Sky High Are One of Northern Europes Finest and Hardest Working Blues-Rock Bands! Fronted
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Sky High are one of northern europes finest and hardest working blues-rock bands! Fronted by guitar- player/singer extraordinaire - Clas Yngström, the band has been working hard ever since it´s early start in Gothenburg late 1978 . L.A. powerhouse drummer James Bradley Jr – drums and bassist Ulf ”Rockis” Ivarsson lay down the solid ground groove over which Clas totes his totally fiery guitar. The style is Hendrix/ZZ-Top-drenched blues-rock with elements of traditional blues, funk, punk and traditional Swedish folk melody. With 16 fullength albums in the bag and over 4.000 gigs around the world the band doesn´t need any excuses – they´re right on target and can shake up a crowd anywhere, no matter of what size.
1980 – Jimi Hendrix memorial-fest, Amsterdam. Sky High brought down a jam-packed house at the Paradiso, Amsterdam. Band closed it´s set with a heavy blues-jam featuring original Experience member Mitch Mithell on drums. 1982 – second album “Still Rockin´”- produced in London, is being promoted on BBC-radio by english blues nestor Alexis Corner. Graham Parkers horns “Rumour Brass” guest on the song “Hard Working Man”. 1985 – “I Ain´t Beggin´”, top ten hit around Scandinavia. Video initiated by ZZ -Top- airs prime time all over Europe on“Music Box” and “MTV”. The song is later featured in the film “The American Way” starring Dennis Hopper. Top 20 album “Freezin´Hot” released. 1987 – gold record sales for “Humanizer” album, single“Don´t Move”in top-ten on singles charts. 1988 – plays the prestigous“The New Olrleans Jazz & Heritage Festival” by invitation from Chuck Berry, who the band supported on the scandinavian leg of the “Hail Hail R & R”- tour.Sky High share bill with BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, James Brown amongst others.... Plays in front of a crowd of 300.000! at”Glasnost Rock”, the Soviet Unions first international Rock- festival in Tallin, Estonia.……..Clas records album “Have Guitar Will Travel” in San Fransisco with Prairie Prince ( The Tubes ), Ross Valory ( Journey) and Norton Buffalo ( Steve Miller Band ) – Tour of Northern Europe follows. 1990 – Extended 10 years anniversary tour, live album “Safe Sex”released. 1991 – Plays legendary gig at legendary venue“Steamboat” club on 6th Street in Austin Texas - roof gone ever since! 1992 – Tour of INDIA, by special invitation from Indian Governement! – the full three week tour is documented by a Swedish film team and later showed on Scandinavian and Indian TV. 1994 – Tour of Ecuador – cultural exchange program initiated by Swedish National Concerts Bureau. Tour together with Ecuador group “Los Chigualeros”, who also came to Sweden in -95 to complete the exchange program with concerts together with Sky High. 1996 – “Fat Guitar” album produced in the US with the help of english rock-legend – lyricist Pete Brown, who contributes with some grteat new lyrics. Guest appearences by: Mary Wilson ( of the Supremes ), the Uptown Horns and legendary brittish blues reed-man Dick Heckstall-Smith. New album “Fuzzface” released in December. 1998 - Four of the bands original songs featured on swedish blockbuster movie “The Hunters”, seen by over 2.000.000! Clas release a solo album – “Purple Haze”a Big Band Experience. SKY HIGH celebrate it´s 25 years with a big party at Grand Hoitel in Falun and release a double album “Skyhighlights/Tracks From The Crypt” 1999 – New album “Bluester” released in September. 2000 – Dynamite gig at legendary “Antones” “home of the blues”-club in Austin TX. Sky High brings down the house on an all star night featuring Delbert Mc Clinton, Marcia Ball & Eric Johnson… 2001 – Tour of Japan – real bluesmen DO eat sushi! 2002 – New recording deal with Virgin Records. New album “Freedom” released in the US. 2003 - New Album, “On The Cover/25 Years Of Madness” - Sky High´s 12´th – released in April), Clas release live Jimi Hendrix tribute album in the U.S. 2004 – Second album for Virgin /EMI - “Soul Survivor” a live recording of new original songs, recorded live at club Fasching, Stockholm April 9-11. 2005 – New rhythm section: L.A. drummer James Bradley Jr ( known for his work with Chuck Mangione, Anita Baker, Beasty Boys et. ) and Swedish top-player Ulf ”Rockis” Ivarsson on bass guitar. Back to the original power-trio format. Virgin Records release 8 albums from Sky High & Clas Yngströms back-catalog. 2006 – support Sting at Sthlm Jazz Festival ( the bands 10´th appearance at this fest! ) Clas is presented the blues price at Åmåls Blues Fest