Michael Poulsen

Not to be confused with Michael Paulsen.
Michael Poulsen

Poulsen 2009
Background information
Birth name Michael Poulsen
Born (1975-04-01) 1 April 1975
Genres
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments
Years active 1991–present
Associated acts
Notable instruments
Gibson SG GT

Michael Schøn Poulsen (born 1 April 1975) is a Danish vocalist and guitarist. He is currently the singer and main songwriter of the band Volbeat.

Biography

Poulsen at the Summer Breeze Open Air 2007 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.

Poulsen grew up in Ringsted, Denmark which is about a 40 miles (63 kilometers) from Copenhagen in a working-class family. He has a twin sister and two older sisters, who are also twins. His parents were big fans of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Chuck Berry. As a teenager, he got in touch with metal music like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Iced Earth and Black Sabbath.[2] At the age of 17, he moved to Copenhagen and formed his first band Dominus. Poulsen stated a major influence during this period was Chuck Schuldiner and his band Death.

Dominus released four records between 1994 and 2000. The band split-up a year later as Poulsen was fed up with death metal music and the death metal scene.[3] He wrote new songs with a more rock'n'roll approach and established Volbeat. After releasing two demos, their debut album The Strength / The Sound / The Songs reached number 18 in the Danish charts and became the first album of a Danish metal band in 20 years to enter the top 20.[4] On 22 April 2006, Poulsen performed with some of Elvis Presley's studio musicians in Copenhagen.[5] Volbeat's sophomore record Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil and their third effort Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood went straight to number 1 in the Danish charts.[4][6]

Poulsen later showed his affinity towards Social Distortion, and taking cues from a "new influence" created Volbeat's distinct sound.

March 2010 Poulsen was married at Graceland, Memphis, to his wife Lina.[7]

In 2012, Poulsen is doing a liner note for the Relapse Records reissue of Death's 1990 album Spiritual Healing, which he considers one of his favorite albums.

In 2014 Poulsen did a verse in Highwayman, a Jimmy Webb song covered by Iced Earth on the album Plagues of Babylon. Iced Earth's cover of Highwayman was done in the format of the same song covered by country Supergroup "The Highwaymen". Poulsen sings the same verse that Johnny Cash sings in the song.

Musical equipment

Poulsen primarily plays Gibson SG guitars, first a Tony Iommi signature model but later a GT-model with Seymour Duncan pickups, through a Marshall JCM800 2210 model. He also sometimes plays an ESP Eclipse and a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop. The effects Poulsen uses are an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a noise suppressor, a vintage equalizer and a maximizer pedal.[8]

Awards

In 2006, Poulsen was nominated in the categories Singer of the year and Composer of the year at the annual Steppeulven awards.[9] Two years later, he was nominated in the category Best singer at the Danish Music Awards.[10]

Discography

with Dominus

  • 1994: View to the Dim
  • 1996: The First Nine
  • 1997: Vol. Beat
  • 2000: Godfallos

with Volbeat

References

  1. ↑ "Volbeat." Starpulse. Accessed January 6, 2016. http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Volbeat/Biography/.
  2. ↑ Schiffbauer, Conny. "Im Schwatzkasten mit Michael Poulsen (Volbeat)". Rock Hard (in German). Vol. 257 no. October 2008. p. 18. ISSN 1437-8140.
  3. ↑ Metalgreg. "Volbeat" (in German). Metal.de. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  4. 1 2 "VOLBEAT: 'Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil' Tops Danish Album Chart". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  5. ↑ "VOLBEAT Frontman Performs With ELVIS PRESLEY's Backing Musicians: Photos Available". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  6. ↑ "VOLBEAT: 'Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood' First-Week Chart Positions Revealed". Blabber]. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  7. ↑ http://www.elvisunlimited.com/news.asp?news_id=2467&page_id=79
  8. ↑ Stark, Janne. "Volbeat - Michael Poulsen". fuzz.se. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  9. ↑ "...og de nominerede 2006 er:" (in Danish). steppeulv.dk. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  10. ↑ "VOLBEAT Nominated In Four Categories At DANISH MUSIC AWARDS". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
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