The Negatives

The Negatives

The Negatives are a Swedish punk group from Landskrona, formed in 1999. Their music is described as punk rock rooted in a straightforward, back-to-basics approach, and the band’s own material is presented as strongly connected to old-fashioned punk traditions.

Formation and early years

The band comes together in 1999 after the members discuss starting a punk band, having raised the idea several times before while out drinking. Several members have played together in earlier groups, including Existenz, The Bristles and Skalatones. In the same year, the band records seven songs for two demo releases, Punkrock Revolution and The Negatives. Both demos appear in 2000 and are sent to fanzines, magazines, radio stations and record companies, where they receive a strong response.

Recordings and releases

In 2001, The Negatives play live shows, including support for The Business, and appear on compilation albums while also being covered in fanzines and webzines. That year they are nominated for “Demo Band Of The Year 2000” in Sweden’s Close-Up magazine. In March 2001, they record the three-song demo Riots In The Suburbs. After a line-up change, vocalist Fredde leaves and the band brings in Jyrki, formerly the vocalist of Existenz. Later in 2001, they record two new songs that are issued as a split single with the German band Electric Hellclub, released on Trash 2001 Records in both CD and picture 7-inch formats.

Their debut album, Rules And Regulations, is recorded in Bottrop, Germany in March 2002 and released later that year on Trash 2001 Records. In late 2004, the band signs with Berlin label Core Tex/Bad Dog Records. Their album No Truth - No Justice follows in 2005, with a vinyl version issued by Trash 2001 Records. The record contains 12 punk rock songs.

Line-up

By the mid-2000s, the band includes Jyrki on vocals and Svegis on guitar, both present since the first record. Nasty joins on bass in 2006, becoming the third member in the band with Finnish roots. Drummer Harri joins in early 2005. The group returns to a four-piece line-up with one guitar, bass, drums and vocals.

Style and background

The Negatives draw their inspiration from traditional punk rock and present themselves as a band focused on playing direct, raw music. Their material is associated with punk, Oi, street punk and punk rock.