Retrosonic Podcast Swedish Music special with Spiders, Eken, Division of Laura Lee, MUG Music store, The Oholics, Side Effects, Samling and much more...

Continuing our series of Retrosonic Podcasts on Sweden, the latest Episode features a spotlight on Gothenburg's thriving music scene. And what better way to start than to kick off with The Troublemakers' classic anthem and tribute to the City, "Staden Göteborg". There are interviews with Ann-Sofie from the hotly tipped Spiders, where we discuss the release of their excellent debut album "Flash Point" and their upcoming European tour with Graveyard. We also talk to Wayne Lundqvist-Ford from the Ice Cream Man Blog about life in the city, including his thoughts on local bands, venues and the Gothenburg Scooter Club. We play a pick of recommended Swedish bands such as Division of Laura Lee, The Moving Sounds, The Early Days, The Wild Shore, Arvidson and The Movements. Next, it's a quick pop into the legendary MUG Music Store for a brief chat with the equally legendary owner, Bruce Emms. Then there is a feature on local Record Union digital A&R man, Hans Selander, and we play a selection of excellent bands on his roster including Långfinger, Eken, Side Effects, The Sympathy, Headons and The Oholics, who had their latest album reviewed very favourably by respected journalist Andrew Perry in the latest issue of Mojo Magazine. As if that is not enough, there's even more music crammed in, with songs by Samling, Swedish Brilliance and The Wonder Boys.

- Tracklist & Links (please click the highlighted names to visit each band's web-site).

Troublemakers "Staden Göteborg"

Division of Laura Lee "Need To Get Some"

The Early Days "Flowers"

The Moving Sounds "Never Follow Through"

The Movements "She Said"

The Wild Shore "Chinese Birds"

Arvidson "I'd Hate To See You Go"

Spiders "High Society", "Rules of The Game", "Fraction"

Spiders at Truckstop Alaska, Gothenburg - Photo by Anders Magnusson

Långfinger "Clap Your Hands For The Troubadour"

The Oholics "Wasted Youth"

The Sympathy "Get Away"

Side Effects "Let's Take a Walk in The Space Between Us"

Eken "Tanto, Min  Gröna  Fru"

Headons "Million Ways"

Samling "Stackars Lilla Värsting"

Swedish Brilliance "Another Day"

The Wonder Boys "Conspiracy Theory"

Bruce Emms of MUG Music Store - Photo by Steve Worrall

With many thanks to:

Bruce Emms at MUG Music Store (Musik Utan GRÄNSER), Kaserntorget 9, Gothenburg SE-411 18

Hans Selander at Record Union A&R and Selander Art

Ann-Sofie from Spiders
Wayne Lundqvist-Ford at Ice Cream Man Blog

Also, thanks to Anders Magnusson.

For all previous Swedish Special Edition Podcasts please check out the Retrosonic Podcast web-site on Soundcloud. All are available to download for free, here's a guide to all the Episodes so far.

Part 1: Ian Person, guitarist with The Soundtrack of Our Lives talks about the decision to call time on the band at the end of 2012. We also discuss his own music and play a selection of tracks from Ian's debut solo album "Diamonds In The Rough" and from the soundtrack to the new IFK Gothenburg movie "Football's Last Proletarians". We are also extremely delighted to include some brand new, as yet unreleased, songs from his forthcoming solo album.



Part 2: Thomas and David from one of Sweden's best psychedelic-garage-space-rock bands, The Movements, take us on a trip through the band's story which includes chapters as diverse as writing a theme song for a German football team, to being the first band that legendary Union Carbide Productions and Soundtrack of Our Lives guitarist Björn Olsson produced. From rehearsing songs in a hospital ward while singer David recovered from cancer, they ended up being the first band to have their very own Space Rock album taken to Outer Space by Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang! Generously sound-tracked by loads of great Movements songs, you can find out more in this fascinating special edition podcast!



Part 3: Movie Directors Martin Jönsson and Carl Pontus Hjorthén tell us all about their stunning new documentary, "Football's Last Proletarians" (Fotbollens Sista Proletärer), a fascinating look back at IFK Gothenburg's 1980's European adventures under the management of Sven-Göran Eriksson. We are also joined by one of the stars of the team, and of course the movie itself, ex-IFK, Liverpool and Fiorentina defender, Glenn Hysén. The Podcast features some examples of The Soundtrack of Our Lives' guitarist, Ian Person's excellent music from the film.
 

Our final Episode in the Swedish Series will be a special feature on Mattias Hellberg where we talk about his fascinating career from his early days in Karlstad to the present day as he prepares to release his latest solo album. Mattias talks about putting on gigs in the college canteen for Union Carbide Productions to forming his own bands such as Ugly Jake and later The Nymphet Noodlers with Martin Hederos, Mattias Bärjed and Jan Martens. We chat about his various collaborations and projects including The Solution, The Hellacopters, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Hederos & Hellberg and more recently, with Nationalteatern. The Episode is generously soundtracked with lots of music from a selection of his many phases, including his solo albums and with The White Moose. We're also honoured to have some superb exclusive, unreleased songs from his forthcoming album. Please keep a check on the Retro Man Blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed @RetroMan65 or Retrosonic Podcast Soundcloud web-site for news of the release date of this great Mattias Hellberg Special Edition.

The Movements Podcast Cover Photo copyright Josefine Larsson 2012.

Ian Person Podcast Cover Photo copyright Paul Slattery 2012.

Spiders live Photo copyright Anders Magnusson 2012.

Stockholm Retro Part 1 - Mods vs. Rockers Rally 2012 + The Moving Sounds

Stockholm Mod, Acke at The Mods v Rockers Rally - Photo by Steve Worrall

I was wandering the streets of Stockholm's trendy shopping area called SoFo on Södermalm, when I heard a familiar buzzing engine sound gradually building up behind me. Suddenly a beautiful silver Vespa with the full mirror deal sped past, there was a blur of a billowing green Parka, it looked pretty cool. Then, out of a side street came the raw guttural burst of a vintage Triumph and a leather clad Rocker zoomed by, hotly in pursuit of the scooter. Ah, looks like a bit of trouble!

Then, in what could have been a scene out of Quadrophenia, another couple of scooters whizzed past followed by even more classic motorcycles. As I walked on, I noticed that one end of Nytorget square was lined by about twenty to thirty scooters and on the other side of the road about the same amount of vintage motorbikes. I walked around checking out the bikes and scooters and thankfully noticed that the Mods and Rockers were all mingling amiably, apparently I had stumbled across the Mods vs Rockers Rally.

Despite the pouring rain, I managed to speak to 37 year old Stockholm Mod, Acke. He told me this was an annual event organised by the Rockers' Ton Up Club and the Stockholm Mods Scooter Club, along with the local Vespa and Lambretta Clubs. The rally is held every year on the first Saturday in September, and has been running since around 2008 in it's current format. There was a great selection of scooters on display, some pretty standard with no decoration at all, whilst others were kitted out in full classic Mod regalia.

The participants meet up and face off on St. Eriksbron Bridge, which links the island of Kungsholmen with the main city. Then they all set off on a rally to the Southern island of Södermalm via Vinterviken, where there is a Mods vs. Rockers tug of war! Both sides then head off to meet up at Nytorget to park up and show off their rigs. There are T-Shirts and merchandise for sale and the side with the most bikes on display wins a trophy. The day is rounded off with a party featuring live bands and DJ's.

All photos above copyright Steve Worrall

I also chatted to Acke about music and he told me that, not only did he like all the 60's Soul and British Beat Groups, but he also recommended I check out contemporary Stockholm band, Moving Sounds. I did, and  noticed that the band are on the excellent Hamburg based label, copaseDisques. We have already featured other copaseDisques artists, French Boutik and Brandy Butler & The Fonxionaires, on our Retrosonic Podcast Mod Special Edition. So, I got in touch with the ever helpful Alex at the label for some more info on the band.

The Moving Sounds

The band's third, self-titled album was recorded in the vintage studio "Estudios Circo Perrotti" in Gijon, between live dates on their first Spanish tour. The studio has also served many cool bands and artists such as Billy Childish, The Masonics and Retro Man Blog fave's, Stanley Road. So, with the aid of the Studio's stalwart production team of Jorge Explosion and Mike Mariconda, the band have conjured up thirteen amazing tracks that demonstrate their versatility and groove power.  Perrotti Studio features a vast collection of vintage equipment from the golden age of pop music, from original RCA mics to Selmer amps and Leslie revolving speakers. All of this equipment was harnessed to The Moving Sounds to ensure their vital live energy and studio imagination created their best album ever.

The band members are: Peter Rosen on bass, Staffan Flodmark on guitar, Parsley on the organ, Per Wollbrand on drums and Jonas Lindholm on vocals and percussion.

"The Moving Sounds" album itself is a really great multi-layered record, featuring some excellent and immediately memorable songs. The band switch easily between a mellow and lush pastoral Zombies style, to more thumping organ led rockers. There is even a hint of whimsical psychedelia on "Colours and Lines" which is spoken word reading of a Gustav Ivarsson poem underscored by a haunting soundtrack. So, a thoroughly recommended album and another great release from the copaseDisques label. With many thanks to Alex and Acke.