Back in 95, Anders Westhagen and his son Andreas (aged 7 at the time) teamed up with a friend (also named Andreas) for an impromptu concert outside a local music store, run by the young Andreas' grandfather. The trio performed a rockin set of rockabilly classics (by Gene, Eddie, Johnny Burnette, Stray Cats) and a couple of Stevie Ray Vaughan numbers thrown in for the blues fans. This proved an instant success, and Andreas' baseball cap was soon filled to the brim with coins.
Fast forward 'till the summer of 97; Andreas and Anders had done a couple of gigs with their buddy, Lars, on standup bass, but this time he had other obligations. Anders contacted his old neighbour Ole Evensen, who had just moved back from Sweden, where he'd incidentally picked up the doghouse bass. Ole was ready to give it a shot, and at the first rehearsal (in the Westhagens' kitchen) things really started cookin' (and I dont mean food.).
Despite Andreas age (now 9), he was already an accomplished drummer with nearly 6 years of experience. His dad had spent 7 years as the Teencats guitarist (plus 3 years with blues-rockers Powerful Stuff), and Ole had been the Daltons' bassman (as well as drummer or bassist, depending on who was available, for the Rockin' Rhythm Bandits) for several years. Still, they were mostly considered a novelty, due to the tender age of a certain member. That is, until they started playing.
The next year, they started playing outside their hometown, and during one of the Oslo-gigs, R-O-C-K Magazine editor, Tor Arne Petzold, approached them with an offer they couldnt refuse; A record deal. He'd just formed a record label (Flipside Records), and he wanted Built For Speed to be his first release. ''Record something - ANYTHING - and I'll release it!'' he said. So the guys set out to make an album; Anders wrote a few more songs, the guys rehearsed them, and their friend Asbjørn Holmseth brought along his Roland digital multi-track recorder. The album was recorded during two hot Sundays the summer of 99, given the title ''NASTY'', and released in February 2000. It never reached the National charts, but it received a few nice reviews in the press. And Built For Speed made their TV debut on a Saturday morning childrens' show, performing two tracks off the album. They were noticed abroad as well, as their song ''Were gonna have a party'' was chosen as the opening track of ''Friday Nite Rumble No 9''.
A few years went by, and the guys started working on a second album, this time in a real studio. During one intense weekend, they recorded the entire album, live in the studio. The album, titled ''Gretschoholic .and other love songs'', was released in April 2004. The press went bananas, the guys did numerous gigs, and the record sold .well, not too much, but thats not the point. Due to their very own sound, they appeal to blues fans, punks, ''ordinary people'', and of course the rockabilly crowd. They've supported rockabilly stars like the Polecats, Darrel Higham & the Enforcers, the Slim Jim Phantom Trio; they've played blues festivals, rockabilly festivals, rock festivals, clubs, you name it. At the beginning of Nov 2009, their third album, "Even Roadies Get Their Share", was released, and they've finished a small, successful tour as back-up band for blues guitar maestro Otis Grand. Drummer Andreas is currently a LIPA student, so if you get the chance to catch one of their (at the moment, RARE) live gigs, don't miss it! :-)
