The latest Rockhopper playlist is curated by a special guest, Pete, the lead singer and guitarist of Dharma Guns.Through Pete’s playlist, we get a glimpse into what Dharma Guns, who just released their debut album Ex-Generation Superstars, is made of.
Below, Pete shares the background of the tracks and their influence on Dharma Guns’ music!
This journey is not one to miss!
In Pete’s convertible, we get to cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway, driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles!
More information about Presshopper playlists at the bottom of the page.
Hit play on the Rockhopper playlist from here.
And take along Pete’s travel guide from here:
Gotta Get Some Action
The imagery of Scandinavian action rock takes us back to the turn of the millennium, the era of flame-print underwear, eight-balls, and chain wallets. CDs had replaced vinyl, and grunge was a thing of the past. Rock was fun again, and shabby thrift-store sweaters had been swapped for leather and tight denim. The roots of action rock lie in (proto-)punk and ’80s hard rock, but echoes of grunge can also be heard, particularly in the rawer albums’ soundscapes and guitar riffs. My band, Dharma Guns, represents a sort of revival of action rock in 2024. The following playlist spans a wide timeline of influences that shaped our band.
1. Demolition 23: Hammersmith Palais
A track and an album that were either ahead of their time – or hopelessly behind it. They embodied action rock perfectly even before the genre was named at the turn of the millennium. Their ’90s gigs left an indelible mark on me, something few artists manage to achieve. While much of the album consists of covers from two decades earlier, the brightest gem is Monroe’s own ”Hammersmith Palais,” whose chorus remains a crowd favorite at his concerts.
2. The Hellacopters: (Gotta Get Some Action) Now!
The song that kickstarted the proper action rock era and became the genre’s anthem. The Supershitty to the Max album, with its rawness and quick creation process, was a crucial reference point when we began crafting Dharma Guns’ debut.
3. D-A-D: Bad Craziness
The godfathers of Scandinavian action rock, Denmark’s answer to Eppu Normaali, and a band beloved by all rockers. While their material is uneven, there are gems on every album.
4. MC5: Heavy Lifting
A hugely important band for me in many ways. I wanted to include a track from the posthumously released album that Wayne Kramer worked on before his passing. It’s been on heavy rotation for me lately. While you can’t compare it to their old classics, this opening track could easily have been on High Time.
5. The Stooges: Gimme Danger
A song I’ve tried to write myself a few times, but the result is always something entirely different. The latest attempt can be heard on Dharma Guns’ song ”The Vipers”. Iggy’s actions have served as some sort of guideline in my life anyway. One moment from Jim Jarmusch’s Gimme Danger documentary has stuck vividly in my mind: when Iggy is asked, ”Do you think you’ve influenced anybody?”, and the man replies, ”I think I helped wipe out the 60’s.”
6. Dharma Guns: The Vipers
Nightmares, night of the lizards… A chord progression in E that came to life while I was strumming ”Gimme Danger.” The end result diverged entirely from its inspiration, but I’m happy with it.
7. Guns N’ Roses: It’s So Easy
If you’re discussing action rock without mentioning the influence of Guns N’ Roses, you don’t know the genre. While ”It’s So Easy” isn’t one of their biggest hits, it’s always been one of their strongest songs for me. Axl’s low-pitched vocals in the verse have a killer tone.
8. Nirvana: Breed
Listen to how seamlessly this song fits into the list. Punk, grunge, action rock, sleaze rock, hard rock… the lines blur, depending on the band. Dharma Guns has played this as the closing track of our live sets, and it works brilliantly!
9. Smack: Criminal
Almost any Smack song from their first two albums could make this list, but let’s go with ”Criminal.” This band was grunge before grunge and epitomizes the Finnish term ”katurock” (street rock) – a nod to the overlapping genres mentioned above.
10. Sweatmaster: I Am a Demon And I Love Rock’n’Roll
One of the best domestic bands in the action rock category at the turn of the millennium, alongside the Flaming Sideburns. Sweatmaster’s signature stop-go riffs are so ingrained that any similar guitar lick gets labeled ”Sweatmaster” as a working title. Fantastic that they’re back playing live again!
11. Dead Boys: Sonic Reducer
Big Bang! Primal energy! One of the most important rock tracks ever. It belongs on every playlist.
12. Turbonegro: Denim Demon
You can’t discuss action rock without mentioning Turbonegro. A brilliant band and the crown jewel of their genre.
13. L7: Shitlist
I saw L7 live this summer, and if any band oozes action, it’s L7. Groovy power chord riffs and a commanding vocal presence. This is the second Seattle-era entry on this list, highlighting the shared roots of grunge and action rock.
14. Johnny Thunders: You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory
Demolition 23 introduced me to several older punk bands. This song, however, struck me hard via Michael Monroe’s debut solo album Nights Are So Long (1987). Raw and beautiful at the same time.
15. Backyard Babies: Ghetto You
The walking rock clichés from Sweden released Total 13, a flawless product of its era. Twenty odd years ago this irresistible earworm stood out to me the most from thirteen diamond tracks.
16. U.K. Subs: Endangered Species
This track offers a perspective on human folly that I’ve always appreciated. Dharma Guns’ next album lyrics might lean in this direction. An iconic punk anthem!
17. The Empire Strikes: Children of the Sun
A more recent discovery that made my summer jogging playlist. Dubbed Finland’s most Swedish band, and I won’t argue: strong Hellacopters vibes yet unmistakably their own sound. Great songs, solid lyrics, fantastic vocalist. I’d love to tour with them.
18. Duff McKagan: Longfeather
McKagan’s solo album Lighthouse is fantastic! The first couple of tracks are the kind that make you imagine blasting them in a convertible along the Pacific Coast Highway. Dharma Guns’ tricky third album might end up sounding like this.
19. Hanoi Rocks: Mental Beat
Hanoi Rocks is the most important band to me ever, so narrowing it down was tough. I settled on this track because it features the kind of chaos we referenced for the monkey-chant-like section in the c-part of Dharma Guns’ self-titled song.
20. Dharma Guns: Dharma Guns
The essence of our existence distilled into this album-ending track. The guitar riff transports you to Sweden, and the lyrics explain our band’s name. The chorus is a drunken singalong delight, much like the Demolition 23 classic that opened this list. Chain wallets jingle, flame-printed underwear burns, and the sweaty scent of the early 2000s fills the air.
Presshopper playlists: Rockhopper | Punkhopper | HipHopper | Indie Popper
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