Album Notes

Rockin Big Buddha by Tommy 16 - imported from Sweden by Listening Post Music

Born under the original moniker Hardy Nilsson, Tommy 16 brought on their influences of Teenage Fanclub and Big Star to their home country of Sweden. Consisting of Urban Holmberg (vocals/ guitar), Lars Hall (guitar /vocals), Jan Pettersson (guitar), Niclas Marklund (guitar), Mikael Eriksson (bass) and Patrik Sundqvist (drums), Tommy 16 soon found themselves being heard on the radio with the release of their first single appropriately titled "#1 single." After signing to the local indie label A West Side Foundation, Tommy 16 soon established themselves as Swedish pop icons with their first album Shauna. Followed by the singles "Racerboy" and "Come on, Come on (Please Let Me See It)" in 1997, their follow-up album, Big Rocking Buddha, came out that same year around the time of their first full-fledged Swedish tour.

Rockin Big Buddha brings together a number of influences - all of them good - at times they sounds like Badfinger, T Rex and even Oasis!

The band comes from Skellefteå, a town up in the north of Sweden. They started up with this Swedish-indie success band called, Hardy Nilsson. The guitarist Urban Holmberg came up with some songs in English, and that was the start for their new band Tommy 16.

Tommy 16 released their debut single "#1 single" in the autumn of 95 and this was followed by their album debut "Shauna" and another single called "Only happy on my knees". These three records, mainly the very first one, were warmly welcomed on swedish radio and were heard several times on the Swedish National Radio P3. The album which was released in the middle of September -95 received very good reviews in the Swedish press and Tommy 16 quickly established themselves on the Swedish pop-map. "Shauna" was also released in Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

In autum 1997 Tommy 16 released a new single, "Racerboy" that also got a very good reception, even this time both from newspaper and radiostations. In the end of 1997 they released another single, "Come on, come on" (please let me see it)". Followed by the album "Rocking big buddha" in the end of January the next year. Four tracks from this album, "Racerboy" , "Come on, come on" (please let me see it)", Baby´s got" and "Last days of May" have been on the Swedish national radio P3 and several other radio stations playlists.

The band's music could be described as classic pop with strong ties to american powerpop like the Posies and Big Star, with some influences of american countrymusic and traditional singer/songwriting. The scottish band Teenage Fanclub has also been mentioned in some reviews... Their trusty feel for melodies and rare ability to find the right choruses turn the band into a major happening on the swedish popscene.

Tommy 16 are:

Urban Holmberg - vocals & guitar
Lars Hall - guitar & vocals
Jan Pettersson - guitar
Niclas Marklund - guitar
Mikael Eriksson - bass
Patrik Sundqvist - drums


Rockin Big Buddha by Tommy 16 - imported from Sweden by Listening Post Music