Sebastian

Biography

Knud Grabow Christensen (born 19 December 1949), better known by his stage name Sebastian, is a Danish singer, guitarist and songwriter.
Sebastian started playing guitar in 1966, and started writing songs in 1967. Since having worked in the folk rock genre in the 1970s, he became one of the most prominent pop rock musicians in Denmark and has scored numerous films and plays. His releases have reached combined sales of over 2.5 million copies since 1971. His singing voice began weakening in the end of the 1980s, because of bad health. He is still active, and has made several popular albums. So far, his career has spanned more than five decades.

Career

Sebastian began his career in the end of the 1960s, where he traveled about with a bus for amateur competitions, arranged by a businessman for small concerts in Denmark. Some others from the bus wanted to record a single, and Sebastian participated with this group called Night and Day. Although the single was never recorded. Inspired by the Scottish singer and songwriter Donovan (born 1946), Sebastian recorded a couple of English-language singles released in 1970, as well as the album The Goddess×The GoddessStudio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Babe, I Can Carry Your Tombstone3:392I Won't Do It Mama3:313Rocking Chair Observation2:044Give Me a Little Peace3:115The Hunt for Mr. Hyde2:516Like a Tiger in a Trap3:557Loving in the Garbage Can2:178The Patient Lovers3:109Monkey2:5110Time for Loving3:1311Sandie' Blues3:4612Love Until Dawn3:4813Tyrants3:0014Song to David2:2915The Goddess6:00 released in 1971. The album had limited success with sales of around 10,000 copies, so Sebastian began to write songs in Danish about 1971. His first Danish song was Lossepladsen bløder (partly inspired by Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row" from the album Highway 61 Revisited), which was released as a maxi single that year.
Sebastian's major commercial breakthrough in the music industry came when his first Danish-language LP Den store flugt×Den store flugt1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Når lyset bryder frem2:51A2Lidt for lidt4:33A3Verden skreg4:26A4Den gamles drøm3:22A5Status Quo4:40B1Hvis du tror du er noget5:18B2Hvor går du hen3:20B3Rose3:53B4Den store flugt6:36B5Ende0:32 was released on 17 October 1972, which was praised as a "Donovan-like Dylan" among other things in the reviews back then. Den store flugt was right below the 32,000 sold copies of Denmark's best-selling album that year, namely Olsen by the Olsen Brothers. Den store flugt has had extensive sales that are problematic to certify, but estimated to be 100,000 to 170,000 copies by music critic and journalist Torben Bille, in cooperation with Sebastian. Sebastian contacted Ina Løndahl around 1973, after having listened to her perform in a Danish rendition of the musical Godspell. EMI financed the record Menneske min ven by Ina, which was released on 14 September 1973. Sebastian collaborated as a songwriter, and had the melody for the title song in advance, which was left over from an earlier musical project. Sebastian's next album Over havet under himlen was released in November 1973, quickly reached first place on Ekstra Bladet's record chart and has reached sales of around 50,000 copies. Blød lykke released in October 1974, and Gøgleren, Anton og de andre released in October 1975, respectively have estimated sales of 60,000 and 40,000 copies. The subsequent album Måske ku' vi×Måske ku' vi1976 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Imorgen kommer aldrig3:212Jeg kan ik' gøre for'et3:133Ta' chancen - du er femten4:394Strat nr. 161 5975:165Måske ku' vi (2)3:386Flugt2:497Gipsy3:188Det forsvinder2:559Phacing1:1910I morgen kommer aldrig (2)3:56 (1976) from the film of the same name is estimated as 80,000 copies sold. Sebastian established himself as one of the most significant songwriters in Danish rock, with roots in his folk rock-inspired music.
Although, Sebastian's musical style was gradually expanded since the end of the 1970s, with refined use of a synthesizer (often played by Kenneth Knudsen) among other things. Sebastian's lyrics were sometimes political in keeping with the spirit of the times, but with an eye to poetic artistry. In 1979, he recorded his own music to texts of Bertolt Brecht on the album Tiderne skifter×Tiderne skifter1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Sangen om vandhjulet4:292Sørøver Jenny5:363De elskende3:504Surabaya - Johnny5:455Solomon Song4:546Sangen om den lille vind4:077Balladen om konen & soldaten3:538Sangen om Vltava3:319Om verdens venlighed3:38, which was released in March 1979, got positive reviews and has sold approximately 100,000 copies. He recorded music to texts of Bertolt Brecht again in 1988 with the play named The Good Person of Szechwan (Danish: Det gode menneske fra Sezuan). During the 1970s and '80s, he had big hits, for example "Når lyset bryder frem" (1972), "Hvis du tror du er noget" (1972), "Du er ikke alene" (1978) from the film of the same name, and especially "Romeo" from the album Stjerne til støv×Stjerne til støvOctober 1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Romeo5:20A2Sommerfuglen4:00A3Vind & vejrhaner4:30A4Stille før storm4:10B1Presidenten4:50B2Lili M.3:25B3La dolce vita4:50B4Stjerne til støv5:15, which was released in 1981. Stjerne til støv has estimated sales of 130,000 to 170,000 copies. The next album 80'ernes boheme×80'ernes Boheme1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks180'ernes Boheme5:382Beauty and the Beast3:523Rue fontaine4:544De grå katte5:195Sangen om langfart3:316Havet3:337Salamanderballaden4:258Den nye tid2:249Fantasi5:09 from 1983 continued the success, with 100,000 to 150,000 copies sold. In 1987, he recorded the song "Vårvise" with Sissel Kyrkjebø. Sissel is also on his album named Et eventyr, which was released on 30 August 1989.
In 2015, Sebastian said "Around 1986-1987, I start to lose my voice, and it disappears completely at some point. It was a mixture of damp basement, too many smokes and an unhealthy lifestyle". Since that time in the 1980s, he has written multiple Danish musicals and songs for other singers, with great success.
In 2013, Jan Christian Mollestad produced a documentary film about Sebastian named Du er ikke alene – filmen om Sebastian. In 2015, he participated in Toppen af Poppen, and his popularity increased afterwards, especially with the younger audience.

Collaboration

Notable collaboration with another singer arranged by release titles, release years and artists.

Lis Sørensen: Tiderne skifter (1979) by Sebastian; Cirkus Fantastica (1979) by Sebastian; Tilfældigt forbi (1979) by Lone Kellermann og Rockbandet; Live (1980) by Sebastian; Stjerne til støv (1981) by Sebastian; Anne Linnet Band (1981) by Anne Linnet Band; 80'ernes boheme (1983) by Sebastian; Topsy (1983) by Sebastian; Tusind og én nat (1984) by Sebastian; Øbberbøv sangen (1984) by Sebastian; Den danske sang (Opsamling 81-85) (1985) by Sebastian; Afrika (Vi er børn af samme jord) (1985) by Sebastian; Red Barnet (1985) by various artists; Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian; På vulkaner (1987) by Sebastian; Hjerternes sang (1989) by Lis Sørensen; Et eventyr (1989) by Sebastian; Miraklernes tid (1990) by Sebastian; Pippi (1998) by Sebastian; Grænseløs Greatest (1999) by various artists; Con amor by Lis Sørensen
Sanne Salomonsen: Over havet under himlen (1973) by Sebastian; Menneske min ven (1973) by Ina; Sanne Salomonsen (1973) by Sanne Salomonsen; Blød lykke (1974) by Sebastian; Gøgleren, Anton og de andre (1975) by Sebastian; Ulvehøjen (1977) by Sebastian; Ikke alene Danmark (1978) by Sebastian; Anne Linnet Band (1981) by Anne Linnet Band; Pippi (1998) by Sebastian
Peter Thorup: Blød lykke (1974) by Sebastian; Musik blev mit liv (1974) by Eddie Skoller; Gøgleren, Anton og de andre (1975) by Sebastian; Christiania (1976) by various artists; Måske ku' vi (1976) by Sebastian; Pas Paa (1980) by Steffen Dam; Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian
Ina Løndahl: Over havet under himlen (1973) by Sebastian; Menneske min ven (1973) by Ina; Fra en anden mands verden (1974) by Jan Toftlund
Sissel Kyrkjebø: På vulkaner (1987) by Sebastian; Soria Moria (1989) by Sissel Kyrkjebø; Et eventyr (1989) by Sebastian
Michael Falch: Afrika (Vi er børn af samme jord) (1985) by Sebastian; Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian; Det gode menneske fra Sezuan (1988) by Sebastian
Søs Fenger: Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian; Miraklernes tid (1990) by Sebastian; Ronja Røverdatter (1991) by Sebastian
Anne Linnet: Tiderne skifter (1979) by Sebastian; Anne Linnet Band (1981) by Anne Linnet Band
Lars H.U.G: Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian; Kopy (1989) by Lars H.U.G.
Marianne Mortensen: Det gode menneske fra Sezuan (1988) by Sebastian; Cyrano (1993) by Sebastian
Susanne Elmark: Pippi (1998) by Sebastian; Klinkevals (1999) by Sebastian
Flemming Bamse Jørgensen: Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian; Pippi (1998) by Sebastian
Steffen Brandt: Skatteøen (1986) by Sebastian; Pippi (1998) by Sebastian
Lone Kellermann: Tilfældigt forbi (1979) by Lone Kellermann og Rockbandet
Rebecca Brüel: Pippi (1998) by Sebastian
Blå Øjne: Romeo & Julie (1999) by Blå Øjne
Majbritte Ulrikkeholm: Pippi (1998) by Sebastian
Michael Bundesen: Ronja Røverdatter (1991) by Sebastian
Eddie Skoller: Ronja Røverdatter (1991) by Sebastian

Cinema

Works by Sebastian appear in these films:

1973 Rapportpigen
1976 Måske ku' vi
1978 Du er ikke alene
1980 Krigernes børn
1983 De uanstændige
1984 Hodja fra Pjort
1999 Klinkevals
2000 Juliane Jensen

Television

Works by Sebastian appear in these television series:

1984 Øbberbøv (Title Song)
1987 Nana (Title Song)
1992 Gøngehøvdingen (Film music)
1998 Vip & Victor (Introduction)
2001 Klinkevalsen (Film music)