Europe performs in Berlin amid reflections on band history

The Swedish hard rock band Europe recently performed at the Admiralspalast in Berlin as part of a tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of their breakthrough album, ‘The Final Countdown’. The performance featured the band playing the iconic album in its entirety alongside other career highlights.

In a separate reflection on the band’s history, frontman Joey Tempest discussed the departure of original guitarist John Norum in 1986. Tempest noted that the split was a ‘sad day’ because the two had started the band together. He attributed the departure to the strenuous nature of promotional tours and the challenges of transitioning from a musician-focused group to a mainstream pop-culture act, noting that Norum felt the lifestyle was ‘a bit too much’ for him at the time.