Sir Reg

SIR REG is an energetic sextet from Sweden playing Celtic rock/punk. On vocals is Brendan, an Irishman who left his hometown of Dublin to come to Sweden to fulfill his dream of putting together the most amazing band possible. Karin, the violinist, is a tiny and fiery redhead from Sweden who has a tendency to leave jaws open with her fiddle skills. The other members Erik (drums), Lars (bass), Mats (bouzouki) and Chris (electric guitar) all have diverse musical backgrounds, and together as SIR REG they are having the time of their lives – making and playing music they all love.

SIR REG is a band that took a long time in the making. For almost a decade, under the name The Barcrawlers, the core of the band gigged its ass off all over Scandinavia playing Irish pub songs at every venue imaginable. It all started in 2001 when Brendan and Karin played covers and Irish traditionals at a few local bars. Brendan had just recently moved to Sweden from Ireland and was in dire need to continue doing what he loved doing back in Dublin – singing and playing.

They hit the road with their favourite songs from bands such as The Pogues, Horslips, Flogging Molly, Blur, David Bowie, Oasis, The Beatles, The Dubliners and Dropkick Murphy's to name just a few. After many winding roads and several hundred shows under their belt, they felt content. They had achieved all that they had set out to do as a "pub-, and cover band". They decided it was about time for the next chapter - making their own music. SIR REG (pronounced "Sir. Redge") was born in early 2009.

They armed themselves with a bunch of original compositions and hit the studio to create something they would be proud of - music they would listen to themselves. With each member's individual influences thrown into a melting pot, the resulting sound was better than they had hoped for.

In late 2009 they self-released a self-titled CD which contained eight tracks. Good melodies, strong choruses, personal lyrics, violins, banjos, flutes, accordions, mellotrons and distorted guitars all got thrown into the upbeat tempo blender. In late 2010 the CD was re-released on APX Music, with a slightly altered tracklist.

During the spring and summer of 2010, following the release, they played as many shows possible. In September of 2010 SIR REG went on a three week European tour supporting the American horror rockers The Misfits which broadened the SIR REG fanbase.

A friend to the band who played bouzouki, Mats Lindström, had occasionally joined up on stage summer and autumn of 2010. Mats' contribution to the band was appreciated, and in January of 2011 he was welcomed into SIR REG as the sixth member.

SIR REG's CD was voted ”Best Celtic rock and punk album of 2010” by the visitors of celticfolkpunk.blogspot.com, and the internet radio station Paddy Rock Radio. To top it off, Celticfolkpunk.blogspot.com also voted SIR REG's CD ”Best Celtic band of 2010”.

The follow up album "A Sign Of The Times" was released in October 2011.

Once again it was voted album of the year on the internet radio station Paddy Rock Radio. It also got top scores on many other lists.

The 3rd album "21st Century Loser" was released in April 2013 and has so far received amazing reviews from every corner of the world.

The future looks bright, with lots of live work to be done. And the band is up and ready for it.

Let the show begin ...

Chris was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, and has since the age of 11 played both the guitar and the bass. He met Erik in high school where the two started playing in the same band. After graduating and the band called it quits, Chris and Erik kept in touch as they both continued playing in various constellations. When asked to play the guitar with SIR REG, Chris gladly accepted.

Karin has played mostly classical music since she picked up the violin at a young age. Her second instrument is the bassoon. She has developed an ability to fall asleep in the back seat of cars. Want to buy her a beer? Choose Kilkenny or Starbrno!

Favourite song at the moment?
"Christmas Must Be Tonight" by The Band

Favourite criminologist:
Leif GW Persson (Swe)

Born and raised in Arboga, Sweden, Erik has always been interested in music! After watching his grandpa and other people close to him playing, he finally picked up the drums at the age of 13 (after playing the Clarinet for a couple of years). Erik's wide interest in music has given him the opportunity to play with many different bands and artists within a broad spectra of genres; everything from jazz to metal (and everything in between) .
He loves songwriting, movies, psychology, his dogs, family and his studio, which he owns together with a friend in Arboga.
Favourite SIR REG song? "Far Away".
Favourite song ever? There are so many awesome songs out there. It's Impossible to pick just one!
Greatest SIR REG tour memory? The entire "European Invasion"-tour together with The Misfits and The Hat Trickers! Made some amazing new friends on that tour, one of them (Dez Cadena) even attended my wedding. Where do you see SIR REG in four years from now? We're doing what we do now, but on a much bigger scale!

Lars grew up in a small town north of Stockholm. Always drawn to music as a child, he started taking guitar lessons in school at the age of 12.

At 17, he touched a bass for the first time and loved it!

"The rythmic characteristics of the bass really hooked me. And the supportive role that the bass has. I am a supporive type of person."

After attending highschool with Chris and Erik, Lars moved to the United Kingdom which is where his musical career really took off.

Starting out as a circuit musician in the pubs of south Wales he later got to work with many accomplished musicians, artists and producers.

Favorite SIR REG song: Walking into doors, Raise Your Hand or At The End of The World

Mats Lindström is an old (ehrm ...well) hardrocker who exchanged his guitar for the Irish bouzouki.

The musical career started at the tail end of the 70's when his parents gave him a guitar and an amp as a Christmas present. Before that he tried for 5 years, with little progress, to learn to play the piano.

The 80's was spent playing in various hard rock bands.

But when he heard the Hooters on the radio in the early 90's, he became interested in folk rock, Which eventually led him to folk music in general and traditional Irish music in particular.

In 1999 he became a member of Tullamore Brothers, who play traditional Irish music, but the rocker in him still lived on. When SIR REG's offer came, he didn't hesitate for a second to join up.