Jokke & Valentinerne

Jokke & Valentinerne (English: Jokke and the Valentines) are concidered one of the "four greats" of Norwegian rock and roll. Fronted by Joachim Nielsen (1964-2000) and his down-to-earth lyrics about everyday situations, this band was among the most beloved groups to emerge from the underground rock scene of the Norwegian capital. The band was formed in 1982, with a lineup consisting of Nielsen on guitar and vocals, his long time partner May-Irene Aasen on drums and Håkon Torgersen on bass. Their debut album Alt kan repareres was released in 1986. Much of the band's lyrics revolved around alcohol, and Jokke had a reputation of frequently getting drunk on stage. In 1992, he created a scandal when he received a Norwegian Grammy award whilst under the influence of drugs. In the mid-90s, Jokke had developed a heroin addiction, and had several stays at rehabilitation clinics. By the turn of the millennium, many of his close friends believed that he had conquered his inner demons. In October 2000, while on leave from a rehabilitation clinic, Jokke died from a drug overdose. In 2005, a double tribute album entitled "Det beste til meg og mine venner" (English: The best for me and my friends) was released, which featured some of Jokke's best known songs covered by Norwegian artists.