Swedish indiepop label Bonjour Recordings just announced four new singles from the artists Love & Happiness, Djuret, ONE and Portrait Painter(s). Follow the links for samples and more details, and for those savvy enough, view source and find yourself a Base64 decoder to get the mp3s.
Drummer Anders Malm has left Pen Expers to concentrate on his other band Love & Happiness. Daniel Moilanen has been recruited to take his place and the band has also added Oskar Lindberg on keys. In other news, the band will be going back into Svenska Grammofon to record a new album later this month.
I think it's fair to say that Jerry Bowman is a Göteborg scenester. I know that many people bristle at the term, but really, how else do you describe someone who is not only a prominent member of the local media, but also a show promoter and respected blogger? And yes, this week's guest in our ongoing Gbg-spotlight series. I mean no disrespect! So with that, on to the questions!
How long have you lived in Gbg? What brought you/keeps you there?
I've been walking the streets of Göteborg since 2001, when I got a job here. I'm from a small town on the west coast of Sweden, where everybody dreams about Göteborg. I pictured the city in a romantic haze, and when I moved here that image turned out to be true. I'm staying because I've found my home.
Do you think that there's a particular Gbg sound or attitude? If so, how would you describe it? Any prominent examples you'd like to cite?
There is no Göteborg sound. That's a myth created by the media. I think it's more of an attitude, a feeling of being the underdog. No one has ever really called Göteborg an underdog though, it's more of a self-inflicted position. People in Göteborg like to be the dirty, obnoxious dog compared to Stockholm. I think that Göteborg is more open to music that speaks from the heart. The bands just let it flow, they don't really give a shit about what's 'right' or 'wrong'.
A few examples are: Autisterna, Pen Expers, They Live by Night, Peter Sjöholm, Mormors Systrar and Cobra Charlie.
What is it that makes Gbg different from other major Swedish cities?
What sets Göteborg apart from all other Swedish cities is that, statistically, one person gets hit by a tram here every day of the year. We live in constant fear of these huge monsters! And fear generates creativity and fellowship!
How about if you were hosting an out-of-town visitor- what are the must-see places you would take them?
I would take him or her to the harbour. We have the biggest harbour in Scandinavia and it's located right in the city center (there are both pros and cons about that). Harbours are exciting. I would show the visitor the 'Broder Daniel-crane' and where they shot the video for "Shoreline". Then we would go to see a concert, of course. Hopefully Koloni would be arranging something that evening. If not, I would take my guest to Klubb Sandviken, the club run by me and my girlfriend. Needless to say, it's the best club in town. :-)
I know are a champion of many local Gbg acts- who are a few (more) of your current personal favorites?
Love & Happiness, Tilde Hjelm, a guy called Jesper from Frölunda (a Göteborg suburb) and Pats, the singer from Hospitalle who is now writing songs in Swedish. The last two have no MySpace pages... yet.
Of those favorites, got a particular song you'd like to share?
"Stop, wait or go" by Love & Happiness.
Listen below...
Love & Happiness - Stop, wait or go