John Gunnar Levén serves as the bassist for the Swedish rock band Europe, maintaining a tenure that spans every studio album released by the group since his arrival in 1981. Born in Stockholm on 25 October 1963, he remains one of the few constants in the band's long-term lineup alongside vocalist Joey Tempest.
Early Career and Europe
Levén spent his childhood in the Stockholm suburb of Upplands Väsby, a location that served as the home base for multiple members of the future band. He joined Europe in 1981 as a replacement for Peter Olsson. In 1985, Levén proposed that Joey Tempest develop a composition based on an existing keyboard riff from earlier years. This suggestion resulted in the production of the 1986 hit song The Final Countdown. Levén performed on the band's initial run of studio records including their self-titled debut in 1983, Wings of Tomorrow in 1984, Out of This World in 1988, and Prisoners in Paradise in 1991.
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Following Europe's entry into a hiatus in 1992, Levén sought opportunities with various other musicians and projects. Between 1994 and 2003, his professional output included recording and touring with artists such as Glenn Hughes, John Norum, and bands including Brazen Abbot, Clockwise, Last Autumn's Dream, and Southpaw. He contributed to numerous records during this period, such as the 1994 release From Now On... with Glenn Hughes, the 1996 album Sonic Winter by the Johansson Brothers, and the 2001 project Nikolo Kotzev's Nostradamus.
Reunion and Songwriting Contributions
Europe reunited in 2003, marking the start of a second phase of recording for the band. Levén contributed to the 2006 album Secret Society by co-writing the single Always the Pretenders with Tempest. He later co-authored the track The Beast for the 2009 record Last Look at Eden. His performance credits continue across later studio releases, including Bag of Bones in 2012, War of Kings in 2015, Walk the Earth in 2017, and Come This Madness in 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 25 October 1963, Stockholm
- Citizenship: Sweden
- Occupation: Bassist
- Primary Band: Europe
- Year Joined Europe: 1981
- Children: Daniel, Alex, Adrian
Questions readers ask
Did John Levén play on every Europe studio album?
Yes, he and vocalist Joey Tempest are the only two members to have performed on every studio album by the band.
What song did Levén encourage Joey Tempest to write?
Levén suggested that Tempest write a song based on an old keyboard riff, which resulted in the 1986 track The Final Countdown.
Achievements
- Instruments: bass guitar
- Genres: heavy metal music
