The Defenders

The Defenders were a Danish beat group formed in Copenhagen in 1961 by Flemming Knud Sørensen (lead vocals and guitar), Peder Jelsbak (lead guitar), Jens Henrik Dahl (rhythm guitar), Hans Klitgaard Larsen (bass) and Ken Gudman (drums) as one of the first rock bands in Denmark. Inspired by Cliff Richard and The Shadows and 50’s rock’n’roll, especially Elvis Presley.

In 1963 the band made it to the finals in a Cliff Richard cover competition. Later the same year they recorded a demo for Sonet Records with the songs “Teenage Heaven” and “Kisses of Fire”; a demo which remained a “secret” until it was reissued in 1990 in just 100 copies. Even later that year, Rudolph Alexander Hanius Hansen replaced Hans Klitgaard Larsen on bass and the musical style turned towards the newer Liverpool style. In December Jelsbak and Gudman left the band and were replaced by Benny Qvotrup (ex-Hitmakers) on drums, while Dahl changed to lead guitar and Sørensen to rhythm guitar and lead vocals. Jelsbak went on to form his own band, The Contenders, while Gudman joined The Danish Sharks.

In the summer of 1964 the band recorded their first single (Don't Show Me Away b/w Just In Case). Shortly thereafter Preben Devantier temporarily replaced Qvotrup on drums until Gudman permanently returned to the band in the fall of ’64. With this line-up, the band achieved the status as the most popular band in Denmark in the years 1965-66 with their combination of r&b and soft beat music, presented in a humorous fashion.

In February 1967 Gudman left the band again and was temporarily replaced by Jørgen Stig until Niels Kjær (ex-Ex-Checkers) permanently joined the band on drums. The style was changed to progressive rock inspired, amongst others, by Jimi Hendrix and Cream. In July the same year, Dahl left the band. Hansen changed to lead guitar while Per Oluf “Flob” Michael Hansen (ex-Les Rivals) joined in on bass. Dahl went on to form Young Flowers with, amongst others, Gudman.

With the new line-up, the band debuted with a new psychedelic style in September 1967. In October Sørensen left the band to form a new band, Flemming & Page One, and Rudolph Hansen took over the lead vocals role. The band continued as a trio until early 1968, when Jens Bjørner (ex-The Clan) joined in on organ. The band however, broke up a few months later, in April 1968.

An attempt to reform the band in 1970 didn’t succeed, although they did perform at that year’s Nyborg Festival. In 1995 the band reformed with Flemming Sørensen, Jens Dahl, Pete Dennis (bass) and Jesper Thorup (drums), and performed at the Tønder Festival and Kalundborg Festival, but later that year Flemming Sørensen died from alcohol abuse and in the spring of 1996 Jens Dahl also died, marking the final end of the band.

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