Gaffa is reporting that there's a new Swedish "supergroup" called Fas 3 put together by Michael Alonzo of KSMB/Stockholms Negrer featuring Sören "Sulo" Karlsson (Diamond Dogs), Nicke Andersson (Imperial State Electric, The Hellacopters, etc.) and Inge Johansson (The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Totalt Jävla Mörker, etc.): http://gaffa.se/nyhet/57070
The new band's debut single "Dansa som en fjäril" will be released on Inge's label very soon and the band will make their live debut in Stockholm in 2 weeks.
Blessing, the new band from Lars Strömberg and Ludwig Dahlberg of The (International) Noise Conspiracy (remember?), will be releasing their debut 7" in May via , "Fabric of wonder" being the a-side.
Check out Blessing, the new band from Lars Strömberg and Ludwig Dahlberg of The (International) Noise Conspiracy: http://www.myspace.com/givemeblessing
The first song reminds me a bit of Chronic Heist with the tone of the vocals and the way that they swing. The rest, not so much.
I had no doubts that AC4's self-titled debut would be decent even if some of David and Dennis' post-Refused/Final Exit meanderings have been sub-standard because I know their hearts are in the right place and they really do truly believe in what they're doing their place in the hardcore/punk/DIY world. And of course, there's no faulting the cred of their bandmates from The Vectors. My only point of contention: Dennis' vocals. His affected screech is pretty tiresome with The (International) Noise Conspiracy (not that Ian Svenonius did much better with Nation of Ullysses or The Make-Up, but I digress), but to hear him raging in full-on hardcore mode... I am satisfied. Still prefer David on the mic, but whatever, give me anti-cop anthem with a catchy chorus and I'm happy. Give me a few more (see also "Fuck the pigs", "Coptown") and what can I say? I love it.
The band will be bringing along fellow Umeå resident Inge Johansson from The (International) Noise Conspiracy to rep for label/club night Ny Våg and to DJ. They'll also be carrying copies of their new (English-language) zine "Umeå Punk City 2008", which I should hope is self-explanatory enough -- I'm looking forward to getting a copy of said zine myself.
I can't say for sure if The Crystal Caravan always have sounded the way they do, but it seems to me that Dennis Lyxzén's production fingerprints are all over their debut full-length. Chicken or the egg, either way it's got some serious The (International) Noise Conspiracy boogie vibes, but instead of channeling The Nation of Ulysses, The Crystal Caravan draws more from The Allman Brothers or Eric Burdon and other Southern soul-inspired rock'n'roll. Same sweet keyboard tones, same shambly groove, different retro vibe. Aiming for the revival tent, not the garage. And mercifully, no tired sloganeering. I know Dennis' heart is in the right place, but so much of that stuff feels like climbing a mountain of sand. "Tombstone eyes" is easily the most driving tune off the album; it's a bit too well-oiled for my tastes, but I do dig those organ breaks and I'm sure it goes down much rougher live. Or at least that's what I've been led to believe; apparently vocalist Niklas "RG" Gustafsson has quite the reputation...?
Umeå-based retro-rockers The Crystal Caravan have confirmed that their long-awaited self-titled debut album will be released on April 3 via recently resurrected local label Garageland Records. And keeping it local, the record was produced by Dennis Lyxzén (The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Refused) and mixed/mastered by Pelle Henricsson (too many credits to mention) at Tonteknik. There will be a record release show that night at Scharinska Villan and Dennis will DJ in addition to a full-band performance.
And speaking of Scharinska and Garageland, I understand that the record store is moving to the basement of the Pink House and will be operating with extended evening hours in an attempt to drum up more business. Best of luck to them -- it's tough times out there for retailers.
2009's Handen på Hjärtat rotating festival tour lineup will consist of The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Franke, Deportees and Jonathan Johansson. Dates and details: http://www.handenpahjartat.se/
After a couple failed interview attempts with artists who shall go unnamed, our Göteborg Spotlight Series is back with this week's guest Mattias Hellberg. For those of you with your heads in the ground, Mattias has been around for many years performing with acts such as Nymphet Noodlers, The Hellacopters, Hederos & Hellberg, The Solution, Nationalteatern besides working under his own name and is now back with a new group, The White Moose. That group's debut album "Out of the frying pan, into the woods" came out earlier this month and so I tracked down Mattias for a few questions...
You're still based in Gbg, right? What's kept you there all these years? Ever considering picking up and relocating somewhere else?
Yes I'm still here. Well one reason is I'm quite happy to have an apartment... some kind of safety thing I guess. I'd love to have a little shack in the Caribbean to go to in the wintertime though.
What makes the Gbg music scene special, if it's even special at all? The people, the geography, the weather... what are the primary characteristics that define the city and its artists?
I dunno if there is a special scene here. Think there's quite a good diversity of scenes/bands/clubs. People tend to say that the music from here is more working-class with a more "rough" touch. Maybe it used to be that way, but I don't think it's a general "tag" to put on the Gothenburg "sound" anymore. Maybe I'm wrong...
So you've started to do shows with Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of Our Lives) again as Hederos & Hellberg -- why resurrect that project now? Why'd you even stop playing together in the first place?
Well, we were asked to close the Way Out West festival this summer in a big beautiful church. An offer we couldn't refuse. It was a bit scary but great fun at the same time and it was an amazing vibe in a packed church way after midnight. And of course nice to play together again. Then we did a weekend in our old hometown Karlstad and Oslo in November. But now we both got new albums to tour and promote (TSOOL & mine), so now there wont be much time for anymore reunions for a while...
Why we stopped playing together was because the project started to grow out of proportion, we had to say no to some quite good offers (tours) because it would interfere with TSOOL. So it was better to call it off and quit.
And now the new band The White Moose - how did this group come together? Do you see it as an extension of your solo career or it is more of a full band project?
I wrote the songs early this year and had already talked to Ludwig (Dahlberg, The (International) Noise Conspiracy) about him playing drums with me. Then I just asked Olle and Henke (Hagberg, Whyte Seeds and Lindén, Fox Machine respectively) to join in and the band was goin'.
I don't think I've had much of a "solo" career. This is something new. It can't really be a full-band project as I have to consider the other guys got other bands. We'll find a way to make it work though.
Obviously you keep yourself very busy with all sorts of musical adventures - got any more surprises we should look forward to? Anyone in particular you'd really like to worth with?
I'd love to learn how to play the Oud. I
also have a dream about going to some foreign country and making music with local musicians.
Lastly, got a song you'd like to share? Tell me about it.
Ok I choose "Why is it so?" from the new album "Out of the frying pan, into the woods". It's actually the first song I wrote after Nymphet Noodlers split up back in '96.
I think I had some plans for a solo album back then already, but I was not much of a songwriter, so it got put on hold for sometime... The original version was an acoustic Stooges kinda "ballad" with different lyrics, same refrain though. This new version is something else... Maximum White Moose Jazz.
Mattias Hellberg & The White Moose - Why is it so?