It’s been the subject of intense speculation over the past few weeks – but now, NME.COM can finally reveal the REAL identity of RANDY FITZSIMMONS, the svengali and so-called sixth member of Hives.
In interviews, the band claim that they got together after each receiving a letter from the mystical Mr Fitzsimmons.
The official line on Hives website says: “In 1993 five adolescents in the small industrial town of Fagersta, Sweden each receive a letter with a time and place. A year later they, led by the genious (sic) of a Mr Randy Fitzsimmons, begin to appear in various public places in and around Fagersta. The response is one of confusion, excitement and contempt.”
And earlier this year, when asked about Fitzsimmons, guitarist Nicholaus Arson, real name Nicholaus Almqvist, told NME: “We’ve never had a leader because we always had the sixth member who was the brain of the band in the beginning. That was the guy who formed us, Randy Fitzsimmons. He’s still around. He’s a part of the creative process.”
Now, after much international detective work, we can reveal that Randy Fitzsimmons, the man responsible for putting the band together and writing all their songs is none other than – Nicholaus himself.
Despite the constant smokescreen to hide the identity of the real genius behind Hives, NME.COM has found out that Randy Fitzsimmons is actually a registered pseudonym – he doesn’t exist.
And our source at the STIM, the Swedish version of our own PRS (Performing Rights Society), which makes sure that songwriters are paid for the work they produce and copyright fees every time it is played, confirmed that all money for the songs went to Nicholaus.
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He said: “It’s often the case that artists don’t like the public to know who actually writes their material, and registering a pseudonym is perfectly normal. I think Hives have done this ‘cos it makes the band look more of an equal unit. Plus, it adds a bit of mystique and gets people talking with is never a bad thing.”
For more on the paper-trail that led to the unmasking of Fitzsimmons, see this week’s NME, in shops throughout the UK today (January 13).