Cycling Trivialities

Cycling Trivialities from Jose Gonzalez on Vimeo.

Me and José spent a month together in Japan.
We traveled to Tokyo, Sendai, Kyoto, Tazawako and Naoshima by train.
Trains are perfect place to listen to music, write, watch movies, or just contemplate deep existential thoughts...Hahaha...OR you can make a movie of the landscape!
It was one of the best trips ever.
I recommend it to everyone!

Those Dancing Days "Hitten"

This video is by Daniel Eskils from 2007.
The song and the singer and the whole everything is so adorable!!
It gives me teenage flashbacks and makes me wish I had curls.

School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep

First time I heard this song I didn't think much of it.
For some reason I thought It was boring but I kept listening to it.
Im so addicted to this song now!!!
And of course teased for dissing it at the first place.
Well some songs aren't like love at first sight but grow and might just last a lifetime ; )

The world’s great symbolic knot!

Yesterday on my way to the studio I was listening to a Swedish radio program on my ipod called P3 konflikt.
It spoke about the trauma and destruction in Gaza, the blockades and Hamas, the rebuilding needed and what the journalists that were allowed into Gaza have seen.
The reports were touching and so tragic.
I live in a country were these kinds of stories feel so distant from my reality and its shocking and unbelievable to hear that these cruelties exist.
So there I was walking with my ipod in tears deeply disappointed that this was not a sad tale but something actually going on at present.

Cecilia Udén is a Swedish reporter who interviewed docters and patients at a Hospital in Gaza
There she spoke to Sabah Abu Halima who lost her husband and four children by Israeli attacks.
-My son said "Mother I am burning" but i could not save him.
Why did I survive, my heart is more burnt than my body she says to Udén.
-We don't belong to Hamas we are farmers she says.
Udén spoke about the injured civilians but also about the psychological damages and the effect on children.
She interviews a girl at home on her grandmothers sofa and asks her what happened on that sunday a few weeks ago.
-I had been sleeping over at my grandmothers house then grandma suddenly woke me up at 5 in the morning to tell me that our house was bombed my mother, father my two younger brothers and sister were all killed, I am the only one left.
The girl told the story again and again without showing emotion as if her heart had gone cold and tears run out.
-I will never forgive them she says.

Check this article from The New York times!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25atran.html?_r=1
Peace,
y

Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop The Music

Its been a bit of a coma in the studio today.
Erik Fred and Håkan where all working on separate new ideas and also on radio edits of our new tracks.
I was trying to come up with melodies and lyrics from one idea to the next.
By the end of the day my head was mash and I felt like my thoughts were on repeat.
Its a bit fuzzy...but then I love the struggle of making music.
I will wake up certain nights with some melody or beat the guys have made in my dreams, Its funny.
Tonight will be one of those nights.
Heres Kate for u ; )
y

Latcho Drom

Here is a clip from the film Latcho Drom directed by french directer Tony Gatlif.
Its a documentary about gypsy culture throughout the world and the theme is their music and dance.
There is no dialog ......Its beautiful!
You must see it if you love music!!!!!!!!

She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?

Got to give it up!

This is one of my favorite Marvin Gaye songs and think its the only disco track he ever made ; )
looooooooooooooooove,
yuuuukiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!
xx

WildBirds & PeaceDrums

There is so much music in gothenburg well Sweden in general I guess.
Among the Swedish indie favorites like Lykke li, José Gonzalez, Peter Björn and John, El Perro Del Mar let us not forget
Wild Birds& Peace Drums!
I have known Mariam for a few years now even though we hardly ever hang out I always feel happy to see her. She puts on a wicked live show with her husband!

Devo-Whip It

Jan Hammer*Don't You Know

YMO!!!!!

This is my favorite track by them....don't you love it!

Silent Shout.........LIVE

Saw there live show at Pukkel Pop a couple years ago and got goosebumps.
It was massive with incredible lights and projections!
Check out Fever Ray aswell!

One thing indeed!

I can still listen to this track over and over.
Hope you haven't forgotten about it!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              

Demonstrations are being held all over the world against the Israeli assault on Gaza, hear is a  picture from Shibuya Tokyo. 

Last fall José Gonzalez was invited to do a few shows in the middle east starting from lebanon, Beirut to Dubai and Israel.

Me and Erik were asked to come along as accompanying  musicians.

Of course we said yes, we had never been to any of those countries before and felt exited to experience new cultures and places we unfortunately had seen  only on the news.

The promoter from lebanon wrote in his email p.s by the way there is no war here now. I guess to assure us or perhaps break the ice.

Beirut was more intense than I had imagined, traffic was mad and food so delicious!

People we met were warm and proud of there country but tired of the wars, they seemed to have found a way to live in the chaos. Beirut made a strong impression on us and we made plans to come back some time next year.

On our short stay in Dubai we got the feeling that it was kind of like a playground for the rich.

I guess it must be the Las Vegas of the middle east.

An expanding city built in the middle of a dessert.

Of course not all people living in Dubai are wealthy. The people building all the palace hotels are most certainly underpaid and I cant imagine what its like working outside doing construction in 40°C.

We had a few friends of ours who were against us playing in Israel.

I remember I stopped buying certain fruit from Israel at one time because I was against Israeli occupation of Palestine so there reactions were not surprising to me. 

I am still strongly against the war and how unfair it is. It feels upsetting to see how clearly it is a violation against human rights. But what kind of boycott is really affective?

There must be plenty of people in Israel who are opposed to the acts of their government.

After all people don't react to  bands going to tour in the states just because they don't agree with the bush administration invading Iraq.

I will justify our doing a show in Israel partly because the show was part of Amnesty Internationals Small Places Tour which José mentioned during the concert.

And because I believe at least when it comes to the arts that boycott does not necessarily have to be the best option. As an artist you can always reach out and speak your mind through interviews ( I guess this depends on the country- in Chinas case it would be difficult I imagine because of censorship.) or symbolically donate your fee to amnesty or some human rights group.

Well...please read this article by Naomi Klien

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/10/naomi-klein-boycott-israel

These last weeks the atrocities in Gaza have escalated and everyday more innocent people are being killed. As you probably already heard from the news.

 I recommend you to take a look at democracy now a people sponsored news site.

http://www.democracynow.org