A Swedish Sleaze Rock n' Roll outfit BACKYARD BABIES, founded as a high school band during 1987, hailed originally from Nässjö before relocating to Stockholm. The band spearheaded a fresh wave of acts of similar ilk. The group, initially comprising singer Tobbe, guitarist Dregen (a.k.a. Andreas Tyrone Svensson), bassist Johan Blomqvist and drummer Peder Carlsson, put out a single demo before Nicke Borg took over the role of frontman. Two more demo sessions ensued.

Commercially, BACKYARD BABIES debuted in 1991 with a quite collectable five track EP entitled 'Something To Swallow' before being signed by Megarock Records. The debut album, 'Diesel And Power' was issued in 1994 and a subsequent video track would garner favour with MTV's 'Headbanger's Ball' presenter Vanessa Warwick. In addition to the album the band also released the 'Electric Suzy' single through Megarock, which contained a cover of HANOI ROCKS' 'Taxi Driver', a band BACKYARD BABIES had often been compared to. In February 1995 BACKYARD BABIES opened Scandinavian shows for Monroe's then act DEMOLITION 23.

As negotiations with Megarock for a second album continued BACKYARD BABIES guitarist Dregen involved himself as a member of the Punkier THE HELLACOPTERS, the band that also features ENTOMBED's drummer Nicke Andersson. With this act Dregen featured on two albums, 'Supershitty To The Max!' and 'Payin' The Dues'.

The BACKYARD BABIES would split from Megarock and, having signed to MVG the group experienced a considerable rise in their stock during the latter half of 1997 with the release of a brand new mini-album 'Knockouts'. Promoting the highly rated 'Total 13' album, a short British tour was greeted by strong critical acclaim from the British media who had previously not given the Swedes the time of day.

1998 had bassist Johan Blomqvist created side project HAYSTACK together with ENTOMBED guitarist Uffe Cederlund for the 'Slave Me' album. The band's 'Bombed (Out Of My Mind)' single featured HANOI ROCKS front man MICHAEL MONROE on the B side cut 'Rocker'. BACKYARD BABIES issued their next single 'Is It Still Alright To Smile?', backed with a version of FASTER PUSSYCAT's 'Babylon'. The latter saw contributions from THE WILDHEARTS Ginger and Nicke Andersson of THE HELLACOPTERS, as a self-funded effort.

BACKYARD BABIES supported ALICE COOPER in Britain during 1998. Headline dates had the band in September 1998 supported by THE YO-YOS and RADIATOR. To close 1999 Dregen, Nicke Andersson, Ginger and producer Tomas Skogsberg forged studio act SUPERSHIT 666 to issue a self-titled mini-album.

Back with BACKYARD BABIES, the group played the major UK arenas in November and December opening for AC/DC. BACKYARD BABIES, promoting a new album 'Making Enemies Is Good', would support MOTÖRHEAD in the UK during May 2001.

On October 15th 2002 Dregen landed on the front pages of the Swedish national newspapers for all the rong reasons after being assaulted, robbed and knocked unconscious. The singer was returning home from a club after a DJ session when he and his friend were mugged, Dregen having his CDs, cell phone and money stolen as well as suffering a broken jaw. At the time the BACKYARD BABIES were in the midst of recording their 'Making Enemies Is Good' album.

The Stockholm Syndrome' album, recorded at Stockholm's Polar studios and mixed in Los Angeles with producer Joe Barresi, saw issue in Scandinavia in November 2003 through RCA/BMG Records. Notabley, the song 'Friends' boasted a massive cast of associates including Kory Clarke of WARRIOR SOUL, MICHAEL MONROE and Sami Yaffa from HANOI ROCKS, Joey Ramone from the RAMONES, Nina Persson of THE CARDIGANS, Corey Shields and Damon Richardson of DANKO JONES, Janis Tanaka, Suzy Gardner, Donita Sparks and Jennifer Finch of L7, Sarah Reitkopp of HALFCOCKED, Björne Fröberg of THE NOMADS, Nicke Andersson of THE HELLACOPTERS, Rodde Pencheff from THE LATIN KINGS, Amir Chamdin of INFINITE MASS, Blag Dahlia of THE DWARVES, Anne Kadrovich-Johnson of TUSCAURORA, Karmen Guy of MAD JUANA, Euroboy and Happy Tom of TURBONEGRO plus Andy Shernoff of THE DICTATORS. 'Minus Celsius' and 'A Song For The Outcast' also saw release as singles.

BACKYARD BABIES lent support to VELVET REVOLVER's European dates in September and October of 2004. To round off the year Dregan formed up with URRKE T & THE MIDLIFE CRISIS, a collaboration between Robert Eriksson from THE HELLACOPTERS, Urrke T from MARYSLIM and Måns M from THE MAGGOTS. A 7" single, entitled 'Ask Not What You Can Do For Your Country...', recorded in just one day and limited to 2000 copies, arrived in December through Bootleg Booze Records. The three tracks included cover versions of THE USERS 'Sick Of You', WARHEADS 'Center Of Lies' and THE AVENGERS 'The American In Me'.

A short burst of Swedish dates in January 2005 preceded a nationwide US tour throughout February and March as support to SOCIAL DISTORTION. BACKYARD BABIES contracted a North American deal with Liquor and Poker Music for release of the 'Tinnitus' album, a retrospective compilation. Summer US dates had the band packaged with THE CHELSEA SMILES throughout June and July. New album recordings conducted in late 2005, dubbed 'People Like People Like People Like Us', would see production credits going to THE HELLACOPTERS frontman and ex-ENTOMBED drummer Nicke Andersson.

The band put in a significant appearance at the TOOL and DEFTONES headlined 'Download' festival in Castle Donington, UK on June 9th 2006. BACKYARD BABIES hooked up with THE HELLACOPTERS and MILLENCOLIN for the 'Where The Action Is' tour of Sweden in August.

The band issued an eponymous album, recorded at Polar and Big Island Sound studios in Stockholm with producer Jacob Hellner, through Billion Dollar Babies / Spinefarm Records on 18th August 2008. The self-titled album topped the chart in the group's home country in its first week of release and also entered the Finnish album chart at no. 31.

The group featured on the 'Summer Breeze' festival billing in August 2009 held in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. BACKYARD BABIES also supported MÖTLEY CRÜE on select dates in Europe during the summer.

To celebrate two decades together, BACKYARD BABIES embarked on the 'Them XX' tour in January and February 2010. In addition, they released a 120 page book, also titled 'Them XX', containing private photos, three CDs and a DVD documentary that conveyed the 20 years of the BACKYARD BABIES story. Nicke Borg stated that the band was then to go on an ndefinite hiatus.

Garry Sharpe-Young