THESE SIX SWEDISH CLUB KIDS HAVE BROUGHT NINTENDO-MUSIC TO THE UK AND ARE ABOUT TO HIT THE BIG TIME.
With a number 3 hit on the Swedish album chart (“that was wicked of course”) and over 240 shows across Europe and the US already under their belts, Slagsmalsklubben (a corny Swedish translation of ‘fight club’) are UK bound, complete with crazy toy synths and extreme keyboard sounds.
The Swedish 6-some – Hannes, Frej, Joni, Bjorn, Beebop and Kim – have brought Nintendo-style game console music to the UK and with it a unique scene already established amongst young Swedes back in SMK’s home towns of Norrkoping and Ronneby, Sweden. We caught up with Hannes, one sixth of the energetic spray, who counts ‘young indie guys and girls, computer nerds and dance-floor dudes’ as their core fan base. Still a taboo genre of music in Sweden, despite its underground popularity amongst youngsters, Hannes describes the UK as a ‘relief’ as it’s not so taboo here, instead more accepting and open to new things. Video-game music is already set to sweep the UK with bands like Hadouken!, Crystal Castles, Late Of The Pier and now SMK repping the new music genre.
The year 2000 marked the beginning of SMK when lead singer of band the Solbrillers failed to turn up to rehearsals, leaving the rest of its members – Joni, Bjorn and Beebop - playing around and experimenting with Nintendo electronic sounds. The rest of the guys were met through parties, school and various friends before themselves jumping onboard the SMK bandwagon.
The bands influences, according to Hannes, stem from various places; ‘We are six guys and we all listen to different music’. From Prince, 80s Chicago House and 70s funk, to indie, rap music, Daft Punk and The Pixies, SMK’s individual music styles clash yet come together within the band to create the eclectic mish-mash of game console and, what Swedes have coined ‘Nintendo music’, they all enjoy producing.
Taking you right back to the 90s, SMKs live performances, lead by their curly haired afro geek-chic front man, work the crowd into a hyped-up frenzy. Dancing relentlessly behind their DJ decks, the crowd follow suit proving just why Slagsmalsklubben are tipped to be the next big thing across the UK and festivals this year. Of playing festivals, SMK admit that “festival shows are much bigger and that can be fun but to play under a roof is always better”. Having played Oslo’s Synthfestival and Londons very own Camden Crawl, amongst many others, SMK stand on good ground to know what they are talking about. When asked what it was like to play the Camden Crawl Hannes told us “it was amazing, the UK fans are like our European fans; crazy and always ready for a good time, which is exactly what we are too”. Of all the venues they have played so far, Madame Jojo’s White Heat night on a Tuesday in London’s Soho district is counted as one of their favourites. “We also played at an old castle on a hill in Italy, that was really cool. It had a great atmosphere and the crowd were buzzing”.
The SMK boys project themselves through their music. Their love of music and party lifestyle are evident through the energy their music generates, “For me and Kim it’s been much of the Berlin music scene, Bjorn’s into the Parisian scene and Frej was a rapper when we met him”. According to Hannes “Bjorn and Kim do most of the composing” with himself doing the majority of the producing and Beebop contributing his “great synth playing”.
SMK don’t claim to be deep or meaningful in their music and admit they are just game for a good time. “I love playing in SMK, it’s like one constant party”. Touring with Late Of the Pier provided the perfect opportunity to have just that however turned out to be a more comfortable time than expected. “They are great guys and do great music so we liked touring with them very much. We thought it would be much harder than it was but they lent us their big house in Nottingham where we stayed most nights”. However, touring the UK tends to be a little less snug than the rest of Europe with usually no hotels (instead parties and floors) or food (instead burger bars and McDonalds). “We love Italy and France because we get very good food and wine”. Hadouken! are next in line for SMK to support, stopping first at the Electric Ballrooms in Camden on May 21st, “We can’t fucking wait!”.
Although for the time being SMK are bouncing off touring and doing the festival rounds (with Rockslide, Bestival, Spot Festival and Get Wild In The Country all lined up for the summer), Hannes admits he doesn’t want to live this touring life forever, “I don’t want to look like Keith Richards when I’m old”. However, with London’s mega club, Fabric, and Berghain and Panoramabar in Berlin still on their radar to play, I don’t think the last of Slagsmalsklubben has been seen, or will indeed be seen in the near future.
After that they hope to continue their bid in “getting big in the UK and the rest of Europe”. Their album ‘Boss For Leader’ (“It’s just a stupid name. We like the word ‘Boss’ and we want the boss to be leader”) has currently only been released in Sweden and Norway with a date this summer cemented for it’s release in Denmark. However, with record company EMI hot on their heels as well as releasing singles ‘Sponsored By Destiny’ and Kom Igen Kommissarien on Late of The Piers record label, ‘Zarcorp/Parlophone’, the UK can expect their album to hit our stores hard sooner rather than later.
www.myspace.com/slagsmalsklubben