Thomas Carl Chaminda Hedlund (born 13 May 1980) is a Swedish drummer. He is currently the drummer for Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna and Swedish indie rock band Deportees as well as the session and live drummer for French indie pop band Phoenix. He previously played drums for The Perishers and Khoma. Hedlund has also been a session drummer and touring drummer for many other musical acts based in Europe.[1][2][3]

Thomas Hedlund
Hedlund performing with Deportees at Trästockfestivalen 2009
Hedlund performing with Deportees at Trästockfestivalen 2009
Background information
Birth nameThomas Carl Chaminda Hedlund
Born (1980-05-13) 13 May 1980 (age 44)
Sri Lanka
OriginUmeå, Sweden
Genres
OccupationDrummer
Years active1998–present
Member of
Formerly of

History

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Born in Sri Lanka, Hedlund was raised in Umeå, Västerbotten, Sweden. As a youth, Hedlund played football competitively, before switching his focus to music after picking up the drums and joining the Swedish band, The Perishers.[4]

In the years following his shift to music, Hedlund has become one of Sweden's most versatile drummers,[5] most notably performing, as both a touring and session member, with the Swedish band, Cult of Luna and the French band, Phoenix.[6] Hedlund's dynamic and modern playing style has a characteristic which, despite the aforementioned bands' great musical differences, makes Hedlund's playing recognizable.[7]

Hedlund has been Phoenix's session and live drummer since 2005. He has played the drums on all of the band's albums since It's Never Been Like That. He met Phoenix while opening for them in Scandinavia as a member of Deportees, since the two bands shared a record label.[8]

In addition to his technical skill, he also possesses a great rhythmic imagination, which has made him internationally sought-after. Aside from his work with Phoenix and Cult of Luna, Hedlund has also performed live and on studio recordings for the likes of Deportees, The Lost Patrol, Miike Snow, Convoj, Rasmus Kellerman, BOY, CANT, and iamamiwhoami to name a few.[9]

Outside of his musical endeavours, Hedlund also works for a branch of the Swedish Arts Council as a grant committee member, which distributes scholarships and financial assistance to Swedish individuals professionally involved in the fine arts.[10]

Discography

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with BOY

with CANT

with Convoj

  • Exceptionnel (2008)

with Cult of Luna[11]

with Deportees

  • All Prayed Up (2004)
  • Damaged Goods (2006)
  • Under the Pavement – The Beach (2009)
  • Islands & Shores (2011)
  • The Big Sleep (2015)
  • All Future (2019)

with Khoma

  • Tsunami (2004)
  • The Second Wave (2006)
  • A Final Storm (2010)
  • All Erodes (2012)

with iamamiwhoami

with The Lost Patrol

  • Songs About Running Away (2003)
  • Scattered, Smothered & Covered EP (2002)
  • Creepy Cool (2001)
  • The Lost Patrol (instrumentals) (1999)

with Miike Snow

with The Perishers

with Phoenix

with Plastic Pride

  • No Hot Ashes (1998)

with Simian Ghost

  • Simian Ghost (2017)

References

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  1. ^ "Thomas Hedlund - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". www.metal-archives.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Phoenix's Thomas Hedlund". Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  3. ^ "A Conversation with Thomas Hedlund of Cult of Luna and Phoenix". 8 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Thomas Hedlund". Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Det är större njutning nu" [It's more enjoyable now] (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  6. ^ ""Jag hade övat till deras låtar"". Sveriges Radio. 14 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  7. ^ ""Det är något jag alltid velat göra"". 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  8. ^ "A Conversation With Thomas Hedlund of Cult of Luna and Phoenix". reverb.com. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Tensta blir bara bättre". 3 April 2011. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  10. ^ "The Check-In with Thomas Hedlund - Tour Stories (Podcast)". 27 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Cult of Luna - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". www.metal-archives.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.