Niklas Almqvist facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicholaus Arson
Nicholaus with The Hives at the Eurockéennes of 2007
Background information
Birth name	Niklas Almqvist
Also known as	Nicholaus Arson Randy Fitzsimmons
Born	26 January 1977 (1977-01-26) (age 48) Säter, Dalarna, Sweden
Genres	Alternative rock garage punk garage rock revival post-punk revival
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1989–present
Labels	A&M Octone Interscope Epitaph

Niklas Almqvist (born on January 26, 1977) is a talented musician from Sweden. He is best known by his stage name, Nicholaus Arson. He plays lead guitar and sings backup for the rock band The Hives. His brother, Howlin' Pelle, is the main singer of the band.

Nicholaus Arson's Music Journey

Nicholaus Arson and his brother Per, also known as Howlin' Pelle, started their band, The Hives, in 1993. They quickly caught the eye of a person named Randy Fitzsimmons. This person helped the band become very famous.

Niklas Almqvist onstage in 2012.

There's a bit of a mystery about Randy Fitzsimmons. Some people think Randy Fitzsimmons is actually Nicholaus Arson himself, using a different name. This idea came up because Randy Fitzsimmons is a name registered to Arson. This made many people believe that Arson writes all the band's songs. However, Nicholaus and the rest of The Hives say that Randy Fitzsimmons is a real person and their songwriter.

Guitars and Gear

Nicholaus Arson mostly plays Fender guitars. He often uses Telecaster, Esquire, or Telecaster Deluxe models. These guitars are known for their cool sound. He also has a special guitar called "The Arsonette." This guitar was custom-built just for him. It has a unique design that helps it make a short, sharp sound with not much echo.

Almqvist playing his guitar in 2012.

His guitars often match the band's stage outfits, usually in black and white colors. For amplifiers, which make the guitar sound louder, Nicholaus uses white Hiwatt amps. He uses these along with other band members, Vigilante Carlstroem and Dr. Matt Destruction.

While he doesn't use many special sound effects, he does have a few pedals. These include an Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, a Boss AW-3 auto wah, and a Boss DD-3 digital delay. He uses these to create specific sounds for certain songs.

The Hives' Albums

Nicholaus Arson has helped create many albums with The Hives. Here are some of their main albums:

• Barely Legal (1997)
• Veni Vidi Vicious (2000)
• Tyrannosaurus Hives (2004)
• The Black and White Album (2007)
• Lex Hives (2012)
• The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (2023)