Dead (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dead
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Per Yngve Ohlin |
| Also known as | Pelle Ohlin |
| Born | 16 January 1969 Västerhaninge, Stockholm County, Sweden |
| Died | 8 April 1991 (aged 22) Kråkstad, Akershus, Norway |
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| Years active | 1986–1991 |
Per Yngve Ohlin (born January 16, 1969 – died April 8, 1991), known by his stage name Dead, was a Swedish musician. He was best known as the lead singer and songwriter for the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem from 1988 until his death in 1991. Before joining Mayhem, he was also the lead singer for the Swedish thrash metal band Morbid. Dead was a well-known person in the Norwegian black metal music scene. His influence is still remembered in this type of music today.
Contents
Early Life and Interests
Per Yngve Ohlin was born on January 16, 1969, in Västerhaninge, Sweden. His parents, Anita Forsberg and Lars Ohlin, divorced when he was young. When he was ten years old, Ohlin had a serious injury. His brother, Anders, later shared that Ohlin was often bullied at school. One day, he was badly beaten, which caused his spleen to rupture. He had to go to the hospital and was even declared clinically dead for a short time. This experience later made him very interested in death, which inspired his stage name, Dead.
As a teenager, Ohlin really enjoyed heavy metal and rock music. Some of his favorite bands included Black Sabbath, Kiss, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Metallica.
Music Career
Starting with Morbid and Mayhem
In early 1986, Ohlin started a Swedish death/thrash metal band called Morbid. With this band, he recorded a demo tape titled December Moon. Ohlin felt the band wasn't making enough progress. So, he decided to contact the members of Mayhem, as he knew they needed a new singer.
According to Mayhem's bassist, Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud, Dead first sent the band a package. It contained a demo tape, a letter with his ideas, and a small, crucified mouse. Necrobutcher kept the tape, which had Dead's contact information. Dead then moved to Norway in early 1988 and became Mayhem's new official vocalist.
Live Performances
For his concerts, Dead put a lot of effort into creating a specific look and mood. From the start of his career, he would cover his face with black and white makeup. This was to make him look like a corpse, not just for style. To make his corpse-like image even more realistic, Dead would bury his stage clothes. He would then dig them up just before a concert to wear them.
Dead also made a short appearance in the 1986 music video for the band Candlemass' song "Bewitched."
Personality and Interests
Other musicians often described Dead as unique and quiet. Hellhammer, a drummer, said Dead was "a very strange personality... depressed, melancholic and dark." Some people have wondered if Dead might have had a very rare condition called Cotard's syndrome. This condition can make a person believe their body is not that of a living human.
Dead also had an unusual interest in a condition called porphyria. This was because it was linked to old stories about vampires. In his letters, Dead also showed a fascination with the occult. He even mentioned that his great-grandmother practiced white magic. Dead said that he tried to perform his own rituals for a time. He did this to better understand his near-death experience, but he was not successful.
Discography
Ohlin sang on all the following recordings:
With Morbid
- Morbid Rehearsal (1987) (Demo album)
- December Moon (1987) (Demo album)
- Live in Stockholm (2000) (Live album)
- Year of the Goat (2011) (Compilation album)
With Mayhem
- Live in Leipzig (1993) (Live album)
- The Dawn of the Black Hearts (1995) (Live album)
- Freezing Moon/... (1996) (Single)
- Out from the Dark (1996) (Demo album)
- Live in Zeitz (2016) (Live album)
- Live in Jessheim (2017) (Live album)
- De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas: The Dead Files (2017) (Compilation album)
- Deathcrush: The Dead Version (2018) (Compilation album)
- Live in Sarpsborg (2019) (Live album)
Split albums
- A Tribute to the Black Emperors (1994) (Morbid and Mayhem compilation album)
See also
In Spanish: Per Yngve Ohlin para niños
