Hank von Hell

Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby (15 June 1972 – 19 November 2021), also known as Hank von Helvete and Hank von Hell, was a Norwegian singer best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Turbonegro.[2][3]

Hank von Hell
Hank von Hell at Coachella 2009
Hank von Hell at Coachella 2009
Background information
Birth nameHans Erik Dyvik Husby
Also known as
  • Hank von Helvete
  • Hank
  • Hertugen
  • Herr Tugen
  • Hertis
Born(1972-06-15)15 June 1972
Vestvågøy, Nordland, Norway[1]
Died19 November 2021(2021-11-19) (aged 49)
Slottsparken, Oslo, Norway
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1993–2021
Formerly of

Career

Von Hell's former band Turbonegro is most well known for their tongue-in-cheek humor dealing with homosexual aesthetics and punk rock antics, and the formation of a genre they label "death punk". The band formed in the late 1980s and put out a few records before disbanding in 1998 when von Hell's heroin addiction made him unable to perform. After going through rehab, Turbonegro reunited in 2002, but the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2010.[4][5] The main reason for this was his new lifestyle as a sober family man.

In 2009, he had a joint No. 1 hit alongside Maria Solheim in the Norwegian Singles Chart with "Rom for alle". The song stayed at No. 1 for three weeks including the Christmas chart for 2009.

Von Hell played the title role in Cornelis, a Swedish film from 2010 about the singer-songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk.

On 6 June 2011, von Hell, alongside his new band Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult, released their first album I Declare: Treason.

In late 2011, he was a judge in the Norwegian TV series Idol. His biography was released in Norway October 2012, written by writer and poet Havard Rem, where he speaks openly about his life so far.

Solo career

On 31 August 2018, von Hell released his first single, "Bum to Bum", from his forthcoming solo record Egomania. The album was released on 2 November through Sony Music/Century Media worldwide.[6]

He wrote the album with the help of guitarist and band member Eric Bachman, also known as Cat Casino. Von Hell was asked why he decided to return and produce a solo record in an interview in 2018, stating: "The timing was just right. I was done with others "angels" in life, and it felt like it was time to go back and do what I always should’ve done – ROCK. And shake ass."[7]

On 25 January 2019, the song "Fake It" was chosen for competition in the Melodi Grand Prix 2019 to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.[8]

Personal life and death

Hans-Erik Husby and his family moved frequently during his childhood and adolescent years, living in various places across Norway. His early childhood years were spent in the village of Å on the southwest edge of the Lofoten islands, later moving to Fauske, Rognan and Tvedestrand.

Von Hell went through detox while living at the Moskenes island in Lofoten, Norway. Here he worked at Norsk Fiskeværsmuseum in Å, as well as working as a presenter at Moskenesradioen, a local radio station.

He claimed to have dealt with his drug addiction problem thanks to the Scientology drug rehab program Narconon.[9]

He was married to model Gro Skaustein (b. 1980) from August 2009 until October 2014. The couple had a daughter together who was born on 21 December 2008.[10]

Von Hell died suddenly on 19 November 2021, at the age of 49, and was found dead in Slottsparken in Oslo. No cause of death has been made public, but his manager later denied rumours that he had committed suicide, stating that "his body had finally given in" after a long life of drug abuse.[11][12] His former bandmate Happy-Tom paid tribute to him on social media,[13] as did current Turbonegro frontman Tony "Duke of Nothing" Sylvester, who wrote "I never tried to fill your shoes as that would have been impossible."[14]

Discography
Hank von Hell in 2005

Albums

Live albums

Compilations
  • Love It to Deathpunk (Australian best-of compilation, 2001)
  • Small Feces (Box set of rarities, 2005)
  • This Ain't No Fucking Melodic Punk 7" (Probe Records, 1995)

Splits

EPs

Singles

Albums
  • I ljuset av Cornelis (2010) – Cover album with songs from Swedish/Dutch singer-songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk
  • Egomania (2018)
  • Dead (2020)

Singles
  • "Vi mot världen" (2017)
  • "Fake It" (2019)

Other solo albums

References
  1. "Hank von Hell's profile". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. Turbo charged Sydney Morning Herald – 3 October 2003
  3. Turbonegro Bring Boners Back to Times Square – Vulture. Nymag.com (26 September 2007). Retrieved on 29 June 2011.
  4. "Lyssna på intervjun med Hank von Helvete igen! (P3 Populär - Tisdag 09 november 2010 kl 12.10)".
  5. Tim Cashmere Hank Von Helvete Leaves Turbonegro. Undercover. 12 July 2010
  6. "Century Media Records -".
  7. "INTERVIEW - Hank Von Hell - I stole the idea from Gandalf..." November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  8. Melodi Grand Prix entry: Hank von Hell
  9. Hank von Helvete endelig rusfri (Hank von Helvete is finally off drugs) P4.no, 25 March 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  10. Seher.no Retrieved on 17 July 2015.
  11. VG 21.11.2021
  12. Nettavisen, 19.11.2021
  13. "Thomas Seltzer on Instagram: "Hertis. Hans-Erik. Hank. Our years together were a non-stop rollercoaster of insanely hard work, disappointments, despair, conflict and shared dysfunctionality. But also a truly epic saga about strong brotherhood; the boys from nowhere winning massive victories against all odds and creating magic together, magic that will live on in rock'n'roll glory forever. It gives me some peace to know that we found reconciliation in recent years, something I know gave both of us closure and healing. For the better part of this last year Rune, Knut and I have discreetly been laying the foundation for a Apocalypse Dudes 25th anniversary tour in the spring of 2023 featuring that line-up, something we were looking very much forward to presenting to you, Chris and Pål within the next few months. But that was not meant to be. I am the saddest I have ever been tonight. Broken. Rest in peace my crazy, charming, diabolical, troubled, lovable, talented and wise-beyond-your-years little brother. Since you were a small boy you always had a strong yearning to be reunited with your mother. I hope you are now."".
  14. "Anthony W. Madsen Sylvester on Instagram: "A Dazzling Display of Talent. Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby 1972-2021. I never tried to fill your shoes as that would have been impossible. Rest in Peace, Hank."".
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