scan-indie-d Digest Volume 97 : Issue 13 9 Dec 1997 Today's Topics: Re: mainstream Re: mainstream Re: mainstream Re: mainstream why major labels are never to be trusted (part 154 of the indie thread. those who are not interested - hit "delete") Re: why major labels are never to be trusted (part 154 of the indie thread. those who are not interested - hit "delete") Re: mainstream Sick Things International live review Re: mainstream Re: Sick Things International live review Re: mainstream Re: Sick Things International live review Re: mainstream Re: Sick Things International live review Re: Sin's Weekly Selected News [08-Dec-97] Tour List I (Luger BA) [08-Dec-97] Tour List II (Motor BA) [08-Dec-97] Tour Nina+Niclas=true (Was Sin's Weekly Selected News [08-Dec-97]) Re: why major labels are never to be trusted (part 154 of the indie thread. those who are not interested - hit "delete") Administrivia: To unsubscribe from the Scandinavian Indie Digest mailing list: * send e-mail to: scan-indie-d-request@lysator.liu.se * with the Subject: unsubscribe To post to the Scandinavian Indie mailing list: * use the address: scan-indie@lysator.liu.se Digest back issues can be found in the [SID] section at the Scan-Indie website: http://www.lysator.liu.se/~chief/scan.html () Please take care not to include the entire digest in your () reply, only the message(s) you are replying to. ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 13:59:58 -0600 (CST) From: Daniel S Sigelman Subject: Re: mainstream > how mainstream and ugly sounding are these swedish indie pop bands? i.e. > bub hund, kent, komeda, popsicle etc. > do they try to be mainstream by singing in english? i'd love them all if > they sang only in swedish. when i was in sweden everyone spoke perfect swedish. so one can't be anymore indie-cool than to sing in a different language! :) if it matters..i know bob hund and komeda have sung primarily in their native swedish for at least a records worth. but as true artists they are ambitious enough to explore other language forms. who cares? just listen... Danny. ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 15:13:48 -0500 (EST) From: Chris Forsberg Subject: Re: mainstream On Mon, 8 Dec 1997 svenskax@sfsu.edu wrote: > how mainstream and ugly sounding are these swedish indie pop bands? i.e. > bub hund, kent, komeda, popsicle etc. You want ugly music? > do they try to be mainstream by singing in english? i'd love them all if > they sang only in swedish. I'm hardly a Bob Hund expert, but the stuff I've heard is in Swedish. Same with Kent. And persnally, sounding mainstream has a LOT more to do with the chord and song structures you favor (and the cliches you don't) than the language being sung in. For instance, that new singer Robyn could sing purely in Swedish (or even Swahili, for that matter) and she'd still be nothing but mainstream - cos there's nothing new whatsoever about her sound. Bob Hund, and Komeda -- they don't sound like anyone I've ever heard. Chris ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 13:21:58 -0800 From: svenskax@sfsu.edu Subject: Re: mainstream At 01:59 PM 12/8/97 -0600, you wrote: >> how mainstream and ugly sounding are these swedish indie pop bands? i.e. >> bub hund, kent, komeda, popsicle etc. >> do they try to be mainstream by singing in english? i'd love them all if >> they sang only in swedish. > > when i was in sweden everyone spoke perfect swedish. so one can't be > anymore indie-cool than to sing in a different language! :) what? ohh they speak perfect swedish in sweden? > if it matters..i know bob hund and komeda have sung primarily in > their native swedish for at least a records worth. but as true artists > they are ambitious enough to explore other language forms. as true artists? come on, who wants to listen to swedish singing bands in sweden? has ever a band gone mainstream because they sing in swedish outside of sweden? > who cares? just listen... besides that was not my point. who will you attack next? ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 13:24:50 -0800 From: svenskax@sfsu.edu Subject: Re: mainstream At 03:13 PM 12/8/97 -0500, you wrote: > On Mon, 8 Dec 1997 svenskax@sfsu.edu wrote: > >> how mainstream and ugly sounding are these swedish indie pop bands? i.e. >> bub hund, kent, komeda, popsicle etc. > > You want ugly music? did i say i wanted ugly music? >> do they try to be mainstream by singing in english? i'd love them all if >> they sang only in swedish. > > I'm hardly a Bob Hund expert, but the stuff I've heard is in Swedish. Same > with Kent. And persnally, sounding mainstream has a LOT more to do with > the chord and song structures you favor (and the cliches you don't) than > the language being sung in. For instance, that new singer Robyn could sing > purely in Swedish (or even Swahili, for that matter) and she'd still be > nothing but mainstream - cos there's nothing new whatsoever about her > sound. Bob Hund, and Komeda -- they don't sound like anyone I've ever > heard. that is not what mean. i mean how know are these bands to people in sweden. ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 00:27:40 +0100 (MET) From: per langstrom Subject: why major labels are never to be trusted (part 154 of the indie thread. those who are not interested - hit "delete") so, swedish indie pop band fidget are getting dropped by their label mega records (goteborgs-posten 5/12 -97). the label is closing down it's swedish and norwegian sub-divisions because of disappointingly low record sale figures. as a result of this, at least two out of the label's six swedish artists are all of a sudden without any way whatsoever of releasing records. while fidget being one of them, multi-million sellers ace of base definitely aren't. and why is that so? well, because of the one same reason major labels throughout the history have dropped bands: the label doesn't see fidget as the record selling band they thought they would be when they were initially signed. and a band which doesn't sell records, isn't good for business either and as a result, the band is dropped. it's like any other product in any other company, the difference being this product is a group of real people who might have given up many other things in their life following getting a record deal. taking a certain car out of production and dropping a band has severly different consequences. the problem is that major labels see their bands as any other product coming out of the corporation the label is a part of. the product exists solely to make money and as soon as it doesn't, the company will stop manufacturing the product and replace it with a new and more suitable one. money _has_ to be made at all cost. and as this, in turn, is the sole reason for major labels to exist, i just can't see why there aren't more bands in this friggin' country that turn the back on the whole music-industry and do it by them- selves instead. you wouldn't have to fear being out of a record deal if the label you'd put out your records through would be your own, now would you? .per ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 01:29:29 +0100 From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Re: why major labels are never to be trusted (part 154 of the indie thread. those who are not interested - hit "delete") At 00:27 1997-12-09 +0100, per langstrom wrote: > swedish indie pop band fidget are getting dropped > by their label mega records (goteborgs-posten 5/12 > -97). the label is closing down it's swedish and > norwegian sub-divisions because of disappointingly > low record sale figures. as a result of this, at > least two out of the label's six swedish artists > are all of a sudden without any way whatsoever of > releasing records. while fidget being one of them, > multi-million sellers ace of base definitely aren't. [Snip] Hmm, this is not what I read in the latest issue of the Topp40 magazine. There it said the company was only restructuring in Norway and Sweden - still keeping their promotion and marketing departments in these countries. The difference (when it comes to the business part of it) is that Arcade will probably take over Mega's sales and distribution (in Norway and Sweden) and the A&R departments will be gone. On the other hand, Mega Records Scandinavia (as they are called) have recently opened a new office in Germany (Hamburg) and have an A&R department there. _And_ Mega Records (Denmark) recently got the rights for sales and distribution of Arcade's TV and international CNR-"products". See the connection? "This is an offer too good to refuse" is a line that pops up in my head. When it comes to the artists and bands - Ace of Base is signed to Mega Records Denmark (directly) which means they're not affected by all this, Honeycave was also listed as a band "to keep". I have no idea how they will solve the problems they'll have with the rest of the bands and the contracts - but I don't think any of the bands will be left without compensation (or something _really_ smells in Denmark). And when it comes to Fidget - I don't think they're suffering too much from all this, as I believe they weren't too happy about their situation on Mega anyway. //Erik ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 01:31:41 +0200 From: Micke Rehnstrom Subject: Re: mainstream Svenskax wrote: > how mainstream and ugly sounding are these swedish indie pop bands? i.e. > bub hund, kent, komeda, popsicle etc. do they try to be mainstream by > singing in english? i'd love them all if they sang only in swedish. I dont think that the language has that much significance when it comes to whether a band is "mainstream" or not. I think that the hits for PARADISIO (and AQUA too, for that matter) shows that people in general does not care about what the band is singing about. In Sweden it does not seem to matter what language an artist uses. If we look at your list we have two bands that I guess can be categorized as mainstream, judging from record sales and stuff like that: KENT, which sings in Swedish, and POPSICLE, with texts in English. KENTs latest album reached "gold" level in sales within a week after it had been released. I can stand KENT but POPSICLE has turned to some kind of utterly boring F/M-rock nowadays, IMO. BOB HUND, singing in Swedish (but planning to record something in English in the future), and KOMEDA who are singing in English nowadays (but their first records were in Swedish) are both non-mainstream in terms of record sales and in sound too, I would say. They both have quite unique sounds, if you ask me (though KOMEDA may sometimes sound like a Swedish version of STEREOLAB). So, one mainstream and one non-mainstream band in each language category. But it is true that there has not been any bands, to my knowledge, that have managed to break outside Sweden (except for Norway and Denmark) while singing in Swedish. But I still think that the music is more important than the language in that respect. Besides, even if I dont write song texts myself I realize that English is very often a more comfortable language to deal with - even for a Swede. I often find myself thinking, even speaking, in English when there is no direct need for it. So the reason for writing in English does not have to be to "go mainstream", IMO. Did I come anywhere near what you were asking about or did I lose track somewhere ;)? /Micke ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 01:51:49 +0200 From: Micke Rehnstrom Subject: Sick Things International live review So, the first Finnish band ever (?) to appear on Herrgarns stage was SICK THINGS INTERNATIONAL. Judging from the Finnish comp. tapes I have listened to (especially the "Finnhits 1" tape) there are quite a lot of interesting and exciting rock bands on the other side of The Baltic. Unfortunately, I would not say that this band qualifies in that category, not from what I heard this night. On the Scan Indie web pages Erik describes their sound as a mix of bits and pieces from NIRVANA, SMASHING PUMPKINS and OASIS and I guess that might be true. At least I would give them the same comment as I usually give OASIS: perhaps not bad, but boring and uninteresting. Music ranging from "power ballads" to rockier stuff, all of it sounding quite slick (even the sound in the loudspeakers was slick and "too perfect" for me) and with lots of "sing-along" tunes, IMO. Some of the faster songs were OK, but since they saved most of those songs till the end it was already too late. The vocalist took off his shirt during the gig, so I guess it was sweaty and intense to him. To me it was more of a sleeping pill. This was probably my last Herrgarn report this year. I have a strong feeling that a review of this weeks Eagle-Eye Cherry gig would not be considered suitable here. Unfortunately it seems as if I wont be able to see any of the two gigs THE PUSJKINS are giving in their home town this week. It would have been interesting to hear some of their new material, from their to-be-released full-length album (produced by Ken Stringfellow). /Micke, trying to hide before Erik reads the negative words above (I do have a feeling that he will not agree with me) ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 01:55:49 +0100 From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Re: mainstream At 01:31 1997-12-09 +0200, Mikael Rehnstrom wrote: > But it is true that there has not been any bands, to my knowledge, that > have managed to break outside Sweden (except for Norway and Denmark) while > singing in Swedish. But I still think that the music is more important than > the language in that respect. I think the only reason why so few bands have managed to break outside any country while singing in their native language (except the major language- speaking countries of course) is because their records have not been released anywhere else but in their country of origin. And sure, I rarely listen to music with lyrics in languages I can't understand, but that's not because I don't like it - it's because I can't get my hands on it! I'd really like to be able to make the decision if I _want to_ listen them or not. Because there's great music in every country - one just has to be able to get hold of it somehow. //Erik ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 02:03:43 +0100 From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Re: Sick Things International live review > This was probably my last Herrgarn report this year. I have a strong > feeling that a review of this weeks Eagle-Eye Cherry gig would not be > considered suitable here. I won't be able to go there either - I'm off to the office Christmas party that night. Heh... > Unfortunately it seems as if I wont be able to see any of the two gigs THE > PUSJKINS are giving in their home town this week. It would have been > interesting to hear some of their new material, from their to-be-released > full-length album (produced by Ken Stringfellow). I haven't heard anything about these gigs? Where and when? > /Micke, trying to hide before Erik reads the negative words above (I do > have a feeling that he will not agree with me) I actually wrote pretty much the same thing to a couple of Finnish friends the other day, so I agree with you. But I don't like it when the audience is just standing there, doing nothing, so I clap my hands and try my best to get things going. Most of the time anyway. ;-) //Erik ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 02:13:09 +0200 From: Micke Rehnstrom Subject: Re: mainstream Erik Soderstrom wrote: > I think the only reason why so few bands have managed to break outside any > country while singing in their native language (except the major language- > speaking countries of course) is because their records have not been > released anywhere else but in their country of origin. Mm, I guess that is true. But I suddenly recall that that song with ELECTRIC BOYS feat. SVULLO - "For fet for ett fuck" ("Too fat to fuck") - was played quite many times on MTV some years ago. Another proof that no one really cares about _what_ is sung, I guess :) /Micke ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 02:18:41 +0200 From: Micke Rehnstrom Subject: Re: Sick Things International live review (I feel as if we are having one of these "on-line chats" again :) Erik Soderstrom wrote: >> Unfortunately it seems as if I wont be able to see any of the two gigs THE >> PUSJKINS are giving in their home town this week. It would have been >> interesting to hear some of their new material, from their to-be-released >> full-length album (produced by Ken Stringfellow). > > I haven't heard anything about these gigs? Where and when? Wednesday (December 10th) at Flamman and Friday (December 12th) at Missionskyrkan (both in Linkoping) is what I have heard. I have seen posters, at the university, about the Flamman gig. > I actually wrote pretty much the same thing to a couple of Finnish friends > the other day, so I agree with you. But I don't like it when the audience > is just standing there, doing nothing, so I clap my hands and try my > best to get things going. Most of the time anyway. ;-) So that was what you were doing! You fooled me :). /Micke ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 02:56:06 +0100 From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Re: mainstream At 02:13 1997-12-09 +0200, Micke Rehnstrom wrote: > Erik Soderstrom wrote: > >> I think the only reason why so few bands have managed to break outside any >> country while singing in their native language (except the major language- >> speaking countries of course) is because their records have not been >> released anywhere else but in their country of origin. > > Mm, I guess that is true. But I suddenly recall that that song with > ELECTRIC BOYS feat. SVULLO - "For fet for ett fuck" ("Too fat to fuck") - > was played quite many times on MTV some years ago. Another proof that no > one really cares about _what_ is sung, I guess :) I had no idea it had been played on MTV! Wow! That's almost like ... umm, showing Barney (the dinosaur) or those obnoxious things now uneblievably "in" in the UK on prime time. Good lord. ;) //Erik ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 02:59:24 +0100 From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Re: Sick Things International live review At 02:18 1997-12-09 +0200, Micke Rehnstrom wrote: > (I feel as if we are having one of these "on-line chats" again :) Yeah, it's pretty quiet on the list at this hour of .. night. >>> Unfortunately it seems as if I wont be able to see any of the two gigs >>> THE PUSJKINS are giving in their home town this week. It would have been >>> interesting to hear some of their new material, from their to-be-released >>> full-length album (produced by Ken Stringfellow). >> >> I haven't heard anything about these gigs? Where and when? > > Wednesday (December 10th) at Flamman and Friday (December 12th) at > Missionskyrkan (both in Linkoping) is what I have heard. I have seen > posters, at the university, about the Flamman gig. Damn! - So I'll miss both gigs as well then! What we need is a good venue with good gigs on saturdays. We haven't had that for years. >> I actually wrote pretty much the same thing to a couple of Finnish friends >> the other day, so I agree with you. But I don't like it when the audience >> is just standing there, doing nothing, so I clap my hands and try my >> best to get things going. Most of the time anyway. ;-) > > So that was what you were doing! You fooled me :). And everyone else it seemed as at least some people started to cheer.. Good for me, ey? ;-) //Erik ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 18:06:01 -0800 From: svenskax@sfsu.edu Subject: Re: you guys sleep? ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 03:48:59 +0100 (MET) From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Sin's Weekly Selected News [08-Dec-97] -------------------------------------- The Weekly Selected News 971208 Received, gathered, processed, translated, compiled and sent today by: Erik Soderstrom (chief@lysator.liu.se) -------------------------------------- Export Music Sweden News Update -------------------------------------- 1. Apple Brown Betty in Asia (S) 2. The Cardigans in Japan and new material (S) 3. Cinnamon throughout the world (S) 4. Garmarna and $1000 Playboys (S) 5. Pineforest Crunch new album (S) 6. This Perfect Day heading for the US (S) 7. The Trampolines and Japan again (S) 8. The Wannadies + David Hasselhoff (S) 9. This week's interesting Releases 10. New Bands on Tour Today's good news in a bundle - that's right, right here, right now. * Apple Brown Betty in Asia (S) ----------------------------- Rock Records are releasing Apple Brown Betty's new album Orange Juice & Smile [RFM Records] throughout Asia. * The Cardigans in Japan and new material (S) ------------------------------------------- The Cardigans are interrupting a much-needed break for a five-gig tour of Japan where their current album First Band on the Moon [Stockholm Label Group] has sold to date more than 600.000 copies. Worldwide sales are now in excess of 2,1 million! They'll start work on their next album early next year. A must for all Cardigans fans is a book just published in a Swedish and English version entitled The Cardigans - Been It. It contains a documentation of the band's career so far with photos, interviews and discographies. It's published by and can be obtained from Tiden AB, Box 45022, 104 30 Stockholm, Sweden, phone: +46-(0)8-4570300, fax: +46-(0)8-4570334, Email: info.tiden@raben.se, Website: http://www.raben.se/tiden Also: rumours persist that The Cardigans songstress Nina Persson is writing songs together with former front man in Atomic Swing, Niclas Frisk. * Cinnamon throughout the world (S) --------------------------------- Me As Helen of Troy with Cinnamon has been conquering Asian Channel V's Top 20. Cinnamon's U.S. album The Courier has now been released in France (where it has been very well received) by Island Records and in the Philippines and Taiwan. * Garmarna and $1000 Playboys (S) ------------------------------- For the latest info on Garmarna who are currently working on their new album with the working title "The Vengeance" [Massproduktion], visit one or more of the following web sites: http://www.cabal.se/massproduktion/garmarna, http://www.omnium.com/pub/omnium/garm http://www.kontur.se Two band members are currently working in the famous Tambourine Studios recording an album with their other band $1000 Playboys. This is being produced by Cardigans' guitarist Peter Svensson. * Pineforest Crunch new album (S) ------------------------------- A new tougher Pineforest Crunch has been promised with the release of their second album on December 29th. This can be partly accredited to the fact that it is produced by Jim Warren (Radiohead) and some of the recording has been done in his studio in Oxford, England. The first single "Shangri La" [Stockholm Label Group] is out now. * This Perfect Day heading for the US (S) --------------------------------------- This Perfect Day [MNW/Soap] will be giving priority to the American market during the autumn as their album C-60 is currently being released there by Sony's 550 Records. The band has signed a multi-album deal with Sony for the world excluding Asia and Scandinavia. * The Trampolines and Japan again (S) ----------------------------------- I'll Be Waiting There For You [Independent/Sony Tri-Star] with The Trampolines has recently been the most-aired single in Tokyo. The band have already sold more than 40.000 copies of their second self-entitled album in Japan. * The Wannadies + David Hasselhoff (S) ------------------------------------ The Wannadies self-entitled album [RCA/BMG], a mixture of songs from their two albums released in Sweden, is their first release in the U.S. The video of their song Might Be Stars features Baywatch's very own David Hasselhoff (!) and is featured on MTV. The band have been in the States during the autumn for gigs. * This week's interesting Releases -------------------------------- A new Eggstone (S) single should be out today on Vibrafon Records, but not title has yet been revealed. I suppose it's the planned "Taramasalata" one? * New Bands on Tour ----------------- Only a few extra dates for bob hund, Fireside, Honey Is Cool and Popsicle + new dates for S.P.O.C.K (all S) and Kelly Deal 6000 (US). More Gigs: http://www.lysator.liu.se/~chief/gigs.html Today's bad news in a bundle - that's right, right here, right now. Nej. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The Weekly Selected News" - only on the Scandinavian Indie Mailing List Be happy about it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 03:49:27 +0100 (MET) From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Tour List I (Luger BA) [08-Dec-97] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scandinavian Indie Luger Tour List UPDATE Scandinavian Indie December 8th, 1997 by Erik Soderstrom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCANDINAVIAN: FIRESIDE (S) - BMG & Startracks Dec 13 Ostersund (S) tba New Date Dec 18 Stockholm (S) Studion w/Honey Is Cool HONEY IS COOL (S) - MVG Records / MD *NEW* Dec 18 Stockholm (S) Studion w/Fireside MONSTER (S) - MVG Records / MD Dec 12 Ostersund (S) tba Venue Changed WEEPING WILLOWS (S) - Grand Recordings / Virgin Dec 14 Umea (S) Corona CANCELLED Dec 18 Goteborg (S) Harry's Playground New Date ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The COMPLETE Luger Tour List is posted to the mailing list now and then. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 03:49:47 +0100 (MET) From: Erik Soderstrom Subject: Tour List II (Motor BA) [08-Dec-97] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scandinavian Indie Motor Tour List UPDATE Scandinavian Indie December 8th, 1997 by Erik Soderstrom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCANDINAVIAN: bob hund Silence 29/1 Arhus - Musikcafeen (DK) New Date 30/1 Alborg - Studenterhuset (DK) New Date 31/1 Kolding - Pitstop (DK) New Date 1/2 Copenhagen - Vega, lille sal (DK) New Date Millencolin Burning Heart 25/1 Vancouver - tba New Date 26/1 Kelowna - Okm hall New Date 27/1 Calgary - Republik New Date 28/1 Edmonton - Rebar New Date 29/1 Regina - tba New Date 30/1 Winnepeg - tba New Date 31/1 Thunderbay - Millenium New Date 2/2 Toronto - El Mocombo New Date 3/2 Montreal/Quebec - Spectrum New Date 4/2 Qeubec/Montreal - La Capitole New Date Popsicle Telegram 21/12 Stockholm - Studion New Date S.P.O.C.K Subspace Com. *NEW* 19/12 Kristianstad - Barbacka 20/12 Angelholm - Gottwalds ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NON-SCANDINAVIAN: Kelly Deal 6000 (US) MNW ILR *NEW* 25/2 Arhus - Huset (DK) 26/2 Copenhagen - Loppen (DK) 27/2 Lund - Mejeriet 28/2 Stockholm - Studion 1/3 Oslo - So What (N) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The complete Motor Tour List is posted once / month to the list. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 19:08:31 -0800 From: svenskax@sfsu.edu Subject: Tour anyone knows when refused is touring? ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 09:33:19 +0100 From: Marten.Sahlen@xt.etx.ericsson.se (Marten Sahlen) Subject: Nina+Niclas=true (Was Sin's Weekly Selected News [08-Dec-97]) Erik Soderstrom wrote: > Also: rumours persist that The Cardigans songstress Nina Persson is > writing songs together with former front man in Atomic Swing, > Niclas Frisk. Well, two weekends ago Nina was unexpectedly seen at the Kvarnen bar in Stockholm, downing a few beers together with select Atomic Swing members... So I guess there might be some truth behind this rumour. Yours in muckraking, Marten ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 10:18:24 +0000 From: "johanna.hillgren" Subject: Re: why major labels are never to be trusted (part 154 of the indie thread. those who are not interested - hit "delete") Erik Soderstrom wrote: > At 00:27 1997-12-09 +0100, per langstrom wrote: > >> swedish indie pop band fidget are getting dropped >> by their label mega records (goteborgs-posten 5/12 >> -97). the label is closing down it's swedish and >> norwegian sub-divisions because of disappointingly >> low record sale figures. as a result of this, at >> least two out of the label's six swedish artists >> are all of a sudden without any way whatsoever of >> releasing records. while fidget being one of them, >> multi-million sellers ace of base definitely aren't. >[Snip] > > And when it comes to Fidget - I don't think they're > suffering too much from all this, as I believe they > weren't too happy about their situation on Mega anyway. OK, take this straight from the source. this is the true story. I'm in Fidget, playing the guitar, and I know for a fact that we weren't dropped by Mega. It was really the other way around. We were completely sick of their work with our album, and of course we never were the band they hoped us to be (a not very easylistening indie band won't sell 20 000 copies). We played quite a lot of festivals last summer and we always had a great response from the audience and we had an A&R from an English record company watching us twice. The second time he saw us he decided he wanted to sign us, but he didn't want to work with Mega, because of their incapability to work the album properly. So we tried for a couple of months to get out of the contract and Mega couldn't see what they had done wrong and they didn't want to let us go. Last friday, we finally got the good news. And that was on the same day they decided to close down the Swedish part of the office. We're very, very comfortable with the situation. We're actually that happy that we can give Mega the opportunity to slag us off, to say that we weren't interesting enough, to say that they didn't do anything wrong. It really doesn't matter now when we're free. And I think I know who the losers are... DANIEL/FIDGET (wheelin' and dealin') ----------------------------- End of Scandinavian Indie Digest Vol.97 #13 *******************************************