Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Feta
country	Byzantine Empire
source	Sheep (≥70%) and goat per PDO; similar cheeses may contain cow or buffalo milk
pasteurised	Depends on variety
texture	Depends on variety
aging	min. 3 months
certification	PDO, 2002 }}

Feta () is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads (e.g. the Greek salad), pastries and in baking, notably in the popular phyllo-based dishes spanakopita ("spinach pie") and tyropita ("cheese pie") and combined with olive oil and vegetables. It can also be served cooked or grilled, as part of a sandwich or as a salty alternative to other cheeses in a variety of dishes.

Since 2002, feta has been a protected designation of origin product in the European Union. According to the relevant EU legislation, only those cheeses produced in a traditional way in some areas of Greece (mainland and the island of Lesbos), and made from sheep milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goats’ milk (up to 30%) of the same area, may bear the name "feta". However, similar white brined cheeses (often called 'white cheese' in various languages) are found in the eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea. Similar brined white cheeses produced outside the EU are often made partly or wholly of cow's milk, and may legally be called 'feta'.

Description

Feta is a soft white brined cheese with small holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. It is usually formed into large blocks, which are submerged in brine. Its flavor is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp. Its maximum moisture is 56%, its minimum fat content in dry matter is 43%, and its pH usually ranges from 4.4 to 4.6.

Production

Feta is salted and cured in a brine solution (based on water or whey) for several months. When removed from the brine, it dries out rapidly. It is made with goat's or sheep's milk. However in modern times imitations are often produced commercially with pasteurized cow's milk. Curdled milk with rennet is separated and left to drain in a special mold or a cloth bag. Afterwards, it is cut to large slices that are salted and then packed in barrels filled with brine.

Historical origins

{{nutritionalvalue | name=Feta (typical) | kJ=1103 | protein=14 g | fat=21 g | carbs=4 g | calcium_mg=493 | sodium_mg=1116 | zinc_mg=2.9 | riboflavin_mg=0.84 | pantothenic_mg=0.97 | vitB6_mg=0.42 | vitB12_ug=1.7 | vitA_iu=422 | source_usda=1 | right=1 }}

Feta cheese is first recorded in the Byzantine Empire under the name πρόσφατος (''prósphatos'', "recent", ''i.e.'' fresh), and was associated specifically with Crete. An Italian visitor to Candia in 1494 describes its storage in brine clearly.

The Greek word "feta" comes from the Italian word ''fetta'' ("slice"). It was introduced into the Greek language in the 17th century. Opinions vary whether it refers to the method of cutting the cheese in slices to serve on a plate or because of the practice of slicing it to place in barrels.

Certification

After a long legal battle with Denmark, which produced a cheese under the same name using artificially blanched cow's milk, the term "feta" has been a protected designation of origin (PDO) since July 2002, which limits the term within the European Union to feta made exclusively of sheep's/goat's milk in Greece. According to the Commission, the biodiversity of the land coupled with the special breeds of sheep and goats used for milk is what gives feta cheese a specific aroma and flavor.

When needed to describe an imitation to feta, names such as "salad cheese" and "Greek-style cheese" are used. The European Commission gave other nations five years to find a new name for their "feta" cheese, or to stop production. Because of the decision by the European Union, Danish dairy company Arla Foods changed the name of their product to ''apetina''.

Similar cheeses around the world

Similar cheeses can be found in:

Albania (''djath i bardhë'' or ''djath i gjirokastrës'')

Bulgaria (сирене, ''sirene'')

Egypt (''domiati''); Sudan (''gibna beyda'')

Finland (salaattijuusto, ''salad cheese'')

Georgia (ყველი, ''kveli'', lit. ''cheese'')

Iran (''panir lighvan'')

Israel (''gvina bulgarit'', lit. ''Bulgarian cheese'')

Republic of Macedonia (бело сирење, ''belo sirenje'', lit. ''white cheese'')

Lebanon (''gibneh bulgharieh'', lit. ''Bulgarian cheese'')

Poland (''bryndza'')

Romania (''brânză telemea'')

Russia (брынза, ''brynza'')

Serbia (сир, ''sir'')

Turkey (''beyaz peynir'', lit. ''white cheese'')

Ukraine (бринза, ''brynza'')

See also

List of cheeses

Greek cuisine

Greek food products

References

Further reading

External links

Feta registered as Protected Designation of Origin

Fetamania - Feta's history, production and conservation methods, and recipes

Category:Greek cheeses Category:Products with protected designation of origin Category:Goat's-milk cheeses Category:Sheep's-milk cheeses

az:Brınza ca:Feta cs:Balkánský sýr cy:Feta da:Feta de:Feta et:Feta el:Φέτα (τυρί) es:Feta eo:Feta-fromaĝo fr:Feta gl:Feta ko:페타 (치즈) hy:Ֆեթա id:Feta it:Feta he:פטה la:Pheta lt:Feta nl:Feta ja:フェタチーズ no:Feta pl:Feta pt:Feta ru:Фета simple:Feta cheese fi:Feta sv:Fetaost tr:Beyaz peynir uk:Фета zh:菲達芝士

Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Mel Brooks
birth name	Melvin Kaminsky
birth date	June 28, 1926
birth place	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
medium	FilmTelevisionMusical theatre
nationality	American
influences	George M. CohanJack BennyBob HopeHarry RitzFred AstaireGene Kelly
influenced	Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Andy Samberg
active	1949–present
genre	Farce, parody
subject	Comedy
spouse	Florence Baum (1953-62, divorced), 3 childrenAnne Bancroft (1964-2005, her death), 1 child (Max Brooks)
Notable work	''The Producers''''Blazing Saddles''''Young Frankenstein'',''Spaceballs''
Emmyawards	Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program1967 ''The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris Special''Outstanding Guest Actor - Comedy Series 1997, 1998, 1999 ''Mad About You'' |olivierawards Best New Musical 2005 ''The Producers'' |tonyawards Best Musical 2001 ''The Producers'' Best Book of a Musical 2001 ''The Producers'' Best Original Score 2001 ''The Producers'' |grammyawards Best Spoken Comedy Album 1999 ''2000 Year Old Man'' Best Long Form Music Video 2002 ''Recording 'The Producers': A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks'' Best Musical Show Album 2002 ''The Producers'' |awardtitle1 Saturn Award |award1 Saturn Award for Best Direction1975 ''Young Frankenstein'' Mel Brooks has won an Oscar, three Emmys, three grammys, three tonys, and has received four Golden Globe nominations. }}

}} Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. Brooks is a member of the short list of entertainers with the distinction of having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award. Three of his films ranked in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 comedy films of all-time: ''Blazing Saddles'' at number 6, ''The Producers'' at number 11, and ''Young Frankenstein'' at number 13.

Early life

Brooks was born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York, a son of Maximilian Kaminsky and his wife Kate (née Brookman). His father's family were German Jews from the Baltic Sea port of Danzig (the modern Polish port of Gdansk); his mother's family were Ukrainian Jews from Kiev. His father died of kidney disease when Brooks was only two years old.

Brooks was a small, sickly boy who was often bullied and picked on by his classmates. Taking on the comically aggressive job of Tummler (master entertainer) in various Catskills resorts, he gradually gained in confidence. Following high school, he attended the Army Specialized Training Program conducted at the Virginia Military Institute (although not actually as a VMI cadet) and served in the United States Army as a corporal during World War II, taking part in the Battle of the Bulge.

Career

Early career

Brooks started as a stand-up comic performing in summers at the Catskill Mountains, telling jokes and doing movie-star impressions. He found more rewarding work behind the scenes, becoming a comedy writer for television. He joined the hit comedy series ''Your Show of Shows'' with Sid Caesar and Carl Reiner. Reiner, as creator of ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', based Morey Amsterdam's character Buddy Sorell on Brooks.

Starting in 1960, Brooks teamed with Reiner as a comedy duo on the Steve Allen Show. Their performances led to release a series of comedy albums that included a routine that eventually expanded into the 2000 Year Old Man series that yielded five albums and a 1975 animated TV special.

Brooks adapted the 2000 Year Old Man character to create the 2500 Year Old Brewmaster for Ballantine Beer in the 1960s. Interviewed by Dick Cavett in a series of ads, the Brewmaster (in a German accent, as opposed to the 2000 Year Old Man's Jewish voice) said he was inside the original Trojan horse and "could've used a six-pack of fresh air."

Brooks later moved into film, working as an actor, director, writer, and producer. Brooks's first film was ''The Critic'' (1963), an animated satire of arty, esoteric cinema, conceived by Brooks and directed by Ernest Pintoff. Brooks supplied running commentary as the baffled moviegoer trying to make sense of the obscure visuals. The short film won an Academy Award. With Buck Henry, Brooks created the successful TV series ''Get Smart'', starring Don Adams as a bumbling secret agent. This series added to Brooks's reputation as a clever satirist.

Brooks's first feature film, ''The Producers'', was a dark comedy about two theatrical partners who deliberately contrive the worst possible Broadway show. The film was so brazen in its satire (its big production number was "Springtime for Hitler") that the major studios would not touch it, nor would many exhibitors. Brooks finally found an independent distributor, which released it like an art film, as a specialized attraction. The film received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film became a smash underground hit, first on the nationwide college circuit, then in revivals and on home video. Brooks later turned it into a musical, which became hugely successful on Broadway, receiving an unprecedented twelve Tony awards.

His two most financially successful films were released in 1974: ''Blazing Saddles'' (co-written with Richard Pryor, Andrew Bergman, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger), and ''Young Frankenstein'' (co-written with Gene Wilder). He followed these up with an audacious idea: the first feature-length silent comedy in four decades. ''Silent Movie'' (co-written with Ron Clark, 1976) featured Brooks in his first leading role, with Dom DeLuise and Marty Feldman as his sidekicks; it also featured, ironically, Marcel Marceau, in a cameo appearance as himself, who uttered the film's single word of audible dialogue. The following year he released his Hitchcock parody ''High Anxiety'' (also written with Clark), which was the first movie produced by Brooks himself.

Brooks developed a repertory company of sorts for his film work: performers with three or more of Brooks' films (''The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, History of the World: Part I, Spaceballs, Life Stinks, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Dracula: Dead and Loving It'') to their credit include Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, Ron Carey, Dick Van Patten and Andréas Voutsinas. Dom DeLuise appeared in six of Brooks's 11 original films, the only person with more appearances being Brooks himself.

In 1975, at the height of his movie career, Brooks tried TV again with ''When Things Were Rotten'', a Robin Hood parody that lasted only 13 episodes. Nearly twenty years later, in response to the 1991 hit film ''Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'', Brooks mounted another Robin Hood parody with ''Robin Hood: Men in Tights''. Brooks's film resurrected several pieces of dialog from his TV series, as well as from earlier Brooks films.

Later career

By 1980, Siskel and Ebert called Brooks and Woody Allen "the two most successful comedy directors in the world today ... America's two funniest filmmakers." That year, Brooks produced the dramatic film ''The Elephant Man'' (directed by David Lynch). Knowing that anyone seeing a poster reading "Mel Brooks presents ''The Elephant Man''" would expect a comedy, he set up the company Brooksfilms. Brooksfilms has since produced a number of non-comedy films, including David Cronenberg's ''The Fly'', ''Frances'', and ''84 Charing Cross Road'', starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft, as well as comedies, including Richard Benjamin's ''My Favorite Year'', which was partially based on his real life. Brooks sought to purchase the rights to ''84 Charing Cross Road'' for his wife, Anne Bancroft, for many years. He successfully obtained the rights to the movie and presented them to her as an anniversary gift.

The 1980s saw Brooks produce and direct only two films, the first being ''History of the World Part I'' in 1981, a tongue-in-cheek look at human culture from the Dawn of Man to the French Revolution. As part of the film's soundtrack, Brooks, then aged 55, recorded a rap entitled ''"It's Good to Be the King"'', a parody of Louis XVI and the French Revolution; it was released as a single, and became a surprise US dance hit. His second movie release of the decade came in 1987 in the form of ''Spaceballs'', a parody of science fiction, mainly ''Star Wars''. Both films featured him in multiple roles. He also starred in the 1983 remake of ''To Be or Not to Be'', which spawned a highly controversial single that featured as part of the film's soundtrack album (although not in the film itself) - ''"To Be Or Not To Be (The Hitler Rap)"''. The song - satirising German society in the 1940s with Brooks playing Hitler - was an unlikely hit, peaking at #12 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1984 and #3 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report) that same year.

One of his most recent successes has been a transfer of his film ''The Producers'' to the Broadway stage. Brooks also had a vocal role in the 2005 animated film ''Robots''. He then worked on an animated series sequel to ''Spaceballs'' called ''Spaceballs: The TV Series'', which premiered on September 21, 2008 on G4 TV.

Brooks is one of the few artists who have received an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy. He was awarded his first Grammy award for Best Spoken Comedy Album in 1999 for his recording of ''The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000'' with Carl Reiner. His two other Grammys came in 2002 for Best Musical Show Album, for the soundtrack to ''The Producers'', and for Best Long Form Music Video for the DVD "Recording the Producers - A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks". He won his first of four Emmy awards in 1967 for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety for a Sid Caesar special. He went on to win three consecutive Emmys in 1997, 1998, and 1999 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role of Uncle Phil on ''Mad About You''. He won his three Tony awards in 2001 for his work on the musical, ''The Producers''. He won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Original Musical Score, and Best Book of a Musical. Additionally, he won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award for ''Young Frankenstein''. In a 2005 poll to find ''The Comedian's Comedian'', he was voted #50 of the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. Three of Brooks's films are on the American Film Institute's list of funniest American films: ''Blazing Saddles'' (#6), ''The Producers'' (#11), and ''Young Frankenstein'' (#13).

Brooks and his wife Anne Bancroft acted together in ''Silent Movie'' and ''To Be or Not to Be'', and Bancroft also had a bit part in the 1995 film ''Dracula: Dead and Loving It''. Years later, the Brookses appeared as themselves in the fourth season finale of ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', spoofing the finale of ''The Producers''. It is reported that Bancroft encouraged Brooks (after an idea suggested by David Geffen) to take ''The Producers'' to Broadway where it became an enormous success, as the show broke the Tony record with 12 wins, a record that had previously been held for 37 years by ''Hello, Dolly!'' at 10 wins. Such success has translated to a big-screen version of the Broadway adaptation/remake with actors Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane reprising their stage roles, in addition to new cast members Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell. As of early April 2006, Brooks had begun composing the score to a Broadway musical adaptation of ''Young Frankenstein'', which he says is "perhaps the best movie [he] ever made." The world premiere was performed at Seattle's most historic theatre (originally built as a movie palace), The Paramount Theatre, between August 7, 2007, and September 1, 2007 after which it opened on Broadway at the former Foxwoods Theatre (then the Hilton Theatre), New York, on October 11, 2007. It has since earned mixed reviews from the critics.

In interviews broadcast on WABC radio, Brooks has discussed with NYC radio personality Mark Simone the possibilities of turning other works from his creative oeuvre (such as the movie ''Blazing Saddles'') into future musical productions. Specifically, in a conversation airing March 1, 2008, he and Simone speculated on what show tunes might be incorporated into a theatrical adaptation of the ''Get Smart'' property.

On December 5, 2009 Brooks was one of five recipients of 2009 Kennedy Center Honors at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

On April 23, 2010 Brooks was awarded the 2,406th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Personal life

Brooks was married to Florence Baum from 1953 to 1962. Their marriage ended in divorce. Mel and Florence had three children, Stephanie, Nicky, and Eddie.

Brooks was married to the actress Anne Bancroft from 1964 until her death from uterine cancer on June 6, 2005. They met on rehearsal for the Perry Como Variety Show in 1961 and married three years later, August 5, at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau. Their son, Max Brooks, was born in 1972. In 2010, Brooks credited Bancroft as being the guiding force behind his involvement in developing ''The Producers'' and ''Young Frankenstein'' for the musical theater, citing an early meeting as "From that day, until her death on June 5, 2005, we were glued together."

Work

Writer/director

''The Producers'' (1968) (Academy Award, best original screenplay)

''The Twelve Chairs'' (1970) (also actor)

''Blazing Saddles'' (1974) (also actor)

''Young Frankenstein'' (1974)

''Silent Movie'' (1976) (also actor)

''High Anxiety'' (1977) (also actor/producer)

''History of the World, Part I'' (1981) (also actor/producer)

''Spaceballs'' (1987) (also actor/producer)

''Life Stinks'' (1991) (also actor/producer)

''Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993) (also actor/producer)

''Dracula: Dead and Loving It'' (1995) (also actor/producer)

Theatre

''Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952'' (1952) (sketches for a revue)

''Shinbone Alley'' (1957) (co-book-writer)

''All-American'' (1962) (book-writer)

''The Producers'' (2001) (composer, lyricist, co-book-writer, producer; Tony Award for Best Musical, Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, Tony Award for Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical)

''Young Frankenstein'' (2007) (composer, lyricist, co-book-writer, producer)

Other credits

''Your Show of Shows'' (TV) (1950–1954) (writer)

''New Faces of 1952'' (Broadway) (1952) (writer) and "New Faces", the 1954 film version (writer)

''The Critic'' (created and narrated, won Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film) (1963)

''Get Smart'' (TV) (1965–1970) (co-creator, writer)

''The Electric Company'' (TV) (1971–1977) (voice of recurring little cartoon man who asks: "Who's the dummy writing this show?!")

''Hollywood Squares'' (1972) (Guest star)

''When Things Were Rotten'' (1975) (co-created, writer)

''The Muppet Movie'' (1979) (Special Guest Star-Mad Scientist Professor Max Krassman)

''The Elephant Man'' (1980) (uncredited executive producer)

''To Be or Not to Be'' (1983) (actor, producer)

''The Fly'' (1986) (uncredited producer)

''The Fly II'' (1989) (uncredited producer)

''The Nutt House'' (1989) (co-creator)

''The Tracey Ullman Show (1990) (actor-Buzz Schlanger)

''Look Who's Talking Too'' (1990) (voice of Mr. Toilet Man)

''Frasier'' (1993) (voice of Tom)

''The Little Rascals'' (1994) (actor-Mr. Welling)

''Silence of the Hams'' (1994) (actor-Checkout Guest)

''The Simpsons'' (1995, "Homer vs. Patty and Selma") (voice-himself)

''Mad About You'' (TV) (1996–1999) (actor-Uncle Phil)

''The Prince of Egypt'' (1998) (uncredited, additional voices)

''Svitati'' (AKA ''Screw Loose'') (1999) (actor-Jake Gordon)

''It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie'' (2002) (voice of Joe Snow)

''The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius: Season 2'' (2003) (voice of Santa Claus)

''Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks'' (2003–2007) (voice of Wiley the Sheep)

''Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4'' (2004) (actor)

''Robots'' (2005) (voice of Bigweld)

''The Producers'' (2005) (writer, producer, cameo as himself)

''Spaceballs: The Animated Series'' (2008) (writer, producer, voice)

''Get Smart'' (2008) (Consultant)

''The 2000 Year Old Man: The Complete History'' (2009) DVD

''The Wizard of Oz'' (2012) (actor-The Wizard of Oz)

Rotten Tomatoes ratings

92% 89% 94% 89% 74% 62% 20% 48%

Film !! All Critics !! Top Critics !! Audience
''The Producers (1968 film)	The Producers''	93%	90%
''The Twelve Chairs (1970 film)	The Twelve Chairs''	|	N/A	62%
''Blazing Saddles''	|	80%	89%
''Young Frankenstein''	|	N/A	91%
''Silent Movie''	|	N/A	65%
''High Anxiety''	|	N/A	66%
''History of the World, Part I''	|	N/A	33%	80%
''Life Stinks''	|	N/A	44%
''Robin Hood: Men in Tights''	|	N/A	20%	52%
! Average !! 66% !! 56% !! 72%

Collaborations

!	The Producers (1968 film)>The Producers''	The Twelve Chairs (1970 film)>Twelve Chairs''	! ''Blazing Saddles''	! ''Young Frankenstein''	! ''Silent Movie''	! ''High Anxiety''	! ''History of the World, Part I''	! ''Spaceballs''	! ''Life Stinks''	! ''Robin Hood: Men in Tights''	! ''Dracula: Dead and Loving It''
Carol Arthur
Anne Bancroft
Mark Blankfield
Sid Caesar
Charlie Callas
Megan Cavanagh
Dom DeLuise
Liam Dunn
Marty Feldman
Sandy Helberg
John Hurt
Madeline Kahn
Harvey Korman
Cloris Leachman
Barry Levinson
Rudy De Luca
Kenneth Mars
Howard Morris
Dick Van Patten
Robert Ridgely
Andréas_Voutsinas
Albert Whitlock
Gene Wilder
Amy Yasbeck

See also

List of persons who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards

References

Further reading

Jeff Rovin. ''Cat Angels'', Harper Paperbacks, ISBN 0-06-100972-5

Parish, James Robert. ''It's Good to Be the King: The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks'' (2007) Wiley ISBN 0-471-75267-3

External links

Mel Brooks - Box Office Data Movie Director at The Numbers

Mel Brooks - Box Office Data Movie Star at The Numbers

"The Films of Mel Brooks", video compilation of film clips, 5 minutes

Interview with Brooks on NPR's ''Fresh Air'' (March 16, 2005)

TonyAwards.com Interview with Mel Brooks at Tony Awards site

Interview with Mel Brooks biographer James Robert Parish

Photographs and literature

Category:1926 births Category:Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn, New York) alumni Category:American comedians Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:American musical theatre composers Category:American satirists Category:American theatre managers and producers Category:American voice actors Category:Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners Category:Emmy Award winners Category:English-language film directors Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Jewish actors Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:American people of German-Jewish descent Category:Jewish American writers Category:Jewish comedians Category:Jewish American composers and songwriters Category:Kennedy Center honorees Category:Living people Category:People from Brooklyn Category:People from Fire Island, New York Category:Saturn Award winners Category:Tony Award winners Category:United States Army soldiers

ar:ميل بروكس an:Mel Brooks bs:Mel Brooks bg:Мел Брукс ca:Mel Brooks da:Mel Brooks de:Mel Brooks es:Mel Brooks eu:Mel Brooks fa:مل بروکس fr:Mel Brooks gl:Mel Brooks hr:Mel Brooks id:Mel Brooks it:Mel Brooks he:מל ברוקס lv:Mels Brukss hu:Mel Brooks nl:Mel Brooks ja:メル・ブルックス no:Mel Brooks nds:Mel Brooks pl:Mel Brooks pt:Mel Brooks ru:Брукс, Мел simple:Mel Brooks sk:Mel Brooks sr:Мел Брукс sh:Mel Brooks fi:Mel Brooks sv:Mel Brooks tl:Mel Brooks tr:Mel Brooks

Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Eddie Meduza
background	solo_singer
birth name	Errol Leonard Norstedt
alias	Eddie Meduza
birth date	June 17, 1948
death date	January 17, 2002
genre	Rockabilly, Dansband music
occupation	Singer, guitarist
years active	1964–2002
website	http://www.eddiemeduza.se
past members	}}

Eddie Meduza (real name Errol Leonard Norstedt) (June 17, 1948–January 17, 2002) was a Swedish composer and musician working mainly in the rockabilly genre. Many of his songs were about alcohol, women, and cars, quite often with obscene lyrics. Sometimes they were also politically oriented, many aimed at the Swedish Social Democrats. He was also a popular performer of Raggare music. Norstedt's other identity was the far more vulgar E. Hitler. In this guise he generally recorded more sexually explicit material.

He is remembered now mostly for his more explicit work, but many of his songs are very ironic and some contain clever, albeit unpolished, social commentary, and earn his music something of a cult following. Norstedt also recorded serious rockabilly songs with a distinct 1950s flavour in his own studio, called Studio Ronka (''ronka'' or ''runka'' is Swedish slang for masturbation, similar to ''wanking'' in English.). He played most of the instruments himself. He often got bad reviews from the press, notably Expressen journalist Mats Olsson, to which Norstedt replied by writing even more offensive songs, such as ''Kuken står på Mats Olsson'' (''The cock stands on Mats Olsson''), ''Mats Olsson är en jävla bög'' (''Mats Olsson is a damn fag'') and ''Mats Olsson runkar kuken'' (''Mats Olsson is wanking his cock''). He reportedly said that no matter what he did it was never good enough for the critics.

Despite this he was considered an accomplished musician and songwriter, in particular by Swedish record company executive Bert Karlsson who, with mixed results, tried to foster that talent in Norstedt. He never had a major breakthrough and this is commonly attributed to his increasingly obscene songwriting. According to himself, he developed alcoholism in the late 1970s during periods of intensive touring. After collapsing on his way to a show he changed his lifestyle completely. He sobered up and started working out. However, despite his efforts the years of alcohol abuse eventually took their toll and he died in his home. He is survived by his wife and children.

Discography

Albums

1975 - Errol

1979 - Eddie Meduza & The Roaring Cadillacs

1980 - Garagetaper

1981 - Gasen I Botten

1982 - För Jaevle Braa!

1982 - 21 Värsta !!!

1983 - Dåren E Lös

1984 - West A Fool Away

1985 - Ain't Got No Cadillac

1986 - Collection (2 LP)

1989 - Dom Dåraktigaste Dumheterna Digitalt (Röven 1)

1989 - Dom Dåraktigaste Dumheterna Digitalt (Röven 2)

1990 - På begäran

1990 - You Ain't My Friend

1991 - Collection (CD)

1995 - Harley Davidson

1997 - Silver Wheels

1998 - Värsting Hits

1999 - Väg 13

1999 - Dance Mix

1999 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 1

1999 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 2

1999 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 3

2000 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 4

2000 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 5

2000 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 6

2001 - Scoop

2001 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 7

2001 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 8

2001 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 9

2002 - Just Like An Eagle

2002 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 10

2002 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 11

2002 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 12

2003 - Live(s)! CD+DVD

2003 - 100% Eddie Meduza

2003 - Live(s)! CD

2004 - Rock'n Rebel

2005 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 13

2005 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 14

2005 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 15

2005 - Alla Tiders Fyllekalas Vol. 16

2005 - Raggare

2006 - Dragspelsrock

2006 - Dubbelidioterna

Singles

1975 - Tretton År / Här Hemma

1978 - Punkjävlar / Oh What A Cadillac

1979 - Yea Yea Yea / Honey B

1979 - Såssialdemokraterna / Norwegian Boogie / Roll Over Beethoven

1981 - Volvo / 34:an

1981 - Gasen I Botten / Mera Brännvin

1982 - Han Eller Jag, Vem Ska Du Ha / Tonight

1982 - Jätteparty I Kväll / Tonight

1982 - Jätteparty I Kväll / Han Eller Jag, Vem Ska Du Ha

1982 - Sverige / Stupid Cupid

1983 - Fruntimmer Ska En Ha...

1983 - Fruntimmer Ska En Ha... / Han Eller Jag, Vem Ska Du Ha?

1983 - Jag Vill Ha En Brud Med Stora Bröst / Leader Of The Rockers

1983 - Jag Vill Ha En Brud Med Stora Pattar / Leader Of The Rockers

1984 - Sveriges Kompani (Militärpolka) / Dunder Å Snus

1984 - Punkar'n Å Raggar'n / Hej På Dig Evert

1984 - Fisdisco / California Sun

1985 - The Wanderer / It's All Over Now

1988 - Småländsk Sommarnatt / Birds And Bees

1990 - Sweet Linda Boogie / Heart Don't Be A Fool

See also

List of Swedes in music

External links

Official Web page

Errol "Eddie Meduza" Norstedt Discography (Introduction in English)

The last interview with Eddie Meduza (page 1) (Carls Cars #3, 2002)

The last interview with Eddie Meduza (page 2) (Carls Cars #3, 2002)

John-Johns fan-site

References

Category:1948 births Category:2002 deaths Category:Swedish musicians Category:Swedish songwriters Category:Rockabilly musicians

de:Eddie Meduza no:Eddie Meduza sv:Eddie Meduza