Bjorn Englen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bjorn Englen
Englen performing in 2024
Background information
Origin	Växjö, Sweden
Genres	Hard rock, heavy metal, rock
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Grand Mercy Records
Associated acts	Soul Sign, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio Disciples, Uli Jon Roth, Tony MacAlpine, Quiet Riot, Robin McAuley

Bjorn Englen is a talented bass player from Växjö, Sweden. He is known for playing bass in the bands Soul Sign and Dio Disciples. Bjorn has also played with many other famous musicians and groups, including Yngwie Malmsteen, Quiet Riot, Robin McAuley, Uli Jon Roth, and Tony MacAlpine.

Bjorn Englen's Musical Journey

Bjorn Englen started his music career in Sweden in 1984. He first played the drums, but after a few months, he switched to the bass guitar. He performed with several local bands before moving to Los Angeles, California, in 1993.

Bjorn has played in over 2,000 live shows and recorded music on nearly 60 albums. He has worked with members from many well-known bands. These include Foreigner, Deep Purple, Kiss, Dio, Ozzy, Journey, and Guns N' Roses.

Besides playing, Bjorn has also spent time teaching music. He taught bass and how to play in a band at several schools. This includes the Musicians Institute in Hollywood from 1996 to 1997. He has also led workshops and master classes around the world since 1994.

Playing with Quiet Riot

In 1994, Bjorn Englen joined the heavy metal band Quiet Riot as their bass player. He helped prepare for their album Down to the Bone. He also played 22 shows during their 1995 tour to support the album.

Forming Soul Sign

Soon after, Bjorn started his own band called Soul Sign. Soul Sign toured in Europe and the US in 2010 and 2011. This was to promote their album "Life In The Dark," which came out in late 2011. The band's current lineup includes singer Mark Boals. They toured in Scandinavia in May 2013 and in the USA in 2012-2014, 2019, 2023, and 2024. Their latest album, "Desert Fire," was released digitally and on CD in April 2025.

Bjorn also toured the U.S. in 1996 with the band Wrestless Natives. He recorded music and toured with other groups too. These include Heaven & Earth (1999–2000), Bleed (2004–2006), and Takara (2002–2008).

Working with Robin McAuley

From 2004 to 2006, Bjorn performed across the US with Robin McAuley. Robin is a singer known for his work with the bands MSG and Survivor.

Touring with Yngwie Malmsteen

From 2007 to 2012, Englen played bass for Yngwie Malmsteen's band, Rising Force. They toured and performed in Europe and the U.S. in 2007 and 2008. They had a sold-out tour in Japan in April 2009. They also toured Russia and Israel in April 2010. Another US tour for the album "Relentless" happened in October and November 2011. Bjorn left Yngwie's band in 2012 due to other commitments.

Collaborating with Uli Jon Roth

Uli Jon Roth, a former guitarist for Scorpions, saw Bjorn play with Malmsteen. He then hired Bjorn for many tours and shows from 2010 to 2013. In 2011, Bjorn was the bassist for three very famous guitarists at the same time: Malmsteen, Roth, and Tony MacAlpine.

Playing with Tony MacAlpine

From 2011 to 2017, Bjorn played for the amazing guitarist and keyboard player Tony MacAlpine. They performed several shows in the US in 2011-2012. A big European tour with 27 shows in 17 countries started in February 2012. This was followed by many shows and tours in Mexico and Colombia in 2013-2014. They also did four US tours from 2014 to 2017. This included eight shows supporting Steve Vai's "Passion & Warfare" 25th Anniversary Tour.

Joining DIO Disciples

Since October 2012, Bjorn has been a member of the official DIO band, Dio Disciples. This band features long-time members of the original Dio band. In October and November 2012, the band did a 24-show US tour. In March 2013, DIO Disciples were the main act at the Monsters of Rock cruise. They also completed tours in Brazil, Mexico, and Texas in June 2013. The band performed in the US and Canada in July, September, and October 2013, and in Mexico in 2014. They also played at the Monsters of Rock Cruise in 2014 and 2016. In 2016, they performed at the Fezen Festival in Hungary and the Wacken Festival in Germany. At Wacken, they had a special hologram performance with Ronnie James Dio. In December 2017, the band toured Europe as Dio Returns, with a part of the show featuring a Ronnie James Dio hologram. The band continued to tour across the US in 2018, and a full US tour was completed in June 2019. In August 2024, the band performed at festivals in Germany, Belgium, and Spain. They were also a special guest for Mr. Big in Oslo, Norway.

In recent years, Bjorn has also worked with other successful bands like Hellion and Blackwelder.

Press and Features

Bjorn Englen has been featured in several music magazines. He had a two-page article in Bassiste Magazine in March/April 2010. He was also on the cover of Basista Magazine in April 2012. Soundquest Magazine published a three-page article about him in June 2012. He was also interviewed in Rock N Roll Industries Magazine in July 2013.