pondělí 28. února 2011

I got my mind set on destruction

I can´t locate this feeling...
I miss you Mando Diao.

Hamburg and No More Tears...



Mannheim and High Heels (and Juliette Lewis ;-) )



Nostalgia for something that may never gonna happen.

But we’re just gonna cover our heads

´Metallica and Guns N’ Roses were all you heard in my school, but I was really into soul music and The Beatles, and then when I heard Nirvana for the first time, I felt that rock & roll would be the one thing in my life that would never let me down. It was something I could count on, just like a Christian could count on God.´
Gustaf Norén

neděle 27. února 2011

sobota 26. února 2011

I'm up on that stage... I'm up here

Yesterday, some fans from Mannheim and surroundings had the opportunity to see Mando Diao live again. The most important fact about second gig in this year...Gustaf was finally without shoes!







pátek 25. února 2011

Or no clothes at all maybe?

Rozhovor s Björnem Dixgårdem a návrat Down in the past - 2007 



Britishrock: How do you manage life with this huge success? Are you already drained?
Björn: We basically just concentrate on our music, and if we do that it is always fine. We concentrate on writing our songs and playing our shows. We let the others take care of the rest, so it is always fine.

Q: So everything is alright?
Björn: Yeah, everything is fine.

Q: Good to hear that!  How ridiculous is it already that so many bands claim to be “the best band in the world”?
Björn: I don´t know. If you are in a band I guess, that is what you think. Otherwise you would probably be in another band. I would be in another band, if I wouldn’t think that we are the best band. You are always looking for perfection when you make music.

Q: What do you think about bands like the Rolling Stones, who are still performing in their old ages, still doing the same music; Do you think they already passed over the border of embarrassment?  
Björn: I mean, it is not embarrassing being on stage, but it is embarrassing playing the songs like they played it in the 60s. If they would have written songs that suite their age, it would be fine. Neil Young does that very well, he is writing songs about his age.

Q: Can you imagine being on stage when you are 60, still doing the same music?
Björn: No No, not the same music but I guess I will be on stage forever.

Q: Yeah? So you come on stage with the wheelchair?
Björn: I will come with the wheelchair and play some country songs.

Q: Country music? Do you think, that that will be the new Retro?
Björn: It could be!

Q: Have you ever heard in an Interview, that you sound like Sugarplum Fairy?
Björn (smiles): No, I have never heard that.

Q: I guess the other way around.
Björn: Yeah, but I don’t think that it is true though. They are much more “popier”.

Q: That is true! Do you have any guilty pleasures, music you listen to, when you are on your own?
Björn: Guilty pleasures? Ahm, I like smoking and drinking…

Q: Yeah sure, but I mean music; Do you listen to Country Music?
Björn: I listen to Country music a lot, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash and some Kenny Rodgers sometimes. Then I also like Jazz Music, John Coltrane and Miles Davis and all that. That is very nice.

Q: What was the most ridiculous rumour you have every heard about your band or about you?
Björn: That we once said that we are better than the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks.

Q: So you never said that?
Björn: I think this is wrong, I don´t know who that said. We always hear it.

Q: It is also a quote in this Newspaper (note: Kronen Zeitung)
 “Björn Dixgard said: “We are better than the Who…”
Björn:
That is wrong, it could have been one of the other guys, but to me, it is very wrong. We would never say that, well maybe we said it 7 years ago…

Q: Anyway; you meet a lot of musicians. Is there anyone you met, about whom you could say that this is/was one of your idols when you were young?
Björn: No, not so far. We haven’t met the big ones yet. I met Neil Young’s son once, but not him.

Q: And who would it be…
Björn: It would be Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Paul McCartney, some of these guys. We met a lot of musicians, but they are the same majors as us, but they are not our idols.

Q: If you would do a secret tour, what name would you choose for your band?
Björn: “Björn Dixgard on Solotour”

Q: Really? Will that happen?
Björn: Yeah, that is something that could happen.

Q: Cool, and what music would you like to play then?
Björn: Still Rock and Roll, but softer. 

Q: So when can we expect that?
Björn: I think you can expect it, but I don’t know when. As soon as we have some time of, I probably plan something like that.

Q: Wow, that’s cool. I am very looking forward to this. So tell me, what is the most overrated band in our times?
Björn: Ähm, I don´t know…maybe the Killers?

Q: You don´t like them?
Björn: It is not my thing. I don’t know, maybe it is too epic for me.

Q: Are you going to see them tonight?
Björn: Probably yes.

Q: So, any other overrated band?
Björn: Hm, I think the people like what people like. It is hard to say anything against that.

Q:Yeah, but for you; a band who has a really huge hype at the moment?
Björn: I think the Arctic Monkeys got some songs, but they are not as good as people say. They got 3 or 4 good songs but to me, you got to have 3 or 4 good records to be a huge band.

Q: What to you think about bands, who invest more time in their hairstyling than into their music?
Björn: It is not a real band then. That is fashion!
Q: Yeah, but they are famous too…
Björn: Which band?
Q: There are a couple of bands but Panic! at the Disco is my favourite example.
Björn: Oh yeah, yeah! Well we have never been into that so much. The only thing we do is to let our hair grow, that is the only thing.

Q: And you are wearing leatherjackets when it is totally hot outside…
Björn: No, I haven’t worn a leatherjacket in almost one year now.

Q: Really?
Björn: Seriously, we are out of leatherjackets.

Q: So what is coming now?
Björn: I don´t know, T-Shirts? Or no clothes at all maybe?

Q: Ooookay! In what movie would you like to be part of the soundtrack?
Björn: (without hesitation) The Godfather. If I would have made some music for that, that would be perfect!

Q: Do you already have written songs that could be used for The Godfather?
Björn: Yeah, but no Mando Diao songs. Just some of my private ones, I have a lot of instrumental songs that we never release. That ones could really be in a movie.

Q: You should do that, releasing an album just with those songs.
Björn: Yeah, I guess sometime we will make some film music. 

Q: “Ochrasy” is a word you created; what does Ochrasy mean to you?
Björn: The Ochrasy is the whole life around us, all our touring, the life we are living in, the people we meet. We live a strange life, because we are playing very late, at 12 or 1 am. And then we go off stage, doing party till 3 in the morning. We attend to meet all the weird people, because the normal people are at home sleeping. That is, what Ochrasy is.

Q: Oh yeah, I read that already in an Interview. But you are going out after a concert? I would be totally exhausted, just falling in my bed after such a concert…
Björn: You get new energy one hour after the show. (Björn sneezes and apologises. He is allergic against Pollen)

Q: How is the climate between all these Swedish bands? Because we were interviewing Johnossi yesterday…
Björn: They are good friends of us. They are good guys.

Q: Well yeah, I have another opinion but anyway. So how is it with the other bands?
Björn: Well some bands are friends, some are not. We are not friends with anybody though, except Soundtrack of our Lives and Johnossi. You know, we are on tour all the time and we almost have no time to meet our family.

Q: Do you still live in Sweden?
Björn: Yeah!

Q: So what does Sweden mean to you?
Björn: It is my home country; it is the country I like to spend time in.

Q: Is that also something that influences your music?
Björn: Yeah, not in the past but now we start to get into old Swedish folk music and that is very interesting. That is an advantage we have, it would be cool to use it in some way and mix it in.

Q: How are the reactions to your music in the U.S.?
Björn: Very good, this tour we just did was the best one so far. A lot of people came to our shows.

Q: Did they already know you?
Björn: Some people yes, but most of them were checking us out, I guess.

Q: I saw you in the Brixton Academy and I think you were a way better than The Dirty Pretty Things. You were really playing your ass of …
Björn: Thank you!

Q: The audience was really ignorant though; in London they are often like that. When there plays a band from London, they are very supportive and when there is somebody from outside London, they ignore them and let you know that they are ignoring you. Is breaking the UK something important for you?
Björn: 3 years ago it was important to us, but now we realize that is not so important. America is much more important. You get so much out of being in Germany, and we are so big in every Country except England. 

Q: So what is the problem?
Björn: I think people don’t like us, they got this strong own culture and they don’t want to bring in a Swedish band, I guess. But that doesn’t matter!

Q:By the way, how did you enjoy Amsterdam?
Björn: Very much!

Q: Is that a real experience you had. “And the dealer boys they had to bring me water?” (songline from Amsterdam/Ode to Ochrasy)
Björn: Yeah, they had to. It is pretty rough there, but fun as well. It is like being in a big candy store when you were a kid. You can do pretty much everything you like to.

Q: That is true, but they have really weird things too though. They are a bit too open-minded.
Björn: Yeah, I know what you mean.

Q: I thought one quote of you was really fun. You said, that you are not like Axl Rose, who is after all these 18 year old girls.
Björn: (laughs) That is true…We are very stylish, and we are picky, we don’t take anybody!

Q: So no groupies?
Björn: We are not a typical groupie band.

Q: Well I would say you are typical groupie band but…
Björn: …we don’t take advantage of it. I never had sex with a groupie.

Q: Seriously?
Björn: That is true!

Q: Although you could have almost every girl outside there…?!
Björn: Yeah, but you know I am 26 and the girls that are standing in the front row are like 18?!

Q: Do you sometimes wish that the audience would be a bit older?
Björn: No No, the younger the better. The people are jumping up and down, we enjoy that!

The present is given by those who stands near me

Some mysterious questions about yesterday´s gig....

Why was Gustaf wearing shoes?
What was wrong with Björn´s voice...and was it something wrong with his voice or not?
Where was Samuel?









And don´t forget about today´s another gig in Mannheim!!!!!

čtvrtek 24. února 2011

Smile you’re on TV again

První letošní koncert Mando Diao je už minulostí. 


Sezóna 2011 byla otevřena na severu Německa Unplugged koncertem, na který bylo možné lístky buďto vyhrát nebo získat za 5000 citizen bodů. Show z Hamburgu byla přenášena via Live na německé stanici NDR2. Až na nepřítomnost Sama a trochu (zřejmě) nachlazeného Björna to byl opět - jak jinak - dokonalý koncert!!!!
Playlist byl skoro stejný jako na posledním koncertě roku 2010 v Lipsku.

Welcome Home, Luc Robitaille
Amsterdam
Misty Mountains
How we walk
No More Tears
Down in the past
Sheepdog
Losing my mind
Gloria
High Heels
Never Seen The Light Of Day
Dance With Somebody


Nezbývá než dodat GET WELL SOON, BJÖRN! You have all my respect for tonight;-) 


středa 23. února 2011

So touch me down in the past

Mando Diao and the way they used to be...

New York 2003 


Setlist from NY 2003

 Münster 2004



Milano 2005


To Mando Diao with love

I know it's true

´ Being a fan isn´t about being there from the beginning...
...it´s about being there till the end. ´


Ochrasy is there forever


Čas na další interview from Down in the past. Rozhovor z roku 2007, Thank you Isii;-) 

It is still about songs that come from our hearts, they are just presented in another costume

Britishrock.cc: Your 4th album, “Never seen the light of day” is very different compared to all the other albums. It is less aggressive and there are no dirty Rock´n´Roll tunes on it anymore. Is this record a “Farewell- Record” of the old Mando Diao and at the same time a starting short for a whole new image?

CJ: This album is a very good example of our development of this young aggressive band becoming a little bit more grown- up. It is a necessary change for us, because without this change we would have stopped being Mando Diao. We needed something else to keep going.  If you do the same thing over and over again you get tired of it.
Björn: Yeah, you get tired of it. We always had this music in us and it was time for it to bring it out. I don´t know what will happen in the future. I think we could as well go back to play more aggressive music- we don´t plan things like that. The next record could be our hardest record but I don´t really know yet. We see our music as documents and this is how we are right now. Tomorrow we could be something different.

Q: While the last song on your last album is “Ochrasy” (note: a word they created to explain their life while touring),  this last song on your new album is called “Dalarna” (note: the territory in Sweden where Mando Diao grew up, the home of the Mando Diao sound). Did Mando Diao leave the world of Ochrasy and finally arrive at the serious world- did you grow up? (what a question??? :-) )

Björn: No, I think Ochrasy is still there. We are still energetic and aggressive in many ways, that hasn´t changed. It is just for one record- we haven´t changed our whole lifestyle. Ochrasy is there forever.
CJ: The Ochrasy life is something you can not escape from. Ochrasy is how this life works for us and you can not change that.
Björn: It is just good to have a word for our way of living, Ochrasy sounds that up.
CJ: We would not go on stage at 10 am and have lunch afterwards. We will always have these late shows and then go and have a beer after the gig. We still undergo a lot of strange situations.

Q: While touring, have you tried to play some of your new songs live to prepare your audience for the new sound?

CJ: We have played “Never seen the light of day” and “If I don´t live today, then I might be here tomorrow”. Quite recently we did the song “Gold”.
Björn: Today we will play more songs, like “Train of Fire” and “Dalarna”.

Q: I can imagine that it is pretty hard to perform the new Mando Diao songs without an orchestra.

Björn: Yeah, that is why we will do a small tour probably next year. Then it will be with all these 18 musicians who played on the record. It is really an album you don´t want to make in a different way.

Q: With you growing up also your audience will change. Are you prepared for this?

Björn: I think the concerts will still be the same. It is still about songs that come from our hearts, they are just presented in another costume. I think we play music in the same way we always did, we just recorded it in a different way this time.


Q: You are going to change your record-label. Did your disfavour for EMI- Records also influence the fast release of the new album?

Björn: No, not really if you think about it. Maybe somewhere back in our mind there is a slight thing of that; but we are no businessmen, so!
CJ: Songs just appear and if you feel like recording an album you just do it.
 
Q: But Björn, I read that you said it was better to end the relation with EMI sooner than later.

Björn: Yeah of course! It doesn´t matter if they are good or bad. We just want to move forward. Maybe we go back to the same label or maybe we start somewhere else-but it is always good to be free.

Q: Do you know where you will switch to?

Björn: No, we have not started thinking about these things yet. I guess we will find something soon. This is all about EMI- Sweden and not about anybody else.
CJ: EMI- Austria has nothing to do with this for instance; they are doing their job very well. It has been kind of rough in Sweden, they have mistreated us. But we are still a good band, so we get over it.
Björn: We are not bitter, we just make music. That has always been the way to solve our problems- with music instead of going to court.

Q: “One Blood” is such an amazing song. Who wrote it?

Björn: Gustaf mostly. We write all the songs together, but that one is mostly written by Gustaf.

Q: What is this song about?

Björn: It is about us and our audience. We become one blood when we play live, it is a whole thing. But there are a lot more deep thoughts in it than just this.
CJ: That song has probably the most modern sound in our music right now. I think “One Blood” is something no one else has done before.
Björn: One friend of mine said that hearing “One Blood” is like hearing “Wild Thing” or “Purple Haze”(note: Songs by Jimi Hendrix) for the first time. It is something that feels really new.

Q: Björn, during our interview in June at the Novarock- Festival you told me already about your upcoming Solotour. While your bandmates stay at home with their friends and families, you are going on tour alone. Are you kind of restless?

Björn: Well I am a restless person but I am doing it for Mando Diao in many ways. I also wanted to do something different and it is only 2 ½ weeks of being alone. We do not want to end this group or anything like that.

Q: Due to your blog on MySpace and the letter from Samuel (note: drummer) on your homepage, it is very clear that you are not going to end Mando Diao.

Björn: Some people do think we are going to split, but it is not true at all.

Q: I read in an interview that you don´t want to show only a new side of Mando Diao, but also another side of yourself. Do you want to lay down a bit of your aloofness?

Björn: Well, I feel very close to my audience all the time. I feel completely into the gigs.
CJ: If you are standing in front of a huge audience, it is kind of hard to let people see that you are in the same mood as the audience.
Björn: But I always enjoy playing in smaller clubs.

Q: Are you a bit nervous going on tour alone now, being the only frontman with no Gustaf next to you?

Björn: Dead nervous! But it is good as well because that will bring new energy for Mando Diao.

Q:CJ, are you going to see a show?

CJ: I hope so!

Q: Are you coming to Vienna?

CJ: Maybe, I haven´t thought about it yet.
Björn: They don´t want to tell me when they are going to come.

Q: So it is a surprise. But you are inviting guests on stage. Whom do you bring to Vienna?

Björn: My sister! She plays in a duo called “Twinflower Band” and CJ and I are working on that project at the moment. We help recording their first record. She is older than me- she is 32 and has been writing songs longer than I am.

Q: Sounds exciting. Are you also going to perform Gustaf´s songs as well?

Björn: Yeah, I perform Mando Diao songs and I perform the songs he is singing as well.

Q: The Song “Dalarna” conveys a very special feeling when I am listening to it. Is it a sort of “love declaration” to your home?

Björn: In a way it is. We became more nature-romantic people. When we are on tour we only see dirty clubs, dirty halls, dirty bars, dirty tour busses and dirty people. You really appreciate trees and good nature. Around Borlänge is a lot of good nature.

Q: Did you rehearsal a lot for tonight’s show?

CJ: Two days!
Björn: Yeah, that is quite a lot. Normally we don´t have time for rehearsal and that is also a reason why we want to have some time off; to be able to make the shows for this record perfect. 


Q: I did a lot of research about Mando Diao. There is so much written about you in interviews, reviews, your songs etc.
Can you tell us and our readers some secrets about Mando Diao and the people in Mando Diao?

Björn: When it comes to our private life there are a lot of secrets.
CJ: Björn likes to fish.
Björn: Yeah and CJ likes to fly. So that is a secret for you: We are more nerds than you think. Fishing and Flying is pretty nerdy stuff. I also like toy trains (ironical smile)
(To CJ) What can we say about Gustaf?
CJ: He likes juices.
Björn: Oh yeah, he is a juice fetishist. His refrigerator looks like juices store. If you are visiting him he is always offering juice.
CJ: Mats is a sleepwalker.
Björn: He screams in the night and that is sometimes very scary. (imitates) “NO! There is a snake in the bed”, things like that.
CJ: And Samuel is a pretty good hockey player. He is about to start in a 4th division team in Sweden.
Björn: That is actually a really good thing. (ironical smile on the guys faces)

Q: I saw a video on your homepage, where you all seem to play hockey very well.

Björn: Yeah, but Samuel is the only one who can really do it.
CJ: I haven´t done it in 15 years and that was the first time I did it after 15 years.

Q: But you looked good on ice.

CJ: Yeah, if you are a Swede you know how to skate.
Björn: And if you do it for a film clip, you can fix things up afterwards; speed it up and things like that. (general laughter)

Q: Last question: Any good dream lately?

Björn: No, it has been a long time ago that I had a good dream.

Q: I was just asking because of your visions you have while dreaming.

Björn: In the past I had a lot of visions in my dreams, but they are all more real now. I miss these dreams though.
CJ: I became a father last night; I had a little daughter.
Björn: That is sweet, that is a good dream.
CJ: Yeah, it was a good dream.

Q: So you are looking for such a future?

CJ: I hope so!
Björn: Everybody does I guess!

Britishrock.cc: Thank you for the interview! 

(Thanks for this amazing interview from me too!)

I saw you in a daydream



úterý 22. února 2011

All this brag about us

Gustaf Norén about his arrogance...

 ´ I take that as a compliment. I mean if you start talking to me on the street and ask about time or directions, I´m not arrogant at all. Because these are general things and I have no reason to react in a strange way. But when it comes to music, it´s something different because there I´m in my element. This is the only sphere which I´m good at, and for this reason I don´t let anyone tell me something about it - no one. If people think so, I´d be arrogant. At the same time in other spheres of life I´m only half as self-confident. If you ask me for example something about politics, I´d be rather small and uncertain.´

I love this guy!

pondělí 21. února 2011

Felt really sad when it was just dead and grey

První letošní vystoupení Mando Diao nakonec nebude v Mannheimu, ale o den dříve 24. 2. 2011 v Hamburgu. Lístky bylo/je možné vyhrát na stránkách NDR2 a nebo pokud jste vlastníky více než 5000 bodů na oficiální stránce Mando Diao můžete získat lístek zdarma i tam. 
Ačkoliv jsem vlastníkem více než 5000 bodů, Hamburg je trochu z ruky...a dozvědět se tuto informaci 4 dny předem taky není zrovna přátelské ke všem lidem bydlícím dále než 100 km od místa koncertu. Každopádně je určitě šlechetné, že nám HQ nabídla tuto možnost. Jen... 
Mando Diao please....there are so many other countries than just Germany...
Skutečně se už musím začít učit německy.
Ok...nezáleží na tom kde, dokud se bude Mando Diao vyskytovat v Evropě... jen by stačilo dostat alespoň příležitost nějak se tam dostat...

All of your life you´ve been trying to reach heaven

Zásilka z Německa, která mi přivezla Mando Diao EP - Good Morning, Herr Horst...


Debutové album Carla Noréna - Owls tak úplně nepasuje na blog Ode to Mando Diao, na druhou stranu...možná přece jen ano. Kromě faktu, že Carl je mladší bratr Gustava Noréna, to co spojuje tohoto mladého umělce s Mando Diao je účast dvou členů této skupiny na jeho albu. Mats Björke nejen jako producent a CJ jako spoluviník. 

čtvrtek 17. února 2011

To stop ghosts from feeding my brain

Welcome to Ochrasy...

Dreams always become true...I wish it was true. We´re standing here, in between, in the middle of nowhere. Is not like I thought it would be. So many years lost in Ochrasy... 
...24 years of Solitude...
And finally? If I don´t live today, then I might be here tomorrow...(or any other day )
Maybe back in August I´ll find all I ever want. 


Riding along emotions unaware of my own age

Mission My own poster.... and hopelessly devoted me. 
Stickers and flyers for You´re Above and Beyond me... and it takes a fast mind to figure out, what’s on this whole earth this is all about... 




úterý 15. února 2011

...with Somebody

Wow! What an amazing performance of Dance With Somebody...another video I haven´t seen before! 


It´s such a shame now, this game you play now

Pár slov o Borlänge a PEACE & LOVE z roku 2007...  
( vyňatek z video interview: Gustaf & Björn )


Gustaf: V USA jsme hráli v menších klubech, v 5000 klubech, a bylo to mnohem víc intimnější než to, co jsme dělali dosud, takže to taky bylo velmi pěkné.

Taky jste hráli v Borlänge, jaké to bylo? 

G: To bylo nepopsatelné, vlastně ani nevím...protože to zároveň na mě bylo příliš velké a měl jsem z toho obavy. Bylo tam příliš mnoho emocí. Doslova mě to dostalo.

Jaktože to bylo takové?

G: Já nevím. Nechápal jsem, že tohle je moje vlastní město a že pojme tolik lidí. Byla to celá Stationsgatan, ta nejklasičtější ulice, kde běžně čekáš milion let na autobus, která teď byla celá ucpaná lidmi, kteří křičeli a skákali. 
.....
Vždycky jsme byli hrozně pyšní na naše město, i když se nám lidi smáli odkud jsme, protože Borlänge má dost špatnou pověst, ale vždycky jsme věděli že je v Borlänge obrovská energie, která teď jde kupředu a to je úžasné. 

Björn: Nejsme to jenom my, je to celý tenhle festival a všechno s ním spojené. To je přesně to, co tohle město potřebovalo.


On the way to you between busy moon

Další koncerty oznámeny! Mando Diao se vrací po dlouhé době do Berlína. Konečně se i tam dočkají jejich přítomnosti;-) 2. 6. vystoupí acoustic na Zitadelle...


Mandos také potvrdili účast na festivalu PEACE & LOVE v Borlänge ve Švédsku 2. července...


I want my mission so I won´t be here today

Druhý oficiální Unit meeting Prague Special Unit proběhl tento víkend 12. února v Praze. Sešly jsme se skoro všechny... A takhle nějak to vypadalo...



It´s nice on the bed by the way...

CJ a Björn hovoří (opět) o Mtv Unplugged... Odkaz zde...

The Shining Day

Se zpožděním dvou dnů přeju všem krásný Shining day ;-) 

čtvrtek 10. února 2011

You said that you never stood out

Přísun videií na tento blog nekončí...naopak pokračuje. A tentokrát s videem Dance with Somebody live, které mě zaujalo hlavně proto, že jsem ho ještě nikdy neviděla...:-)

úterý 8. února 2011

Forget all the things you've heard

Vybrat Top 13 videií Mando Diao se ukázalo jako zcela nesplnitelný úkol. Je jich až příliš mnoho naprosto dokonalých na to, aby bylo možné vybrat jen 13... 
Každopádně zde přichází PART II....

Another THREE best Mando Diao videos of all times ;-)

Number FIVE:


Number SIX:



Number SEVEN: 

Do you remember, the days when we were young