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Discography (with comments)

Click on images for details on how to get the record in question! There are some session notes + other stuff here.
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Coming in the future (or is already out when you read this)

I know this is updated pathetically seldom...
Hellborg/Johansson/Eklundh/Selvaganesh/Johansson: Art Metal 2007
Stratovarius: Crappy Revolution Renaissance demos 2008 Frontiers and leaked to Internet, bleh
Sentiment: ? 200? maybe this was never released either
Carina Lirola: Cinderella is Dead single 2008
Stratovarius: Stratovarius Coming Sep 5, 2005
Nocturnal Rites: New One Coming soon .. recorded a solo
Rickard Andersson Something or other recorded... you guessed it.. one solo
Kamelot: new one (release 2005) recorded some solos
Some record Emppu V from Nightwish made: Called Von Krom or something? recorded one solo
Stratovarius: Elements I Coming Jan-27, 2003
Hammerfall: Crimson Thunder Played some stuff on one bonus track..
Stratovarius: Elements II Coming late 2003 (I think)
Barilari: Dunno what it will be called It's a full record tho, something like 10 songs
Mastermind (Bill Berends' band): Dunno what that will be called either
Sonata Arctica: Winterheart's Guild Recorded solos for this, 'cause where temporarily without keyboardist (a horrible situation to find yourself in!) Release is in 2003.
AINA: Days of rising doom Recorded a solo. Nice stuff!
Jimsonweed: ? Hmm. if it's released. Did some solos as a favor to Janne and Sami after bumping into them in the Finnvox cafeteria
Mastermind (a Japanese band with the same name, i.e. not Bill Berend's band!): ? recorded some solos.. it was in 2003. release 2004 i think
Spastic Ink: Ink Compatible a quite short solo. These guys do some REALLY fucking crazy stuff!!!
Flower Kings: some record I have heard from many people that I am supposed to have played on a Flower Kings record. A google search seems to offer evidence that I did. But I can't remember ever having recorded this. My guess is that it is someone else with the same name! But who the hell knows...

I'll try to fill these descriptions in a bit more later...

2002 - 1999

Purchasing Info Andy West: Rama
(MA9061-2/2002)
Some nice music by Andy West.

Purchasing Info Benny Jansson: Save The World
(LMC22262/2002)
Even more great stuff from Benny!

Purchasing Info Arjen Lucassen: Star One
(Inside Out 6 93723 65042 5/2002)
Space rock opera! Very nice!

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Intermission
(NB 27361 65862; VICP-61389/2001)
Not a best of; rather, a compilation of hard to get odds and ends like bonus tracks. Should have been sold mid-price, if not, go complain to your record shop!

Purchasing Info Various: Tribute to Rata Blanca
(NEMS 280/2001)
Played on one song of this tribute record to Rata Blanca. Cool stuff!

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Infinite Visions
(NB 27361 65152, 65153/2001)
Long "home" type video with backstage goofs etc. Has all the promo (= music) videos as well, plus some other live stuff.

Purchasing Info Johansson: Sonic Winter/Johansson Bros.
(HECD021-022/2001)
Is actually only a reissue, not a "real" new record (has "Sonic Winter" and "Johansson Brothers" in the same package. The audio was remastered though )

Purchasing Info Jonathan Mover: Einstein II
(SS6002/2000)
Haven't heard this!

Purchasing Info Benny Jansson: Flume Ride
(HECD-024/2000)
More great music from Benny!

Purchasing Info Silver Mountain: Breaking the Chains
(MICP-10248/2000)
A "reunion" record of sorts, but without the reunion!

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Infinite
(VICP-60963; NB27361 64642, 64649/2000)
It's actually only about 50 minutes long.

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Diamonds
(VICP-61068/2000)
Best-of thingie from JVC.

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: The Chosen Ones
(TT-0045-2/1999)
Yet Another Best-of compilation. Nice cover, eh!!

1999 - 1998

Purchasing Info Blackmore's Night: Under a Violet Moon
(PCCY-01377/1999)
I was honored to be asked to guest on keys on a track (or a few, not sure how much they used) on this quite interesting record — the style is almost upbeat acoustic folk music, but with a serious low baroque slant, with Candice Night supplying very nice, airy vocals. And Ritchie has been a hero of mine for a long time so that made it very exciting as well!

Purchasing Info Roland Grapow: Kaleidoscope
(Japan: JVC VICP-60679/1999, Europe: SPV 085-21412, ROW TBA)
I met Roland the first time at Gods of Metal 1998. He's normally the guitarist of the legendary German power metal band Helloween. This is Roland's second solo album. The material is high quality melodic rock. I sadly only had time to play two solos on the record.

Purchasing Info Johansson: The Last Viking
(Japan: Pony Canyon PCCY-01340/1999, South America: NEMS 107, ROW: Heptagon HECD-023)
A lot more cohesive and melodic than the two previous "Johansson (bros)" records. Göran Edman on vocals, Mike Romeo (of symphony x) on bass and guitar. The cover on the left (with viking art) is the South American one, the vikingless cover is for the ROW ("Rest Of the World").

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: S.O.S. (single)
(Japan: JVC VICP-60437, Noise/)
Single. Has a cover of Scorpions "Blackout" on it...

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Destiny
(Japan: JVC VICP-60481, Noise/)
3rd and most ambitious studio record to date for me. Melodic power metal enhanced with sweeping orchestral and choral arrangements. This got a gold record as well.

Purchasing Info Purchasing Info Mastermind: Excelsior!
(Japan: Avalon MICY-1073/1998, Europe SPV 085-31402 CD)
Semi-psychedelic but cozy instrumental record. The left cover is the European one.

Purchasing Info Snake Charmer: Backstreet Bugaloo
(Japan: Avalon MICY-1070/1998, ROW Arctic)
2nd record with bassist/composer Per Stadin's band. Leans toward AOR metal.

Purchasing Info Itä-Saksa: Let's Kompromise
(Spacehouse/MegaMania 1000120882/1998)
Performing very briefly as "vocalist" on a track of this CD by Mikko Karmila's band! If the cover looks a bit grey, it's because the cover actually is a bit grey.

1997 - 1996

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Live: Visions of Europe
(Japan: JVC VICP-60340, 60341, ROW: Noise/)
This record captured the Strato live show quite well IMO. No overdubs!!

Purchasing Info Johansson: Sonic Winter
(Japan: Pony Canyon PCCY-0970, ROW Heptagon HECD-0XX/)
Some parts bluesier AOR with Leif Sundin on vocals, some parts more abstruse neoclassical instrumentals with Yngwie guesting on guitar. Yngwie did the guitar in his studio in Florida, at the same time that we worked out the arrangements for "Inspiration".

Purchasing Info Yngwie Malmsteen: Inspiration
(Pony Canyon PCCY-01009/)
An album with songs that inspired Yngwie. A bunch of people played and sang on it. (Meaningless Trivia: I did the keys on "Gates of Babylon" but Dave Rosenthal was credited!)

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: The Past and Now
(Japan: JCV VICP-60063, ROW: was it even released in the rest of the world? Noise?/????)
A compilation record of some sort...

purchasing info Stratovarius: Black Diamond (single)
( Japan: JVC VICP-15082, ROW: Noise/)
Single from Visions.. has some live tracks, and a demo track, tacked on.

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Visions
( Japan: JVC VICP-60026, ROW: Noise/)
Second record for me with Strato!

Purchasing Info Anders Johansson: Red Shift
(HECD-015/)
Electronic world music.

Purchasing Info Jens Johansson: Fission
(Japan: Pony Canyon PCCY-01215, USA: Shrapnel SH-11182, ROW: Heptagon HECD-016/)
Polyrhythmic technoid progressive rock. The left cover is the one used in the US.

purchasing info Stratovarius: Father Time (single)
( Japan: JVC VICP-15060, ROW: Noise/)
Single. Has cover of "Kill the King" on it..

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Will The Sun Rise (single)
(Japan: JVC VICP-18013, ROW: Noise/)
Single, with some live tracks tacked on at the end (from our first gig (at Tavastia, of course) with the "new" lineup (me and Jörg)).

Purchasing Info Stratovarius: Episode
(Japan: JVC VICP-5721, ROW: Noise/)
My first record with this brilliant Finland-based melodic power metal band.

Purchasing Info Johanssons/Holdsworth: Heavy Machinery
(Japan: Pony Canyon PCCY-01119, USA: Shrapnel SH-11072, ROW: Heptagon HECD-011/)
Fairly bare-bones arrangements of modal groove riff sequences with long improvized stretches. The left cover is the one for the US.

1995 - 1991

Purchasing Info Purchasing Info Jens Johansson: ten seasons
(Heptagon HECD-008/1995)
Kind of mellow piano stuff recorded in NYC, summer of 1994. The left cover is the Argentinian version!

Purchasing Info Bulldog: The Return of Mr Nasty
(Scandinavia: Arctic ARCD-003/1994, Japan: Zero XRCN-1183/1994)
The music is a mix of rap, pop, blues, and death metal.

Purchasing Info Various: "Smoke on the Water/a Deep Purple Tribute"
(Shrapnel SH-1076-2/1994)
A bunch of DP songs which people are 'guest starring' on. (Yngwie, Paul Gilbert amongst others. Highlights: Yngwie, Paul and Jeff Soto IMO)

Purchasing Info Robert Blennerhed: "7"
(Lakeside Music LAKE-2024/1994)
Instrumental record on Swiss label "Lakeside". Robert is a great Swedish guitar player. The music is heavy indian-influenced acid-fusion.

Purchasing Info Tony MacAlpine: "Premonition" (Shrapnel/94)
(US: Shrapnel SH-1068-2, Europe: RR 8965/1994)
Played a few solos on it when I was in Cotati for the DP thing. Good stuff actually.

Purchasing Info The Johansson Brothers:
(Japan: ZERO Japan XRCN-1127/1994, ROW Arctic ARCD-002/1994)
Some good progressive cuts, some poppier cuts. Made mainly for Japan. Found a good Swedish singer for this one by the name of Leif Sundin. The left cover (with the ugly barcode) is ARCD-002.


Purchasing Info Jonas Hellborg Group: "E"
(DEM 033/1993)
Somewhat complicated and heavy progressive funk using organ, bass, drums, coffee. Dry production. I think it's a pretty cool record.

Purchasing Info Snake Charmer: Smoke And Mirrors
(Japan: FEMS APCY-8121/1993, ROW: Arctic Records ARCD-001/1993)
Pop metal made for the Japanese market. Pete Sandberg sings on this one. For Arctic info, see http://www.arcticrecs.se.

Purchasing Info Anders Johansson: Shu-Tka
(DEM DEM 031/1992)
Interesting mix of Arabic, North African, West African, Swedish, ambient, and industrial music. Features Jamal Evans, Ahmed Alamnaghasi, Aydin Özgöröt, Tesfalidet Keflay. (The left cover is the old version..)

Purchasing Info Shining Path: No Other World
(DEM DEM 029/1992)
Simulated thrash metal. The cover used to feature the pope with a Nazi arm band, which caused a lot of problems in Germany. The left cover is the one Jonas had to redesign (not much difference, huh!! But check out this higher res detail of the redone cover..) Mudbone Cooper singing here. The basic tracks were originally made for the ill-fated "BAKTERIA" record...

Purchasing Info RAF: Ode To a Tractor
(DEM DEM 030/1992)
Really weird but nice, I think at least. Some free-form stuff, some ambient stuff, some strange electronic stuff. Features Peter Brötzmann, Anders, Ayib Dieng, Bill Laswell, Jonas, and a bunch of others.

Purchasing Info Ginger Baker: Unseen Rain
(DEM DEM 028/1992)
Interesting all acoustic record. (Ginger Baker on drums, me on piano, Jonas on acoustic bass).. pretty laid back stuff.

Purchasing Info Steve Ross: Midnight Drive
(Shrapnel SH-1052cd/1991)
Not so happy with my own performance on thi record. Was rushed by idiot/studio owner that had made a bad deal with Varney (a flat fee for the whole record.) All keyboards were done in a few hours, and that included lots of stuff that was unison with the guitar that you can't quite hear. About a half hour was left for the key solos..

Purchasing Info DEADLINE: Dissident
(Day Eight Music DEM 027/1991)
Medium tempo ambient noise-techno world music mix. Featuring Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins, Jonas Hellborg, Ayib Dieng, and others.

Purchasing Info Jens Johansson: Fjäderlösa Tvåfotingar
(Amigo AMCD-872/1991: Jimco Japan JICK-89122/1992)
Instrumental record with four lengthy and complex instrumentals. (Weird Swedish phrase "F.T." means "featherless bipeds", so it was picked with a tip of the hat to Plato but mostly because it has a bunch of cool Swedish dots and rings and stuff in it.)

1990 - 1986

Purchasing Info DIO: Time Machine (video)
(Warner/1990)
Had the video for "Wild One" on it... we made a video for "Hey Angel" as well.

Purchasing Info DIO: Diamonds
(POVS-1616)
I have no idea what this is!!

Purchasing Info DIO: Lock Up The Wolves
(UK: Phonogram DIO912)
Single from the CD with the same name...

Purchasing Info DIO: Lock Up The Wolves
( US: Warner/Reprise 926212-2, Europe: Phonogram 846 033/1990)
A nice record with very good sound IMO, and Ronnie sings his ass off — as usual. There's not a real lot of keyboards on there, but that doesn't mean it's not still a valid record! To me, less felt like more. I look on the writing as a sort of transitional phase between the 80's (more melodic) incarnations of DIO and the mid-90's style, when Ronnie went flat-out experimental at times (I like experimental!) Ronnie (who is one of my absolute all-time musician heros), Simon Wright on drums, Rowan Robertson on guitar, Teddy Cook on bass... this was a very happy and carefree period of my life. Warner was a pretty cool label as well..

Purchasing Info Erik Borelius: Fantasy
(EMI Sweden 7903632/1987)
A soft-edge instrumental guitar record. I played a solo on one of the tracks..

Purchasing Info Yngwie Malmsteen The YM Collection
(Polygram POCP-2559/1990?)
This was some sort of compilation record, I think.

Purchasing Info RF: collection video
(Polydor POVP-1605/1990?)
Does this exist? Not sure. If it does, it has a couple of promotional videos on it too. Perhaps "I'll see the light", "You don't remember" and "Heaven tonight".. and some Russian footage?

Purchasing Info RF: Live in Leningrad (video)
(Polygram/1989)
Better video. I had stupid Russian cigarrette ("papiryoska") in mouth because we were told it was for a Soviet-only broadcast, not a video, and certainly not world-wide.. :P

Purchasing Info RF: Trial by Fire: "Live" In Leningrad
(Polydor 839 726-2/1989)
Awful sound. Everything overdubbed except the drums (which you can't hear anyway) and most of the key solos.

Purchasing Info RF: Odyssey
(Polygram P32P (POCP?) 20150/1988)
Even more of an attempt at commercialism, but pretty cool anyway. Joe Lynn Turner sang here. Good keyboard stuff too in places.

Purchasing Info RF: Trilogy
(Polygram POCP-2311/1986)
More of an attempt at commercialism. New singer and big budget. First recording delivered under contract with Polygram USA (the others were one-shots that went thru Polydor KK Japan IIRC.)

1985 - 1980

Purchasing Info RF: Live in Japan 85
(video). (Polydor 6512-8/1985)
Quaint. Rookie band does their third gig ever together in front of a Japanese audience and camera crew. Is possibly called "Chasing with Yngwie" nowadays and has the catalog number POVV-1601..

Purchasing Info RF: Marching Out
(Polygram POCP-9087/1985)
This is a little more straightforward than "YJM's RF", has vocals on most songs. Also has that typical neoclassical Swedish sound harmonically.

Purchasing Info RF: Studio/Live-85
(Polygram/1985 (obviously!))
Pretty awful. Contains rough mixes from the "RF live in Japan" video and a few cuts from Marching Out. We were a bit drunk when recording this and it was only our third gig together as a band..

Purchasing Info RF: Yngwie J Malmsteen's Rising Force
(Polygram POCP-2309/1984)
Good. A mostly instrumental neo-classical metal record. Was nominated for a Grammy in the US. Drums were played by Barriemore Barlow on this one. (All the Rising Force stuff I played on came out on Polymer.. er, I mean Polygram.)

Purchasing Info Silver Mountain: Shakin' Brains
(RoadRunner RRCY-2011/1983, Japan: Apollon/Fems Japan APCY-8020 CD/1991)
A bit awful* The music is early-80s Maiden/ Rainbow/ Purple-influenced rock record. There are some interesting keyboard bits here and there.

Extra special thanks to Chikako Urakabe, whose web pages I pilfered for some of the images and product numbers above!


Page updated Jun 18, 2008 at 05:30 • Email: jens@panix.com

All content copyright © Jens Johansson 2024. No unathorized duplication, copying, mirroring, pilfering, archival, or redistribution/retransmission allowed! Any offensively categorical statements passed off as facts herein should only be construed as my very opinionated opinions.