WE's latest album "Smugglers" went straight to #1 in Norway when it was released last week, selling more copies than their last two albums combined. Pretty amazing, eh? Of course, I'm stoked to have them on the "Reader's Companion" compilation which I was just informed should be ready and on it's way to me within the week. Great band, great album, totally worth checking out. Their success is well-deserved. Up next for the guys is a tour of Norway and here's what they've got booked so far:

10/01 - Hawk, Fredrikstad (NOR)
10/02 - Blå, Oslo (NOR)
10/08 - Scene 37, Horten u 18 (NOR)
10/14 - Blå Rock, Tromsø (NOR)
10/20 - tba (NOR)
10/21 - Flytten, Haugesund (NOR)
10/22 - Hulen, Bergen (NOR)
10/23 - Storebø Grendahus, Austevoll (NOR)
10/27 - Meieriet, Sogndal (NOR)
10/28 - Stud Samf, Volda (NOR)
10/29 - Studentenes Hus, Gjøvik (NOR)
10/30 - Felix, Lillehammer (NOR)
11/05 - Dolby, Tønsberg (NOR)
11/12 - Club 3, Asker u18 (NOR)
11/13 - Ridderspranget, Vågå (NOR)
11/19 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR)
11/25 - Martin's, Lillestrøm (NOR)
01/21 - Hydranten, Hamar (NOR)

Norwegian noir-rockers The Ricochets are touring Northern Europe in October:

09/30 - Hoxter, Tonenburg (GER)
10/01 - Flex, Vienna (AUS)
10/02 - Leipzig, Ilses Erika (GER)
10/03 - Exil, Singen (GER)
10/04 - Nachtleben, Frankfurt (Main) (GER)
10/05 - Ziegel Rote Fabrik, Zuruch (SWI)
10/06 - Harmonie/WDR Rockpalast Crossroads Festival (GER)
10/07 - ISC, Bern (SWI)
10/08 - Groovestation, Dresden (GER)
10/09 - Atomic Cafe, Munchen (GER)
10/10 - Fisherman's Café, Langenau (Ulm) (GER)

Ulf Lundell will release his new album "Ok baby ok" on November 11, his first since 2002's 2xCD "Club Zebra". The album was recorded at Decibel Studio in Stockholm with engineer Dag Lundqvist and features a backing band including Marcus Olsson on keyboards, Jan Bark and Jens Frithiof on guitar, Andreas Dahlbäck on drums and Surjo Benigh on bass. Tracklist:

01. Top hat
02. Kapten kidd
03. Skaka på dom
04. Alperna
05. Lazarus
06. OK OK
07. Blint förälskade igen
08. Smulorna i sängen
09. Den här himlen lite till
10. Blodröd zon
11. Hon måste va en kristen kommunist
12. En droppe vatten
13. Botten opp
14. Baby har en ring

The top Scandinavian videos streamed last week at on-demand video service Musicbrigade.com:

01. Ana - We Are
02. Annie - Chewing Gum
03. Gunther & Sunshine Girls - Teeny Weeny String Bikini
04. Nightwish - Nemo
05. Kings Of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You
Requested Videos: 257,722
Number of titles requested: 5,012 different titles
Total Streams: 367,068

Dagensskiva presents "Nordic Beat 101": https://dagensskiva.com/artiklar/nordikbeat/index.asp?cid=412 (in Swedish)

Check out the video for "Four wishes" from Wired for Mono: high / low

Swedish lo-fi synthpop act and all-around miscreants 50 Hertz have posted the brand new single "Happy new year! It's 1984!" for download on their website: https://www.50hertz.tk/

Denmark's Sally Forth Records is looking for help with web programming and mailorder stuff. Go here for details: https://www.sallyforthrecords.com/news.php

New pics of Melody Club up at Rockfoto: https://www.rockfoto.nu/visabild.php?intSpelning=144&intBand=26

Marilyn Records artists Shooting John have pushed back the release of their new single "Bright day" to January 2005. The b-side will be the non-album track "Highway blues" and the new album "Moodswings" is due out around March.

Check out the video for "Måste seja hei" from Ken Ring and Tommy Lee: https://www.barabazz.com/video/ken__tommy_tee-masta_seja_hei-barabazz.com.wmv

Swedish music webzine Metica has a bunch of new content on their site like quizes, photos and demoband reviews: https://www.metica.se/

A few new US live dates for HIM:

11/20 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
11/29 - Soma, San Diego, CA
11/30 - The Warfield, San Francisco, CA

Hammerfall has posted a bit of news regarding progress on their new album recording: https://www.hammerfall.net/scripts/news.asp?ID=139

Swedish hip-hop artists Ison & Fille will release their debut self-titled album October 25 via Hemmalaget/Playground Records. The album features 15 tracks and includes production from Masse, Christian Falk, Embee (Looptroop), Kaah, Astma, Michel Rocwell, Matte (Fjärde Världen) & Abiel, Filthy (Afasi & Filthy), Flyphonic and Fille Danza. Guests include Sabo, Hoosam, Gurmo and Aleks from Ison & Fille's crew Highwon. The first single and video "Ta D Dit" is out now.