| Chris Summers | |
| Birth Date: | 7 November 1974 |
| Birth Place: | Oslo |
| Birth Name: | Christer Engen |
| Years Active: | 1992–present |
Christer Engen (born 7 November 1974), also known by his stage name Chris Summers, is a Norwegian musician best known as the drummer for rock bands Turbonegro, Bigbang and Euroboys. Engen was a founding member of Bigbang and played with the band from 1992 to 1997. He left Bigbang to join Turbonegro in 1997 and released four studio albums with the band until his departure in 2008.[1] [2] Engen was enganged to singer Elvira Nikolaisen from 2007 to 2011.[3] [4]
Engen started his musical career when he founded Bigbang together with Øystein Greni while they were in high school. The two shared a common interest in American punk and hardcore bands, as well as classic rock from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Engen released one album with Bigbang, Waxed, before being asked to join Turbonegro by guitarist Rune Rebellion in 1997. He toured with Turbonegro in support of Ass Cobra and later recorded the album Apocalypse Dudes with the band. In 1998, Turbonegro disbanded while on tour due to singer Hank von Hell's drug addiction and mental illness.[5] The following year, Engen played drums on Bigbang's song "Wild Bird" off their Electric Psalmbook album. He again contributed drums to Bigbang on their 2000 studio album, Clouds Rolling By, including the hit song "Girl In Oslo".
Unbeknownst to Turbonegro, in the years that followed their break-up, the band would become a cult phenomenon with fan clubs called Turbojugend being established all over the world. Turbonegro reunited in 2002 and released their comeback album, Scandinavian Leather, in 2003.[6] [7] The band toured extensively in support of the album, including a tour of the United States with Queens of the Stone Age. Turbonegro released their next album, Party Animals, in 2005, and toured Europe and the United States throughout the year and the following year. The band released the album Retox in 2007. Later that year, Engen suffered a foot injury and played several festival shows with a broken foot before getting a stand-in.[8] Engen left Turbonegro in 2008 due to his injury and touring fatigue. He would later reveal in a 2021 interview that it took four years for his foot to fully heal. After leaving Turbonegro, Engen has occasionally featured as a session musician and works as a junior high school teacher.
| Year | Artist | Title | Song(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Bigbang | Electric Psalmbook | "Wild Bird" | Drums, percussion | |
| "So In Love", "How Do You Do" | Backing vocals | ||||
| 2000 | Clouds Rolling By | "To The Mountains", "Girl In Oslo", "Sing And Dance" | Drums, percussion | ||
| Euroboys | Getting Out Of Nowhere | "Scarborough Fair" | Vocals | ||
| Tom Lund Band | – | "Europas Juvel" | Drums | ||
| 2001 | Amulet | Freedom Fighters | Percussion | ||
| 2002 | Kåre João | Sideman | Performer | ||
| 2003 | Backyard Babies | Stockholm Syndrome | "Friends" | Guest | |
| 2004 | Turbonegro | No Music Requests | "Bloodstains" (Agent Orange cover) | Performer | |
| Euroboys | Soft Focus | "Fears Be Gone", "Topanga" | Drums, percussion | ||
| "Good Enough For Now" | Vocals, percussion | ||||
| 2005 | Bigbang | Poetic Terrorism | "On Your Mind" | Drums | |
| Turbonegro | Det Beste Til Meg Og Mine Venner (En Hyllest Til Joachim Nielsen) | "Her Kommer Vinteren" (Jokke & Valentinerne cover) | Drums, backing vocals | ||
| 2007 | Bigbang | Something Special: The Best Of Bigbang | "Wild Bird", "Girl In Oslo" | Drums | |
| 2014 | White Sands | – | "The Wait" | Drums | |
| 2018 | Michael Krohn | Søvnløse Netter | Percussion | ||
| 2020 | Sweetheart | Sweetheart | "I Will Always Be Right Here" | Percussion | |
| 2022 | Lady Friend | Songs From The Guesthouse | Producer, drums, percussion, backing vocals |