E – Update #6

Marcus and Sofia playing live. Photo: Jonny Andersson

I’m so happy to announce that we met our goal in the pledge and thanks to all of you who pledged we will be able to release the last part of L.O.V.E next week. If you haven’t pledged you can still pre-order the physical CD, T-shirts and other goods up till November 1st. After that the EP will only be available as a digital download.

For this update I thought we’d grill the producer a little bit, so I tied him to his amplifier and made him answer all these questions…

Marcus Högquist recording some guitar
Marcus Högquist recording some guitar

Marcus Högquist, you are the producer of “E – Part Four of L.O.V.E” and you are also the guitarist in Sofia’s band since many years, how do you think this recording was different than the others you’ve made with Sofia?
More guitars 🙂 The previous recordings I´ve done with Sofia have all been different from each other. For example, the first one we recorded almost completely live with just two microphones. All of us sitting in the same room and playing together. And for that one we used mostly acoustic instruments. For the following records we have been doing more and more overdubs, recorded separetly and used more electronic sounds. This time I’ve tried to capture the essence of Sofia’s songs and let them guide me toward where I was going. Maybe in some cases I’ve put them in a slightly new context, soundwise.

What’s your favorite song on the EP and why?
I like them all. But if I have to pick just one I’d say If  I had a man. I’m really pleased with how it came out.

If you would describe this EP as the love child of two bands/artists, which would that be?
John McEnroe and Mats Wilander 😉

If you would have had an unlimited budget, is there anything you would have done differently?
I think I would have recorded the songs live with the band in a big fancy studio somewhere in the countryside. We would stay there for a few days and be totally focused on making the best record ever. For relaxation between the sessions some of us would play some tennis, Christian would go fishing in the lake just outside the studio and Sofia would probably get a nice massage.

How come you chose “Lower Case Letters” as your re-make song?
Actually the new rhythm feel of that song came out of a mistake during a rehearsal that Sofia and I where doing for a promotion tour a few years ago. So for the following tour we decided to stick with that new rhythm arrangement and we did on our last US tour with the band as well. Then, when I was asked to pick an old song for this recording I just thougt it would be nice to record it that way.

Marcus and Sofia playing live. Photo: Jonny Andersson
Marcus and Sofia playing live. Photo: Jonny Andersson

What was your biggest challenge as a producer?
Because I recorded a lot of the stuff myself, I’d say being the the producer and the musician at the same time.

Exactly how many guitar tracks can we expect on “E – Part Four of L.O.V.E” ? 😉
Billions!!!

What’s your best words of wisdom when producing an album?
Keep an open mind. It might be good to have a plan for how you want the songs to sound. But be open for new ideas during the process and let them inspire you.

Thanks Marcus! We look forward to hearing your awesome creation!

“E – Part Four of L.O.V.E” is being released November 1st.

“I love you and all your shoes”

So I just told you I love food… Well I also love shoes. And any girl who loves shoes knows it’s more like an addiction. There are ladies who loves handbags. Me, I buy one that I love after many hours looking for the perfect one and wear it till it falls apart (quite literally).

But shoes… They’re quite a different story. I guess I could say I’m a shoe collector with no intention of being one. I see them and I think I shouldn’t. I think I have too many already. And yet they call out to me. Their tiny voices saying “buy me, buy me”.

So today with 15 minutes to spare between work and party I found these great not too high heeled boots on sale (of course).

I asked if they had a return policy – no.

I asked if I could have them reserved until tomorrow – no.

(At this point I felt I’d done all I could to turn them down.)

What was left to do but to buy them?

In a weak moment I heard myself saying” I’ll take them”, while picturing my overfull wardrobe at home, and at the same time picturing someone else walking away in these boots on sale in my size…

Walking to the party with the bag in my hand, I kept thinking how my husband would sigh over me buying yet another pair of shoes I don’t need. So when I called him later from the bar and told him about that new pair of shoes that would clutter our apartment I dreaded the worst but he said… “Honey, I love you and all your shoes”.

And I guess that’s a story of true love, whether you apply it to the shoes or the wife buying them.

new shoes
Yet another pair of great shoes, Jimmy Choo for HM

Guesting Swedish Radio p4

Hey!
This Friday, between 10.30 and 11.00 am, I'm guesting the p4 radio show Hasse & Ylva.
Unfortunately I won't be doing any singing but I will be talking :lol:, so don't miss it hehe.

Update: Listen to the show here. (Starts 5mins in after the news.)