Backstreet Girls is a Norwegian rock band formed in 1984. The band's current lineup consists of guitarist Petter Baarli, vocalist Bjørn Müller, bassist Gaute Vaag and drummer Jonas Amazonas. Backstreet Girls have released sixteen studio albums since the band's formation.
Backstreet Girls was formed in 1984 by brothers Pål and Tom Kristensen on bass and vocals respectively, guitarist Petter Baarli and drummer Petter Hafstad.[1] Hafstad left the band in September of that year and was replaced by Baarli's brother Bjørn Terje Baarli, while Tom Kristensen left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Arne Aarnes. Later that year, the band started writing and recording their first album, and also contributed to the soundtrack of the Norwegian film X. In 1986, Backstreet Girls released their debut album Mental Shakedown on the small independent label Medicine Records. Later that year, Aarnes left the band, and was replaced by Bjørn Müller. The line-up of Petter Baarli, Pål Kristensen, Bjørn Terje Baarli and Bjørn Müller remained for the subsequent three albums, Boogie Till' You Puke (1988), Party On Elmstreet (1989) and Coming Down Hard (1989).
Guitarist Petter Baarli performing in 2018.
In May 1991, Müller left the band, and was replaced by the band's fourth vocalist, Ole Hillborg.[2][3] The band's next album, Let's Have It, was released in October 1992 on Warner Music. In 1993, the band released their first live album, while Hillborg left the band shortly thereafter. Backstreet Girls traveled to London to audition new singers, eventually recruiting Irishman Pat Diamond, and returned to Norway to record a new album.[3][4] The album Don't Fake It Too Long was finalized in 1995, but not released until 2008 due to Diamond being deported from Norway.[4] Upon returning to Norway, Diamond was fired and Bjørn Müller rejoined the band as lead vocalist in 1995.[2] Backstreet Girls' next album, Hellway To High, was released in 1999. In October of that year, founding member and bassist Kristensen left the band and was replaced by Morten Lunde.[5] In November 2000, Universal Records released the band's first compilation album, Boogie Till' You Bleed.
In March 2001, the band released their eight studio album, Tuff Tuff Tuff, and went on a summer tour of Europe with long-time influence Rose Tattoo.[6] Live recordings from these concerts along, with new studio songsm were released in September 2002 on the album Black Boogie Death Rock N' Roll. Towards the end of that year, bassist Lunde left the band and was replaced by Dan Thunderbird.[7] In June 2003, the band released the album Sick My Duck. In 2007, dummer Bjørn Terje Baarli left Backstreet Girls after 23 years with the band and was replaced by Swede Martin H-Son. The new lineup of Müller, Baarli, Thunderbird and H-Son would go on to release four studio albums during the next ten years. In 2015, a documentary about the band, Backstreet Girls: Back to Muoatathal, was released.[8] In 2018, H-Son departed the band and was replaced by Frank Albin Tostrup, while Thunderbird left the following year and was replaced by Gaute Vaag.[9] The band's fifteenth album, Normal Is Dangerous, was released in 2019. Drummer Tostrup left the band the following year and was replaced by Jonas Amazonas.[10] In 2023, the album In Lust We Trust was released.[10]
