Here's the playlist for this past weekend's radio show:
01. Pluxus - Bootstrap
02. TALK 1
03. Marit Bergman - Straight into my lovers arms
04. Grande Roses - Dead town
05. Mikko Singh - Rauha
06. TALK 2
07. Namur - Draw us near
08. Lapko - Sawyer the brother
09. Paper - To her
10. TALK 3
11. Johnossi - Train song
12. Markus Krunegård - Rocken spelar ingen roll längre
13. Printer - You need to
14. TALK 4
15. Firefox AK - Once I was like you (Boeoes Kaelstigen remix)
16. Aerial - Time is on fire
17. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
18. TALK 5
19. Siena Root - Time will tell
20. Kristofer Åström - I collect knives
21. Anna Ternheim - Better be
22. TALK 6
23. Anna Leong - Guollotine
24. Folie - Krogg
25. Hearts of Black Science - Empty city lights
26. TALK 7
27. Inuit - En förlorad generation
28. The Psyke Project - Dark halls red floors
29. Memento Mori - Epilog
30. TALK 8
31. The Bear Quartet - Lights out, sound off
32. Fun - I know Ted Kennedy
33. Johan Heltne - Hjärta. Instinkt. Principer.
34. TALK 9
35. Lama - Bussi
36. Niccokick - Love & neon lights
37. Little Jimmy Reeves - Drowsy dogs
38. C.Aarmé - Visions
39. TALK 10
40. No Privacy - Blood over Denmark
Reminder: my show on Sirius Blog Radio runs Saturdays at 12 noon and midnight ET on channel 26 (Left of Center).
This week's entry in our Göteborg spotlight series has been a long time coming - I first sent The Tough Alliance questions back in late February, but it was only this past week that the stars aligned and their responses formulated and delivered. Here goes...
Why Göteborg? Why not Stockholm? Or London? Or Paris? Or anywhere else in the world? What keeps you there and what makes it special?
Gothenburg gives us enough quiet and peace to focus on our expression instead of drowning in impressions. We don't need to be where "it happens", there's enough happening inside of TTA. In addition to that, our families and almost all our friends live here. And it's by the ocean.
Do you think there's any sort of prevailing sound or attitude in Gbg that differentiates it from other cities? If so, how would you describe it?
Yeah, I know there is. I wouldn't try to describe it though. It's not my job as an artist to do those things, the deeper things that I can tell about Gothenburg is told in my art. It's up to journalists to analyze it if they feel a need to.
Are there any ways that the city directly influences your art? The geography? The weather? Or how about the people, or by extension, the labels, venues, publications or other ventures they run? How does it all come together, for better or worse?
Of course, our art is not an island.
Yes, but you also record and release your own records -- in what ways do you collaborate within your community? For example, your work with The Embassy -- how would you characterize that relationship? Is there any artistic competitiveness between you or is it purely inspirational? Furthermore, are there any local visual artists that you work with/are inspired by?
Not because they are from Gothenburg, but because they are our friends and our expressions seem to entwine anyway. Everything is a competition for us though, art especially. We have certain visual bonds with Frida Meuller, Louise Elmén and Johan Düfke.
Is there anything that Gbg lacks? If you could change one thing about the city, what would it be?
I'd like a proper Ralph Lauren store and a nice place to do illegal parties.
Are there any particular TTA songs that you feel are a direct reflection of the city? If so, please explain.
No, not direct.
Okay, so you have no songs that are directly reflective of Gbg, but what about indirectly? Is there a particular piece you feel would be a proper soundtrack to the city?
No, sorry. It may sound high-flown, but I couldn't chain our art to a geographical place like that. It's the soundtrack to a place we dream about, a place where diamonds never fade away. A soundtrack to reality.
The Tough Alliance - Neo violence
Swedish label You Are Awesome has signed Convoj. No word on a release yet, but I'll keep you posted. In other news, look for the band Esther to release their new single "Throw a spanner" soon with the album "Lie to me, I love a good story" to follow soon thereafter.
Norwegian industrial/metal act V:28 has confirmed the lineup for their upcoming "remixes/remakes/fuck-ups" comp, basically a who's who of Scandinavian extreme electronic music: Negru Voda, Beyond Sensory Experience, Nordvargr, Manes, Lrz (Red Harvest), Origami Galaktika, des Esseintes/The Protagonist, Shinjuku Thief, Desiderii Marginis and Thrawn Hellspawn (Paradigma, ex-Dødheimsgard). The disc will also feature two V:28 covers of the bands Bleak and Swans, the latter featuring a guestspot from Coph Nia. No release date yet, but expect a fall release via Vendlus Records.
Gbg-based label Release the Bats (see our recent interview) has finally released the long-awaited Cure tribute "The shameless kiss of vanity III" on limited edition cassette (250 copies). Said comp featuring 8 bands such as Cut City and The Je Ne Sais Quoi covering the entirety of The Cure's classic "Pornography" album from start to finish. Unfortunately, the cassette dub came out a bit noisy, so the label is throwing in CDR copies with all orders which will include a few tracks from parts I and II. More info and tracklist: http://releasethebats.com/rtb30.html
In other news, RTB has signed the excellent Swedish pop-punk act Hanna Hirsch and will be releasing their debut full-length "Tala svart" as a split with label Diskret Förlag. Hear samples: http://www.myspace.com/hannahirsch
Finnish act Goodnight Monsters will be streaming new tracks off their forthcoming album "Summer challenge" at myspace, one day at a time between the dates of May 17-29. Link: http://www.myspace.com/goodnightmonsters
Finnish act Damn Seagulls are doing a couple Moscow gigs in July:
07/18 - BB King Club, Moscow
07/19 - Mezzo Forte Club, Moscow
Enslaved's new album, reportedly titled "Vertebrae", is tentatively set for a September release.
Jonna Lee's debut album "10 pieces, 10 bruises" has been confirmed for a July 4 release in Japan via P-Vine Records.
Swedish indie act New Decade reports that they are working on recording six new songs or so for a mini-album/EP release. Expect it to be out sometime in early summer.
Cult of Luna has a brand new track up on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cultofluna
The band's new album "Eternal kingdom" will be released on June 16 in Europe, July 8 in the US.