The Underworld Unleashed: Inside the New Era of Kaasin

The Underworld Unleashed: Inside the New Era of Kaasin

Norwegian guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin has lived a life steeped in rock history, from discovering Stormbringer as a teenager to eventually sharing stages with his musical heroes Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner. Now leading his own band, Kaasin, the Telemark-based musician returns with The Underworld, a high‑energy hard rock album released through Pride & Joy Music. In this candid conversation, Jo Henning reflects on the scene that shaped him, the legends who inspired him, and the fire that fuels Kaasin’s latest chapter.

Where is the band based out of, and what is your local music scene like there?
We are based in Telemark, Norway. I’m living out in the woods here, and it’s the same part of Norway where the great black metal band Emperor comes from. So we’re in the same area. There’s a lot of rock music coming out of Telemark. Of course, they’re playing black metal and we’re playing more classic rock, but we still have a great music scene here.

Now tell me—were you ever a black metal fan, and have you been to an Emperor show?
No, I haven’t, but we did listen to each other in rehearsals back in the day. We’ve been busy, and they have their thing, and they’ve been great. They’re a big band. But since we’re from the same area, we meet each other quite often.

How did you wind up on Pride & Joy Music?
Well, I don’t know if you know that I was part of a band called Come Taste the Band back in the day. I was lucky enough to work with Glenn Hughes from Deep Purple and Joe Lynn Turner from Rainbow and Deep Purple. We got a record deal with a German company about seven or eight years ago. We did one album, and then I started Kaasin and got a new record deal with Pride & Joy.

Birgitt at Pride & Joy had handled the PR for Come Taste the Band, so I already knew her. I had this song, “Runaway Train,” and I sent it to her. She thought it was good, so she gave us a record deal.

The new album is called The Underworld. Is there any overall story or concept behind the title?
Not really. It’s just the title track of the album, and it might sum up the world we’re living in now—a world that’s quite confused, I think. It’s like we’re in the belly of the beast somehow. But the message is that we’ve still got rock and roll. We’re living in a kind of underworld, and rock ’n’ roll is still the way to have our freedom and a life full of energy. That’s the message. But it’s not a concept album; most of the other songs have nothing to do with that theme. We just thought it was a good title, and the track is important to us.

Let’s talk about a few of the songs. “The Real World”—tell me a little about that one.
“The Real World” is the opening track of the album. Our singer, Jan Thore Grefstad, wrote the lyrics for that one. We wanted a melodic, fast track to open the album. He wrote about being in two worlds, and sometimes you meet people who might not be good for you—people who take away the world you’re dreaming about. So he wrote the lyric around that theme. I added a solo in the traditional Richie Blackmore style. That’s our opening track.

The other single, “We Speed at Night”—tell me about that one.
I like that one because it’s about friends going to a rock show in a big American car. That’s how we grew up—driving in an American car and heading to Oslo to see our favorite bands back in the day. We wrote the song about the feeling we had sitting in that car, drinking some beer, and being on our way to see Iron Maiden or Deep Purple or Dio or Black Sabbath. That kind of freedom rock gives you—that spark—is what the song is all about.

I’m going to select one more song that I don’t think is a single. Let’s go to track two, “Two Hearts.” Tell me about that one.
Yeah, I love that groove. It’s a straightforward hard rock song with a melodic chorus. I think Jan Thore sings very well on that one—he came up with some great lines. I really love the groove and the song. I think it’s a very good track, and I’m pleased with it. I think it might even get radio play; it’s that kind of song.

You mentioned your singer, Jan Thore Grefstad of Saint Deamon. How did he become involved with Kaasin?
Well, I knew him, and I thought he was a great singer. He sings in the tradition of that style Ronnie James Dio invented when he was in Rainbow—that kind of singer. It was a very good match when we started writing songs together. I come up with the riffs and structures I love, and he immediately writes great things over them. It’s a very good partnership, and it’s very easy to write songs with him.

And then your drummer, Per-Morten Bergseth. He’s been in quite a few bands—Jorn, Wig Wam. What crazy credits he has. How did Per-Morten become involved?
He actually auditioned for Come Taste the Band back in the day, but he didn’t get the job. But I thought he was a really, really good drummer—one of the best in Norway, and in Sweden as well. So when I asked him to join Kaasin, he said yes. He’s a very good drummer, and of course he’s busy, but he gives us the energy we need. This kind of music needs that energy.

They say you should never meet your heroes. You’ve worked with probably two of yours—Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner. What was that experience like?
Well, when I was 14 years old, I heard Stormbringer by Deep Purple, and I was totally blown away. I bought my first guitar the day after. Deep Purple has been my favorite band since I was 14, and I had posters of David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, and Ritchie Blackmore in my room. So it was a big thing for me when I first met Glenn, and we ended up playing together.

I worked with Glenn for four years, from 2007 to 2010. In the beginning, I was a little starstruck, but we only rehearsed once before our first concert. Glenn came in with his bass on and said, “Let’s just play those songs as they should be played”—full of improvisation and high energy. Then you go on the road, eat together, talk together, go on stage together, and it doesn’t take long before you’re just friends. After four tours with him, I worked with Joe Lynn Turner, and he became kind of a mentor to me.

One night after a great show, he came backstage with a beer in his hand and said, “You know, Jo, I learned everything about the music business from Ritchie Blackmore. And now I’m passing the torch to you guys.” That was a big moment for us. I feel very lucky to have been able to play with my heroes.

Let’s talk about someone else you worked with—Doogie White from the Michael Schenker Group. What was it like working with Doogie?
Yeah, Doogie—I really love him. He’s a fantastic guy. We wrote seven songs together for the Come Taste the Band – Reignition album. We had a great partnership both in the studio and on stage, but also as friends when we were having dinner or whatever we were doing. He’s such a lovely guy, and he’s a great singer who writes very good rock music. I’m really happy to have worked with him.

You have a new album out. Are there any touring plans for Kaasin?
Yes, there are. We’re going to do about six or seven concerts in May here in Norway. There are also plans for Germany later this year, and maybe Sweden. But we’ll have to see how the album goes. The guys are busy, so we’re putting in a week here and a week there. I suppose we’ll do around 20–25 concerts this year.

Has Kaasin—or even Come Taste the Band—ever been to the States to play shows? And have you ever been here yourself?
I’ve never played a concert in the States, but I’ve been there. I did a road trip and visited something like 35 states. I’ve been to the U.S. many times, but never played a show there—and that’s on my bucket list.

Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects outside of Kaasin?
Well, kind of. When I’m not writing or playing with Kaasin, I’m a guitar teacher at a music academy here in Norway—that’s one of my day jobs. I’m also doing some session work here and there, and I’m writing music for other artists. Kaasin is my main project now, but I might do some other things in the near future. We’ll wait and see. I feel I have some unfinished business with Doogie White, so let’s see what happens.

What do you hope the rest of 2026 brings for you and for Kaasin?
I hope people like the album and feel the same energy and spark that we had when we made it and played it. Hopefully we’ll get a bigger audience—thanks to guys like you. I’m very thankful to be able to talk to you and all the other people out there who love rock music as we do. Hopefully we’ll reach a lot of new fans and get to play more concerts. That’s my hope.

And do you have any messages for Kaasin fans here in the States who are reading this now?
I really hope you enjoy the album, and hopefully we’ll come to the States and play some concerts later on. I hope we’ll see each other.

In Conclusion

With The Underworld, Jo Henning Kaasin channels decades of passion, experience, and pure rock instinct into a record that feels both timeless and fiercely alive. Whether he’s reflecting on the mentors who shaped him or the freedom he still finds in loud guitars and long drives to see his favorite bands, Jo Henning speaks with the heart of someone who never lost sight of why he picked up a guitar in the first place. As Kaasin gears up for a year of touring and new horizons, the band stands ready to bring their high‑voltage sound to an even wider audience — including, hopefully, the fans waiting here in the States. Until then, The Underworld is the perfect place to join them on the journey.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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