(Norum had already rejected an offer from UFO in 1996, plus Michael Schenker who had left, upon learning of the offer made to Norum, returned to the band). Since 2004, Europe has released six further studio albums, while Norum released a further sixth and seventh solo album, Optimus in 2005, and Play Yard Blues in 2010, singing on both albums. His latest solo album Gone to Stay was released in 2022. Personal life Norum started and developed his musical career in Sweden, but has also lived in the United States for a few years, where he met and married Michelle Meldrum in 1995, founder and lead guitarist of the all-female hard rock band Phantom Blue and the Swedish metal band Meldrum. The couple had one son, Jake Thomas, born on 22 September 2004. On 21 May 2008, Michelle died from a cystic growth in her brain. Another son, Jim Henry, was born on 16 April 2012, to him and his Swedish fiancée Camilla Wåhlander. The couple also had a daughter, Celine Margareta, born on 28 July 2014. Norum is the older brother of singer Tone Norum. and his stepfather is Thomas Witt, a former record producer, Columbia executive and drummer for Eddie Meduza. Equipment Fender Stratocaster guitars Gibson Les Paul guitars Gibson Flying V guitars Paoletti John Norum Signature guitars Marshall JCM 800 2205 head Marshall '72 4x12 Cabinets with Celestion Greenbacks Dunlop Cry Baby Joe Bonamassa Wah Wah pedal Boss CE-2 Chorus pedal MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay pedal MXR Phase 90 pedal Roland SDE 3000 Digital Delay Shure microphones His guitar goes through the Wah into the chorus pedal, from where the separate outputs connect to the two amp heads, with the delay connected in the effects loop of the JCM 800 only. Discography Eddie Meduza Eddie Meduza & the Roaring Cadillacs (1979) The Eddie Meduza Rock 'n' Roll Show (1979) Dåren É Lös! - The Roaring Cadillac's Live (1983) West A Fool Away (1984) Europe Europe (1983) Wings of Tomorrow (1984) The Final Countdown (1986) Start from the Dark (2004) Secret Society (2006) Last Look at Eden (2009) Bag of Bones (2012) War of Kings (2015) Walk the Earth (2017) As soloist Total Control (1987) Face the Truth (1992) Another Destination (1995) Worlds Away (1996) Slipped into Tomorrow (1999) Optimus (2005) Play Yard Blues (2010) Gone to stay (2022) Don Dokken Up from the Ashes (1990) Dokken