Matadorerne

(English Translation: The Matadors)

Danish - Beat-Group

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1964 - 1967

Brief Biography

Formed in Copenhagen in January 1964

Various Members - over the years

Tommy "P" Petersen (lead-vocal, organ)

Johnny Bjørn (organ)

Freddy Andreasen (lead-guitar)

Johnny Axkjær (lead-guitar)

Bobby Winston (lead-vocal, lead-guitar)

Ulrik Hansen (lead-guitar)

Freddie Kademann (bass-guitar)

Tommy »Bas« Petersen (bass-guitar)

Frank Sveidahl (lead-vocal, bass guitar)

Per Stockmar (drums)

Jan Jerichau (drums)

Irving Waldorf (drums)

Matadorerne They had their debut as a backing group for Lecia & Lucienne at a gig at Folkets Hus in January 1964. They originally played rock 'n' roll and recorded instrumental numbers, but quickly added more beat influenced material to their repertoire. In march 1964 Stockmar left the band and was replaced by Jan Jerichau.

In Mar/Apr of the same year the Swede Bobby Winston replaced Andreasen. With Winston as a lead vocalist they recorded Memphis Tennessee. During a tour in Germany in the summer of 1964 Matadorerne had a small hit with the song, which meant that the band re-recorded the song with Tommy P singing in German. They also performed on German television. The collaboration with Winston didn’t last very long though, and Andreasen returned. In Apr. 1965 the band was re-organized with Tommy "P" as the only original member and a new support line-up: Irving Waldorf, Johnny Axkjær & Tommy "Bas" Petersen.

This version of the band recorded the Tommy "P" penned number “My Situation”, which has grown into a Danish beat-classic. The song was used the next year in the Knud Leif Thomsen's movie “GIFT”. In the summer of 1965 Axkjær and “Bas” Petersen left the band and were replaced by Frank Sveidahl & Ulrik Hansen.

Matadorerne had great success with this line-up, in no small part due to the soundtracks to the ”FREDE” movies, and a beat version of another popular Danish song popular at the time. At the same time Matadorerne worked hard to fill an album with songs, instead of just a hit single and a few B-sides. Their debut album was influenced by the soul-jazz of Ray Charles and Jimmy McGriffs organ. Their next LP showed more personality, but less raw strength. In October 1966 Tommy "P" left the band to form Tommy P's Studio Group.

Johnny Bjørn stepped in as a replacement, and the group changed musical direction into a more personal and progressive style, influenced among others by Graham Bond.

Matadorerne disbanded in the spring of 1967 mainly due to their lack of success. Sveidahl and Waldorf carried on with the Immigrants and Ulrik Hansen with Flemming Sørensen's "Page One", together with among others Tommy “Bas” Petersen. Johnny Bjørn appeared in 1984 as one of the musicians behind a comeback attempt from Sørensen.

Matadorerne have played thru-out the nineties in their old sixties-style with Irving Waldorf and Ulrik Hansen as the only original members. Waldorf runs his own company, specializing in selling car-tyres and rims. Sveidahl passed away in the early seventies due to drug abuse. Bjørn was a member of Solvognen for many years, in 2005 he was the organ-player in the church of Damsholt, and a member of Bogø Blues Band.

In 1965 a deal was made with Hanne Nielsen to record a couple of singles. With Matadorerne as a backing-group they recorded, ”Little Country Girl” and ”Train Of Love. Hanne also worked with other Danish bands and she toured Greenland with Sir Henry in 1970, perhaps because it was a requirement at the time that Danish bands performing at the military bases at Greenland had to bring with them a singer and a go-go dancer. Seriously, they really had to do that, the poor guys all isolated in the army up there had to look at something nice.

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This original Danish text of the above biography and a full discography can be found at http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/mccartney/95/dkmat.htm