Biography
Conny Bloom aka Conny Blomqvist - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin
Producer – Jimi Sumén, Niclas Flyckt, Rolene
Vocals, Bass – Andy Christell
Vocals, Guitar – Gyp Casino
Drums – Ben Tell
Roadrats (pre-Rolene)
Roadrats was a Swedish rock band that was active from 1983 to 1984. After a few member changes and extensive touring group changed its name to Rolene and recorded an LP.
Roadrats was founded in 1983 by drummer Gyp Casino (eg. Jesper Spur ex.Hanoi Rocks), who dropped out of Rex the Rox, and childhood friends guitarist Conny Blomqvist (later Conny Bloom) and bassist Andy Christell, none of them over 20 years old at the time.
Christell retired yet from cooperation fairly quickly and was replaced by Dan Lagerstedt, who was about to leave the glam rock group, Easy Action.
Roadrats focused from the outset on the Finnish market, as Gyp thought there was a bigger audience for that kind of straight rock band playing there.
In Finland Roadrats were, also in 1984, a popular band, even though they were relatively unknown in Sweden. The group also issued two singles for a Finnish record label.
The band has been described as an edgy and catchy power trio. Roadrats toured Finland, among others, with Hanoi Rocks and Europe.
Rolene
The idea was that Roadrats would give out an LP, but the group disbanded in late 1984. It meant that Gyp and Blomqvist again converged with Christell to found Rolene.
Rolene was a poppier version of Roadrats and members focused more on the Swedish market. Gyp had become tired of sitting behind the drums and switched to guitar and vocals.
Anders Bentell came instead in to play drums.
The group also got a record deal with Swedish Pyramid.
In 1985 they released two singles, "Rollin 'with Rolene / Boys Talk" and "Wouldn` t You Like To Know Me / Beep Beep Yeah".
In the beginning of 1986 Rolene released their first and only full-length album, Rollin' With Rolene.
The album sold poorly, and the group still didn't manage to break through in Sweden (although they still had a large fan base in Finland), and disbanded in spring 1986.
Conny Bloom has since played in Electric Boys and the reformed Hanoi Rocks.
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