Randy Fitzsimmons
{Infobox musical artist | name = | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = Error: Need valid birth date: year, month, day 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, Nicholaus Arson, Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction, and Chris Dangerous—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.
All songwriting except covers on the band's albums are credited to "Randy Fitzsimmons." The band claims Fitzsimmons is an honorary "sixth Hive", who along with writing their music, discovered and manages the band. However it was revealed in NME that Randy Fitzsimmons is a registered pseudonym belonging to Nicholaus Arson.[1] 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 same NME article, Arson was quoted as saying that having "Randy Fitzsimmons" as a registered pseudonym was so that he could pick up the checks addressed to Randy, and deliver them to him - a privacy measure using a legal loophole. This argument has yet to be either proven or disproven.
In the DVD Tussels in Brussels, there is a live performance by The Hives on Top of the Pops where Pelle denies that Nicholaus 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 same thing was done in the 2006 movie Frostbiten with the song Diabolic Scheme. Furthermore, "1000 Answers" is credited to Fitzsimmons in SSX.
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.
In a performance video of "Go Right Ahead", a shady Randy Fitzsimmons appeared in a black mask covering his face. This is the first time a bodily figure representing Fitzsimmons has ever appeared on camera. He can be seen standing behind the studio's window watching the band perform the song. He was, however, absent from the song's official music video.