Lennart Eriksson (musician)

Lennart Olof Birger Eriksson, (14 August 1956 in Solna, Sweden), often known by the nickname Fjodor, was the bass player in the rebellious Swedish punk rock band Ebba Grön.

Eriksson grew up in the poor working-class suburb Rågsved, outside Stockholm. He had several petty jobs to get by, but he wanted to play music. His first band was called Urin, but in 1977 he founded Ebba Grön (at first called The Haters) together with Joakim Thåström and Gunnar Ljungstedt. Ebba Grön went on to become one of the most successful punk bands in Swedish history. Eriksson was known for being the most aggressive member of the band and he also wrote some of the angriest, hardest songs, such as Skjut en snut (Shoot A Cop), Pervers politiker (Perverted Politician) and Beväpna er (Arm Yourselves).

He was a proclaimed anarchist and despised the government, the bourgeoisie and the Swedish monarchy. Fjodor was sometimes called Sweden’s Sid Vicious.

In 1982, he was sentenced to jail for refusing to do military service. After escaping the prison he was transferred to a higher security penitentiary. This would be the end of Ebba Grön. Earlier, Eriksson had stated that he had grown bored of the constant touring with the band and missed the old days when they would just hang out in Rågsved with their friends and write songs.

Today, Lennart Eriksson lives on a self-contained farm on the island of Gotland off the east coast of Sweden, and works part time as a chef. He has four children. One of them, Frank Eriksson, was the chairman of the local chapter of Unga Aktiesparare (Sweden's young investors).

References

• Ebba Grön - Boxen book.