Norwegian keyboard player and singer (born 1952)
Stein Groven, born 22 February 1952), better known by his stage name Casino Steel, is a Norwegian-born keyboard player, singer and songwriter.
He has played in several different bands and collaborations within rock, punk and country in Norway, United Kingdom and the US, and has released several solo albums. He was inducted into the Norwegian Rockheim Hall of Fame in September 2021.
Background.
Stein Groven grew up in Trondheim, Norway. From the age of 15 he played in various local bands, including Jane where his friend Geir Waade played drums. A few months before his 18th birthday Stein moved to London where both he and his friend Geir became active in the local music scene.
London Years.
In London Stein joined the band The Queen, which after an argument with a certain Freddie Mercury was renamed Hollywood Brats. When the band split up he briefly played with his friend Geir Waade in the band London SS before joining The Boys, which are still active. The Boys also released several Christmas themed recordings under the name The Yobs.
Post punk career.
The Boys disbanded in 1982 and around this time Stein moved back to Norway where he was later joined by his friend Gary Holton, with whom he released four albums at the start of the 1980s. The collaboration was very successful in Norway but went unnoticed in other countries.
In 1983 he started a collaboration with Norwegian artists Claudia Scott and Ottar "Big Hand" Johansen in the country trio Claudia / Big Hand / Casino. The trio released three records. They received the Norwegian music award Spellemannprisen in 1985 in the category roots &amp; country for the album "Oh Yeah!" and was nominated for the Spellemannprisen in 1984 in the category country &amp; western for "Fools Never Learn".
The collaboration with Claudia Scott continued beyond the 80s, first as a duo and then in the band CCCP where Carlene Carter and John Payne were also members. In 1990, he released his first solo album, which was named "Casino Steel". The following year he started the record company Revolution Records. In 2007, he started The Last Rock 'N' Roll Band together with, among others, Honest John Plain from The Boys.
Stein Groven received the veteran award at the Norwegian Gammleng Award in 2019 and was nominated for the Rockheim Hall of Fame in 2018 and 2019 before being inducted in 2021.
In 2002, he was sentenced to 120 days in prison for fraud in the Norwegian recording artist organisation GramArt where Stein Groven was the chairman of the board. The case received a lot of attention in the Norwegian media, as a number of well-known Norwegian musicians participated as witnesses.
In February 2022 Casino Steel was joined by many of his past bandmates and others he has worked with for a concert held in Olavshallen in his home town of Trondheim to celebrate his 70th birthday.
The Boys Reformed.
In 1999 Stein Groven and most of the original members of The Boys reformed the band and they have remained active since then, mainly playing small shows in various locations in Europe and the Far East. The band released the album Punk Rock Menopause in 2014 where Stein (Casino Steel) co-composed all the songs. And they released the singles I'm A Believer and Organ Grinder in 2021 and 2023 respectively.
Discography.
Albums
Singles / EPs
This Ain't America/I Ain't Coming Back (1988)
Hollywood Brats.
Albums
Singles
Then He Kissed Me/Sick on You (1979)
Rough Mixes (1984)
Little Ol' Wine Drinker Me/Suckin' on Suzie (1986)
Zurich 17/Nightmare (2005)
The Boys.
Albums
Singles
The Yobs.
Albums
Singles
With Gary Holton.
Albums
Singles
Claudia/Big Hand/Casino.
Albums
Singles
CCCP.
Albums
1st Revolution Orchestra.
Albums
1st Revolution Orchestra (1991)
The Last Rock'N'Roll Band.
Albums
The Last Rock'N'Roll Band (2007)
The Mattless Boys.
Albums
The Mattless Boys (2010)
References.
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