Joey Tempest Reflects on the Bittersweet Departure of Guitarist John Norum

Joey Tempest has opened up about the circumstances surrounding the 1986 departure of original guitarist John Norum. Speaking on the Song Cake podcast, Tempest clarified that while Norum left before the tour for "The Final Countdown", the decision was rooted in the pressures of the band's rapid ascent into the mainstream.

Tempest described the transition from a musician-focused outfit influenced by the likes of Deep Purple to a global crossover act as a difficult hurdle. The band faced grueling promotional schedules, including three-week stints of playback shows and interviews without playing a single note. "John and John [Levén] were, like, 'What the hell is this? This is not what I signed up for,'" Tempest noted, highlighting the strain of the era.

It was a sad day because we started the band.

Despite the period of estrangement where the pair travelled in separate limousines and communicated only through a tour manager, the 2002 reunion allowed the band to realign. They committed to long-term thinking and independent ownership of their music. While Tempest admitted that the years Norum was away were difficult, he praised the replacement, Kee Marcello, while acknowledging the deep personal bond shared with Norum, who hailed from Tempest's home village.

Following the 2002 reunion, the band has remained a staple of the rock scene, recently releasing "Come This Madness" and celebrating 40 years of their iconic anthem.