Life as a rock & roll musician can be hard, so there has been some line-up changes in Teencats over the years.
Here are all the merry men that have rock & rolled from shore to shore, over the mountaian and deep down in
the blue sea (well, maybe not actually down the sea....). Thanks to Anders Westhagen for the help!
Teen Cats # 1: (fall ’84 - fall ’86)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & leadguitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; snaredrum
- Ove Marken; rhythm guitar and vocal
The first two years Teencats had no regular bassist, but used whoever was available:
-Harald Juliussen - played on the 1. demo ( recorded spring 1985)
-Lars Harald Volla - played on the 2. demo (recorded february 1986) + some gigs.
-Bjørn Furuheim - one gig only.
-Gunnar Ridderstrøm - one gig only (”Parkrocken”, the only gig Teencats did with an
upright bass).
Teen Cats # 2: (fall ’86 - march ’87)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & leadguitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; snaredrum and cymbal
- Ove Marken; rhythm guitar and vocal
- Esten Graffsrønningen; bass
This line-up recorded demo #3 and Teencats first release, the cassette ”Back To The 50’s With Rockabilly”
(Angel Records, ARMC 0004), later leased to Rockhouse Records and released on LP as ”Teddy Bop”
(Rockhouse LP 8705).
Teen Cats # 3: (march ’87 - june ’87)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & leadguitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; snaredrum, kickdrum and cymbal
- Ove Marken; rhythm guitar and vocal (left in may/june)
- Steinar Øxseth; bass
Teencats # 4: (june ’87 - january ‘89)
- Stig Rune Reiten; voacl & leadguitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Steinar Øxseth; bass
- Anders Westhagen; vocal & leadguitar
Teencats was a trio for about a month, before Anders joined the band.
Withe this line-up Teencats recorded ”Cats’ Rhythm” (Booze Reords, Booze LP 001) in july-august ’87.
Signed with Sonet Norsk Grammofon, and recorded ”Teddy Boy Rock’n’Roll” (SCD/SLP/SMC 15013) produced by
Nils B. Kvam in december ’88. Lasse Hafreager plays piano on the record.
Teencats # 5: (january ’89 - may ‘89)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Steinar Øxseth; bass
- Ove Marken; rhythm guitar and vocal
- Anders Westhagen; vocal, tenorsax & leadguitar
Stig Rune wanted to consentrate on the singing, so Ove Marken joined the band again. Allthough he is on the
cover of "Teddyboy Rock & Roll" and is credited as a guitarplayer, he doesn´t participate on the record at all!
During the spring, bassman Øxseth left the band to pursue a career as a saw-mill operator...and was replaced by
Mads Mikkelsen, an old bandmate of Anders.
Teencats # 6: (may ’89 - july ‘90)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Ove Marken; rhythm guitar and vocal
- Anders Westhagen; vocal, tenorsax & leadguitar
- Mads Mikkelsen; bass
Ove decided to quit the band for good after a tour of Northern Norway (it´s hard to get rich playing in a teddyboy
rock & roll band, so who can blaim him).
Teencats # 7: (july ’90 - january ’93)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Anders Westhagen; vocal & leadguitar
- Mads Mikkelsen; bass
- Robert Huldt; rhythmguitar and vocal (november ’90 - april ’92)
Teencats recorded ”Rock Around The Box” (SCD/SLP/SMC 15027) in february-march ’91, again with Nils B. Kvam
as producer and Lasse Hafreager on the piano (and accordion). During a tour of Germany the boys decided that
didn´t really need three guitarplayers and Robert "Bobby" Huldt left the band.
Teencats # 8: (january ’93 - may ‘94)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Anders Westhagen; vocal & leadguitar
- Stein Houmsmoen; bass
Mads left the band (touring in Norway is hard life) and was replaced by Stein Houmsmoen. A trip to the studio in
march-april ’93 produced the album ”Footstompin’” (SCD/SMC 15060), this time the man in control (aka the
producer) was Stig Antonsen. Lasse Hafreager again shared his talents (which this time also included harmonica),
and this time he also did several gigs with the band. Other prominent guests on "Footstompin" include Claudia
Scott and Trond Granlund.
Anders was drafted in october ’93, and when he wasn´t able to get a leave he was replaced by Leif Ottesen or
Atle Olsen, aka Al DeLoner in Midnight Choir.
After a while Anders didn´t want to spend all time off from the army touring, so he quit the band.
Teencats # 9: (may ’94 - may ‘95)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Stein Houmsmoen; bass (left fall ’94)
- Leif Ottesen; leadguitar & vocal
- Rune Tangen; bass (from fall ’94)
Stein left the band after a tour of Germany. Lars Harald Volla stepped in for a short while, but they soon found out
that a Nirvana-fan isn´t really a teddyboy....
Teencats # 10: (may ’95 - june ’97, and also “comeback” ‘00 - ‘01)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Anders Westhagen; vocal & leadguitar
- Stein Houmsmoen; bass
Leif Ottesen left the band to pursue a solo-career and Anders was asked to join the band again. Rune Tangen
played one gig, and Mads Mikkelsen stepped in on one gig, before Stein Houmsmoen also re-joined Teencats.
Teencats layed down their rockin´ shoes in 1997. They had a short comeback in 2000-2001, but has probably
played their final chords..
Teencats # 11: (only rehearsals spring/summer ’98)
- Stig Rune Reiten; vocal & guitar
- Stein-Erik Reiten; drums
- Leif Ottesen; leadguitar & vocal
- Ole J. Evensen; bass (followed by)
- Roar Espen Wagenius; bass
