Crashdiet

Formed in Stockholm in 2000, CRASHDÏET have spent more than two decades carving out their
own place in the history of Swedish hard rock. Combining the attitude of punk with the hooks,
guitars and excess of classic glam and sleaze metal, the band became one of the leading forces
of the Swedish sleaze revival in the early 2000s.
The original band was founded around vocalist and guitarist Dave Lepard, who was joined by
Martin Sweet on guitar, Peter London on bass and Eric Young on drums. This classic lineup
released the band's landmark debut album, Rest in Sleaze, in 2005. Featuring songs such as
“Riot in Everyone” and “Breaking the Chainz”, the album established CRASHDÏET internationally
and remains one of the defining records of the Swedish sleaze movement.
In January 2006, tragedy struck when Dave Lepard died at the age of 25. The remaining
members initially considered ending the band, but the enormous response from fans convinced
them to continue. CRASHDÏET returned with Finnish vocalist H. Olliver Twisted, releasing The
Unattractive Revolution in 2007.
After Olliver's departure in 2008, Simon Cruz became the band's third frontman. His era
produced two albums, Generation Wild (2010) and The Savage Playground (2013), further
establishing CRASHDÏET as an international touring act. Cruz left the band in 2015.
In 2017, Gabriel Keyes joined as vocalist, beginning another new chapter. With Keyes,
CRASHDÏET released Rust(2019) and Automaton (2022), continuing to evolve their sound while
retaining the band's unmistakable identity.
Following further lineup changes, John Elliot became the band's vocalist in 2024. Drummer
Michael Sweet also joined the new era, while longtime bassist Peter London subsequently took a
break from the band. Chris Young, known from Midnight Danger and formerly of Lipz, stepped in
on bass for the band's new album cycle.
The current lineup is therefore John Elliot (vocals), Martin Sweet (guitar), Chris Young (bass)
and Michael Sweet (drums).
In 2026, CRASHDÏET released their seventh studio album, Art of Chaos, through Ninetone
Records. Featuring ten new tracks, the album sees the band reconnecting with the raw, dirty and
unapologetic energy that defined their early years, while reflecting everything they have
experienced along the way.
From the Stockholm underground to international festivals and clubs, CRASHDÏET's story has
been defined by constant change, loss, survival and reinvention. Four different generations of
frontmen have each left their mark on the band, while Martin Sweet has remained a continuous
creative force throughout CRASHDÏET's entire recorded history.
More than 20 years after their formation, CRASHDÏET are still writing, recording and touring —
proving that some bands don't simply survive chaos.
They turn it into rock'n'roll.