Jeff “Oly” Olson

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Original TROUBLE Drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson Departs THE SKULL

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 16, 2015
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Original TROUBLE drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson has decided to leave THE SKULL, the band formed by Olson along side original TROUBLE vocalist Eric Wagner and longtime former TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner. There is no animosity in the band and it was a friendly departure.

Olson tweeted today… “I loved jamming with @TroubleTheSkull, but it’s time to depart and wish the band all the best! Looking forward to my next chapter…”

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JeffOlson

THE SKULL: Frontman ERIC WAGNER Reveals TROUBLE’s Most “Heaviest Song Writer”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 7, 2014
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Photo by Ty Klingsick - Left to right in photo: Jeff Olson, Matt Goldsborough, Eric Wagner, Ron Holzner and Lothar Keller

Photo by Ty Klingsick – Left to right in photo: Jeff Olson, Matt Goldsborough, Eric Wagner, Ron Holzner and Lothar Keller

Original TROUBLE Members ERIC WAGNER and Jeff “Oly” Olson, Along with Producer Extraordinaire Bill Metoyer, Discuss The 30th Anniversary of “Psalm 9” – History Unveiled. THE SKULL, Featuring Original and Former Members of TROUBLE, Hit The Road Next Week.

Original TROUBLE members vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson, along with producer extraordinaire Bill Metoyer, were recently interviewed for Album Autopsy – RadioActiveMetal.org’s new series that takes an influential and/or chart topping album and discourses every step it took to make it. In this humorous and light-hearted chat Olson, Wagner, and Metoyer (Psalm 9 producer) dissect every track on TROUBLE’s debut 1984 album “Psalm 9” discussing lyrics, sounds, and the recording process. During the interview, Wagner sites former TROUBLE bassist Tim “Ian” Brown as the band’s “heaviest song writer” revealing Brown’s most notable, unaccredited, riffs from “Psalm 9” and “The Skull” albums. Moreover, Olson spoke about the letter he first received from Metal Blade Records’ Brian Slagel offering the band a deal (photo below), and recalls an encounter with Scott Baio at one of TROUBLE’s recording sessions in a Los Angeles recording studio thirty years ago. You can listen to the interview in its entirety at this link (starts at about 8:20).

olson-slagel

In other news, THE SKULL have recently announced a December U.S. tour to promote their debut record, “For Those Which Are Asleep” released worldwide last month (November 4) via Tee Pee Records. Confirmed tour dates are listed below.

December 11 – 31st Street Pub – Pittsburg, PA
December 12 – Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD
December 13 – The Foundry Concert Club – Lakewood, OH
December 14 – Rock Star Pro Arena – Dayton, OH
December 15 – The 5th Quarter Lounge – Indianapolis, IN
December 17 – Fubar – St. Louis, MS
December 18 – Brauerhouse Lombard – Lombard, IL
December 19 – Reggies – Chicago, IL
December 20 – the Metal Grill – Cudahy, WI

The Skull – Victim of The Insane – Live at Day of Doom Barcelona 10-10-14

The Skull – The Temper/Assassin – Live at Day of Doom Barcelona 10-10-14

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theskull-dec14

THE SKULL: December U.S. Tour Dates Announced

Posted by tarjavirmakari on November 25, 2014
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

theskullthosecd

THE SKULL — the heavy doom-rock band featuring original TROUBLE members, vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson, alongside longtime former TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner with SACRED DAWN guitarist Lothar Keller and former PENTAGRAM guitarist Matt Goldsborough – have recently announced a December U.S. tour to promote their debut record, “For Those Which Are Asleep” released worldwide this month (November 4) via Tee Pee Records. Confirmed tour dates are listed below.

December 11 – 31st Street Pub – Pittsburg, PA
December 12 – Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD
December 13 – The Foundry Concert Club – Lakewood, OH
December 14 – Rock Star Pro Arena – Dayton, OH
December 15 – The 5th Quarter Lounge – Indianapolis, IN
December 17 – Fubar – St. Louis, MS
December 18 – Brauerhouse Lombard – Lombard, IL
December 19 – Reggies – Chicago, IL
December 20 – the Metal Grill – Cudahy, WI

theskull-dec14

 

JEFF OLY OLSON To Judge Guitar Center Drum-Off In September

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 4, 2014
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
JeffOlson

Photo by Adam Bell

THE SKULL drummer and keyboardist Jeff “Oly” Olson (TROUBLE) has been chosen to be a judge for the annual Guitar Center Drum-Off – the world’s premier drum competition – this September in Portland, Maine.

The Guitar Center Drum-Off is an annual search for the top undiscovered drummer. Now in its 26th year, the Drum-Off competition was developed to inspire and support drummers in the pursuit of their musical aspirations, and is committed to rewarding and recognizing talent by providing a launching pad for a professional career as a drummer.

Olson comments:

“I’m excited and honored to be a part of this! I been drumming for well over thirty years… this is going to be a lot of fun.”

The competition will be judged on skills/technique, groove, originality, stage presence and overall performance. The grand prize is $25,000 cash plus thousands of dollars in prizes and endorsement deals. Interested drummers can get more information at http://www.drumoff.guitarcenter.com or visit their local Guitar Center store directly.

Olson has been writing and recording in the music industry since the formation of TROUBLE in 1979 and holds a Bachelor of Music degree in film scoring, cum laude, from Berklee College of Music. Olson is also an alumnus of The Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps and is endorsed by ddrum and Vic Firth.

As recently reported, THE SKULL — the band Olson formed with fellow original member of doom-metal legends TROUBLE vocalist Eric Wagner, alongside longtime former TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner, guitarist Lothar Keller (SACRED DAWN), and guitarist Matt Goldsborough (PENTAGRAM) — will release its debut album, “For Those Which Are Asleep”, on November 4 via Tee Pee Records.

“For Those Which Are Asleep” is the first full-length album to feature Wagner, Holzner and Olson since the 1995 release of TROUBLE‘s critically acclaimed LP “Plastic Green Head”.

theskullthosecd

“For Those Which Are Asleep” track listing:

01. Trapped Inside My Mind
02. The Touch Of Reality
03. Sick Of It All
04. The Door
05. Send Judas Down
06. A New Generation
07. Till The Sun Turns Black
08. For Those Which Are Asleep
09. Sometime Yesterday Mourning
10. The Last Judgment

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of TROUBLE’s landmark debut “Psalm 9” (which Wagner and Olson co-wrote and performed on), THE SKULL will perform the influential album in its entirety at the following shows.

September 19  – Uninvited Festival – Brooklyn, NY
October 10 – Day of Doom Festival – Barcelona, Spain
October 11 – Side B – Lisbon, Portugal
October 13 – The Underworld Camden – London, England

Additional performances will be announced soon.

Photo by Ty Klingsick - Left to right in photo: Jeff Olson, Matt Goldsborough, Eric Wagner, Ron Holzner and Lothar Keller

Photo by Ty Klingsick – Left to right in photo: Jeff Olson, Matt Goldsborough, Eric Wagner, Ron Holzner and Lothar Keller

 

Original TROUBLE Drummer JEFF “OLY” OLSON Talks THE SKULL And Debut Beer Launch

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 26, 2014
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JeffOlson

THE SKULL drummer and keyboardist Jeff “Oly” Olson (TROUBLE, RETRO GRAVE, VICTOR GRIFFIN) was recently interviewed on The Bar Stool Podcast, the new podcast that’s all about beer while listening to music. In this new interview, Olson talks about the history of doom-metal, his recording and touring plans, as well as recent line-up changes with THE SKULL – the new heavy doom-rock band featuring original and former TROUBLE members. Moreover, Olson elaborates on his work experience making Champaign and brewing craft beer over the last decade, and gives details of his debut Imperial Stout launch with Allagash Brewing Company called RED HOWES (named after Olson’s Grandfather) which was released last February. You can listen to the streaming interview in its entirety HERE.

JeffOlson-redhowes2

As previously reported, THE SKULL have added former PENTAGRAM guitarist Matt Goldsborough (pictured below) to the group’s ranks. He will be taking over for the departing Chuck Robinson, who has decided to step down due to his demanding professional career and, therefore, cannot commit to THE SKULL’s upcoming tour dates.

The band comments: “Timing was perfect when we met Matt and everything just seemed to fall into place at the right time when we needed a replacement. Matt is very laid back, has a captivating stage presence, and his riffs are electrifying!

“If you’ve ever seen him live with PENTAGRAM, you’ll know what we are talking about.”

The band continued, “We all understand and support Chuck’s decision. He is welcome on stage with us as a guest guitarist anytime, and we wish our brother well.”

Photo by Ty Klingsick

Photo by Ty Klingsick

THE SKULL is:
Eric Wagner – vocals
Jeff “Oly” Olson – drums/keys
Ron Holzner – bass
Lothar Keller – guitar
Matt Goldsborough – guitar

 

 

“Heady Metal With JEFF OLSON” Moves To In The Pit Radio, MERCYFUL FATE Guitar Legend MICHAEL DENNER To Guest

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2014
Posted in: Int. News. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Original TROUBLE drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson (The Skull, Victor Griffin’s In~Graved, Retro Grave) will be bringing his two-hour internet radio show “Heady Metal with Jeff Olson”, exclusively to http://www.inthepitradio.com (sponsored by Sacred Skull Tattoo) and will air on the first Friday of every month beginning this Friday, March 7th from 7PM-9PM EST.

JeffOlsonRadioShow

The first hour of this Friday’s March 7th edition of “Heady Metal with Jeff Olson” (7PM-8PM EST) will entail music news, hot topics, and the new “Heady Beer” segment with co-host Jeff Blackburn and special guest Adem Tepedelen of Decibel Magazine’s Brewtal Truth blog and author of ‘The Brewtal Truth Guide to Extreme Beers.’ The following hour (8PM-9PM EST) will be an interview with Mercyful Fate guitar legend Michael Denner (Denners Trickbag, King Diamond, Force of Evil).

‘Heady Metal with Jeff Olson‘ features interviews with musicians from various metal genres across-the-board, celebrities, interesting people from all walks of life, comedic segments, hot topics, and music news.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Jeff “Oly“Olson has been writing and recording in the music industry since the formation of TROUBLE (1979) and holds a Bachelor of Music degree in film scoring, cum laude, from Berklee College of Music. Olson is endorsed by ddrum and Vic Firth.