Swedish Man Gets Disability Benefits For Addiction To Heavy Metal

A man in Sweden has been reportedly awarded state disability benefits for his addiction to heavy metal.

According to the Global Post, 42-year-old Roger Tullgren said he consulted three psychologists to testify his addiction to the Devil's Rock, which led to him attending over 300 concerts last year, leaving him seemingly unable to hold down a job.

"I have been trying for 10 years to get this classified as a handicap," he told Swedish newspaper The Local. "I spoke to three psychologists and they finally agreed that I needed this to avoid being discriminated against."

As NME reports, he now has a part-time job as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Hassleholm, which will be supplemented by disability benefits. Tullgren's new boss has agreed to let him rock out to Slayer as loud as he wants while scrubbing dishes, so long as it doesn't disturb guests. He has even agreed to grant Tullgren time off to go to gigs.

"I signed a form saying: 'Roger feels compelled to show his heavy metal style. This puts him in a difficult situation on the labor market. Therefore he needs extra financial help'. So now I can turn up at a job interview dressed in my normal clothes and just hand the interviewers this piece of paper," Tullgren said.

Tullgren said he's been hooked on metal since his brother played him a Black Sabbath album when he was a toddler.

Comments

[inkrakenwetrust]

that's ****ing awesome

[Chradamw]

Wtf UG, this a repost from almost 2 years ago.

[dannydesktop]

a meager living for the rest of his life, BRUTAL!!!!

[Rockztar91]

Are you kidding me? This is ****ing sad. As a Dane, the only problem I have with high taxes is not having control over what my tax money are spent on. I'd much rather it went to people with actual mental illnesses, and not some irresponsible middle aged man that obviously doesn't see anything wrong with having society support and adjust to him, so he can have fun all the time.

Fuck that shit. I bet you all, if it was Justin Bieber he was addicted, most of the people here would have a way different.

[link no1]

At least he is working at the same time, not just sitting around like most 'disabled' people.

Also, just because he is highly dependent/addicted/whatever on music doesn't mean he isn't any less mentally unstable than a guy who has to flick a light switch 674 times before he leaves the house so his mum doesn't explode.

You're saying people would react differently if it was Bieber, well yea, they probably would but you're being just as bad as those people to be quite honest.

[sopazs]

...it just seems to easy to make a joke about metaheads being handicapped but ya, that would be a pretty sweet deal! work part time and get the government to help pay for concert tickets? not too shabby!

[Izzy-Sweet]

It's a step in the right direction, really.
Not many workplaces take personal interests into consideration, which just helps make everyday work even more monotonous and less productive in the long run.
Being able to work in a place that feels personal to you would make it feel less of a chore.

[aureliusgtr]

its called work...not play...lazy people like you help contribute to this country turning into a sh*thole full of welfare abusers and over-privileged p*ssies that cant handle WORK, i hope mommy and daddy give you a good allowance

[Izzy-Sweet]

You clearly didn't read a single word of what I said, if you read it properly, you'd see I mentioned an increase in motivation and productivity.

It's how people work, stop crying over it.

[Cream-fan-#1]

Actually, Google supposedly have incredibly high worker productivity and are still able to present their workers with a huge amount of personal freedom. I get that you were probably trying to point out that the premise of being allowed to take time off work for metal concerts is a load of crap, however, the way you put it was rather lacking in eloquence and unnecessarily insulting.

[thrashmonkey]

It's clever on this guy's part but I don't think it's helpful to metal as a whole. It makes us all look retarded

[travislausch]

If it is honestly an addiction, then good for him for at least trying to get help. But I can't help but feel like this is some kind of joke.

[Cavalcade]

More worryingly, it makes us look unemployable.

[sonofgkex]

Are you not?

[rolandroi]

uhhh. what? EXPLAIN PLS!

[Akaforty]

The story was posted on Reddit and there was a guy that was supposedly working with him in a restaurant. He said that the addict spent every cent he had on metal related stuff and had to go to every concert or festival. It sounded pretty serious, really. Just as anyone else could develop an addiction to anything else.

[kertets]

He´s rocktarded.

[lithium_boy]

This guy is my new hero

[RichieJovie]

I was expecting it to be Yngwie

[YngwieLi]

Yngwie hates other people's music. He would never go to a concert other than his own.

[eVwaylon]

wasn't this article on here like a year ago? I swear i remember this exact story.

[nugiboy]

I was going to say the same thing..

[Xmaniac]

this.

[deadsmileyface]

IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

[DisarmGoliath]

I, too, remember this story.

[rocklee1431]

According to the link, the story is from July 26, 2011. You're not going crazy, but UG is very lazy. Rhyming not intended.

[mrozzy123fest]

this kind of makes metal look like a big joke.

[Cavalcade]

It isn't?

I kid, I kid.

[oxymorcide]

this is just ridiculous

[w8ulostme]

As a metal head and student studying psychology (pursuing a bachelors at the moment I am not a self-proclaimed expert) I find this somewhat embarrassing on both accounts.
If I had the money I would be going to 300 gigs a year also. That doesn't mean I deserve others to treat me as if I am handicapped. The amount of things that can be considered a handicap these days is ridiculous.

[sonofgkex]

But if I don't buy a new guitar every day I just cant live with myself.

[Abacus11]

That's it. I'm moving to Sweden.

[skull_king]

See you there

[yuyinyu]

Old news is so exciting!!!
This has been posted by UG before, why they have to re-post it again?

[butterfingers30]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Wasn't it at least a year ago? Maybe more?

[Guitaristallday]

If you've already read it don't click on it again, you can only blame yourself.

[Camron62\m/]

a metal capital of the world.... and it's called an addiction. so, i'm addicted to metal, i've only been to a couple concerts though. what are my qualifications???

[DrakeTheOne]

I think you have to go to over a hundred gigs a year, and be complete idiot and let your social life interfer with your work.
That being said, This guy may actually be a genius. I'm not quite sure yet. I did get a laugh out of this though.

[Almse]

As a swede, i find myself in the exact same situation....SVERIGE ROCKAR SOM FAAN!!!

[gtrfreak182]

I swear, you can get away with anything nowadays. This is unbelievably offensive to people with ACTUAL disabilities. This is not a disability, this is someone who willingly chooses against his own self control and beats the system. Hope everyone else there is happy their taxes are paying for him to listen to music and go to concerts instead of functioning in society. The world we live in is such a disgrace.

[KingV911]

I wish there was a video interview with this guy. I'm guessing he probably has some sort of OCD-ish personality disorder or something where he simply cannot function without his apparent addiction. Psychological problems are real. I'd have sympathy for that. Even Sweden probably wouldn't just let some dude who likes metal concerts get a pass.

I wish I could listen to metal at my job but the nursing home folks probably wouldn't go for it. They prefer country, which is giving causing me various psychological disorders.

[Sammy Mantis]

First post so far with someone actually talking sense.

Enjoy going to work every day while this deadbeat goes to rock concerts and never has to grow up on account of his "disability".

[knator22]

That guy is so metal, 300 gigs in a year? dammit

[PeterPdeC]

And I thought that 10 shows per year was a lot...

[anvil is god]

Bullshit much?

[Psycho Pigeon]

lol socialism

[Lacquer_Head]

BULL SHIT

[brokndwn06]

my ears have ringing noises now cause of going to concerts, wonder if I can jump on board... hmmmmm.. retarded Sweden wants to throw people in jail for a website then give this jackoff money so he can just go to 400 shows next year.

[gibsonfan21]

Someone call up My Strange Addiction

[Bair]

I feel bad for the Swedish tax payers.

[MetalMullet]

This guy is cool, met him several times back in Sweden. The funny thing is that he's one of the big names within the festival scene in Sweden, he's involved in most of the organizations of the Swedish rock/metal festivals. Have no idea why he'd need benefits and a part-time job. Sounds more like a sensational bullshit news. Although I read the same in Sweden over a year ago.

[DexterF]

I'd pay real money for a bootleg of the shrink sessions.

[dcstar77715]

Roger Tullgren I dedicate this song to you.

[Northernmight]

Okay. I read this in a bloody Metal Hammer magazine when i was 15 years old. I am 20 now. This is truly late news.

[mitchell.minami]

Seems like more of an addiction than a disability. You don't see people being put on legal disability for being addicted to cocaine or heroin. Personally, this just seems like an immature way to go about liking metal so much.

Seriously though, you don't put somebody on disability for drug addiction, you say "hey, why don't you stop doing those drugs and get some help?"

Same should be said for this guy.

[SSympathy]

It isn't that this is old, it's just that the original article was saying he was trying to get benefits for whatever the hell he thinks is wrong with him.

So technically not the same story, but close. I honestly think it's some bullshit. He just has no sense of responsibility

[ComradSputnik]

Can't he just be a roadie?

[jaxjags80]

I have an addiction, I jerk off 8 times a day and every job I've ever had fires me when I try to relieve myself. I need society to recognize my sickness and make proper accommodations. Thanks.

- Mr. Douche Bag

[fattychronic]

This is where Obama's taking you America

[Psycho Pigeon]

Yep.

[Second Rate]

He doesn't have a disability, he is just a lazy piece of shit.

[Cheesepuff]

Goddamn ) psychologists be crazy. This guys just a bum.

That said, I'd love to have an arrangement like his.

[7thhell]

Drugs

[motorizer]

This is ****ing stupid in its own way

[Blargaha]

Yeah, this story is five years old.

[PsiGuy60]

Old news is old.

[slayer7666]

This is ****ing awesome.

Also 666 likes on facebook too.

[megaslaythrax]

Livin' the dream

[Lugnaz987]

This is absolutely disgusting. He does not deserve disability for being a tool. What the ****

[Ninefreak]

weird

[pcb1992the2nd]

Does he have "Stockholm syndrome"? I'll let myself out.

[Virtuosofreak]

LOL!!!! Well,at least the man is addicted to real music!! ::laugh::

But,it would be better,if it wasn't Slayer. Slayer have made quite an achievement,but there are better bands.
Like,for example, "Scorpions".

[JelloCrust]

Don't need the crutch, already have the wheelchair.

[iommi600]

Aren't addictions supposed to be treated? That works for alcohol, drugs (some cases), any kind of addiction can be "treated" nowadays. Give the man disability for this? But anyway, I dunno how it works in Sweden, so...

And I find it kind of stupid, sorry.

EDIT: yep, this is also kinda old.

[gray96]

Only in Sweden....

[Smokinjoerules1]

Can't decide whether or not to laugh...or weep silently into a towel at the ridiculousness of this.

[Shredder666]

I love heavy metal, but this is absolutely ridiculous. Assume some responsibility you immature ****ing moron. Seriously. We need to help those in poverty, those in distress... Cases like this are displays of wasting public dollars where they shouldn't be spent.

[Chronologo]

In other news, Guns and Roses finally release Chinese Democracy... trying to keep the pace reposting OLD news

[BreatheOver]

The news stories were dated in july of 2011...

[ragnarr023]

In South Africa, you would get laughed at if you appealed this.

Sweden is good for metal, women, and many many many more things, but this is too melodramatic and a waste of time.

[SteveFrench123]

what a ****ing looser

[DeathMetalHub]

I do find it funny, but also its a quite stupid.