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root salad f22 GO’ Danish
Denmark’s leading folk label with over 150 releases. Chris Nickson interviews founder Erling Olsen.
T
hese days the releases seem to be dominated by younger musicians, often graduates of the folk degree programme and possess- ing remarkable technical skills. But, Olsen points out, “it’s hard to tell if it’s the older generation who are less active or whether the young generation just are more eager. What was the young genera- tion when the label began are getting older! I definitely think there’s a greater variety of music on offer between young and old generations now.”
Since that beginning with four CDs in the first year there’s been a “steady growth,” Olsen believes. “Over the years GO’ Danish Folk Music has released more than 150 CDs, a few DVDs and books. Recently I’ve been putting out fifteen to twenty albums a year. That’s as much as I can reasonably manage.”
GO’ Danish recording artists Jensen & Bugge B
ig oaks from little acorns grow, or so they say. And while it’s not a forest yet, the seed that Erling Olsen planted when he formed
the GO’ Danish Folk record label in 1999 has blossomed handsomely alongside the country’s folk music.
Olsen been touring as a member of the Faroese band Spælimenninir since 1980, across Scotland, the US, and Canada and as he visited different countries he realised that while most of the audiences were familiar with Swedish and Norwegian folk, the music of Denmark was an unknown quantity.
“There wasn’t any distribution or pro- motion of Danish folk music,” Olsen recalls. “So I started a distribution company to try and build up a Danish folk catalogue. After growing well for a year or two, in 1999 Har- ald Haugaard and Morten Alfred Høirup asked me to help them with their debut CD, Haugaard & Høirup – Duo For Violin & Gui- tar. Go’ Danish Folk Music was born, and the same year we released three more CDs from Phønix, Serras and Fenja Menja.
The timing was perfect. Not only were there bands looking for a label, but the national Danish folk music organisation was beginning to focus on promoting and exporting bands as a new generation of musicians came of age, looking to do more than play for dances. They were hungry to perform concerts and take the music abroad.
“The Carl Nielsen Academy started a Danish folk music degree at that time too,” Olsen notes. “There was a great synergy in
what we were all doing. And there we got a great response from outside towards the ‘new’ folk music from Denmark.”
From those small beginnings, the entire scene, and the GO’ label, developed at a remarkable pace. Back then the rural, folk dance roots of the music were still very fresh, and many of the earlier releases reflected that; after all, Denmark’s first folk revival didn’t happen until the 1970s and it was definitely rooted in the countryside. These days, although the artists who have emerged are schooled in the tradition, they’re also aware of other styles and what’s been happening in the roots music of other countries.
“There are many different crossovers and styles these days,” Olsen says. “That means the music has much more potential for venues and festivals at home and abroad. Where it was once all devoted part- time musicians, nowadays many more are making their living from music.”
One thing that sets GO’ apart from most labels, and makes it still a labour of love as much as a business, is that Olsen never considers probable sales figures when releasing an album.
“I’m more interested in how committed the bands are and their story. The sales gen- erally depend on the band’s live perfor- mance and activity. My criteria are the music has to be Danish-produced and it must involve Danish musicians. It could be young, upcoming bands, established artists on their second, third or more CD, a documentary… I’ll consider all kinds of Danish folk projects.”
Part of the reason for that increases lies with the increased global awareness of Dan- ish music. GO’s success goes hand-in-hand with artists playing more and touring all over the world.
“If they’re active playing and travelling and doing well, they build up a network, audiences, and contacts. That makes people more open to Danish folk in general and helps clear the road a little for the bands that come after.” And, by extension, for the label.
Inevitably, though, once a business starts to boom, there are casualties. In this case, it’s ironically Olsen’s time to play music himself.
“The chances are almost non-existent
now. But I still try to do it if I can, to meet friends, have fun and play a tune or some few gigs with some of them.”
Olsen remains very aware that, just like every other label, GO’ faces plenty of chal- lenges in the next few years. Things are changing rapidly, even out on the musical margins. But he’s very upbeat about the prospects.
“As long as GO’ Danish Folk Music remains a relevant option for Danish folk musicians the future looks fine. It means that we need to adapt to the market and surroundings, though. Right now there are plenty of challenges: we need to consider the way we think of the CD as a medium, the growing digital market, promotion, all those things and more. But the Danish folk music scene is full of energy with lots of new ideas, bands, and musical influences. All together the expectations for the future can only be positive.”