Arn-Identified Flying Objects and Alien Friends On the Making Of “Dirty Dick Dies”
What was the initial spark or idea that led to the creation of "Dirty Dick Dies?"
Ideas usually come to me in short musical phrases, more or less from out of the blue. In this case, it was the bassline heard in the intro and the bridge, in combination with the words that open the song: “Dirty Dick was driving down Memory Lane”. The rest of the song grew out of this atom, and kind of wrote itself. Some tunes take months to write, this one was finished in an afternoon.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for "Dirty Dick Dies?"
That would be when the saxophone was recorded. I’d been struggling with arrangement and recording but had the annoying feeling that something was missing. With the sax, beautifully played by David Lennartsson, the bits fell into place. The somewhat sombre tune gained in variation and dynamics.
What do you like the best about this track?
I’m happy with the fact that I managed to tell a whole life’s story in four minutes. My lyrics sometimes have a tendency to become a bit vague (or too obvious – difficult balance there!) This one, I think, holds together rather well, but without telling too much.
How do you approach collaborations with other musicians or artists?
I usually talk to friends I’ve played with in the past or haven’t played with, but know from other arenas of life. I try not to be too specific here. Usually, fellow musicians come up with ideas that give the songs a breath of fresh air – and sometimes even new musical direction. Inspiring!
Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you're particularly excited about?
I’ve just written a bunch new songs for a new album – in Swedish. That’s a challenge, as I haven’t written songs in my native language for a loooong time. I might try to write English lyrics for some of the songs (rather than trying to translate), but haven’t made my mind up yet…
Big No No Releases “Hold Your Horses”
You cannot step into the same river twice. After exploring '90s indie rock and skewed kraut monotony on their self-titled debut album 2022, Stockholm-based quartet Big No No return with a lighter, more sprawling, and diverse sound.
"Hold Your Horses" - the colorful first single from a forthcoming album - smells as much of American guitar noise as it does of late '70s ironic power pop. The loops whiz by and the falsetto choruses surprise. Matthew McConaughey may have thought he had achieved all his dreams when he won an Oscar in 2014, but it was almost 10 years before he suddenly appeared in 'Hold Your Horses'. It's never too late to reach higher. Makes you think.
Just like on their debut, Big No No has recorded live in the classic INGRID studio in Stockholm, with Christoffer Zakrisson (Viagra Boys, etc) as producer, which gives the organically honest sound. This is music played together - in one room. During the fall, a series of singles will be released, leading to an album in the spring of 2024.