Qoph is a

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

band from

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, Sweden, present since 1994.

Biography

Qoph started in the 1990s as one of the pioneers of the

stoner rock Stoner rock, also known as stoner metal or stoner doom, is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of doom metal with psychedelic rock and acid rock. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by Kyuss and Sl ...

scene in Sweden. Originally formed as an experimental rock act Robin Kvist joined the band adding Swedish lyrics on what was later to become Qoph's debut album ''

Kalejdoskopiska Aktiviteter ''Kalejdoskopiska Aktiviteter'' (Kaleidoscopic Activities) is the first studio album by Swedish progressive rock band Qoph, released in 1998. The band recorded two versions of the album, one that was sung in English and the other in Swedish, but ...

'' (Kaleidoscopic Activities), released in 1998. The album cover was painted by Swiss/Swedish surrealist artist

Hans Arnold Hans Arnold (22 April 1925 – 25 October 2010) was an artist, born in Switzerland, who lived and worked in Sweden from 1947 until his death in 2010. He illustrated many magazines and books. He is perhaps best known for his illustrations for the ...

, who also did the cover for the 1976's

ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...

album, ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

''. Drummer Federico de Costa, guitarist Filip Norman and bassist Patrik Persson were core members of several line ups before 1998. Many of the earlier songs were instrumental. In 1996 Jimmy Wahlsteen replaced original guitarist Fredrik Rönnqvist, who went on founding The Moon. Some early Qoph songs later appeared on The Moon's album ''In Phase'' (2005 Nasoni Records). After the release of the EP ''Än lyser månen'' in 2000, Qoph started writing their songs in English. Jimmy Wahlsteen left the band in 2001. Second album ''

Pyrola ''Pyrola'' is a genus of evergreen herbaceous plants in the family Ericaceae. Under the old Cronquist system it was placed in its own family Pyrolaceae, but genetic research showed it belonged in the family Ericaceae. The species are commonly ...

'' (2004), released in Sweden, Germany and Japan, featuring several guest appearances, including Mats Öberg ( Mats/Morgan Band), Joakim Svalberg (

Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk music, folk, blues, classical music, classical, and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from deat ...

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, on 30 June 1963) is a Swedish-American guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical metal, neoclassical playing style in heavy metal music, heavy metal, and has ...

Nicklas Barker Nicklas Barker, formerly Berg (born 9 July 1969), is a Swedish musician best known as the founder, guitarist, vocalist and keyboardist of the progressive rock band Anekdoten Anekdoten is a Sweden, Swedish progressive rock band, composed of guit ...

(

Anekdoten Anekdoten is a Sweden, Swedish progressive rock band, composed of guitarist/vocalist Nicklas Barker, cellist/keyboardist Anna Sofi Dahlberg, bassist/vocalist Jan Erik Liljeström and drummer Peter Nordins. They are notable for the use of the mello ...

) and Dennis Berg ( Abramis Brama). Percussionist Per Wikström joined the band as a live member performing at several progressive rock festivals in Europe and USA, among them Burg Herzberg festival in Germany and Progday, USA.ProgDay Overview 2006–2010 Page
/ref> The band's third album '' Freaks'', with new member Rustan Geschwind on vocals, was released by Transubstans Records and Nasoni Records in 2012.

Members

*Federico de Costa – drums *Rustan Geschwind – vocals *Filip Norman – guitars *Patrik Persson – bass

Discography

Albums

*''

'' CD/LP (1998 Record Heaven) *''

'' CD/LP (2004 Kaleidophone/Disk Union/Nasoni Records) *'' Freaks'' CD/LP (2012 Transubstans Records/Nasoni Records) *'' Glancing Madly Backwards – Rare & Unreleased 1994–2004'' CD (2014 Transubstans Records)

Singles/EPs

*''Aldrig Tillbaks'' 7' single (1998 Record Heaven) *''Än lyser månen'' EP (2000 Record Heaven)

Compilation appearances

*"Dansar Galet Bakåt" on ''Thousand Days of Yesterdays – A Tribute to

Captain Beyond Captain Beyond is an American rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 1971.
at

'' CD (1999 Record Heaven) *"Rastlös" & "Restless" on ''Sweet F.A.'' CD (2002 Scana) *"Resh" on ''An introduction to Nasoni Records Berlin'' CD (2005 Nasoni Records)

* The Moon – ''In Phase'' LP (2005 Nasoni Records)

References

External links

Qoph MySpace

Qoph Facebook

Transubstans Records

Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Qoph Swedish stoner rock musical groups Swedish progressive rock groups Swedish psychedelic rock music groups Musical groups established in 1996 Musical groups from Stockholm