Marcel Karl Jacob (30 January 1964 – 21 July 2009), professionally known as Marcel Jacob, was a Swedish musician, best known as the founder, chief songwriter, and bassist of the hard rock band

Talisman A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...

. For a brief period, he also played in the band

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

and with

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

. Jacob was also a skilled lead guitarist, occasionally playing guitar solos on albums where he felt the guitarist didn't perform to his standards. It has been reported that Jacob's birth name was Marcus Jacobsson, something he dismissed in an interview. This is supported by the fact that his sister Emeli also uses the last name Jacob and not Jacobsson.

Biography

In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist

. Three years later Jacob joined the band Force, which later changed its name to

, replacing

John Levén John Gunnar Levén (born 25 October 1963 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish bassist in the Swedish rock band Europe. Levén and vocalist Joey Tempest are the only band members who have performed on all of Europe's studio albums. Career When ...

, who took Jacob's place in Rising Force. During his time in Force, Jacob wrote the song "Black Journey Through My Soul" together with vocalist Joey Tempest. The song was eventually included on Europe's second album '' Wings of Tomorrow'', retitled "Scream of Anger". After spending three months in Force, Jacob traded places with John Levén again, who apparently had issues with Malmsteen. In 1985, Jacob returned to Malmsteen's band to play on the album ''

Marching Out ''Marching Out'' is the second studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 30 September 1985 through Polydor Records.Total Control'', the first solo album released by Europe guitarist

John Norum John Norum (born 23 February 1964) is a Norwegian-Swedish guitarist and one of the founders of the rock band Europe. Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a career as a solo artist. Biography As an infant, Norum moved with his p ...

. Jacob also re-used demo tracks from his pre-Yngwie band Power for several of the songs included on that album, including the Swedish hit single "Let Me Love You". Two years later he formed the band

together with vocalist

Jeff Scott Soto Jeff Scott Soto (born November 4, 1965) is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for being the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and (briefly) the lead vocalist for Journey in 2006–2007. Soto also ...

. Throughout the years Talisman was Jacob's major effort and the band released several studio and live albums until 2007. In 1989 Jacob was back in the USA, auditioned for Dio and played on Jeff Scott Soto's other band

Eyes Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and c ...

's debut. In 1992, Jacob played on a song with Lion's Share, "Nothing's Free", which was included on a Belgian compilation and in 1993 he was guest musician on ex- Candlemass singer Thomas Vikström's solo album ''If I Could Fly''. Vikström and Jacob had played together with guitar player Tommy Denander (

Paul Stanley Paul Stanley (born Stanley Bert Eisen; January 20, 1952) is an American musician who is the co-founder, frontman, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's most popula ...

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guilloti ...

) and drummer Jake Samuel (

The Poodles The Poodles were a glam metal/ heavy metal band from Sweden, formed by singer Jakob Samuel (a.k.a. Jake Samuels), bassist Pontus Egberg, guitarist Pontus Norgren and drummer Christian Lundqvist. Their songs include " Metal Will Stand Tall" an ...

) in the cover band Horny Strings and Vikström also was a touring member of Talisman along with

Jason Bieler Jason Bieler (also often known simply as "Jason") is a singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most famous for playing with metal band Saigon Kick. He has also played in other bands, including an early touring version of Talisman and Super Tra ...

from

Saigon Kick Saigon Kick is an American hard rock band from Miami, Florida, that formed in 1988. When they recorded their debut album and second album the band consisted of lead vocalist Matt Kramer, lead guitarist Jason Bieler, bassist Tom Defile, and drum ...

. Later Vikström ( Therion) took the lead singer role. The same year Jacob was guest musician on the album ''Something Wicked Comes'' by Billionaires Boys Club, a band featuring ex- Accept guitarist Jörg Fischer and Jacob's former Yngwie Malmsteen bandmates

Mark Boals Mark Robert Boals (born December 5, 1958) is an American heavy metal vocalist and occasional bassist, best known for his vocals with Yngwie Malmsteen. He is currently a member of the band Foundry. Boals' first album with Malmsteen, 1986's '' ...

and Anders Johansson. In 1994, he played on The Johansson Brothers' self-titled album. Another band Jacob formed was

Human Clay ''Human Clay'' is the second studio album by American rock band Creed, released on September 28, 1999, through Wind-up Records. Produced by John Kurzweg, it was the band's last album to feature Brian Marshall, who left the band in August 20 ...

, together with Jeff Scott Soto. They recorded two albums. In 1996, Jacob played on '' Inspiration'', a cover album recorded by Yngwie J. Malmsteen. In the early 2000s, Jacob studied psychology at

Stockholm University Stockholm University ( sv, Stockholms universitet) is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, s ...

for a few years. In 2005 Jacob was one of three new players to participate in the Swedish/German hard rock band Last Autumn's Dream for its second studio album, along with drummer

Jamie Borger Jamie Borger (born 28 May 1964) is a Swedish drummer who has played in the bands Talisman, Treat and Last Autumn's Dream. Over the years, he also has recorded with Alfonzetti, Adam Thompson, Baltimore, Human Clay, Swedish Erotica and Jeff Scot ...

and keyboarder Thomas Lassar. They were hired to replace John Levén,

Ian Haugland Jan-Håkan "Ian" Haugland (born 13 August 1964) is the drummer in the Swedish rock band Europe. When he was eight months old, he and his family moved to the Stockholm suburb of Märsta, Sweden. He joined Europe in the summer of 1984, replacing ...

and

Mic Michaeli Gunnar Mathias "Mic" Michaeli (born 11 November 1962) is a Swedish musician best known as the keyboardist for the rock band Europe. Like many of the other Europe members he grew up in Stockholm suburb Upplands Väsby. He joined the band for the ...

, who played on the debut album, but who could not make it this time due to taking part in the Europe reunion. Jacob also recorded with Last Autumn's Dream for five further studio albums, the latest being '' Dreamcatcher'', which was released on 26 January 2009. Jacob made his last appearance on record with the Swedish studio band Impulsia, on the album ''Expressions'' which was released on 24 September 2009 via Impulsia Music and under Riverside Records.

Death

Jacob was found dead from

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

in his home in Kristineberg, Stockholm on 21 July 2009. He was 45 years old. Talisman vocalist Jeff Scott Soto issued the following statement: "It is with deep regret and remorse I, along with fellow members of Talisman, am announcing our brother, longtime colleague and overall greatest musician we've ever played with, Marcel Jacob, is no longer with us as of today, Tuesday July 21, 2009. Marcel took his own life after many years of personal and health issues he was battling.""TALISMAN Bassist Marcel Jacob Commits Suicide"
''

Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles ''Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles'' (''BW&BK'') is a Canadian heavy metal magazine. Although based in Toronto, Canada, ''BW&BK'' features writers from the US, Germany and the UK, allowing the magazine to represent metal music from an internationa ...

''. July 21, 2009.

Discography

Yngwie Malmsteen

*''

Marching Out ''Marching Out'' is the second studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 30 September 1985 through Polydor Records.Inspiration'' (1996) *'' Birth of the Sun/ The Genesis'' (2002), Recorded 1980 (Member)

John Norum

*'' Total Control'' (1987) (Member and songwriter) *'' Live in Stockholm EP'' (1988) (Member and songwriter)

Talisman

* ''

'' (1990) * ''

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...

'' (1993) * '' Humanimal'' (1994) * '' Humanimal Part II'' (1994) * '' Five out of Five'' (1994) * ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for Cell growth, growth, reaction to Stimu ...

'' (1995) * ''BESTerious'' (compilation) (1996) * ''Best of...'' (compilation, different from above) (1996) * ''

Truth Truth is the property of being in accord with fact or reality.Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionarytruth 2005 In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise correspond to it, such as beliefs ...

'' (1998) * '' Live at Sweden Rock Festival'' (2001) * '' Cats and Dogs'' (2003) * '' Five Men Live'' (2005) * '' 7'' (2006)

Human Clay

* ''Human Clay'' (1996) * ''u4ia'' (1997) * ''Closing The Book'' (compilation, remaster) (2005, 2012)

Humanimal

* ''Humanimal'' (2002) * ''Find My Way Home'' E.P. (2002)

Last Autumn's Dream

* ''II'' (2005) * ''Winter in Paradise'' (2006) * ''Saturn Skyline'' (2007) * ''Impressions: The Very Best of LAD'' (Japanese market) (2007) * ''Hunting Shadows'' (2007) * ''Live in Germany 2007'' (2008) * ''Impressions: The Very Best of LAD'' (German market) (2008) * '' Dreamcatcher'' (2009) * ''A Touch of Heaven'' (2010)

Various artists

* Eyes – ''Eyes'' (1990) * Bai Bang – ''Cop to Con'' (1991) * Lion Share – ''Nothing's Free'' (1991) * Thomas Vikstrom – ''If I Could Fly'' (1993) * Billionaires Boys Club – ''Something Wicked Comes'' (1993) * The Johansson Brothers – ''The Johansson Brothers'' (1994) * Misery Loves Co. – ''Misery Loves Co.'' (1995) * Meldrum – '' Loaded Mental Cannon'' (2001) * Richard Andersson Space Odyssey – ''Embrace The Galaxy'' (2003) * Radioactive: "Yeah'' (2003) * Jim Jidhed – ''Full Circle'' (2003) * Edge of Forever – ''Feeding the Fire'' (Additional lead guitar on "Prisoner") (2004) * Deacon Street Project – ''Deacon Street Project'' (2004) * Bai Bang – ''The Best Of'' (2005) * Sha Boom – ''The Race Is On'' (2005) * Various Artists – ''United: Where Is The Fire'' DVD (2005) * Locomotive Breath – ''Change of Track'' (2006) * Speedy Gonzales – ''Electric Stalker'' (2006) *

– '' Metal Will Stand Tall'' (Co-wrote "Kingdom of Heaven" with Jake Samuel) (2006) * Impulsia – ''Expressions'' (2009) * W.E.T.- '' WET'' (2009)

As producer

* Edge of Forever – ''Feeding the Fire'' (2004)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacob, Marcel 1964 births 2009 suicides Musicians from Stockholm Talisman (band) members Europe (band) members Swedish bass guitarists Swedish heavy metal bass guitarists 20th-century bass guitarists Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force members Burials in Sweden Last Autumn's Dream members