TWEET - This Week's Embedded Earworm Tune:🐥 The Hives - Bogus Operandi

The Stylish Swedish Svengalis come out of hivernation with their first single in more than a decade

The Bees are Buzzin’ Again!

Hi Wormheads!

Welcome to another TWEET mini-earworm post! As most EW@SL newsletters are fairly lengthy, I’m trying to mix it up with some shorter, more bite-sized pieces.

I tried to do this a while back with the semi-weekly COW (Community of Wormheads) newsletters. But then I co-opted that acronym (cow-opted you might say) for the monthly ReCOWmendations. (I skipped April. Sorry. May will be extra COW-pattied to compensate.)

So to break it all down:

TWEETs (This Week’s Embedded Earworm Tune) are where I mention a song that has roosted in my head that day or week but without some lengthy personal essay attached.

ReCOWmendations are my monthly choice picks from a variety of media forms. TV shows, Films, Podcasts, Books, Magazines, YouTube channels and more.

The rest of the posts/newsletters will follow my usual, patented, laugh-til-you-cry emotional journey through my musical mind and life sonic exploration.

My hope is that you, dear reader, will be inspired to share a song or two that has been stuck in your brain recently in the comments.

And a big thank you to all the new folks just joining the EW&SL. Welcome! And check out the extensive archive if you get a chance!

And if you like what you read, please tell your friends and cohorts! Sharing is caring.

Back From the Evil Dead

I would bet money that during the first decade of this century — aka: the aughts — The Hives were one of my top 5 most played bands.

I couldn’t get enough of their high-energy, melodic, garage rock. In the press The Hives were often lumped in with other trendy guitar-forward bands of the day. The White Stripes, Hot Hot Heat, Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes.

All great bands in their own right. But The Hives, to me, tapped into a wider palette of sources, from 60s garage to 70s punk to 80s new wave. I hear bits of Billy Idol, a dollop of The Cult and a dusting of The Stooges and The Ramones.

But The Hives are funnier than all of them. And wear way spiffier costumes.

If you aren’t familiar with the members of The Hives, here’s a quick overview:

• Guitar: Nicholaus Arson

• Bass: The Johan and Only (since 2013)

• Vocals: Howlin' Pelle Almqvist

• Drums: Chris Dangerous

• Rhythm Guitar: Vigilante Carlstroem

  and
  Dr. Matt Destruction (Bass - 2003-2013)

All of them are actually their given birth names.

Just kidding. The drummer’s name is actually Larry Dangerous. Snare, snare, crash!

I got to see The Hives perform on their Lex Hives tour in 2012 and it was one of the most exciting shows I’ve ever seen. I sat in the front row of the balcony and took a video of them performing one of my favorite songs. Here’s a sample video of what I got to experience. (The song is called “Go Right Ahead” but I titled it “Go On Ahead” thinking I could avoid the YouTube censors. Silly me.)

The Hives are the 2nd repeat earworm band to appear on Earworm and Song Loops. I first wrote about the saucy Swedish quintet for my holiday post last December, when I celebrated their “Christmas Duel” with Cyndi Lauper.

They Might Be Giants, whose recent concert and song “Fingertips” I wrote about recently were the first band to get repeat earworm honors. You can check that piece out below.

What song or songs have been gnawing at your brain this week? Anything you haven’t been able to shake?

Since The Hives “Bogus Operandi” is a brand new song, it’s likely not an earworm for anyone else, but it will be, in a couple years time. You read it here first.

Are you a fan of The Hives? Have a favorite song or album? Share it below!

Their new album, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, is out August 11!

Until we meet again,

Steve