top all you can do is drop
But once you become successful, you'll inevitably fail or experience a downfall.
And that's when you start paying the price,
And that's when you face the consequences of your actions.
It's paradise when you go from rags to wearing riches
It can seem amazing when you move from financial struggles to wealth and luxury.
Suddenly everyone is your friend,
But only because of your newfound success and money.
But the money only talks while your legacy walks
However, money and material possessions won't be enough to leave a lasting impact on the world.
And then you're back to wearing rags again.
Eventually, you'll lose your wealth and go back to a state of financial struggle.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARD SVERRE TORSTENSEN, ERLEND OTTEM, JOCKE SKOG, ZAK NIKOLAS TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind