Biography
Stark recorded his first 7" single with the band Paradize in 1979, then formed the band Overdrive in 1980. He released the 12" MLP Reflexions in 1981, after which the band was signed by Planet Records and released the albums Metal Attack (1983) and Swords And Axes (1984). The band split in 1985 and Stark formed Overheat together with former Overdrive-singer Pelle Thuresson on bass. The band only lasted a few years and made no official recording.
In 1991 Stark participated in the national guitar competition Guitar Battle, where he went to the finals two years in a row, earning him tracks on the CD compilation Guitar Heroes Of Sweden.
In 1995 Stark formed the band Locomotive Breath. The band released its debut album Train Of Events in 1997 and 1998. The follow-up Heavy Machinery was released in 2002 and the band's third album Change Of Track was released in October 2005. This album featured Marcel Jacob (Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen) on bass. After this the band took a long (and still lasting) break, with only a brief break to record the track "Fill Your Head With Rock" for the 2008 Sweden Rock Festival CD sampler.
In 1996 Stark released his first book, The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Hard Rock And Heavy Metal 1970-1996, a 400 page encyclopedia featuring more than one thousand Swedish recording bands. In 2002 his second effort Volume 2 was released. Both books released by Premium Publishing. A third book is in the writing process, but is not due until 2010.
Besides playing guitar in his ordinary bands, Stark has also made guest appearances on recordings by many bands, including Narnia, Blinded Colony, Faith, VII Gates, Chris Catena, Rod Chappell Band, Audiovision, From Behind (featuring former Samson-singer Nicky Moore), Zello etc.
He is also responsible for layout and/or artwork for albums by his own bands, as well as Zello, Neon Rose, Zeelion, Axia, RAW, Have Mercy and others.
In December 2006 Janne was part of the one-off Sweden Rock All Star Band which also featured Udo Dirkschneider, Ian Haugland, Ryan Roxie, Oscar Dronjak etc.
In 2007 Stark released the debut by his new solo project Mountain Of Power on Grooveyard Records, dedicated to his influences from the seventies, such as Derringer, Moxy, Stray Dog, Captain Beyond and Budgie, featuring guests like Dan Swanö, Björn Lodin, Thomas Larsson, Anders Johansson, Chris Catena, Jonas Hansson, David Fremberg, Mikael "Nord" Andersson and Mike Andersson.
Further more an album with his collaboration with singer Chris Catena, christened Teenage Rampage, will release their debut in 2008. Also the resurrected Overdrive released the new album Let The Metal Do The Talking on Lion Music in January 2008.
In 2007 Stark joined forces with Björn Lodin and Mikael "Nord" Andersson in a completely new band called incarnation called BALLS. The band's debut album Chameleon was released on October 10, 2008, but the band folded shortly after its release. Janne and Mikael are still composing songs together for a forthcoming solo album by Mikael. Janne also contributed with guest guitars on releases by Thalamus, M.O.B, Alyson Avenue and Tower Of Stone.
In August 2008 The Encyclopedia of Swedish Punk was published by Premium Publishing, written by Peter Jandreus, but where Stark is credited for layout, additional text and research. In mid 2008 Janne started working on his own third encyclopedia of Swedish hard rock, due to be released 2010 (Premium Publishing). Stark is also writing a History Of Swedish Hard Rock & Heavy Metal also due out in 2010.
In 2007 Stark started collaborating with Token/Scudiero keyboardist Mikael Rosengren in what was to become the band Constancia. The band's debut Lost And Gone was released on Frontiers Records in July 2009 and a release in Japan on King Records (with bonus track Wasted) is due to be released.
In 2010 Overdrive started working on their seventh release, entitled Angelmaker. It was released in January 2011. In March 2011Overdrive released the vinyl LP The Angelmaker's Daughter which featured six non-CD tracks plus three tracks from Angelmaker.
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