Dennis Lyxzén

Dennis Lyxzén
Lyxzén performing at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in 2025
Lyxzén performing at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in 2025
Background information
Also known asD-Rp
Born
Sven Olov Dennis Lyxzén

(1972-06-19) 19 June 1972 (age 54)
Umeå, Sweden
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1987–present
Member of
  • INVSN
  • Fake Names
  • Backengrillen
  • Vännäs Kasino
Formerly of

Sven Olov Dennis Lyxzén (born 19 June 1972) is a Swedish singer, best known as the lead vocalist for the influential hardcore punk band Refused, as well as the bands Backengrillen, INVSN and Fake Names. He is also a former member of bands including AC4, Step Forward, Final Exit, and The (International) Noise Conspiracy, and co-founded the record labels Ny Våg and Desperate Fight Records.

Career

Refused

Following a stint in the short-lived hardcore band Step Forward, Lyxzén formed Refused in 1991 with drummer David Sandström, guitarist Pär Hansson, and bassist Jonas Lindgren. They released three studio albums, This Just Might Be... the Truth (1994), Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent (1996), and The Shape of Punk to Come (1998), the latter of which was heavily influential on later bands but a commercial and critical failure upon release, and the group disbanded that same year.

Lyxzén performing in 2009

In March 2010, there were rumours that Refused would be reuniting after a 12 years hiatus, although Lyxzén dismissed the notion as he and Sandström were busy with the band AC4. However, Refused unexpectedly reunited in 2012 for the Refused Reunion Tour, including appearances at Coachella, the Way Out West Festival, the Fun Fun Fun Fest, and Groezrock in Meerhout, Belgium. While the reunion was intended to be temporary, in 2015 the band released a fourth studio album, Freedom, via Epitaph Records. Speaking on the band's future in 2017, Lyxzén said, "We're not breaking up or anything, we're taking a break to write a new record... But the Australian tour will be the last tour for a while... We'll take some time off, and then we'll start writing some songs but we're not breaking up, no."

On 13 June 2024, Lyxzén suffered a heart attack, leading to cancellation of Refused shows in the following weeks.

Other work

Outside of Refused, Lyxzén has been involved in a number of bands, most notably The (International) Noise Conspiracy, INVSN (previously called The Lost Patrol Band), and Fake Names, the latter a supergroup formed with guitarists Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Bad Religion) and Michael Hampton (Embrace), drummer Matt Schulz (Enon), and bassist Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys). He also revealed in December 2021 that he had formed a new punk band with INVSN bandmate Sara Almgren, with him on rhythm guitar and Almgren on bass and vocals.

Lyxzén also runs Ny Våg, an independent punk record label he co-founded with former Refused bassist Inge Johansson, and produced the 2005 self-titled album by label signee Regulations. He also co-founded the now-defunct labels Desperate Fight Records and Umeå Hardcore Records.

In 2011, Lyxzén joined Italian electronic act The Bloody Beetroots for their "Church of Noise" tour as a guest vocalist, and was featured on the act's single of the same name.

Lyxzén provided the singing vocals for the character Johnny Silverhand (with Refused portraying the character's band Samurai) in the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077. He also provided vocals for the track "Silent No More" from the 2022 game Metal: Hellsinger.

Public image and personal life

As a punk rock frontman, Lyxzén's songs are often of a counterculture nature, in line with his socialist politics, although he has explored a variety of topics in his music.

Lyxzén was voted "Sexiest Man in Sweden" in 2004 by Elle Magazine. He is a vegan, having discovered animal rights around 1989 and adopted the lifestyle in the early 1990s.

Associated bands

Current bands

Former bands

Selected discography

Refused

INVSN

As The Lost Patrol:

As The Lost Patrol Band:

As Invasionen:

As INVSN:

AC4

The (International) Noise Conspiracy

Final Exit

Step Forward

Fake Names

Instängd

93 Million Miles

By No Means

Garbage Pailkids

Other credits

Year Artist Album Role
1991 Skümback Vi Är Nöjda..... Backing vocals on "Do"
1995 Stoned Music for the Morons Vocals on "The Trooper"
2005 Regulations Regulations Co-producer with Regulations
2006 Disconvenience Umeå Punk City Backing vocals, tambourine
2007 Paramore Riot! Writing credit on "Born For This", which quotes Refused's "Liberation Frequency"
2008 P.K. 14 City Weather Sailing Backing vocals
2009 The Crystal Caravan The Crystal Caravan Producer, backing vocals
2011 The Bloody Beetroots "Church of Noise" Guest vocals
2016 Sick of It All When the Smoke Clears Liner notes
2017 Demon System 13 Last Mosh For Charlie: Live In Umeå Hard Core Guest artist on "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"
The Moth Gatherer The Comfortable Low Guest artist on "This Providence of Bones"
Ecca Vandal Ecca Vandal Guest vocals on "Price of Living", alongside Jason Aalon Butler
2018 Terror Total Retaliation Guest vocals on "One More Enemy"
2021 The Picturebooks & The Major Minor Collective "Here's To Magic" Guest artist
Tom Morello The Atlas Underground Fire Guest artist on "Save Our Souls"

See also

References

  1. ↑ Anthony, David (30 June 2015). "With Freedom, Refused tries to kill its legacy". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  2. ↑ Daniel P. Carter (10 January 2012). "My thoughts on the Refused reformation". Rock Sound. Retrieved 1 December 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ Yancey, Bryne (March 27, 2010). "UPDATED: Refused updates website, reunion in the works". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  4. ↑ Young, Alex (2012-03-28). "Refused announces U.S. summer tour". Consequence. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  5. ↑ Staff (2012-07-12). "Fun Fun Fun Fest full lineup (De La Soul, Refused, Fucked Up, Public Image Ltd, Santigold, Sharon Van Etten, Rakim, X, Converge, Japandroids & more)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  6. ↑ Evans, Mikaelie A. (2017-01-13). "DENNIS LYXZÉN (REFUSED) Interview". Desert Highways. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  7. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  8. 1 2 Sacher, Andrew (December 19, 2018). "Fake Names (mem Refused, Minor Threat, Embrace) playing first show ever in NYC". Brooklyn Vegan. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ Childers, Chad (2021-12-06). "Refused's Dennis Lyxzen Balancing Legacy With Four Active Bands in 2022". Loudwire. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  10. ↑ Regan, Tom (2021-01-04). "'Cyberpunk 2077' band Refused had no idea they were writing for Keanu Reeves". Inverse. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  11. ↑ Leane, Rob (2022-09-16). "Metal Hellsinger soundtrack: All the songs and how to listen". Radio Times. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  12. ↑ Micic, Mira (2004-09-09). "Han är Sveriges sexigaste man ("He is Sweden's sexiest man")". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  13. ↑ White, Adam (2004-09-09). "Dennis Lyxzén is the sexiest man in Sweden". Punknews.org. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  14. ↑ "Interview with International Noise Conspiracy". PETA2. December 2002. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2009.