Foto by Julie Bergonz
Bjorn Englen Bio:
Bjorn Erik Englen was born on October 9, 1971 in the city of Vaxjo, Sweden. He started his musical career as a drummer in 1984. Despite drums being a natural choice for Bjorn, within a couple of months he switched to bass guitar. In 1993 Bjorn re-located to Los Angeles, California and in 1994 became the bass player for the multi-platinum selling band QUIET RIOT (the first Heavy Metal group to ever reach No. 1 album on Billboard).
After leaving QUIET RIOT in the spring of 1995, he formed the group SOUL SIGN who has since then toured in the US and Europe. The current line-up includes Ted Nugent/Malmsteen vocalist Mark Boals, and is currently working on the follow up to their latest release "Life In The Dark".
In the late 90s, early 2000s and after Bjorn worked extensively as a sought after L.A. session bassist recording at many of the major studios, as well as performing live, with countless name artists incl. members of Foreigner, Deep Purple, Kiss, The Supremes, David Lee Roth, Dio, Ozzy, Elton John, Rainbow, Journey, Korn, Dream Theater, Whitesnake, Heart, Judas Priest, Guns N' Roses, Sweet, Steve Vai, Vixen, Buddy Guy, Alice Cooper & more. His credits to date include about 2000 live shows and well over 50 albums.
In 2004 until 2006 he joined forces with MSG/Survivor vocalist ROBIN McAULEY touring throughout the US, as well as recording and performing as the band BLEED. According to Bjorn this was "a very enjoyable time and a turnaround point in my life and career". The excellent line-up was co-formed with McAuley by longtime friend guitarist extraordinaire Dave Bates.
For the next five years (2007-2012) Englen was the bass player for neo-classical guitar icon YNGWIE MALMSTEEN'S band RISING FORCE, touring all over the world incl. North America, Europe, Asia and The Middle East in front of audiences as big as 60.000 people. This much strong version of Rising Force also included vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest), drummer Patrik Johansson (WASP) & three different keyboardists incl. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater), Michael Troy & Nick Marino (KC & The Sunshine Band).
In 2010-2013 he also did numerous US performances with Scorpions guitar legend ULI JON ROTH, and from 2011 to 2017 Bjorn toured worldwide (Europe, US and Latin America) with guitar/keyboard virtuoso TONY MACALPINE. In 2011 he was concurrently working with three of the biggest guitar gods of all time!
In 2012, after leaving Malmsteen's band, Englen became a member of The Official Dio Band DIO DISCIPLES featuring longtime DIO members Craig Goldy, Simon Wright & Scott Warren plus vocalists Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest) and Oni Logan (Lynch Mob). Managed by Wendy Dio the group has since toured worldwide. As "DIO Returns" (featuring a Ronnie James Dio hologram) they toured Europe in 2017 and US in 2019.
Throughout his career Bjorn has also spent some time educating upcoming bass players and musicians through numerous clinics & master classes worldwide incl. major schools like Musicians Institute & L.A. College of Music, as well as various clinics in US and Europe. Since 2016 he has worked as a Rock Star Counselor at the world famous Rock'n'Roll Fantasy Camp.
In recent years Bjorn has recorded and performed with 80s metal icons HELLION, TAKARA, and all-star groups BLACKWELDER, FOUNDRY, TARA LYNCH, PLENTY HEAVY and STEREO MADNESS, to name a few.
www.youtube.com/user/sweedbass
www.facebook.com/SoulSignOfficial
With SOUL SIGN (2011) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDph7e_YYMM
Bjorn Englen Bass-Solo 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Cs8ybLTa0
Foto by Lars Andersson