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
Fake A Friend
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know that's just another bad excuse
Even if I don't approve of what you might demand
I still appreciate to hear the truth
I've heard a thousand lies during my lifetime
From people who don't dare to just attack
But I prefer to see some sort of life sign
Fake a smile and make it
Shake a hand and make pretend that I'm a friend
Your main objective is to stay afloat
That's why you always try and play it safe
You're so scared of sinking every time you rock the boat
And that's why you never look me in the face
You try to be someone that I've accepted
And that's the reason why you don't fit in
I can't talk to someone who's unable to object
And That's why the conversations growing thin
The lyrics to Clawfinger's song Fake A Friend describe the frustration of the singer towards someone who is not being honest with them. The singer is tired of people making excuses and lying to them instead of just voicing their concerns. The singer values honesty even if they don't necessarily agree with the other person's demands. They have heard countless lies in their lifetime and they would rather see some sort of life sign instead of having people continuously pat them on the back.
The chorus of the song talks about how the other person is fake and pretends to be a friend. They fake a smile, shake hands, and pretend to be friendly all in an effort to stay afloat and play it safe. The singer can see through this behavior and knows that the other person is scared of rocking the boat and sinking. The singer cannot communicate with someone who is unable to object and that's why their conversations are growing thin.
Overall, the song describes the frustration and disappointment of the singer towards someone who is being fake and dishonest. The singer values honesty and sees through the other person's facade, resulting in a strained relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't tell me I wouldn't understand
Don't use an easy excuse to keep things from me
You know that's just another bad excuse
You are deceiving me with a bad excuse
Even if I don't approve of what you might demand
I may not agree, but tell me your needs anyway
I still appreciate to hear the truth
I value honesty over lies
I've heard a thousand lies during my lifetime
I have been lied to many times before
From people who don't dare to just attack
People who are too afraid to be direct
But I prefer to see some sort of life sign
I want to see genuine emotion, even if it's negative
Rather than have people pat me on the back
I don't want people to flatter me insincerely
Fake a smile and make it
Act happy, even if you're not
Shake a hand and make pretend that I'm a friend
Pretend to be friendly, even if you're not
Your main objective is to stay afloat
You prioritize survival over honesty
That's why you always try and play it safe
You avoid risks to protect yourself
You're so scared of sinking every time you rock the boat
You're too afraid to risk failure, even in small ways
And that's why you never look me in the face
You're afraid I might see the truth about you
You try to be someone that I've accepted
You pretend to be the person you think I want you to be
And that's the reason why you don't fit in
You're not genuine, so you don't belong
I can't talk to someone who's unable to object
I need someone who can express their opinions
And That's why the conversations growing thin
Our conversations lack depth because of your insincerity
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARD SVERRE TORSTENSEN, ERLEND OTTEM, JOCKE SKOG, ZAK NIKOLAS TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andreas Maurer
perfect song if you had a kind of bad day...
Crank it up, if you can (-;