Biography

The Margarets are a Norwegian pop band whose debut single, "Rubber Rubbish," was a break-out hit single in 2001. Formed in 1991 on the small island of Giske (population 6,000), off the coast of Ålesund, Norway, the band is comprised of Alex Rinde (vocals), Rune Berg (guitar), Ante Rune Giskeødegård (guitar), Lars Berg (bass), and Ronnie Michael André Giskegjerde Larsen (drums). The Margarets are predominantly influenced by bands from Manchester, England, above all the Smiths, Joy Division, and the Stone Roses. The band relocated to Oslo toward the end of the decade and broke into the Norwegian pop mainstream in 2001 with their debut commercial release, "Rubber Rubbish," a near-chart-topper that went all the way to number two on the domestic singles chart. The Margarets made their album debut the following year with What Kept You? (2002), another number two hit on the Norwegian charts. While subsequent albums Love Will Haunt You Down (2005) and Twenty Years Erased (2008) failed to rival the blockbuster commercial success of the band's debut full-length, they were nonetheless popular, reaching the Top Five and Top Ten respectively, and were well received by critics. Moreover, Twenty Years Erased earned the band a 2009 Spellemannsprisen (i.e., Norwegian Grammy) nomination for Best Pop Band of the Year. Fourth album Look for Love (2008) spawned a couple singles in "One Summer Night" and "Look for Love." ~ Jason Birchmeier