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= The Hawkins (Swedish rock band) = The Hawkins is an energetic, hard rocking band from Arboga, Sweden. This charismatic four-piece, founded in 2013, is considered to be one of Sweden’s most promising up and coming rock bands. Their full length debut album “Ain’t Rock n Roll” was released on the 6th of October 2017 on Gain/Sony Music. The Hawkins have taken their inspiration from the 60’s and 70’s and have mixed it up with a lot of punk energy and have thereby created their own unique blend of high energy rock, where their technical dexterity and energy never overshadow the songs and melodies.

Band Members
Johannes Carlsson: lead vocals/lead guitar

Mikael Thunborg: guitars/backing vocals

Albin Grill: drums/backing vocals

Martin Larsson: bass

Band Biography
The Hawkins is neither more – nor less – than four best friends who love to play music together. Their friendship is the key, which is easy to see both off and on stage. The band was founded on the 1st of March in 2013 and prior to that, the four members had played together in different bands since their early teens. “Ain’t Rock n Roll” has received praise in both Swedish and international rock magazines. The debut album has been called “A Swedish rock ‘n’ roll classic” and they have been compared to such bands as The Hellacopters and The Hives.

After the start in 2013, things happened rather quickly. Shortly after having recorded the first EP, “Part I – The Circus”, the band parted ways with the their first singer Ruben Hultman, and Johannes stepped up to the microphone and took over the singing duties as well, in edition to the lead guitars. “Part I – The Circus” was released in the summer of 2013, and the year after, in 2014, the EP:s “Part II – The Puppet Show” and “Guantanamo Bassline” were released, and the peak so far in many ways, was when the band won the contest to play at Sweden Rock Festival. They were chosen among the thousands of bands that applied from all over the world to play the festival in 2014. In november 2014 they signed with pekelof management. Early 2015 they started recording songs, for what eventually would be "Ain't Rock n Roll". Initially it was supposed to be a single, or an EP, but as the recordings continued, they felt that the time had come for a full length album and started looking for a record company to sign with. At the same time they continued playing live and recorded during weekends and whenever they had the time. The priority nevertheless was to make the best songs possible and not stress about getting signed. In 2016 the band invited some record labels to the show-case festival Live at Heart in Örebro. Magnus Lundbäck, founder and CEO at Gain, was one of the people who came and his reaction after having seen The Hawkins on stage for the first time was "It's been a long time since I was so totally blown away by a band live!", so after that negotiations for a record deal began.

In December 2016 the annual Swedish Radio event Musikhjälpen took place in Örebro. The theme that year was to raise awareness and money to make it possible for children around the world – even in countries at war – to go to school. Wanting to contribute to this, The Hawkins decided to release "Between the Lines" and to donate all proceeds from the song to the fight against trafficking. The song is based on the destiny of Lithuania n Danguolė Rasalaitė who was fooled into coming to Sweden and was held captured and exploited as a sex-slave until she committed suicide at the age of sixteen. The film Lilya 4-ever  by Swedish director Lukas Moodysson is based on her destiny.

In 2017 The Hawkins signed a record deal with Gain and the first single “Fuck You All I’m Outta Here” was released on the 12th of May. It reached Spotify's "Viral Top 50 Sweden" and has rotated on several radio stations. German OxMagazine's Guntram Pintgen stated that it was "the best anti-nazi song I've heard for years!" and he's far from the only one praising the song that has turned into one of the band's live anthems. Here is a short snippet of what it looked like at the release party for "Ain't Rock n Roll" when "Fuck You All I'm Outta Here" ended the whole concert. “Fuck You All I’m Outta Here” was followed by “Rat Race” (in June), “Shaking Ground” (in August) and "Perfect Son" a month later.

Touring
The Hawkins have played a lot of shows, ranging from the classic Swedish clubs to some of the biggest festivals, such as Sweden Rock, Peace & Love and Metallsvenskan. They have been the support act to such bands like Hardcore Superstar, Imperial State Electric, Freak Kitchen, Mustasch, Dan Reed Network, Hank of Sweden, Lillasyster, Heavy Tiger and Wolf to name but a few. This has enabled them to become a great live act and their energetic live shows are a trademark for the band.

Late 2016 they did a 10 date Russian tour that took them 3.200 kilometres from the far east Yekaterinburg, through some never-heard of Tundra countryside cities, to end it all in a blast in Moscow and St Petersburg. They have also toured Croatia and in the a Latvia n tour is coming ending 2017 with shows in Riga, Jelgava and finally Liepāja on New Year’s Eve.

Albums
“Ain’t Rock n Roll” – 2017, released on CD + Vinyl on Gain/Sony. Produced by Johannes Carlsson. Mixed by Raphaël Malenfant (Broil Audio). Mastered by Hans Olsson Brookes (Svenska Grammofonstudion Mastering).

EP:s
“Part I – The Circus” – 2013, released on Birdnest Records

“Part II – The Puppet Show” – 2014, released on Birdnest Records

“Guantanamo Bassline” – 2014, digital release on Birdnest Records

“Two Records in One” – 2016, compilation of “Part II – The Puppet Show” and “Guantanamo Bassline”, released on Birdnest Records

Singles
“Fuck You All I’m Outta Here” – 2017, digital release on Gain/Sony

“Rat Race” – 2017, digital release on Gain/Sony

“Shaking Ground” – 2017, digital release on Gain/Sony

“Perfect Son” – 2017, digital release on Gain/Sony

Links
Homepage: thehawkins.se

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/39t8rOgHVWtzD0782bDAjs

Instagram: http://instagram.com/thehawkinsband

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HawkinsTheBand

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thehawkinsband

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/se/artist/the-hawkins/id674326102

Management: pekelof management – https://www.facebook.com/Pekelofprod/

Booking: info@pekelof.se