Swedish Phenomenon

Fucking Åmål · Post by **Fucking Åmål** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:33 pm

Many of these forum are swedish so i may ask,why sweden have more bands than any other country?Even in the 80's there are more than 600 bands that recorded something(so i have found) and after reading the bands in www.punktipset.se my head really aches.In this land the bands grow like mushrooms.What is the conditions for all of these?

metalmaster · Post by **metalmaster** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:58 pm

Beign a non-swede, I would figure that it is because Sweden is a rich country which give you the oportunity to develop as musician or anything else. But Norway is more or less as rich as Sweden but they didnt have as much bands as Sweden...

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 6:24 pm

Good question and the weirdest thing of all is that lots of HUGE bands jumped out of Sweden. Top-notch quality that stands on its own in the worldwide metal scene. BATHORY, CANDLEMASS, MALMSTEEN just to name a few.

Correct me if i'm wrong but the Swedish take serious, thorough music classes while being at school. I mean they really learn Music, nothing like the hillarious hour of music class that most of the countries have incorporated in their likewise hillarious educational system (especially my country). So, i guess it's easier for them to form a band and play whatever they want. That's why you'll find huge scenes in every genre. I don't really know, that's only my opinion. Maybe someone ''from the inside'' can enlighten us a little bit more?

Post by **DaN** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:59 pm

One thing that people point to is our many commune/city-funded music schools. At least that's what people mention when they refer to the more (in)famous mainstream acts we pester the rest of the world with. My humble apologies

When it comes to more underground music I guess all young, new bands have benefitted from what I think is a quite unique system here:

When you start up a band and is in desperate need of rehearsal places, equipment and perhaps even a crash-course in the instrument of your choice, you can go either to the many government-funded educational centers and register your band as a course of study. Now you'll get a set amount of money everytime you rehearse (or at least everytime you claim you've rehearsed, he he..) and can then sponsor you band with this account. It's a bit of a complicated system, but most towns have at least one music organization that will help you with all the red tape. I used to be the president of one of these organizations in my old home town many years ago and it was pretty cool to get help & sponsoring with all this stuff. We used to put on shows, do radio, a magazine and all sorts of things. It was fun, but it took a lot of time, energy and dedication. Being unemployed helped I guess.

So, now you know where all those infamous, high Swedish taxes goes