Niklas Almqvist
{{Short description|Swedish rock guitarist}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=February 2015}}
{{notability|Music|date=February 2015}}
}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Nicholaus Arson
| background = solo_singer
| image = The Hives mg 6421.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Nicholaus with The Hives at the Eurockéennes of 2007
| birth_name = Niklas Almqvist
| alias = {{flatlist|
- Nicholaus Arson
- Randy Fitzsimmons{{cite web|title=You Randy Devil!|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-hives-52-1375634|website=NME|accessdate=10 February 2018|date=13 February 2002|quote=Randy Fitzsimmons, ... is none other than – Nicholaus himself}}
}}
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|26 January 1977}}
| birth_place = Säter, Dalarna, Sweden
| origin =
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
- Guitar
- vocals
}}
| years_active = 1989–present
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| associated_acts = The Hives
| website = [http://www.thehives.com/ The Hives]
}}
Niklas Almqvist (born 26 January 1977), better known by his stage name Nicholaus Arson, is the lead guitarist and backup vocalist of the Swedish garage rock band The Hives, of which his brother Howlin' Pelle is the lead singer.
Career
File:Niklas Almqvist-September 2012.jpg
Arson and his brother Per (Howlin' Pelle, lead singer) formed the band in 1993, and, according to a biography about the band, attracted the attention of promoter/manager/songwriter Randy Fitzsimmons (possibly a fictional character), who propelled the band to fame.
It was revealed in NME that Randy Fitzsimmons is a registered pseudonym belonging to Arson. This has led many to believe that Randy Fitzsimmons is in fact a myth, and that it is Arson who writes the songs. Arson and the rest of the band deny this and insist on the existence of Randy Fitzsimmons as the band's songwriter.{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Paul |date=2024-01-02 |title=Stage Times: The Hives |url=https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/interview/stage-times-the-hives-58753/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215194333/https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/interview/stage-times-the-hives-58753/ |archive-date=15 December 2024 |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Ticketmaster UK |language=en}}
Musical equipment
File:The Hives - Malmöfestivalen 2012 (7889933470).jpg
Nicholaus uses almost exclusively Fender Telecaster, Esquire or Telecaster Deluxe style guitars (though he is seen playing a Danelectro in the Hate to Say I Told You So video). He also plays "The Arsonette" a custom built guitar by Sundberg Guitars, with tone chambers and a Firebird style midsection to give it a short, dead tone with little to no sustain. His guitars often reflect the outfits of the band with different combos of black and white finishes and pickguards. Along with Vigilante Carlstroem and Dr. Matt Destruction, Arson uses white Hiwatt amplifiers.
Although he doesn't rely on effects, he uses an Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, a Boss AW-3 auto wah, a Boss DD-3 digital delay and a Prunes & Custard Harmonic Generator-Intermodulator for certain songs or sounds.{{Cite web |title=Nicholaus Arson's Equipboard |url=http://equipboard.com/pros/nicholaus-arson |access-date=2018-01-12 |website=Equipboard |language=en}}
Discography
{{main|The Hives discography}}
- Barely Legal (1997)
- Veni Vidi Vicious (2000)
- Tyrannosaurus Hives (2004)
- The Black and White Album (2007)
- Lex Hives (2012)
- The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (2023)
References
External links
- [http://www.hivesmusic.com/ Official Hives website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081028174806/http://www.sundbergguitars.com/eng/artists.htm Sundberg Guitars]
{{The Hives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Almqvist, Niklas}}
Category:Epitaph Records artists
Category:Interscope Records artists
Category:People from Säter Municipality
Category:Swedish rock guitarists