Whale

Whale is a Swedish alternative rock group from Stockholm, active from 1993 to 1999. The line-up includes Cia Berg, Gordon Cyrus, Heikki Kiviaho, Jon Jefferson Klingberg, Henrik Schyffert, Tricky and Jörgen Wall. The group writes and performs in English and is associated with alternative dance and alternative rock, with a sound that also draws on grungy dance rock, funk and trip-hop.

Formation and early work

The group forms in Stockholm in the early 1990s around Henrik Schyffert, Cia Berg and Gordon Cyrus. Cia Berg is also known as Cia Soro. Whale becomes known for its first single, “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”, which appears in 1993 and becomes its best-known song. The track receives strong critical attention, heavy play in European dance clubs and broad rotation on MTV. It reaches the top 10 in Denmark and Norway, the top 30 in the Netherlands and Austria, the top 40 in Sweden, and number 24 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In Britain it reaches number 46 in 1994 and, after being reissued, number 15 in 1995.

Albums and touring

In 1995 Whale releases the mini-album Pay For Me and its debut album, We Care. We Care includes several appearances by Tricky and reaches number 42 on the British charts. The album does not produce another hit on the scale of “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”, although “I’ll Do Ya” also charts in Britain, reaching number 53. After opening for Blur on a North American tour, Gordon Cyrus leaves the group to start a hip-hop record company.

Later line-up and final release

After a break, Whale records its follow-up album, All Disco Dance Must End in Broken Bones, released in 1998. By then Jörgen Wall is on drums, Jon Jefferson Klingberg on second guitar and Heikki Kiviaho on bass. The album is recorded in Chicago and London and is produced and engineered by Chris Potter and Brad Wood. It reaches number 42 in Britain. A later US tour with Tricky follows the album’s release.

Additional note

In the late 1990s, the band’s official website describes an earlier name, Southern Whale Cult 1987, and says several albums have already been released under that name, but this is later revealed to be a joke based on a copied presentation of The Cult with only the band name changed.