Carsten Bo: The 80s Star Who Overcame Cancer to Share His Voice Again
Mænd i Blåt was a phenomenon, soaring through the charts with hits, cash, and charm. After cancer put the lead singer’s career on hold, Carsten Bo returns with a poignant new track, “Jordens Salt [To Ukraine].”
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“I was shocked when Russia invaded,” Carsten Bo reflects during our meeting at Media Tower. “What can I do? What does one do in such times? I think that’s what most people wonder. I decided to do what I know best: make music and write. Through this song, I want to express solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”
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In the week following the invasion, Carsten penned a poem he titled “Jordens Salt.” The title draws from a biblical reference where Jesus, in a non-religious and political context, proclaims, “You are the salt of the earth,” suggesting that the meek will inherit the earth.
Though not a religious man, Carsten appreciates the wisdom in these words. His poem was shared over 4,000 times on social media and recited at peace demonstrations by ministers and members of parliament during the early stages of the war.
“People began to ask: Is there music for this?”
Carsten welcomes us into his home in Helsingør, where he has spent most of his life. With a sharply trimmed beard and a raw, resonant voice that contrasts with his days in Mænd i Blåt, he reflects on past hits like “Mig og Mine Piger,” “Vi har Det,” and “Pigen og Cyklen.”
Coffee is served on the table, art adorns the walls, and the view overlooks a quiet residential street. Just a stone’s throw away is Helsingør Gymnasium, where he completed his high school education while his father, Erling Jensen, served as a minister for the Social Democrats in the 70s.
In his youth, Carsten created a political song for the Prime Minister, “Gå til valg med Anker,” with his first band 40 i Feber. He also recorded songs in the wake of political tragedies like the assassination of Olof Palme and the mass murder committed by neo-Nazi Anders Breivik in Norway.
In 2022, yet another contemporary tragedy inspired his latest song, prompting reflection.
“But this isn’t a protest song,” he emphasizes about “Jordens Salt [To Ukraine].” “It aligns with other poems or songs that explore themes of war and peace. War is always a betrayal of the vulnerable. It’s deception, corruption, and fundamentally wrong. But we must remember that it is war that ultimately loses. The song concludes, ‘Life is the promise of light, renewal, and that darkness always loses.’ In the end, peace prevails.”
A Legacy of Success
Mænd i Blåt rose to fame from the mid-80s through the 90s, bringing life to the roads from Gedser to Skagen. Their sound, characterized by quintessential drum machines, funk, and urban vibes, was aptly described by the popular TV host Kim Schumacher as the reason for their success.
With their soaring popularity, media often quipped they “sipped champagne from high-heeled shoes.” Their albums sold between 50,000 and 100,000 copies each, allowing them to amass wealth without constant touring, despite performing to sold-out venues.
“I earned more than my father did as a minister,” Carsten remarks with a hint of pride.
The band became a household name through popular TV shows like Eldorado, Stardust, and Eleva2ren, before disbanding in 1997. Now, Mænd i Blåt is reuniting temporarily, embracing a rawer, more understated sound—thanks, in part, to Carsten’s newly weathered voice, a remnant of his illness eight years ago.
“I had one vocal cord removed, and just speaking leaves me breathless. I use four times as much air to talk as I did before,” he shares candidly.
The Cancer Battle
In late summer 2014, Carsten Bo felt a pain in his throat, which he suspected was serious.
“I was smoking 50 King’s a day. I was really hammering them down,” he admits, having been a smoker since his early teens.
“I knew it was cancer. The pain was excruciating. The doctors told me it was likely due to my smoking. I had an internal tumor in my throat measuring 3×4 centimeters.”
Radiation treatment removed the tumor but took his voice along with it.
“It was horrifying—like an atomic bomb going off in my mouth. I was hospitalized for six months. It was touch and go. I was fed through a tube and weighed just 53 kilos,” Carsten recalls. “I was determined to handle the practical matters because I wasn’t expecting to survive. At one point, I was so certain I would die that I shifted my mindset, becoming curious about death, thinking: ‘It must be limited how bad it can be.’”
“Today, I’m shaken to recount this story because I nearly gave up. Miraculously, I survived. It took years to train my voice for new songs, drawing inspiration from Johnny Cash’s American Recordings series and Leonard Cohen, who also lost vocal strength after a successful youth.”
A New Chapter
Carsten’s voice was not the only thing that needed repair.
“Back in the 80s, my youth was all about excess—so much so that I had to stop.
“Thirty-five years ago, in ’87, I realized it was becoming too much. We enjoyed tremendous success, selling thousands upon thousands of records. We performed live on TV and toured all over Denmark, living a life of excess. It was utterly ridiculous,” he reflects.
“We didn’t drink excessively out of sadness or hardship. We were joyful, making a fortune, riding high on the charts. We had our fair share of beautiful women and parties—there was a celebration every night. And that’s where it went wrong.
“The problem was—using Dean Martin’s famous words—I never experienced a hangover because the party never ended. It was part of the culture to wake up and have a morning drink. I didn’t see it as alcoholism, even though I knew I was drinking too much.”
“Then, during an annual check-up, my doctor asked, ‘Would you like to see your 40th birthday? You’re in good shape, but your numbers indicate you’re drinking too much.’”
That was the turning point for Carsten. He quit drinking altogether.
In the 90s, he studied political science, following in his father’s political footsteps. He became a politician and a member of parliament during Poul Nyrup Rasmussen’s administration. Alongside his political career, Carsten has published books and collaborated with various artists, including Kim Larsen and Stig Møller. Today, he remains one of the most represented composers in the Arbejdersangbogen. Perhaps another song will soon be added to the red pages.
