Notable for their eclectic musical style as much as for wearing large bear heads,
Teddybears were formed in Sweden in the early '90s. Although the group -- whose members also direct videos, short films, and commercials -- takes on a variety of genres including electronic, dance, rock, and reggae,
Teddybears' original incarnation was as a grindcore band. Members
Patrik Arve and
Joakim Åhlund (who is also guitarist for
the Caesars) had met in art school in Stockholm, soon adding
Åhlund's brother
Klas on guitar. As a defiance against typical grindcore band names, the group switched its first name
Skull to
Teddybears, named after a band from the 1950s featuring
Phil Spector. After
Teddybears' drummer left and having issued two albums, the other members found dependence on drum machines, guitars, and vocoders. The result was the electronic-leaning
Rock 'n' Roll Highschool in 2000, followed by
Fresh in 2005. Signing on with Atlantic, the band's first U.S. release,
Soft Machine, came out in September 2006 and featured guests
Iggy Pop,
Annie,
Neneh Cherry,
Mad Cobra, and
Ebbot Lundberg of
the Soundtrack of Our Lives. ~ Kenyon Hopkin, All Music Guide