The Cardigans

The five-piece met as teenagers in Jonkoping, a small Swedish town in which the only distinguishing feature is its fifty-two churches. In October 1992, bonded by their mutual love of hard rock music, guitarist Peter Svensson and bassist Magnus Sveningsson conceived The Cardigans. As their hometown was hardly a Mecca of musical enterprise, the group packed up and moved to the somewhat more central fishing port of Malmo, Sweden's third largest city, to seek their fortune. With Peter writing most of the music and the band as a whole composing the lyrics, the quintet set out to find a deal.
After an early recording of "Rise & Shine" appeared on a local independent label in 1994, The Cardigans were swiftly signed to Stockholm Records. The same year the band made their debut for the label with Emmerdale and later won the accolade of "Best Album of 1994" from Slitz, at the time Sweden's leading music magazine. The rise of The Cardigans has since been gradual, allowing them the time to develop naturally as their sales and positive exposure grew with each release. Their second long-player, Life, which followed in 1995, featured the hit singles "Carnival" and the re-recorded "Rise & Shine", and witnessed the band's first international chart success. Prior to the First Band On The Moon album in September 1996, The Cardigans released "Lovefool". Although the first response to the single was very positive and landed them in the Top 40, it achieved nowhere near the impact that awaited it the following Spring.
It was in 1997 that The Cardigans were first catapulted towards international superstardom. "Lovefool's" inclusion on the blockbuster Romeo & Juliet film soundtrack that Spring pushed them past the boiling point. The single not only reached No. 1 in both the UK and US airplay charts but also debuted at No. 2 in the UK national chart, where it remained top five for five weeks. All in all, the album reached more than 2.5 million sales worldwide, achieving Platinum status in the US and Japan and Gold in the UK. The promotional activities supporting the worldwide success of "Lovefool" and First Band On The Moon were never ending. The band not only performed a yearlong world tour complete with endless radio sessions and press and television interviews, but even ended up making guest appearances on Beverley Hills 90210 and the David Letterman Show.
It was because of the sheer exhaustion resulting from such a schedule, that The Cardigans since took some well deserved time off at home in Malmo to recuperate their artistic juices and write new material. During their time off, however, the band was by no means dormant. In the beginning of 1999 they contributed a new track, "War", to the A Life Less Ordinary soundtrack, a live recording of "Been It" to the Lilith Fair compilation and "Deuce", featured on the new album, to the X-Files soundtrack. Their break also included experimentation with various solo projects.
In June 1998, the group, who are very loyal to their roots, once again joined long-time producer Tore Johansson at his studio, Country Hell, located beside the picturesque Svaneholm Castle in Malmo and recorded the album, "Gran Turismo".
The first single, "My Favourite Game" was a major hit in many territories. The video for "My Favourite Game" was directed by Jonas Åkerlund. The second single "Erase/Rewind" was released in January 1999, and this single also turned out to be a major hit around the world.
"Gran Turismo" reached more than 2.5 million sales worldwide.
The album “Long Gone Before Daylight” was released in February 2003 and from the album the singles “For What It’s Worth” and “You’re The Storm” were taken. The album received great reviews and the band spent most of 2003 touring Europe and North America.

THE CARDIGANS
Nina Persson - vocals
Peter Svensson - guitar
Bengt Lagerberg - drums
Magnus Sveningsson - bass
Lasse Johansson - keyboard, acoustic guitar

ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

• “Long Gone Before Daylight” CD/LP (Stockholm Records/Universal Music, 2003)
• "I Sing Because Of You", Righteous Boy - Magnus Sveningsson's solo project (Stockholm Records 2002)
• "A Camp", A Camp - Nina Persson's solo project (Stockholm Records 2001)
• "Gran Turismo Overdrive" CD maxi/12" vinyl, Ltd edition (Stockholm Records, 1999)
• "Gran Turismo" CD/MC (Stockholm Records, 1998)
• "First Band On The Moon" CD/MC (Stockholm Records, 1996)
• "Life" CD/MC/LP (Stockholm Records, 1995)
• "Emmerdale" CD-album (Stockholm Records, 1994)

BRAINSTORM

The beginning of BrainStorm is dated with year 1989 even thought the seeds was found already when singer Reynard and drummer Nick danced and sang together around Christmas tree at kindergarten and later on all members of the band sang the same lines at the choir of the school they all attended in their native city Jelgava, Latvia. Through the years knowing each other and making music together already fourteen years (they were 15 years old when formed the band) the chemistry between guys has created the atmosphere of the real family: “Good old family thing, in this case just five fathers together. It's so hard sometimes to find just one way out of five”. This is what BrainStorm said about themselves and their unique chemistry by the end of 2003. And then in May 2004 stroke of the destiny took away one of them - in the car crash tragically died original bass player of BrainStorm - Muminsh (Gundars Mausevics).

In memory of dear friend Muminsh and faith in what is band’ s calling BrainStorm decided to continue. BrainStorm by the end of 2004/beginning of 2005 has done recording of 7th studio album with producer Alex Silva with whom band recorded 2 songs on previous album. Between studios times in January band did joined American band REM as support act for 9 shows in Europe. New album will be called “Four Shores” and is set to release in autumn 2005 with Latvian version release in Latvia in May. Anton Corbijn has done photos for the artwork.

The title “Four Shores” underlines the sore place where BrainStorm has been placed after loosing the original band member and soulmate Muminsh in tragic car crash last May. The touch of the Muminsh lives through the new songs as the band started writing the songs for new album before the tragedy. It is obvious the lyrics have been influenced by this loss.

“There is this beautiful thing that great bands have something… Identity and I think BrainStorm has that,” Anton Corbijn

“There is kind of innocence to BrainStorm’s sound, something that is unique to their culture or what I imagine is unique to their culture and that made them special to me,” Alex Silva.

The experience of being citizen of Latvia who has been raised up in former Soviet Union and being witnesses of so called “iron curtain” and Latvia’ s return into Europe has made unique musical influence and background for the members of the band that reflects and goes through the music BrainStorm makes. Singer Reynard reveals: “The truly first influences of BrainStorm I can name Russian cartoons and Latvian popscene in 80-s. Talking about cartoons - I still love those songs and listen to them time after time, they have some kind of unique happiness and sadness at the same time that is hard to describe and that's how I also see most of Stormer's songs. And only when we were some 14 - 15 we started to learn what happens on the other side of the moon.”

BrainStorm for several years is the biggest band of the native Latvia, latest 3 records they made and “Best Of” has reached Platinum status on sales, every radio single goes straight to #1 on airplays, they gather several prizes each time nominated for Latvian Music Awards, they play as big crowds as tiny Latvia can gather and closing concert of their latest Latvian tour on 1st of September, 2003 gathered 25 000 big audience and beat the record of Skonto Stadium. But sooner or later it is time to go into international music scene and BrainStorm can be called ice-breakers in this field by being if not first that for sure one of the first band’ s from Eastern Europe to enter Western music market. Their breakthrough was on 2000 with hit single “My Star” and followed by album “Among The Suns” (with releases in 18 countries, UK, Germany and Scandinavia including), album “Online” released in year 2001 stormed over Eastern Europe (Gold in Poland) and Scandinavia with ethereally dreamy and catchy melody “Maybe”. Over 3 years band has toured Europe on their own tours as well as supporting Rolling Stones in Prague, The Cranberries in Germany, Italy, Belgium and Czech Republic, Depeche Mode in Baltic States and Supergrass in Denmark.

The previous album BrainStorm released was in 2003 – “A Day Before Tomorrow” – the slideshow of life in 12 chapters called songs that shows band’ s piece of mind and heart, the way they think and feel about this world. Here and now: “The title of the album includes the philosophy we believe in – we don’t say simply - today, because – of course you have to live in the moment you are, but also have to remember there is day after it and by remembering that you care about future, have your dreams and visions, but still – you don’ t let the beauty of the moment simply to slip away, because you value it and don’ t live only in the illusion about unknown future.”

For making of their 6th studio album “A Day Before Tomorrow” that was 3rd album for international release BrainStorm teamed with 2 producers – Echo award winner Alex Silva (his credits include successful work on Herbert Grönemeyer’ s album “Mensch”, Suede, e.t.c.) and Steve Lyon (worked with Depeche Mode, paradise Lost, Reamonn, e.t.c.). Art-directon, logo and pictures for the album sleeve and press were made by famous rock-photographer Anton Corbijn.

During 2004 BrainStorm did tour Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech and Slovak Republic, Baltic States, e.t.c.

In 2004 BrainStorm and well known Russian band Áè-2 have recorded together song “Ñêîëüçêèå óëèöû” which is included in new album of Áè-2 “Èíîìàðêè” released on 2nd of March, 2004 and which has taken position nr. 1 on radio charts in Latvia and Ukraine and Russia.

BrainStorm feels blessed for being able to work with people they did: “We've always believed in miracles, and that's how it goes and sometimes things just happen if you believe. Who could imagine 2 years ago we will make photos with Anton Corbijn or do records with Alex Silva? But still it's not about the names, souls are on the same wave feeling friendly and having good time together. Life is about believing in miracles.. and celebrating life, of course!

Anton Corbijn after working with BrainStorm says: “I can’t tell you how much I felt at home with them and felt we were all together trying to achieve something..” Producer Alex Silva also experience warm welcome into BrainStorm’ s world: “There is this uncomplicated thing about the band. They read books, play chess... They are very cookie bunch, they embrace people, invite into their circle that is very nice and warm. But cockie is one word to describe them all!”

VV

Vopli Vidoplyasova: A Legend of the Ukrainian Rock Music

The group was formed and christened Vopli Vidoplyasova (or simply VV) in October 1987. The VV golden cast includes: Oleh Skrypka – vocal, bayan, saxophone, trumpet (he is also the author of many songs performed by the group); Yuriy Zdorenko – guitar, vocal; Olexandr Pipa – bass-guitar, back-vocal; Serhiy Sakhno – drums, back vocal.

www.vopli.com