Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby (15 June 1972 – 19 November 2021), also known as Hank von Helvete and Hank von Hell, was a Norwegian musician most famous for being the lead vocalist of the punk rock band Turbonegro.[6][7] He died on 19 November 2021.[8]
Hank von Hell
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Hank von Hell at Coachella 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Hans Erik Dyvik Husby |
| Also known as | Hank von Helvete, Hank, Hertugen, Herr Tugen, Hertis |
| Born | (1972-06-15)15 June 1972 |
| Died | 19 November 2021(2021-11-19) (aged 49)[1] |
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Von Hell's former band Turbonegro is most well known for their tongue-in-cheek humor dealing with homosexual aesthetics and punk rock antics, and the formation of a genre they label "death punk". The band formed in the late 1980s and put out a few records before disbanding in 1998 when von Hell's heroin addiction made him unable to perform. After going through rehab, Turbonegro reunited in 2002, but the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2010.[9][10] The main reason for this was his new lifestyle as a sober family man.
In 2009, he had a joint No. 1 hit alongside Maria Solheim in the Norwegian Singles Chart with "Rom for alle". The song stayed at No. 1 for three weeks including the Christmas chart for 2009.
Von Hell played the title role in Cornelis, a Swedish film from 2010 about the singer-songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk.
On 6 June 2011, von Hell, alongside his new band Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult, released their first album I Declare: Treason.
In late 2011, he was a judge in the Norwegian TV series Idol. His biography was released in Norway October 2012, written by writer and poet Havard Rem, where he speaks openly about his life so far.
On 31 August 2018, von Hell released his first single, "Bum to Bum", from his forthcoming solo record Egomania. The album was released on 2 November through Sony Music/Century Media worldwide.[11]
He wrote the album with the help of guitarist and band member Eric Bachman, also known as Cat Casino. Von Hell was asked why he decided to return and produce a solo record in an interview in 2018, stating: "The timing was just right. I was done with others "angels" in life, and it felt like it was time to go back and do what I always should’ve done – ROCK. And shake ass."[12]
On 25 January 2019, the song "Fake It" was chosen for competition in the Melodi Grand Prix 2019 to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.[13]
Von Hell went through detox while living at the Moskenes island in Lofoten, Norway. Here he worked at Norsk FiskeværsmuseuminÅ, as well as working as a presenter at Moskenesradioen, a local radio station.
He claims to have now dealt with his drug addiction problem thanks to the Scientology drug rehab program Narconon.[14]
Von Hell was married to model Gro Skaustein (b. 1980) from August 2009 until October 2014. The couple had a daughter together who was born on 21 December 2008.[15]
Von Hell died on 19 November 2021, aged 49. No cause of death has been made public.[16]
