Interview: Anekdoten
Interview Anekdoten: It all started back in the spring 1990 under the moniker King Edward. Nicklas Barker interview January 2004.

Historical Anecdotes and Tales 

 It all started back in the spring 1990 when Nicklas Berg, Jan Erik Liljeström and Peter Nordins started to rehearse King Crimson-songs under the moniker King Edward.

 A year later Anna Sofi Dahlberg joined and the band's name was changed to Anekdoten.

 In december 1991 the band recorded their first demo, including the songs Karelia, The Old Man & The Sea, Thoughts In Absence, Darkness Descends and Sad Rain.

 In december the following year(1992) a second demo was done, including the songs: Where Solitude Remains, The Flow, Longing and  Wheel.

 The band recorded their first album "Vemod" in March-April 1993 and the album was released in September that same year.

 In 1994 the band was touring in Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, USA and Canada and in early 1995 the band contributed a liveversion of the King Crimson song Cirkus on a compilation CD ('This Is An Orange'), which included songs by Scandinavian prog-acts.

 Their second album, 'Nucleus', was recorded during July - November 95' and released in december the same year.

 96', touring in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the band had a liveversion of 'Book Of Hours' on the "3rd Cyclops Sampler" CD.

 Live versions of Nucleus, The Flow and Karelia and the previous unreleased A Way Of Life was released in September 1997 in Japan as a mini-CD.

       In October 1997 they played three shows in Japan which was recorded and released(2-CD) in February 1998 by the Japanese label Arcangelo as 'Official Bootleg - Live in Japan'. 
 
They also perfomed a tour in Canada and USA in July 1998.
In October 1998 Nicklas Berg and Peter Nordins teams up with Stefan Dimle and Reine Fiske from Landberk and releases an album mainly consisting of soundtrack themes from horror-movies. They called themselves Morte Macabre and the title of the CD is 'Symphonic Holocaust', released as a double-LP in April 1999.

 In August - September 1999 the band was back in the studio to record their third studio album "From Within", released in October and followed by gigs in Italy, Germany, France and Belgium.

 The first Anekdoten South American-tour was in December 1999 with gigs in Argentina and Brazil.

 Anekdoten appeared at the NEARfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania USA in june 2000 and during the first half of 2003 they recorded 'Gravity', Anekdoten's fourth studio album, at Studio Atlantis, Toytown and Sisu Sound.

 In late summer 2003 the band shot a video for 'The War Is Over' in the archipelago of Stockholm with Tord Lindman as the producer.
You can view/download the video at Anekdoten's homepage.
 
Discography
 
1993 Vemod

The band recorded their first album 'Vemod' in March-April 1993 and it was released in September that same year.

TrackList:

01. Karelia [07:20]
02. The Old Man and The Sea [07:50]
03. Where Solitude Remains [07:20]
04. Thoughts in Absence [04:10]
05. The Flow [06:58]
06. Longing [04:50]
07. Wheel [07:50]
08. Sad Rain [10:14]


- Nicklas, what do you think about your debut album, 'Vemod' ?
'I don´t listen to it often. I think the production is strange and our playing isn´t that good. I really like some of the songs though.
- Favourite Song(and why)? 
'The Old Man and the Sea. I think the verse and vocal lines are beautiful.'
- Any anecdotes ;=) /special memories from the recording sessions? 
'We recorded and mixed the song in ten days, so it was very hectic. Quite traumatic actually.'

1995 Nucleus

Their second album, 'Nucleus', was recorded during July - November 95' and released in december the same year.

TrackList:
01. Nucleus [05:08]
02. Harvest [06:50]
03. Book of Hours [09:58]
04. Raft [00:58]
05. Rubankh [03:07]
06. Here [07:23]
07. This Far from the Sky [08:47]
08. In Freedom [06:27]

- and what about your second album, 'Nucleus' ?
'The playing is better but I think it is a little bit over the top today. The ruffest album so far.
It has some great atmospheres on it.'
- Favourite Song(and why)? 
'Nucleus. Like Black Sabbath jamming with Univers Zero'
- Any anecdotes/special memories from the recording sessions? 
'We added distortion to everything.'


1998 Official Bootleg - Live In Japan

'Official Bootleg - Live in Japan' was recorded in October 1997 when Anekdoten played three shows in Japan.
It was released as a 2-CD in February 1998 by the Japanese label Arcangelo.

TrackList:
01. Karelia [08:04]
02. The Old Man and The Sea [08:02]
03. Harvest [05:42]
04. Slow Fire [07:51]
05. Thoughts in Absence [03:38]
06. Road to Nowhere [04:56]
07. Book of Hours [10:04]
08. The Flow [09:14]
09. Groundbound [07:30]
10. Where Solitude Remains [07:58]
11. Wheel [08:58]
12. Tabatah [09:39]
13. Nucleus [06:10]
14. Rubankh - Parts 1 & 2 [12:48]


- Feelings about your live album 'Official Bootleg - Live In Japan'?
'It´s ok. Anyway it´s a real live album. No overdubs.'
- Favourite Song(and why)? 
'Tabatah. We decided not to record a studio version of this one because we could never redo such a energetic version.'
- Any anecdotes/special memories from the shows? 
'Recorded during two wonderful nights in Tokyo. Great sound and I even had a personal guitar roadie. On top of that the stage was airconditioned so you didn't sweat.'

1999 From Within

In August - September 1999 the band was back in the studio to record their third studio album "From Within", released in October 99.

TrackList:
01. From Within [07:25]
02. Kiss of Life [04:40]
03. Groundbound [05:24]
04. Hole [11:08]
05. Slow Fire [07:26]
06. Firefly [04:49]
07. The Sun Absolute [06:39]
08. For Someone [03:30]

- and what about your third studio album , 'From Within' ?
'Great songs and a very warm sounding album.
I wish we had put more energy on the arrangements though.'
- Favourite Song(and why)? 
'Groundbound. I like the dark melodylines.
Great vocals by Jan Erik, great drums by Peter & great keys by A-S.'

...and great guitar by Niclas, Hazelnutz comment.

- Any anecdotes/special memories from the shows? 
'We used the same piano as ABBA used on for example Dancing Queen.'

2003 Gravity


During the first half of 2003 they recorded 'Gravity', Anekdoten's fourth studio album, released.
in June 2003. Mixed by Simon Nordberg and Janne Hansson.

TrackList:
01. Monolith [06:07]
02. Ricochet [05:44]
03. The War Is Over [04:42]
04. What Should But Did Not Die [06:43]
05. SW4 [06:04]
06. Gravity [08:19]
07. The Games We Play [03:24]
08. Seljak [05:16]


- and what do you think about your latest album, 'Gravity' ?
'Our best album so far. The production is rich and some of the the songs are by far our best so far'
- Favourite Song(and why)? 
'Gravity. As close as I can come in doing the music I want to.
- Any anecdotes/special memories from the shows? 
'It was great to hear Simon Nordberg bringing the songs to another dimension in the mix.'

I agree, the best album by Anekdoten, buy It!! ..comment by Hazelnutz
 
Anekdoten Live : 27/04/2004 Mondo ,Stockholm, Sweden
 
Anekdoten Links 
 
Anekdoten Official Site