Randy Fitzsimmons

Randy Fitzsimmons is the supposed sixth member of The Hives. He is said to have formed the band in the band members' adolescence in 1993 by sending all five members--Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (real name Pelle Almqvist), Nicholaus Arson (real name Niklas Almqvist), Vigilante Carlstroem (real name Mikael Karlsson Astrom), Dr. Matt Destruction (real name Mattias Bernvall), and Chris Dangerous (real name Christian Grahn)--a letter giving a time and place to meet. According to The Hives, Randy is the brains behind the band; he writes the songs and manages the band, while never being seen in public.

It was revealed in NME that Randy Fitzsimmons is a registered pseudonym belonging to Nicholaus Arson. This has led many to believe that Randy Fitzsimmons is in fact a myth, and that it is Arson who writes the songs. Arson and the rest of the band deny this and insist on the existence of Randy Fitzsimmons as the band's songwriter.

In the DVD Tussels in Brussels, there is a live performance by The Hives on Top of the Pops where Pelle denies that Nicholas Arson is Randy Fitzsimmons. Also, in the film part of the DVD, there is mention of Randy Fitzsimmons.

In the closing credits of the 2008 film Taken, Fitzsimmons is listed as the writer of The Hives' single Tick Tick Boom.

The band often makes allusions to his existence; for example if the back of Tyrannosaurus Hives is lined up with the front, it is noticeable that there are 12 legs, when there are only the five band members pictured. In the video for "Main Offender", his hand is seen signing some sort of contract.

From Wikipedia