Check out an interview with IAT.MP3 artist Björn Kleinhenz at German site StyleSpion: https://stylespion.de/15-1-fragen-an-bjoern-kleinhenz/1674/ (in English)
Tag: Interview
MP3: Love & Happiness - Stop, wait or go
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
Check out a Digfi interview and live performance session with Rabid Records signees First Aid Kit: https://www.digfi.com/default.aspx?id=11646
If you haven't added Thomas Denver Jonsson's new blog to your regular reading list, you really should: https://vanbloggen.blogspot.com/
Fact magazine talks Finnish music and interviews Kompleksi: https://www.factmagazine.co.uk/da/73834
Sweden-based web TV site Dayrobber has a three-part interview with the people behind The Pirate Bay posted for your viewing pleasure: https://www.dayrobber.com/
Also check out other areas of the site for potential subjects of interest, such as "The band" which, naturally, features interviews with various bands.
Killing the Legacy talks to long-running Finnish hardcore act Another One Dead: https://killingthelegacy.blogspot.com/2008/03/interview-another-one-dead.html
The Washington Post Express talks to The LK: https://www.readexpress.com/read_freeride/2008/03/pushing_buttons_the_lk.php
MP3: Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Into the light
I was disappointed to hear that Trapdoor Fucking Exit officially announced their demise last week, but not entirely surprised. Anyone following the group had to be aware that they have been slowly winding down the past few years, but it's still a bummer. I know I'll miss 'em. However, instead of doing the usual Friday retrospective post, I've asked guitarist Jens Åker for some post-mortem insight into the band's legacy.
Now that TFE has wrapped up, any regrets? Is there anything you would do differently?
Well, I don't really regret anything about the band that much, but I would have wanted to play more, tour more. The last few years of the band were real slow in that regard. Also, I have come to think that our second album "Be not content" wasn't all that good. It has some good songs on it, but it's not a good album as a whole. In retrospect, we should have left a couple of the bad songs off it and replaced them with the songs that became the "Devil's egg" 7", which were recorded at the same sessions. Still, you do what you do at the time and nothing good comes from regrets... you just try to do better next time.
What's you proudest accomplishment with the band? Got any particularly good stories?
I think we made some good music. I like the first and last records. Occasionally, we were pretty damn good live. I mean, I sure got off. I don't know about anyone else. For me, personally, the biggest accomplishment was that I managed to fulfill a few of my dreams: after ashram, I wanted to start a band in which I played the guitar and I wanted to go on tour, especially outside of Sweden, and be in a band that made records. So there's that. As for stories, I don't know if I have any that would make sense to someone who wasn't there. I think of Fagge getting drunk and being indecent to Americans. Worm-infested brie cheese in France. The porn and meat gas station, also in France. Very strange. Being a little too high and spacing out on riffs in Denmark and Germany. Little things like that.
What's next for you? Are you still involved/interested in the hardcore scene?
To be honest, I don't know much about what's going on in the hc scene these days. I guess I don't care as much as I used to, but I'll still check out a new band if I hear good things. There's just so much music to discover in the world, it's hard to keep up. As time goes on, I find that I'm interested in hearing more and more other music, from other scenes and other times. I do think there's a couple of really good bands around in the Swedish punk scene, though. Next for me is just getting on with it and starting a new band.
As this is an mp3 post, is there any particular TFE song you'd say is your favorite?
That's hard. To just pick one of your babies, you know? "Into the light" has a lot going on. "Run idiot run" was kind of a theme song. "Ride your pig" has a pretty verse. I don't know...
How about this: if you had to pick one song and one song only to represent TFE, what song would that be?
Go with "Into the light".
And so it shall be!
Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Into the light
Drowned in Sound interviews Cardigans frontwoman Nina Persson: https://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/3015753
PopMatters talks to Nightwish bassist Marco Hietala,: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/54163/taking-their-passion-play-to-the-road-an-interview-with-nightwish/
CMJ talks to Robyn about the difference between Swedish and American pop, among other topics: https://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=57047387
Remember this? Well, contributor Christian Stenbacke is also a fan so he took the initiative to track Ulf Ljusberg down for an interview and you can now read the results right here.
Check out an interview with polarizing Swedish act Diablo Swing Orchestra at the Avantgarde-metal webzine: https://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=54