NEW LIGHT SHINING ON EARLY NINETIES BAND TOKEN!by Vera ‘Gothica’ With both feet in the roaring eighties, when we had the rise of artists like Yngwie Malmsteen and Europe, we still have some good looking bands of that kind coming from the North. Defending the faith of a good melody, bright guitar-work and solid rhythm base, I was happy to hear from Token. These guys were lately so kind to answer some questions of mine about their plans, the music scene in Sweden and the forthcoming video for ‘Human’.
‘Tomorrowland’
is waitin’ for you in the music stores as a promise for the future. Check it
out !!! Nic, as you are the one coming up
with the idea of a reunion, was it easy to bring Token back together again, just
a natural thing or did the other ones had to think about it and re-arrange their
projects ? ‘It
was an easy thing. Actually Mikael,
Johan and I started with just getting along and talked about what we wanted to
do. Since we hadn’t created music
together in about 10 years we had a lot to discuss how we wanted Token to sound
like. It took some time before the
sound took shape, but when we found it, lots of songs were written.
In 1991 Johan was the singer and guitarist.
HB joined when we reunited Token. Mikael
knew him since the time they were together in Scudiero.
He’s the perfect touch to Token. Pontus
came in after we had written most of the songs.
So all in all it’s been a nice journey.’ Is Token a real group now or a
project of people who stay free to collaborate in any other group/project ? ‘Token
is a real group and is the main focus for us ! Since we all are active and
creative people, we participate in projects outside the band too.’ You are from Stockholm.
Do you have contact with other bands there ? Is there an AOR scene ? ‘Yes,
we have contact with a lot of bands and musicians here in Stockholm.
The AOR scene is unfortunately quite small here, so people know each
other. For mention some, a few
friends are Eclipse, Pontus Norgren and Tommy Denander.
We are also friends with guys from 7 Wishes and Damned Nation, even if
they not live in Stockholm’. Do you have any connection with the
famous ‘Gothenburg’ sound ? Are there groups you know/like ? ‘Human
Race is a great band and very nice guys. Also
Mustasch and Freak Kitchen are great bands from Gothenburg’. What are your main influences ?
Music you listen to at home ? All band members the same favourites or are there
exceptions ? For this
questions we have a slightly difference between the guys HB
(singer) explains ‘I like all kinds of music from jazz like Frank Sinatra to
metal like Metallica and Pantera and everything in between, pop, rock, jazz,
soul, blues and all kinds of hardrock.’ Mikael :
‘I guess we have quite different influences.
Everything from Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Dream Theater and Metallica.
But mainly, we grew up as teenagers during the eighties where we sure
liked (and still like) bands as Yngwie, Europe, Glenn Hughes, Bon Jovi, Pretty
Maids and others’. Niclas :
‘I think we have the same heroes from the 80’s.
Accept was the first band I liked and after that I listened to lots of
the popular bands in the 80’s like Dio, Rainbow, Iron Maiden and so on.
Right now I think Blind Guardian’s latest is a great album’. Are you happy with MTM and will the
next albums be released on that label too ? World-wide ? ‘Sure,
it’s great to work with MTM Music. They
are superb in our genre and and follow-up album will be released with them if
anything works out fine with ‘Tomorrowland’.
We’ll see about the worldwide thing, that’s our goal’. You are into music since 1983,
I’ve read. Tell me more about
your former productions and gigs in Sweden ? ‘Well,
I have seen that information on some websites and honestly I don’t know where
it comes from. Sure all of us have
been involved with music from an early age.
Pontus for example started to play the drums when he was 5 years old and
Johan started to write songs at an age of 11.
Mikael and H.B. released an album ‘’Walking through mirrors’’
with Scudiero a couple of years ago. I’ve
done some minor releases in Sweden and Johan collaborated with Tommy Denander
and was recording a Swedish pop/rock album.
The project is still not completed’. Is
there still contact between H.B. Anderson and John Norum or Madison ? ‘There
has been a big misunderstanding that I have been playing with John Norum, the
truth is that I have never played with John but I’ve been playing with members
from John Norum Band. And regarding
Madison, we are from the same town in Sweden and we’ve been playing together
for years, especially Conny (the bass player) and Peter Fredrickson
(drummer).’ Are
there any tourplans ? ‘We
would love to come out and play ! Unfortunately there are very few places for
live performances here in Stockholm. Until
now we have been focusing on work with our website http://www.tokendirect.com
promoting ‘Tomorrowland’ and the recording of a video for the song
‘Human’, but hopefully we will get chances to play our music where it
belongs : live !’ If you go on tour, probably you
don’t have to choose, but if so, which countries should Token like to visit ? ‘I
would choose Japan, since they have world cup in soccer right now and have a
reputation of great fans, a nice combination I think …’ |
