In June last year, the Pogo Pops and Popium frontman came forward and talked about the cancer in an interview with Bergens Tidende. Late in 2021, he was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the stomach region. This was followed by both radiation and chemotherapy. The cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. Nevertheless, he managed to perform a few concerts in the festival summer of 2022, including at OverOslo on 10 June. On Friday, Bergens Tidende reports that the popular Bergen artist has died. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Friends and family have been to Haukeland University Hospital to say goodbye to Hammersland, the newspaper writes. – It is terribly sad. Absolutely horrible. We have known this was coming since he was ill, but it is infinitely sad when it happens, says Viggo Krüger to Bergensavisen. Krüger played together with Hammersland in the Pogo Pops. Donated spelling award to rock club Hammersland is best known as the frontman of the Bergen band Pogo Pops, who experienced tremendous success both in Norway and several other countries, especially Japan, in the 90s. The group was formed already in 1987 under the name Doomsville Boys and three years later they released an EP which led to interest from a number of record companies. The debut album “Pop Trip” (1992) and the sequel “Crash” (1993) established Frank Hammersland, Viggo Krüger, Nicolai Hamre and Dominic O’Fahey as some of the country’s biggest pop stars. THE QUARTET: Pogo Pops in 1994. From left: Dominic O’Fahey, Nicolai Hamre, Frank Hammersland, Viggo Krüger. Photo: Aleksander Nordahl / Scanpix The group had big radio hits with e.g. “The Great Fall”, “Scooter Girl”, “Man Inside My Head”, “Crash” and “Jennifer Peach”. For the debut album, Pogo Pops received the Spelemann prize for the year’s pop record and donated the trophy to the rock club Garage in Bergen. After two more albums and intense touring at home and abroad, the band took a break in 1996. – For me, Frank Hammersland is one of the greatest songwriters in Norway. Regardless of which era you are talking about. But especially what he did with Pogo Pops in the nineties and more recently. Absolutely unique, says music expert Bård Ose in news. – It is tragic that he will die so early. SLO A-HA: Pogo Pops receives Spellmann Award for pop record of the year 1993, where they won ahead of a-ha’s “Memorial Beach” Photo: Aleksander Nordahl / NTB “Supergrupper” and the Ambjørnsen musical Hammersland released his first solo album “Younger” the following year, before he made a comeback in 2000 with his friend’s band Popium, a Bergen “supergroup” consisting of a number of musicians from well-known Bergen bands. Despite four critically acclaimed albums, Popium is probably best known for the Brann song “So longe härten ståd i Brann”. Since then, there have been several records with the Pogo Pops and another Bergen “supergroup”, Evig Din For Alltid, as well as a number of appearances as bassist for Pompel & The Pilts. Many years’ stay in Oslo meant that he was part of the Café Mono milieu in the capital, as well as playing in Thom Hell’s backing band. SUPERGROUP: Popium was a band of friends consisting of well-known musicians from Bergen. From left: Frode Unneland (Savoy, Pompel & The Pilts), Yngve Sætre (Barbie Bones, producer), Christer Ottesen (Paraplegic, Flare), Martin Holmes (Sylvia Wane) and Frank Hammersland (Pogo Pops) Photo: MNW / SCANPIX Hammersland was also an avid record collector and worked behind the counter in record stores in both Oslo and Bergen. The last Pogo Pops album was recorded just before the cancer treatment started. – There have been very difficult days, but I have not dug myself into the blackest hole. I can not. I don’t rule over this, it just has to take its course, Hammersland told BT in June. One of his latest projects was writing the music for the musical version of Ingvar Ambjørnsen’s “Death in Oslo S”, which will be staged at the National Theater in Oslo this spring. According to the theatre, the music should be rooted in post-punk and new wave. See Pogo Pops live at Verftet in Bergen in 1994: The young quartet has the qualities needed to make good, viable and exciting pop music. From a concert at Verftet in his hometown, Pogo Pop presents melodies from both the debut album “Pop Trip” and the sequel.
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Pogo-Pops vocalist Frank Hammersland (53) has died – news Vestland
