Sandy Mouche EP (VI): Summer gigs in Lund and Malmö

Helena and Martinique Josefsson have married this summer. Due to the gigs with Per Gessle and Sandy Mouche, they have not got too many holidays. Helena and Martin have been together since she was 17 years old.

Sandy Mouche have been playing live in Lund and Malmö this summer.

* Kajplats 305, Malmö 2003 · 06 · 11

Studentkåren Malmös kårhus - Bassänggatan 8- It is a big house in central Malmö with a cafe, concerthall and rehearsalrooms for the students of Malmö Högskola (University of Malmö).

* Västra Hamnfesten, Malmö 2003 · 06 · 14

Västra Hamnen ("Western Harbour") is a modern district in the city of Malmö. The Western Harbour is currently being transformed from an industrial area into a complete urban quarter with accommodation, services, workplaces and educational facilities. The district celebrates its annual festival every June. Sandy Mouche played with The Mo, the Swedish nouveau glam rockers from Växjö that released the album City Heart in 2002.

* Blender Summercamp, Basilika, Lund 2003 · 07 · 12

Basilika Bar is a restaurant and a "nattklubb" (nightclub) with a small dance floor in St. Södergatan 13, Lund. It occasionally hosts live bands from Sweden and Europe. Basilika is considered the largest club in Lund: it has been able to admit 550 people sometimes.

* We & You, Bulltoftaparken, Malmö 2003 · 07 · 18

Bulltoftaparken is large recreational area in western outskirts of Malmö, designed in early 1980s in the area of former Malmö’s Bulltofta airport. The size of the park is 75 hectares, and it is a green oasis surrounded by Malmö’s residential suburbs, some light industry and big shopping centres. Revolution #9 announced in April 2003 the creation of a new pop festival to occur this summer on July 18-19 at Bulltoftaparken in Malmö: the "We & You" fest and they expect to book about 25 bands. Finally, the festival has included this year some bands as The Radio Dept., José González, Slagsmålsklubben, Gisela, Sandy Mouche, Dr. Higgins, Speedmarket Avenue, Ant, Hospital, The Winston Solution, Adria, The Dannys Says and Homeland.

* Kalas-Tour, Mölleplatesen, Malmö 2003 · 07 · 24

Möllevångstorget - The Kalas-Tour is a one day festival that runs through Sweden almost each summer with only Swedish acts. This year the artists are The Rawhypnols (Norrköping), The Stuckups (Kalmar), Gilmour (Visby), Firestone (Örebro), Hundarna (Skövde), Dog Almighty (Lysekil), Sandy Mouche (Malmö), Whitesilver (Varberg), Olivia (Göteborg), Soardy (Säter) and Kungers (Stockholm). Mölleplatsen has a capacity for about 20,000 people.

* Mejeriet, Lund 2003 · 07 · 25

Mejeriet, Stora Södergatan 64, Lund, is a multicultural venue with an emphasis on music. Mejeriet is probably the most famous place in Lund for live music, and known in the rest of Sweden too amongst music lovers. There is a mix of just about anything you might want to listen to here from jazz to clubbing via salsa and rock n'roll and many local bands reherse here too. The official name is Kulturmejeriet ("Culture Dairy") as the building was originally an old dairy. Whenever there is something on, they also have a bar and restaurant. Helena Josefsson had played there before (with Jive with Clive and ewing.1).

Sitting here among the trees of Santa Monica bay,
I can hardly speak i´m in too deep and it´s not my fault,
climbing up a tree towards the glowing cinnamon sky
chewing gums for free
i´m tasting yours, you´re swallowing mine,

A year goes by fleeing and so will I
I didn´t see u falling once again
I didn´t hear u calling a friend

This is not the end
we´re standing near the fall of our lives
truth will never lie
this moment is the key to our lives

"A Year" is properly the first song by Sandy Mouche. In fall 2001, Helena, Martinique and Per were on a beach on Crete, Greece, fall 2001. Martinique showed them this song in his minidisc. They sat in a café on the beach, eating. The song was vibrating, with its thin sound. The melody, the voice of Martinique and the chords were strong and Martinique told the others to start a band. According to Martinique: "I wrote it in 2001 on a Roland Juno 60 synthesizer. This was the song I made Per and Helena listen to during a trip to Greece. It became the first Sandy Mouche song and it's about living like there was no tomorrow".

This week "A Year" will be released in a compilation of Johnny Bråttom Records, Svensk Populärmusik vol 2.

In 2001, Viktor Banke, Adam Svanell and a couple of other friends started organising concerts under the name "Trevligt med rockmusik" in the small town of Kristianstad. In just a year, Adam and Viktor came up with the idea of releasing records as well, and Johnny Bråttom Records was formed. Trevligt med rockmusik fell asleep after little more than two years, as both Adam and Viktor had moved out of Kristianstad, but Johnny Bråttom lived on. Johnny Bråttom's first release, a co-operation with Trevligt med rockmusik, was the compilation cd "Svensk populärmusik vol 1". It featured Swedish artists like Slagsmålsklubben, Dr Higgins, Laakso, Thomas Denver Jonsson, Svenska akademien and Björn Kleinhenz. Adam and Viktor continue to release Swedish independent music in different genres.

Svensk Populärmusik vol 2 also includes two great songs by José González and Anne Brun.

Svensk Populärmusik vol 2.

• CDOASS - The Box
• Niccokick - Run, Run, Run
• Björn Kleinhenz - How Long Is The Night?
• Slagsmålsklubben - Filter Fabric Facts (DJ Upperkurt Instrumental Remix)
• Idiot Savants - Daily Routine
• Music 77 - Kameror
• Pete Thompson - Folk Song
• Lola Barbershop - Ticket To Happiness
• The Kid - Baton Rouge
• Junip - Turn To The Assassin
• The Topeka Twins - Hunting Song
• Menteroja - Call Me
• Bremen Brotröster GmbH - Greater/Better
• The Flu - Golden Hair
• Celestine - Sunflower
• José González - Heartbeats
• Café Polymorf - A Good Time
• Quit Your Dayjob - Pissing On A Panda
• Joni - Frank Xerox
• Ane Brun - Are They Saying Goodbye?
• Sandy Mouche - A Year

LJdM

Mazarinerna is the band (IV): The Rolling Stones in Stockholm ... and Mazarin rehearsing

According to Aftonbladet, Per Gessle (with his wife Asa) and Marie Fredriksson (with her husband Mikael Bolyos) were yesterday at The Rolling Stones Concert in Stockholm.

Gessle recorded a cover of "So Much In Love" with The Lonely Boys in 1995, released in their rare album in 1996. BTW, the Rolling Stones never recorded that but The Inmates did.

After Roxette’s groundbreaking performance in China in 1994, Mick Jagger contacted Marie Fredriksson and had dinner with her in order to find out how Roxette got permission to play from the strict Chinese government.

After the show, Per exclaimed:

I will go home now and cry with joy. Give it 15 plus! 15 plus!

Marie is a bit better and is working in a new solo album at home.

There’s a “Mazarin” hysteria in Sweden right now, the album is closing in on 170,000 copies sold - tripple platinum soon. His album “Mazarin” is still #1 in Sweden, and the single “Här kommer alla känslorna” is #1 since three weeks now.

“People are touched in a way I never could have imagined. It feels like everyone likes this, like everyone wants to see it. It’s not like I’m going uphill, really."

This last week he and the band “Mazarinerna” have rehearsed in a large studio in northern Stockholm, every day. The tour is on Gessle's mind constantly.

"We want room to skip a song, play a song twice or start over if it doesn’t sound good the first time. The family couldn’t take it, they moved down to Halmstad saying I was totally asocial. I’m all into this now. There’s so much to learn by heart, the lyrics, the flow of the show. But it feels damn great.”

LJdM

Mazarinerna is the band (III): Mazarin Promo Tour

Good times for Mazarinerna before the Summer Tour.

The Mazarin Promo Tour included some signing sessions in some shops: Åhléns (Stockholm and Halmstad, 2003.06.16), Folk & Rock (Malmö and Lund, 2003.06.18; Lund, 2003.06.27) and Rocks (Göteborg, 2003.06.27).

Before the Summer Tour, Per Gessle talks to Aftonbladet and Expressen about their promo gigs.

• 24/06/2003 Skansen Stockholm Sweden

Per Gessle performed the song 'Här kommer alla känslorna [på en och samma gång]' live, did an interview, and performed the song 'Kung av sand' live at the festival 'Allsång på skansen' with various artists (such as the Buddaboys, Mija and Greta Folkesson, Jerry Williams and After Shave). Broadcasted live by the Swedish television station SVT4. Gessle speaks about this gig:

I sound like Louis Armstrong, it’s really troublesome. I was truly convinced of cancelling. I have a fever, throat-ache and I'm tired. I only want to rest. The audience, though, was the best! Truly, the best! Cupcakes (Mazarin) are actually my favourite cakes.

• 25/06/2003 Aker Brygge Oslo Norway

14/07/2003 Idrottsplats Borgholm SwedenPer Gessle performed the song 'Här kommer alla känslorna [på en och samma gång]' live and the song 'Födelsedag' playback at the festival 'Sommaråpent' with various artists. Broadcasted live by the Norwegian television station NRK1. This is what Per said in the interwiew.

I'll be doing some TV appearances and I'm rehearsing for a big tour that will start in Sweden on 29 July 2003. So there will be a lot of 'Mazarin' for me this summer. We have a studio in Halmstad, where I come from. And there is a café where we always buy cupcakes to bring along the studio, so it has become a studio cake. So there I thought it'll have to be 'Mazarin'.

• 14/07/2003 Idrottsplats, Borgholm

Per Gessle performed the songs 'Här kommer alla känslorna [på en och samma gång]' and 'Födelsedag' singback at the festival 'Victoriadagen' with various artists (such as Robyn, Lisa Nilsson, Sanne Nielsen, Magnus Johansson, Peter Jöback, and the Swedish illusionists Stefan Odelberg, Peter Glyt and a famous foreign special guest). 'Victoriadagen' is an annual festival in conjunction with the birthday of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden. Hosted by Pernilla Månsson and Ola Lindholm. Broadcasted live as a TV-special 'Grattis Victoria' by the Swedish television station SVT1. Gessle spoke about this gig before it:

I have haven't even seen it on TV ever before, so I don't know what I'm getting into.

LJdM

Sandy Mouche EP (V): Mother - Notes & Bills

Notes & bills was born after a drive when I heard a r'n'b tune on the radio. Martinique wrote the cosy bridge. It is often like that, I know I want to sing and record but there is a big gloomy pile of everyday musts and useless words between me and the future dream. I just want to ignore the pile but it's hard. This song helps me sink into the dark red velvet sofa which is the gravelled road to the Sandy Mouche village.

Martinique made the chorus of Mother and I made the verse. My mother, Margareta, has always supported me with a firm hand. She never overprotected me, she always trusted me. And if I did wrong, she just showed me how to make it right again! I love her and I am happy that she knows how to accept it.

Mother- do you know what you´ve done?
You´ve given life to me as a gift without expectations.
And Mother- when I see your ruffled hair,
I know you dare to let me take a real life education.

C´est la seule façon de me voir, maman.
Ceci c´est la seule façon de m´entendre.
Je te remercie pour m´aimer, tu es
la personne que je vais jamais oublier.

Mother- U believed in me always
and in your face you radiate the strain of a Godess
And Mother- I know the price you paid.
Don´t be afraid the love you sent into the universe
returns to you multiplied
a thousand and a thousand times!

Helena Josefsson - H.J.

Sandy Mouche EP (IV): Cherry Pie - C'est pas juste

It´s time to sleep again.

My life is drifting by.
I sleep as much as I can.
I dream I am the moon,
the ancient light in your room.
I know u best of all.

Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me just one time
before I wake up place your lips on mine.
I love u cherrypie, c'mon now chéri cherrypie.

I sleep, I dream I am a plectrum in the pocket
of your brown bootcut manchester jeans.
U hold me everyday:
I sing the songs u play.
Hey your fingers tickle me.

Cherry Pie, the second song of the EP and the first song written by Helena Josefsson for Sandy Mouche's project, was recorded in Per Blomgren´s bedroom. We felt it was hard to beat the feeling that we had achieved there.

According to Helena: "I'd do anything to travel into the past. Just to visit one day of every year of Martinique's life since he was born! Unfortunately, I do not know how to. But if I was the moon, I could have touched his face with my light through all times, and I would see him as a child- he must have been a wonderful one!"

C'est pas juste is the third song of the EP. According to Martinique: "It is one of the early sandy songs. It makes me dance every time".

"Sandy" - Sandy Mouche