Birth name Matz Robert Eriksson Role Drummer Name Matz Eriksson | Years active 1988 - present | |
Also known as Robert Hellacopter, Bruce Lee Hellacopter, Rockanimal Instruments Drums, percussion, vocals Labels Psychout Records, Mans Ruin Records, Sub Pop Records, Lookout! Records, Sweet Nothing Records, Universal Music, White Jazz Records, Gearhead Records, Bang!, Polar Music International, Bad Afro Records, Liqour and Poker Music, Wild Kingdom. Bootleg Booze Records Music groups The Hellacopters (1994 – 2008), Fernandoz (2002 – 2003) Genres Garage rock, Rock music, Garage punk, Punk rock, Power pop Albums Cream of the Crap Vol 2, Supershitty to the Max!, Grande Rock, High Visibility, Air Raid Serenades Similar People Kenny Hakansson, Nicke Andersson, Robert Dahlqvist, Anders Lindstrom, Dregen | ||
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter | ||
Matz Robert Eriksson or simple Robban as he is often called, is best known as the drummer of Swedish rock band The Hellacopters, who were active between 1994 and 2008. Eriksson is currently playing With his new band called Tramp and recently reunited Swedish punk band Strindbergs.
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Early life and career
Eriksson was born in Eskilstuna and moved a few years later to Edsbyn. He got his first drumkit at the age of 13 but didn't get a hi-hat or a cymbal until the next year when he had saved up enough money. Eriksson soon started discovering bands and artists such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Hep Stars and The Spotnicks. Later he discovered bands such as Iron Maiden, Kiss and Saxon through a relative who worked at a Swedish booking agency. Soon Eriksson started playing drums in various punk, rock and metal bands and got to know Nicke Andersson the drummer of heavy metal band Entombed.
The Hellacopters
In 1994 Andersson approached him and offered him to play drums in his new band that he was forming with Dregen and childhood friend Kenny Håkansson. The Hellacopters went on to become one of the more important rock bands in the Nordic region and has released six albums with their own material, a cover album, two non album work compilations and a greatest hits album. The band has also toured all over the world and opened up for bands such as Kiss, The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top. In late 2007 the band announced their retirement after the release of Head Off a collection of their favorite songs recorded by the band. The band finished their with four shows in two days that were filmed and broadcast on the band's MySpace page, a double live album and a DVD is currently in the works.
Tramp
Eriksson is also working with his currently unsigned rock band Tramp, which features members from the Turpentines, Henry Fiat's Open Sore and Captain Murphy. The band is currently unsigned and have two songs released on their official MySpace, Eriksson describes the band's sound as more dramatic similar to early Alice Cooper records.
Other work
2003 Eriksson joined an all star lineup of Swedish rock musicians to pay tribute to The Nomads, the members of the band liked it so much that the Wild Kings as they called themselves, decided to start the monthly Wild Kingdom club. In 2004 Eriksson participated in a one-day project along with Dregen, (Backyard Babies), Måns P. Månsson (The Maggots) and Urkke T (Mary Slim). The band which named themselves Urkke T & the Midlife Crisis released Ask Not What You Can Do For Your Country... in 2004. Currently Eriksson is also working at a youth center that focuses on keeping young people away from drugs and crime and more involved with music. Recently Eriksson posted videos of himself playing a drumsolo on a drum set made of ice at the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi. Later this year Eriksson will perform with the recently reunited Swedish punkband Strindbergs.
Kit setup
Eriksson owns and uses a number of different drum kits, however his main kit consists of Pearl EXR drums with Sabian cymbals.