The Hellacopters were a Swedish garage rock band that was formed in 1994 by Nicke Andersson (vocals and guitar), Dregen (guitar), Kenny Håkansson (bass) and Robert Eriksson (drums). Andersson (sometimes known as Nick Royale) had been the drummer for death metal band Entombed and Dregen was taking a break from his full-time band Backyard Babies. Dregen and Eriksson had been roadies for Entombed, while Håkansson was a childhood friend of Andersson's. The Hellacopters were initially conceived as a side project for Andersson and Dregen, but it eventually became the main songwriting and performance vehicle for Andersson. The band was, together with The Hives, one of the most important Swedish bands in the garage rock revival and one of the most influential rock bands in Sweden.