Interview: Nikke Ström

Nikke Ström's resumé is ridiculous. He's been a part of the Göteborg music scene since the 60s and shows no sign of slowing down. From playing with early progg acts such as Nynningen and NationalTeatern back in the day to backing artists such as Nisse Hellberg, Kristofer Åström and Freddie Wadling (to name but a few) in more recent years, he just keeps going and going. He might not be a marquee name to folks who don't pour over liner notes, but there's no doubt that he's an important figure in the history of Swedish music. When I was considering the list of artists I wanted to interview for my Gbg Spotlight Series, Nikke's name was an early consideration, it just took me awhile to get around to it. And then it took awhile for him to get back to me. But all's well now and here at last is our interview.

You've been a part of the Gbg music scene for a long time now -- what brought you there in the first place?

Coming here in the early 70's made me feel like coming home & it still feels that way!

What has kept you hanging around all these years?

The musical atmosphere here is open & generous & I've been lucky finding my family + the right people to work with.

How does the city influences you?

Göteborg is a big small-town & that kind of suits me fine instead of the other way around, - Stockholm is a small big-town.

Do you think it takes a certain personality type to persevere there?

No, it's not stereo-typed at all. You need to be a survivor all over the place, but I think you're more free to do it your own way here. Wherever you go, there you are!

Do you think there's any sort of distinctive Gbg sound?

Maybe no, not really...

Or any other sort of unifying element that ties the music together?

I guess there's groups where you can trace a mutual influence, but they all have a personal touch...

What is it about the city that makes it special anyway?

The horizon is wide!

I'm not sure how much you keep up with current music trends, but I've read a number of things that compare today's modern scene with the heyday of the early 80s Radium art scene. Do you think that's an apt comparison?

I try to be updated & online with what's happening & to me it's sort of the same creative spirit as ever, - cooking is good!

Is there any particular era of Gbg music that you look on most favorably?

Now's the time, - time is now!

How has the Gbg music world evolved over the years? Are there any major differences with the way things are now when compared to 10, 20 or even 30 years ago? How is better? Worse?

Big one! I don't look back much though, - I'm here, now, part of the future & it looks like we're moving in the right direction!

How did you hook up with Kristofer Åström and the Rainaways?

We met at SXSW in Austin when I played with the rest of the Rainaway-people in a band called Flamman, after the show Kristofer asked if we would like to join him for the recordings of what later turned out as "RainawayTown".

Is Gbg really such a small town that everyone knows each other?

Maybe not each & everyone, but we're close enough for cigars!

Who else are you playing with nowadays? Got any new projects that you're excited about?

We just recorded a new Rainaways-album to be released in April. I'm also involved with the new Freddie Wadling-record out in February. Plus my favourite at the moment AlabamicA, - not yet signed to any label, but the MTV-shows Fantasy Factor & Nytro Circus will use our material!

Here's a list of more or less active bands I'm in at the moment:

MP3: AlabamicA - You can't save the world

Sat, Jan 17th, 2009 11:45:43

It's a Trap! Scandinavian music journal

Interview: Nikke Ström