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
The Cure & The Poison
Clawfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The release from all the tension
The biggest vice in my life and it adds a new dimension
It's the beauty and the beast
It's my fall and it's my saviour
A good excuse for self abuse that changes my behaviour
I love it and I loath it with a passion that's superior
It fucks with my emotions and it makes me feel inferior
That brings out my emotions and adds to the confusion
It's not a problem I can do just fine without it
But I wouldn't chance it that's the fucked up thing about it
It pulls me in and spits me out without a second warning
It puts me right out in the cold
While it's busy warming
It's a hopeless competition and there's no way I can win it
But I never tend to see the signs while I'm stuck right in it
I play the game and lose the game
There's no way to avoid it
'cos I'm too busy fucking up pretending I've enjoyed it
The cure and the poison
The loss and the gain
Escaping once again
The cause and solution
The pleasure and pain
All run through my veins
All I need is just one more I promise I'll be fine
It's really just a harmless way for me to kill some time
I'll sit back and lose my track and work hard on a case
It helps me blur out all the sharpest edges in this place
It always gets the best of me while being etnertaining
But in the end there's not a single ounce of sense remaining
I scrape myself up off the floor and mend the broken pieces
And do it all again - the vicious cycle never ceases
The cure and the poison
The loss and the gain
Escaping once again
The cause and solution
The pleasure and pain
All run through my veins
The lyrics of Clawfinger's song "The Cure & The Poison" describe the artist's relationship with addiction or with an unhealthy habit that has become a "payoff," "vice," and "savior." The artist acknowledges the destructive nature of the habit, which both "breaks" and "builds" them. They feel a "passion" for it, yet it also "fucks with [their] emotions" and "makes [them] feel inferior." The artist seems to recognize that they could "just fine without it," but still can't help being pulled in and taken over by the habit.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the dichotomy of the habit: it's both a "cure" and a "poison," a source of both "pleasure and pain," "loss and gain," and ultimately, it runs "through [their] veins."
The song is an introspective exploration of addiction, acknowledging its allure and power while also recognizing its negative effects. The artist seems to feel trapped in the cycle of addiction, unable to escape it entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the payoff the reward
It's the end game and the prize
The release from all the tension
A way to relieve stress and anxiety
The biggest vice in my life and it adds a new dimension
It's the biggest addiction in my life, and it gives me a different perspective on things
It's the beauty and the beast
It's both wonderful and dangerous
It's my fall and it's my saviour
It's both my downfall and a way to save myself
A good excuse for self abuse that changes my behaviour
A justification for self-harm that can alter the way I act
I love it and I loath it with a passion that's superior
I have strong, mixed emotions about it
It fucks with my emotions and it makes me feel inferior
It messes with my feelings and makes me feel inadequate
It breaks me down and then builds up a wonderful illusion
It first brings me down, but then creates a pleasant mirage
That brings out my emotions and adds to the confusion
It intensifies my emotions and increases the chaos
It's not a problem I can do just fine without it
I don't necessarily need it to function normally
But I wouldn't chance it that's the fucked up thing about it
But I'm still willing to take the risk, even though it's messed up
It pulls me in and spits me out without a second warning
It draws me in and throws me out unexpectedly
It puts me right out in the cold while it's busy warming
It leaves me out in the cold while it enjoys itself
It's a hopeless competition and there's no way I can win it
It's a futile competition that I can never win
But I never tend to see the signs while I'm stuck right in it
I never seem to notice the warning signs when I'm in the midst of it
I play the game and lose the game
I participate in the cycle, but always end up losing
There's no way to avoid it, 'cos I'm too busy fucking up pretending I've enjoyed it
I can't prevent it because I'm too busy pretending to enjoy it while messing up
All I need is just one more I promise I'll be fine
I think I just need one more to be okay with it
It's really just a harmless way for me to kill some time
It seems harmless, just a way to occupy myself
I'll sit back and lose my track and work hard on a case
I'll relax and lose focus while I work on a project
It helps me blur out all the sharpest edges in this place
It enables me to ignore the harsh reality of my surroundings
It always gets the best of me while being etnertaining
It takes control of me while also being enjoyable
But in the end there's not a single ounce of sense remaining
But ultimately, it doesn't make any logical sense
I scrape myself up off the floor and mend the broken pieces
I recover from the aftermath and try to fix the damage
And do it all again - the vicious cycle never ceases
Then repeat the whole thing, since the vicious cycle never ends
The cure and the poison
It's both the remedy and the toxin
The loss and the gain
Both losing and gaining
Escaping once again
Trying to escape again
The cause and solution
The cause and the solution
The pleasure and pain
Both pleasurable and painful
All run through my veins
All these feelings and emotions reside within me
Contributed by Peyton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.