Permanently high (MNW)
Popium är popstjärnor i Norge! Sångaren och låtskrivaren Frank Hammersland, en gång frontman i Pogo Pops har sålt runt 100 000 skivor i Norge och Japan, och också samlat på sig ett antal Grammys. För ca ett år sedan kom Popiums debutalbum som vände upp och ner på vissa tidningar. Nöjesguiden i Sverige gav den 5/6 och skrev att Per Gessle gjorde klokast i att låsa in sin gitarr. Popium är ringande Rickenbacker gitarrer och Voxstärkare, samt klara kopplingar till band som The Beatles, The Kinks, XTC och Byrds.

Popium are experienced Norwegian popstars. Singer and songwriter, Frank Hammersland, used to front Pogo Pops who at their time sold close to 100 000 records in Norway and Japan and collected several Grammys. The rest of the band are experienced musicians as well, playing with different acts such as a-ha, Savoy, Poor Rich Ones and several others

Their 2001 selfentitled 'debut' album made critics pull out a rainbow of superlatives. A perfect pop record with references to 60's and 70's pop (The Beatles and The Kinks as well as Slade and T-Rex), but with a fresh new sound. The singles 'Favourite Blunders' and 'I can't get that lovesong outta my head' recieved much airplay and the stunning video for 'Favourite Blunders' even got a Grammy nomination.

Their new album 'Permanently High' is another nominee in the 'Classic Pop Album' genre. It was recorded in only 17 days, "because we were so full of energy" Frank explains. The album is full of love songs and the album title also gives a reference to this. "I'm in love, and felt the urge to express this in the new songs. It also adds a lot of positive energy…". The first single from the album, 'Silver Lining', Frank describes as his closest attempt to writing the perfect pop song. The single is currently (May 2002) in the Norwegian top 10 radio chart. The album widens broader than it's predecessor with both ballads and high energy pop songs and Popium also pay tribute to their old glam heroes Kiss in the cool and sexy version of 'Deuce'.

Frank Hammersland, vocals & guitar.
Former vocalist & bass player in Pogo Pops, full-blown pop stars in Norway in the 90s. They released four albums, which sold close to a 100 000 copies in Norway. The band played countless gigs in Norway - they even toured Japan three times - and received a Norwegian Grammy for their second album "Crash".

Yngve Sætre, keyboards.
Vocalist and producer in cult-band Barbie Bones, who peaked with a Norwegian Grammy for their second - and last - release "Death In the Rocking Horse Factory". Yngve continued in the music business as an engineer and producer in the legendary Sigma recording studio, where he produced among others Pogo Pops and DumDum Boys, both acts winning Norwegian Grammys with albums produced by Sætre. A couple of years ago he started up his own studio, called Duper Sound, where he has been busy producing bands like Ephemera and Tweeter.

Martin Holmes, guitar.
Guitarist/vocalist & songwriter in Bergen band Sylvia Wane, who have released three well-received singles, and toured Norway and the UK. Has toured Scandinavia & and in the US and UK as guitarist for Poor Rich Ones on their "Happy Happy Happy" tour.

Frode Unneland, drums.
Has become one of Norway's most in demand drummers, and has contributed to countless recordings. He has recorded with among others a-ha and Ulf Lundell, and has been in Paul Waktaar Savoy's band Savoy since 1997. Their third, and most recent album, entitled "Mountains Of Time", received a Norwegian Grammy.

Christer Ottesen, bass.
From 1990 to 1999 he toured, recorded and wrote songs for death metal band Paraplegic, who had records out in 1995 and 1998. Succumbed to his love for pop music for the first time in 1997, appearing on Norwegian band Cane's 1997 Warner album "Unable". Today he also the guitarist of glam-popsters Flare.