Eddie Meduza

Errol Leonard Norstedt (17 June 1948–17 January 2002), better known by his stage name Eddie Meduza, previously known as E. Hitler, was a Swedish composer and musician working mainly in the rockabilly genre.

Music career Themes and behavior Many of Meduza's songs are about alcohol, women and cars, often with obscene lyrics. Some songs are politically oriented, with many aimed against the various Swedish governments in power during his musical career.

One of Meduza's personas was the vulgar E. Hitler. In this guise he generally recorded more offbeat recordings like "E.Hitler skiter" (a recording of his own defecation) and sexually explicit material. The E. Hitler recordings were only available on cassette tape by mail order directly from Meduza. On tour, he urged his audience to drink vodka to become as drunk as he was during his performances, to the tune of his "Mera brännvin" ("More booze").

Meduza also recorded serious rockabilly songs with a distinct 1950s flavour in his own studio, called Studio Ronka

Meduza is also remembered for the first recorded appearance of future hair metal guitarist John Norum (Dokken, UFO, Europe), who played on two of his albums. Norum and Meduza wrote the instrumental song "Boyazont," which appeared on Europe's debut album.

Albums Errol Norstedt's first album was Errol, released in 1975 under his real name. This album consists mostly of dansband music, but also includes a humorous song called "Snus-kig Blues" about snus. He began calling himself Eddie Meduza in 1978 with the release of the single "Punkjävlar" ("Punk bastards"). His first album as Eddie Meduza was released in 1979, called Eddie Meduza & Roarin' Cadillacs, mostly consisting of rock and roll and ballads in English. In 1980, Meduza released his next album, Garagetaper, with a front cover parodying the cover of Frank Zappa's 1979 album Joe's Garage. Meduza's breakthrough came in 1981 with the album Gasen I Botten, which includes some of his more well-known songs such as "Mera Brännvin" and "Volvo".

Alcoholism and death According to Meduza, he developed alcoholism in the early 1980s during periods of intense touring. In 1981, he was convicted of drunk-driving and spent one month in prison. Nevertheless, he continued drinking heavily, and a year after his release, he suffered a nervous breakdown. In 1993 he collapsed on his way to perform at a concert and was diagnosed with ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged heart). He was warned by doctors that he would die if he drank again; he initially made major changes to his lifestyle, stopped drinking and starting to work out. However, in the late 1990s, suffering a worsening depression, he started drinking heavily again, and this caused his health to deteriorate further. On 17 January 2002, Meduza died of a heart attack at his home in Småland in southern Sweden, aged 53. He was cremated and his ashes scattered, in the summer of 2003, outside Rossö in Kosterfjorden, Bohuslän. He was survived by his wife and children.

Popularity in Mexico Meduza's song "Reaktorn läck i Barsebäck" ("The Reactor Is Leaking in Barsebäck") from the 1980 album Garagetaper has become a popular party song in Mexico, under the title "Himno a la banda".

Discography

Albums 1975 – Errol 1979 – Eddie Meduza & Roarin' Cadillacs 1980 – Garagetaper 1981 – Gasen I Botten 1982 – För Jævle Braa! 1982 – 21 Värsta!!! 1983 – Dåren É Lös 1984 – West a Fool Away 1985 – Ain't Got No Cadillac 1986 – Collection (2 LP) 1989 – Dom Dåraktigaste Dumheterna Digitalt (Röven 1) 1989 – Dom Dåraktigaste Dumheterna Digitalt (Röven 2) 1990 – På Begäran 1990 – You Ain't My Friend 1991 – Collection (CD) 1995 – Harley Davidson 1997 – Silver Wheels 1998 – Värsting Hits 1998 – Eddie Meduzas Bästa 1999 – Väg 13 1999 – Dance Mix 1999 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 1 1999 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 2 1999 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 3 2000 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 4 2000 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 5 2000 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 6 2001 – Scoop 2001 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 7 2001 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 8 2001 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 9 2002 – Just Like An Eagle 2002 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 10 2002 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 11 2002 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 12 2003 – Live(s)! CD+DVD 2003 – 100% Eddie Meduza 2003 – Live(s)! CD 2004 – Rock'n Rebel 2005 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 13 2005 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 14 2005 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 15 2005 – Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 16 2005 – Raggare 2006 – Dragspelsrock 2006 – Dubbelidioterna 2010 – Rockabilly Rebel 2014 – En Jävla Massa Hits 2014 – Jag Och Min Far (with Anders Norstedt) 2016 – The Lost Tape

Cassettes 1976 – E. Hitler & Luftwaffe: Mannen Utan Hjärna 1977 – E. Hilter & Luftkaffe Nr. 1 1977 – E. Hitler & Luftwaffe Nr. 2 1979 – E. Hitler & Luftwaffe Nr. 3 Del 1 1979 – E. Hitler & Luftwaffe Nr. 3 Del 2 1980 – Greatest Hits 1983 – Greatest Hits I 1983 – Greatest Hits II 1983 – Dubbelidioterna 1984 – Eddie Meduza Presenterar Lester C. Garreth 1985 – Hej Hitler! 1985 – Legal Bootleg (cassette box consisting of "Första Försöken", "Fortsättning Följer", "Mera Material", "Svensktoppsrulle", "Fräckisar" and "Bonnatwist") 1986 – Raggare 1986 – Collection Del 1 1986 – Collection Del 2 1987 – Greatest Hits 1987 – Jag Blir Aldrig Riktigt Vuxen, Jag! 1987 – E. Hitler På Dansrotundan 1987 – Börje Lundins Julafton 1988 – Radio Ronka 1 1988 – Börje Lundins Kräftkalas 1988 – Dårarnas Julafton 1989 – Idiotlåtar 1989 – Dårarnas Midsommarafton 1990 – Radio Ronka 2 1993 – Jubelidioterna 1994 – Eddies Garderob 1994 – Kräftkalas Två 1995 – Hjärndelirium 2000 1996 – Radio Abonnerad 1996 – Rockligan 1996 – Rätt Sorts Råckenråll 1996 – Scanaway 1996 – God Jul Era Rövhål 1997 – Di Värsta Pärvärsta Scetcherna 1997 – Di Värsta Pärvärsta Låtarna 1997 – Göran Persson Är En Galt 1998 – Compendia Ultima (cassette box, consisting of 11 collection cassettes)

Singles 1975 – Tretton År / Här Hemma 1978 – Punkjävlar / Oh What A Cadillac 1979 – Yea Yea Yea / Honey B 1979 – Såssialdemokraterna / Norwegian Boogie / Roll Over Beethoven 1981 – Volvo / 34:an 1981 – Gasen I Botten / Mera Brännvin 1982 – Han Eller Jag, Vem Ska Du Ha / Tonight 1982 – Jätteparty I Kväll / Tonight 1982 – Sverige / Stupid Cupid 1983 – Fruntimmer Ska En Ha... 1983 – Fruntimmer Ska En Ha... / Han Eller Jag, Vem Ska Du Ha? 1983 – Jag Vill Ha En Brud Med Stora Bröst / Leader of the Rockers 1983 – Jag Vill Ha En Brud Med Stora Pattar / Leader of the Rockers 1984 – Sveriges Kompani (Militärpolka) / Dunder Å Snus 1984 – Punkar'n Å Raggar'n / Hej På Dig Evert 1984 – Fisdisco / California Sun 1985 – The Wanderer / It's All Over Now 1988 – Småländsk Sommarnatt / Birds And Bees 1990 – Sweet Linda Boogie / Heart Don't Be A Fool 2015 – Julesång / Ute På Vischan 2016 – Midsommarnatt / Mera Brännvin