back to PB & J. Otherwise known as peanut butter make a feature film (laughter).” many times over the course of numerous careers.
and jelly to their diehard fans. It was a great pleasure Now, Peter, Bjorn and John’s first major success in Peter has a definite joy in creating music and never
to speak with Peter from his home in Stockholm, the United States was the smash hit, “Young Folks.” thought twice about doing anything else, saying “It’s
Sweden and learn more about his love of music and It is an interesting chapter in the group’s history as always been a big thing for all of us. We all come from
the new release called Living Thing. Peter elaborates on what a crucial time that was for really small villages in the north of Sweden and there
Peter, Bjorn and John definitely don’t enjoy stick- the group and this sudden fame. “We didn’t have wasn’t much to do. For some reason, we all got inter-
ing to the same formula, as Living Thing is a bold step any expectations really. We had made two albums ested in music very early on. Then, the problem was
into new musical territory. Peter explains just how before that and it didn’t happen really. We toured a there weren’t a lot of other people around who were
the process works and where the inspira- interested in music so eventually we
tion comes from for the group as they are moved to Stockholm and met each
creating new work. “For every new album, other. I’ve played guitar since I was
we constantly try to reinvent the band ten-years-old. The aim was always to
and do something different. Obviously, write pop songs. It was always learn
last year we did an instrumental album so a few basic chords and write a song.
that is about as different as it can get. This That was the aim. It’s been a lifelong
one is more of a regular pop album. Still, passion.”
the way we did it was kind of not going Now that Peter is somewhat of a
the expected route but rather twisting world traveler and somewhat dis-
and turning things a bit weird, which was tanced from that small village where
the intention. We wanted to do some- he grew up... what parts of the world
thing a bit spooky… maybe colder or does he enjoy the most? “There are
darker. There is a song called “Blue Period loads of amazing places. The last
Picasso” like something Picasso would place we visited was Brazil and Ar-
have painted during his blue period. Mel- gentina. I’d love to go back there and
ancholy and sort of sad but at the same see a bit more. Also Turkey and Aus-
time it’s a very rhythmical and swinging tralia. Obviously, I love the south of
album. We work a lot with the opposites. Europe like Italy and Spain. It’s cliché
There are songs with a happy lyric and a to say… but it’s true (laughter). We
sad tune and there are songs with a sad spent so much time in America but
lyric and a happy tune (laughter). now with a new record and coming
Mentioning that there is a minimalist back with some new songs, it is great
approach to several songs, Peter replies, to come to New York or Los Angeles
“We wanted to give a lot of air in the music and feel that you already know it a
and just work with a couple of elements bit. I like all the places.”
per song. I think we succeeded.” There is inspiration for the artist
The first single out of the gate is the in all parts of the world. Peter shares
rhythmically snappy tune called “Nothing one of those moments, “It is inspir-
To Worry About.” With a chorus of children ing just to walk around in big cities.
chanting the intro, it is Peter who sings the verses on bit in Sweden and had other jobs and everything. We went to Berlin recently and I realized that I haven’t
this one. He sounds eerily familiar in vocal qualities Then, we thought we’re going to make one more seen anything of Berlin because I have played there
to John Lennon. Telling him this and realizing that album and see what happens… and maybe disband loads of times but we only go in and out. This last
he probably has heard this compliment numerous (laughter). Obviously [“Young Folks”] was a catchy time, I was able to walk around a bit more and see
times before, you can hear the smile in his voice as song, we always thought that. Just in a smaller all the history that is in that city. I can tell you a story
he says, “Oh yeah, he’s a great singer!” The video for sense, because we didn’t have any international about how a song can start a life. John was looking
the song is also a hoot as Japanese bikers perform record labels or anything. So, that’s as about as far as for a record shop called Dig A Little Deeper. When we
in the park and even line dance country-style. Peter we thought about it. But, obviously it blew up, one were going in a taxi around the center of Berlin, I saw
gives the backstory on the details. “We lent that country after another. All of a sudden, we were out a sign for an art exhibition that said, ‘all art has been
over to a good friend Andreas Nilsson, who’s done touring all the time. It changed everything for us re- contemporary.’ I thought those two lines together
a lot of great videos for The Knife. He went with his ally. We quit our day jobs (laughter). It’s great. I think it work really well…all art has been contemporary,
brother to Japan for holiday. He saw these rockabilly came at the perfect time too. It was the same period dig a little deeper. So, I remembered that and went
biker greaser gangs dancing in parks and he thought that MySpace became big and a lot of the blogs and home and wrote a song. It’s inspiring to walk around
that would be a good idea for a video. It’s really like a the Internet sites became big at the same time. It all or eavesdrop on conversations in cafes. I love writing
mini-documentary. He just follows around one of the happened during that period. I think that helps.” songs.”
leaders of the gang. They have four hours of footage For a musician or musical artist, that one big hit Living Things and Peter, Bjorn and John…contem-
of him making his hair look as it does! It’s enough to can sometimes make it or break it. It’s been proven porary art indeed.
APRIL 2009 | RAGE monthly 25
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