Wedding in Vegas....

After months and months of writing, traveling and enjoying myself it suddenly felt like it was all coming to an end. The album was about ready to reveal itself. We had a few sessions booked at Dave Ways place again, where we did the tracks of Chasing Butterflies and At The Rainbows End.

My producer Martin Landqvist was over in LA and we sat at his hotel down on Venice Beach writing new songs and finalizing the old ones. We took a hike up the hills to see Jim Huff, and to finalize "Waiting for the Rain" in his lovely backyard. I´ll always remember that month.....cuz my car had broken down, and the garage was kind enough to lend me a Mazda Miata from 95. It was the most fun car to drive...A little red cab...THAT was love!  Just driving up to Laurel Canyon, get a coffee at the Country Store and then go home would put a big smile on my face.  One night we had dinner at "Pace" just below the Country Store. We came to talk about weddings, our friends from " Carolina Liar" me and my producer with his girlfriend and their little baby.

Something must have started there, because the morning after, Martin calls me up and says. " We´re ready, baby!" In 24 hours he had arranged the whole thing and not long after we were 8 people in a van going to Vegas for their wedding. A 2 day wedding in Vegas that was just totally a blast.....and yes, as you say.." whatever happens in Vegas......" it´s not only a saying...
The ceremony was held at the bottom of Grand Canyon, by the river. We flew in with the helicopter and it was just a majestic sight. Nature at it´s best. It is the best place I have ever been performing in so far.  I sang one of Martins songs called "Holding the River". Goosebumps all over.

One of the most beautiful weddings I have been to. Back in LA we continued the mission. Everything falling into place and ready to be taken home to sweden for mixing. But before that...photo shoot for the cover in Laurel Canyon..........

Waiting for the Rain...Urban Gypsy Diary...

I settled in my apartment on the corner of Gardner and Oakwood, and decided not to have too much stuff and keep my life minimalistic. I had all I needed for now. My computer, a guitar, recording equipment, a bed and a kitchen table. And Mr Bonzai. My little Silver Wolksvagen Beetle. Many lyrics were born there,  thoughts and plans for the future. Some fulfilled, others still waiting.
I continued working down at the Nightbird Studio and David Gamson (Scritti Politti) came along. He made 2 wonderful productions of  "Don´t look Down" and "Surrender" amongst other things...David is a master dude!!

David Gamson and Jed Leiber at Sunset Marquis

The following months I had a blast. Life is a roller coaster ride, yes...but mostly full of good stuff. I met and became friends with such great people both in and outside the hotel. Countless stories and wonderful memories. Jason Rowe was recording downstairs and both me and Daphna Dove were doing backups...Little did they know back then that they would get married a few years later.):)

Jason Rowe and Me

Days went by just hanging, writing and spending time with wonderful people. You could say I was collecting impressions, experiences and inspiration  as that is what life is about for me. I just felt like being home. A small fish in a big pond but still strong and determined. The album was far from ready but I had to give time to the process. And so I did. I spent my days writing and hanging....

Robert Ferrone, me and Billy Gibbons having a great lunch..

with a dolphin

with Tom De Luca and his parrot

with a bunch of Happy Campers....

with my girlfriend and GREAT guitar player Rayne Fitton

hanging w Gunnar..

and by the Pier in Santa Monica.

All Good. ....to be continues....

Don´t Look Down

I continued working down at the Nightbird studio at the Sunset Marquis. Jed and I started a collaboration, and he brought on his old time friend Jeff Barry. A part from being a super soulful and wonderful man, Jeff is also a songwriting legend. His creativity spans over long time and having songs like " Sugar sugar" or "Chapel of Love" from the 60´s up until today, the man is fanatic. Get accointed:  this is music history!!   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Barry

Jed Leiber, Me and Jeff Barry at the Sunset Marquis

A very close friend of mine was in trouble, and I wanted to write a song for him, to cheer him up and keep fighting the bad stuff. A song of encouragement and comfort.
I have always had the dream of me standing on a cliff, and in every dream different things happen on that cliff. I had the image of us standing up there, and it was awfully high.
I told my friend that if you look up, you won´t feel the fear the same way you do when you look up. As an experiment, try to look up to teh sky and think a negative thought. It is very difficult.
So, whenever your feeling down, Look Up!!
Jeff nailed the lyric with our hours of conversation and one night, we went up to the bar in the hotel. Jed introduced me to Billy Gibbons, who just happened to be around. He was in songwriting mode so he joined in to finish the song. It was a very special evening and one of those moments I love so much,  when things just fall into place and you are open for anything to happen. I mean, who would have known about this, when I woke that morning? Sometimes it is good to have no set plans, cuz it open sup to chance. I reckon it is also very typical for that hotel. I mean, where in the world would I end up having a drink in the bar  with Bryan Adams??

Coming down to the studio and time for vocals on Don´t look down, it looked like this in the vocal room. That´s love! The staff sure knew how to treat vocal chords:):)
When the song was ready and done, Billy invited us over to his radio show where he sends live every weekend.
That was the first time Don´t look Down was played, newly baked from the studio oven .  Since Billy love  classical cars, the radio show was held in the Classic Car center in LA.  Countless really cool, stylish cars were displayed, among them his huge private collection. I fancy old cars, and at the time I had a Morris Minor 58, so I kinda felt like one in the gang...:)

Billy Gibbons and Miss Meja

                                                             Back to the studio we continued writing more songs.
One of them is "Surrender". for some reason we did not finalize it, and I am still working on the lyrics. Some songs take longer time to mature, others are written in a heart beat. That´s just the way it is.
 Like Keith Urban once told me, so wisely " You can not force songs to be written, you just have to wait until they demand to be born"
So, "Surrender" is definitely on the upcoming album. I even have painted a huge painting for it.....symbolizing the open arms, surrender into the great wide open!

The Marquis Sessions

Session at Night Bird Studios at the Sunset Marquis

After spending 2 days at Dave Ways fab homestudio in the Hills I figured it would be a good thing to continue the recordings at the Nightbird Studio down in the hotel. We had some great days of music, friends dropping by and creativity. I am a total fan of both the hotel and the studio, and the whole setup is brilliant. Not only on the technical side where the studio holds basically all you want ( and more) but the vibe is there. The vibe to me is the most important thing. I gathered the guys.....

Pete McNeal, Dave Wilder, Jeremy Ruzumna, Me, Lyle Workman

If I could I´d play with these guys forever.  We recorded a whole bunch of songs, and some of them will be on the upcoming album. Friends dropping by in the process, Billy Steinberg came down as we recorded out song " I know how you feel" that we wrote a week earlier ( with Josh Alexander), Bruce Lampkov joined the band doing handclaps on the live on the spot written song " Still Wondering"
We had 30 minutes left before time was up, so we just said, what the heck. let´s jam a song together....turned out great ( also coming up.......) and Jeff Barry, the wonderful I can not say enough good things about this man, who shaped up the song "enough" with his brilliant lyrics. (also coming up....)

Jeremy Ruzumna, Me, Jeff Barry

I got a wonderful bracelet as a gift from Jeff. I have worned it out and it breaks my heart. Still keep the beeds..... Sometimes it is nice to hold on to the passed. Even though it has already passed.):)  Maybe that´s one of the reasons why I do this " blog from yesterday" right now....It was such a great period o fmy life and we had such a blast, and musically it was an adventure.  The Hotel is like the good old Hotel California that The Eagles sing about.  You can check in but you can never leave... Living, eating, breathing, singing, recording in the same space. I rarely got out of there. Occasionally visited the best Japanese little whole in the wall place round the corner, but that´s it.

Me n Lyle Workman at the Marquis

Jeremy Rusumna, the man the myth the DUDE!!

One night I was heading out for dinner, when I found this guy sitting in the stairs outside the hotel. He looked at me,  bit gloomy and asked me for a lift to the Roxy.  I had no clue who he was, but yeah, sure...jump in...On the short trip from the Marquis to The Roxy he was singing for me the whole time. "- What do you think of this melody ??" he asked and changed to something new. I was amused, he was probably stoned.  As I stopped the car, he looked at me for the first time....said thank you very much for the ride, now time for work! " and then he left. I say the signs outside the club saying " Tonight The Lemonheads" I had just driven the singer to his gig.
We continued recording, Oh, gotta mention the master technician himself by the mixing board Barry Rudolph. He was a lovely fella. You know. I have been lucky ...of all the peeps I have bumped into, very very few have been assholes.

Jason from Nightbird, Me and Jed Leiber

Back to LA on the Path, Sunset Marquis Hotel

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In February I went back to LA. I had a bunch of songs to record and wanted to write new ones with my collabs there. But where to record and with who was yet a mystery. Via my publishing-company Kobalt I was booked to stay at Hotel Sunset Marquis. I thought it would be just another hotel, but it really didn´t turn out to be just only that. Arriving early evening to the hotel, checked into my room and went down to get something to eat before my eyelids hit the floor.....The hotel has a quite small room for dining inside, and there I sat by myself enjoying a lovely meal, when a man comes up to me, says hi and welcome to the hotel..".-you just arrived ehh??you must be an artist???"   "-Yes I replied" in my daze... "-Well you are here all by yourself and there are 2 gentlemen in the bar sitting by themselves, would you mind if I introduced them to you?  Before I even had time to take a breath 2 happy guys stood at my table. They were giggling and friendly and I asked them to sit down. We started talking about everything else except what we were working with..but later of course that came up. The wonderful guys were Stuart Price and Steve Sidelnyk, working down in the studio in the hotel with the new Madonna album. So, the big world in LA became very small when first, Stuart, who´s been working with Madonna for a long time, of course knew my friend Jonas Åkerlund who makes a lot of her videos etc, but Steve, who suddenly became quiet and said "-sooo you are THAT Meja, whos album I played on a few years ago????? "It turns out that Hamish (Stuart) who produced my "Mellow" album, were best buddies w Steve and called him in for some drum additions in London. 2 degrees of separation...
One afternoon I was doing down the elevator to the studio to see the guys. The door opened and a blond spiky haired stranger stood there and said " Hi Meja! How are you doing???" He was also going down to the studio, that he apparently was the owner to. For a weird reason it felt like I had known him forever. That´s how I got introduced to Jed Leiber. Timing.

Jed Leiber and Meja

I decided to start the recordings at Dave Ways studio in his house in the Hills. It has a great vibe and Dave is one of the most talented people I know. As I trust him dearly he gathered the band. And the band...I loved "my" band. Keyboards :Jeremy Ruzumna, Bass :Dave Wilder, Guitar : Lyle Workman and on drums for day one Brian McCloud.  We started recording Roses in December. All the takes live and the song straight thru as is should be. The vocals are just one long take with no corrections what so ever. That´s what we ended up with and that´s what´s on the album.
I owe Dave thanks for these wonderful sessions!! Really!!

Brian McCloud and Dave Way 

Jeremy Ruzumna and Dave Wilder

Jeremy and I

to be continued......

Roses In December

On my way back to Sweden from LA I stopped for a few days in London. A friend of mine was opening for Bryan Adams and I thought it would be great to see, first and foremost my friend, but also Mr Adams (whom I later took several elevator trips with at the Marquis..but that´s another story..) Enjoying London, and my girlfriends flew in, and we had a blast. Friends are what you need when your heart is broken. I went home to the south of Sweden. I needed to re-claim my energy and re-charge my heart. I came home first days of December, where snow had already fallen. Heavy hearted I went out into my back yard, to find that there was ONE rose still in full bloom, in the midst of all the white cold snow. It was so beautiful, and inspiring. Still Hope. A rose can bloom in December. I took a snapshot went in and sat down in the living-room, with a candle lit I wrote Roses In December.

Urban Gypsy in LA, At the Rainbows End

Arriving in Los Angeles, finally, after spent a month by a lake:):)  The first thing I did was to go to the ocean. I stayed in a small hotel in Santa Monica that my friend and co-writer Billy Steinberg recommended.  Billy lended me a guitar for my stay, and I spent hours and hours inside my room writing.  I took long walks on the beach every day, and down there, by the pier and along the beach towards Topanga I started the lyrics for Rainbows End in my mind, without knowing it would become that song. The mix of fancy cars, bikes and rollerbladers, kids playing and dogs running, and homeless sleeping.

As usual in this world the balance is off track. The Super rich and the super poor, the good ones and the real bad guys, The happy dudes and the mellow ones and the ones full of themselves where others are hungry. The duality on this planet rules. Finding balance in a shaky outside world we need to find peace within. So much right and so much wrong. " At The Rainbows End" became a kind of melancholic song...where " It don´t matter what I do anyway" shows some kind of hopelessness towards life and our expectations (mine in this case.):):). That´s what I felt back then, and now I have been trying to crawl out of that whole.

Inner and outer peace....that´s the key ...  LA showed me it´s best sides. Billy took me for a showcase and there I met my gaaaaaarlfriend and her husband. They have become close and important people in my life. Time flew and before I had to get back to Sweden, they organized a lovely dinner for me, where Paul Buckmaster, the one and only, made some super fab Italian food for us. A night to remember, REAL luxury= Good friends, great food and inspiring conversation. LA all I can say is...I´ll B back

Inspiration Etta James on Janis....

NashVegas

The art show had ended and I was preparing the US writing trip. My publishing-company Kobalt Muisc, had prepared a great line up of writers for me in Nashville, along with my other  Nashvegas friends. Maia Sharp came and  picked me up at the airport.
First time in Nashville, even the airport had a sense of music about it. The city breathes and lives music. It is so present in every little corner of the place. I fell in love right away.
In a couple of days we wrote Bohemian Behavior and Unpredictable, song that we are recording now in November. Writing with Maia is always  pure pleasure.
From the first time I met her, at Miles Copelands songwriting sessions at the castle in France back in 1999, we´ve always stayed in touch and been collaborating. We wrote "Wake up call", for the Mellow album. and a cool track with Howard Jones back then. That was a memorable week at the castle. The vibe, the mix of writers, like Lisa Loeb, Keith Urban, Howard Jones, Pat Mcdonald, Conner Reeves...so inspiring and fun.
Every day we were teamed up with new writers, and the rule was one song a day. At dinnertime we played our newly written songs for  each other and gave feedback. And had great food and great wine and great fun. Maia is one of the most talented writers I know, check her out!!  www.maiasharp.com.

Nashville was hot like summertime, still it was late september. I was surprised how green the surroundings were. Later I got to know that they call Nashville "The Emerald City". Now I get it.

I ended up staying in Nashville for a month. I totally loved the atmosphere there. And my friends....I crashed at Emma Grandillo´s place and we ended up sitting in the porch writing songs most days and evenings, inviting others to come over and hang and have a good time.  "Little White Feather " Inspired by the Native American Indians, was born there, and Lonesome Rider, Drunk Dialing and Second Life, Sentimental Rain.  I learned that´s how you do it here, you just write and write and hang and have a good time and write some more.There´s always a guitar in the backseat of the car.  I met so many interesting people. Learning something new every day.. Like the stranger at the Cafe who showed me how I could make my own books in my MAC.  There I made my first book with my art in it,  And all  the wonderful people, Dennis Matkosky, Whitney Dane, Monty Powell, Anna Wilson, Tom DeLuca, Jim Lauderdale, Jay Joyce... a talented and great guy, and old time friend of Emmas. We entered his studio one afternoon........(love the door mat.)

Me being an ocean lover, I just had to find somewhere to relax by the water whilst being in the middle of the country... I found a lake.....it served it´s purpose......I took long walks every day there, and found my place to sit and get inspired, write or meditate.

                                    After a while I was longing for the ocean. Mission completed.
                                                                    Time to go to LA

The Making of Urban Gypsy...part 1 Mallorca

Me, Gota, Nico Belotto and mystery woman....

A thought of Amy

I´m thinking about Amy. I´m thinking about how incredibly wrong things can go. Some situations in life you should not gamble with. Some situations do not have an escape button. I did not know Amy, but I know the kind. There are many artists hanging on a thin thread, living in a lucid dream up to the point it will seem as reality, not realizing it has travelled far far from any signs of presence.
5 years ago I was working in London, taking a cab to the studio. Some cabdrivers are more talkative than others and this one, was a really nice and wordy man. He said he was the best friend of the father of Amy Winehouse. He explained how desperately worried he was for his daughter, and that he really tried everything, and there seemed to be no solution to save his daughter. It was almost like he said.." I know she will leave us earlier than expected". I got caught in the story,  trying to understand what makes creative people tick, and what makes them wanna destroy for themselves. Like there is something in there saying, " you are not good enough to deserve all this, you are a lousy human being and most of all you need to be punished." The punishment in collaboration with the feeling of escape into another world go hand in hand.
The drugs are the liars telling us they will help you feel better, stronger, give you a feeling of owning the world and being able to do it ALL!. Just like you tell your self you have to,  and just like the fans really want their artist to be. It´s a very complex thing, the psychology of a creative person. I mean people in general.....what do we know? who do we really know? do you really know yourself?
I did not know Amy, but somewhere along the line of her life, something triggered her to constantly get herself into trouble, and she never managed to break the pattern  that made her make all these wrong decisions,  that eventually ended her life. We don´t know what was going on in her mind, in her heart, in her body. All we know is that we have lost yet another terribly talented Artist. I bet she never really in her heart felt how incredibly good she was.

Mallroca update

so, I´m here........still on the island in the sun. The concert on Sunday at Pacha went really well. We rehearsed at "Casette" bar in Palma on Saturday......the place that used to be Villa Rio´s Piano Bar  where Stephen had his Jazz Trio gigs back in the 80´s. We were all there, and it was so great to see all those faces I have not seen since I was 16.  As I watched Stephen rehearse w the band, I sat in the bar, and suddenly it felt like I was 16 again, like time had not passed and I was there, caught in the music again...like so many nights before....Also the songs, that I know so well but have not heard since then either. I sang Stephens song" You and I" for the first time. it was a very touching moment. You see, this is just all so weird. So many emotions crawl up to the surface.  There we are, all of us, who love Stephen and who have been a part of his life for such a long time, specially my mum, Stephen and mum have been really close for over 25 years.....so..there we are....and we all support him and do this concert for him, with him...and we all realize....wow...this could be the last time we sing and play together. The facts have been served by the doctors, and there is a limited time frame  here...But I must say....I was totally surprised by the strength and energy that Stephen had.  He flew in from the US. Jet lagged , rehearsed all Saturday, had the gig on Sunday, still jet lagged playing at the Saratoga Jazz club on Monday and still up and about. Jeezzzzzzz.  I would have been exhausted....without the Cancer thing.....so..all respect to my friend..... He has been fighting this like a lion!!!
The Pacha gig, Sunday was filled with tears and groove n jam. Juan Bibiloni came up and did a great song/ duet w Stephen and also my first vocal coach Deborah Carter...and Estair Godinez, lovely percussionist/singer based in LA, Toni Cuenca, Ruben Andreu, Pierre Swärd.....one of the best hammond organ players on this planet and maaaaany many more.
I hope and pray that Stephen will concur his illness and we´ll all come back here to have a new concert...celebrating his recovery.....I hope and pray......

This is what it looked like back in 1986.
I was a young girl, going to school in Palma de Mallorca and instead of dancing the night away at the disco I went to see/hear and get inspired by my friend Stephen.
Him and his band, of super talented musicians were performing jazz, soul, samba/salsa stuff  and for me, at the age of 16,  this was heaven.
I got my first glimpse of the jazz-late night-club scene. All a part of the plan. I was yet to shy to get up there and sing with him, even though he tried several times......
Stephen has been working all his life with music, playing, performing, writing, working with the greatest.
His life has been filled with adventures and lovely memories and the music has taken him all around the world.
Tomorrow morning he will land in Palma, and we´ll all be there to greet him.
It is a very special day for all of us.
You see...a few months ago Stephen was told by his docs that he has only a few months left to live.
He has been fighting the battle with cancer for several years, still fighting but it´s tough...
So his last wish is, to be able to travel from the US to the Island in the Sun, once again, to meet all his music friends over here...and to be able to share these days with what he loves the most.....
The Music.
On Sunday we have arranged a charity concert for Stephen, at Pacha´s,  to celebrate his life as a musician, and finally, after so many years, I will now dare to get up there and sing with him!:)
So many thoughts go tru my head, I´ll get back to them later......but for now....Let´s just all wish Stephen happy landings and that he will be energized enough to make his final dream happen!!!

Man in the Mirror

Ebbot and Me

So...slowly, slowly,  I´m starting the process of creating the new album......with some help from my friends. Along with moving in to the new art studio. Time to go bananas......

The first part of the auction has now been completed......

The First part of Artists Help Japan has now ended. The fabulous unique ABBA objects have now found new homes, along with light blue leather riding boots from swedish horsewoman Malin Bayard and some lucky winner will spend a sunday morning with Tilde de Paula on her popular TV4 morning show. The auction continues and you can follow our progress on www.growyn.com/artistshelpjapan.

Charity Auction Premiere

When the disaster happened in Japan exactly a months ago I was in shock, like most of us. I realized I had to do something and decided to have a Charity auction to gather money for the victims in Japan. I started calling and emailing friends and colleagues, to donate things and events and the response was fantastic. Everybody so optimistic and positive and wanting to support.

I teamed up with Growyn.com and together we have made this possible.  Yesterday at Newsmorning program show on TV4, lead by my friend Tilde de Paula, we had the premiere of the auction, and it could not have been a better start!!!  ABBA, Olle Ljungström, The Cardigans, Europe, Linda Sundblad, Mauro Scocco, Plura, the Oscars Theatre, Hassangänget, Neverstore, Soundtrack of our Lives, Ladies Night, Leif Pagrotsky, Jan Eliasson and many many more have teamed up...
I want to make an official thank you to all you artists, politicians and celebrities who have participated and all of you who will join in! Thank You!  Without you this would not be possible!

The Action runs on Tradera and new objects will continuously be put up there, until early may.
Join Us!!http://www.tradera.com/listing.mvc/itemlisting?ftgnr=2809233

Cows! I Love Cows!

There is something totally cool about them. Very non-aggressive, no stress, enjoying each-others company, eating grass peacefully until it´s time to sleep. Then time to wake up, and start eating again...
Something tells me we got a little something to learn from them, our cow buddies. filled with hear and soul.
Cows Rock! I love cows...makes me think of Swedish horse woman Malin Bayard, one of our big talents in that field of sport. She released a song back in the day,  called "I love Horse"
Now´, that´s a totally different story.....

Down Memory Lane

I proudly present to you, my grandfather Per Lundkvist.  He has always been a great influence in my musical life.
I just found a cassette tape with recordings of his children songs where he plays the piano and I am singing...I must have been 5 years old or something.
Really fun to hear, and fantastic songs.
He was a very active composer/musician constantly working and touring.
Being a musical director, in charge of the entertainment orchestra at the Swedish National Radio SR, for many years, writing songs and working with his friend Rolf Björling (the son of legendary Jussi Björling) amongst others he was always busy.
Winning awards and scholarships he proved he was a true musical genius.
My strongest memory will always be me sitting by his piano, listening to when he was working. Keeping all harmonies in his head for an arrangement for full orchestra, and them putting them down on paper by hand. The sound of the pen as it scratched the thin paper.
In those days the orchestras symbolized much of the popular music and live music ruled. He had his quartet and they toured from north to south, entertaining a dancing audience. His musical pieces, from strings orchestras to brass brand and his music was spread in various countries in Europe.
I miss my grandfather terribly, but somehow feel he is right here with me. I am constantly reminded of him, when I sit writing my songs looking at his Buddha statue by his old baby grand.

someone to watch over you

When I was a little girl I used to sit by my grandfathers baby-grand whilst he was composing a new piece of wonderful music. He wrote rhapsodies, pieces for full orchestra, piano concerts, choir pieces, children's songs, you name it.
He was a very musical person. He was also the first person I knew doing yoga and keeping the mind calm by using Buddhist traditions.
He always had a very special love for Japan. Even before I was born he wrote songs like " Tokyo Trip" and "Japan is only a Song away".
He always wanted to go, but never went, and later in life as my career took off in Japan I made sure to keep him informed of everything.
10 years ago he left us. It hit me hard, and I will never forget that day.
I have a lot to thank him for, my musical heritage and my artistic mind so often in need of peace n quiet. He gave me his Buddha statue, that was always in his bedroom watching over him. Now it watches over me, and with all scary things happening in Japan,  I want it to watch over  all of you in Japan as-well.
Much Love from Me

Flowers of fortune to my friends in Japan

I heard that on New Years in Brazil, everyone dresses in white, that symbolizes the color of luck, and they go down to the beach to throw flowers into the ocean to celebrate the Goddess of the Sea.
As we all know, the Ocean is a powerful source of nature.
Once again, something we have not been treating with respect.
I love water, the seas, oceans, lakes and rivers that are flowing, that bring life and healing.....when in balance. Reverse....I have the ultimate respect.
All around us , every day, we´re  faced with the news as evidence of this incredible in-balance.

With white flowers of luck from my garden, I will go down to the beach and give them to the Goddess of the Sea as a symbol from me, thinking of all my Japanese Friends who are struggling in fear, but having courage.  I´m with you in thought, mind and spirit. 

In Harmony...???

Stormy Weather. Amazing what respect Mother Nature can get while she swirls around outside my window. One of few things man can never control will be the weather and actions of nature. I remember last year as the volcano on Iceland hit big time and most of the airline traffic was held back due to the ash clouds. Interesting to watch peoples reactions. So many people were pissed off, and well somehow it can be understandable in some cases if you have made plans and then things did not work out the way you wanted. But then again...hey...haven´t we lived long enough to know that everything changes???
But the worse thing was, people were seriously pissed off at the airlines....I mean, what could they do? move the cloud? Don´t think so......Fly anyway? well yeah....and if anything bad would happen take the shit afterwards? Nope..not an option.  So, we just had to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
I had to cancel a trip.....but apart from that..I kinda liked it, and I hope It got at least some people to think of how vulnerable we are, once Mother Nature hits..... It was mainly an economical catastrophe for  the companies, but no lives were taken...like when the Tsunami hit bad a few yeas back.....or Katrina....or the terrible floodings and and fires in Australia...or...or...or....
It´s time to start to treat Nature with respect again, as we once did, loooong time ago.....Maybe learn from the elders and the native people instead of ruin them?? Live in harmony with Nature...is that but a dream in 2011???

A hard nut to crack......thoughts on Wallstrom and UN.

I was totally touched yesterday as I saw "The Wallstrom Resolution" on Swedish Television.
It was a documentary of Swedish Politician/EU Commissioner/ fighting spirit Margot Wallstrom who is now, until 2012,  Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
We got to follow her intense engagement at the UN headquarters in NY as-well as in Bosnia and Kongo, where she met women/children and men who have been exposed and tortured as a result of sexual violence and rape.
Needless to say their stories were heart breaking.  The victims will suffer all of their lifes.
It makes me wonder if we ever will find peace in this world, when the respect and understanding of our fellow sisters and brothers is so distant..
I´m a believer, so of course we WILL find peace....and as long as fighters like Wallstrom walk this Earth we are getting closer.
Still I am wondering how can we make the Men, in this case, really understand and come to the conclusion that they have really committed serious crimes.
The abusers have a choice. They CAN say NO this is wrong.  But they have somehow thought that,  yes this is our right to torture and rape even small children. Who told them/showed them this? I´m pretty sure  they were once innocent children. Where along the line can there be a re-programming of their mind and their psychological/social patterns so this won´t happen again.  How can we help them choose the right way?
Looking at this short film on Wallstrom, I see her engagement, I understand her words and the feeling behind the words.
But I wonder, do these men across the table understand her?
 .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4y-FICnaIQ
I get a feeling that one has to dig down very deep into the core of the conscious behavior of man to really make a change...not to get to philosophical..but...as an example..Who is the boss over these soldiers that commit these crimes.? A Man, of course. Can HE not be man enough to teach his soldiers what is it to really BE REAL man?
There are now many men who will be put into prison for their crimes, and yes, that is the only way to go.
BUT will they get some kind of therapy in jail to raise their awareness, to change their behavior and not commit these crimes again???..or will they meet like minded men in prison, fire up and start all over again once they get out?? One can only guess.......The psychology of a human is a hard nut to crack.......

COMMUNICATION AT IT´S BEST!!!

I´m presently in my summer house writing new songs for the upcoming album " Bohemian Behavior" The best thing about being in a summer house in the coldest time of year is that it is completely quiet. All I can hear is a vague murmur from my refrigerator....I might hear 2 cars a day passing by and my neighbor comes by every now and then to check I´m good. Outside it is cold and grey, like you would expect in Sweden at this time of year. Thank God the snow has melted away. On my morning walk I could barely see the difference between the ocean and the sky. Like they had melted together in a thick mist. Somewhere a bird was flying looking for food to keep warm. I fill my lungs with the crisp, clean air and think to myself that my oh my am I lucky to be able to spend time in a place like this. I love big city life, New York, LA, San Francisco, London...not to mention Paris in springtime, but then, to know I can get back here...to recharge.

The bad news about being here in winter is...that the house was not built to be in when it´s -2 below zero. Like I said..it´s a summer house..and you sure can feel it. Sitting inside with a hat and double sweaters, putting another log in the fire. Yes, Life is Good. Now a cup of tea then back to the guitar. peace!!

Someone just pulled the blanket off my head. So there IS a sun? I have totally forgotten that fact.

That is the downside of being in this lovely country in winter. Upsides are..we have fresh air, a lot of space and clean water. That can get you far. But the sunshine!!! Maaaaan I miss the sunshine.

And, here it is......Today.....on a wednesday...just like that.

The passed weeks I have spent inside anyway. Writing and writing for new music to come. I have been in my cave, not seeing anyone, not talking to too many people on the phone or emailing ( liar.....so you do´t email anymore? yeah right....) OK, I do email.....but he point is....when these periods of detachment from the outside world happens nothing really matters. No time exists and not to much info from the outside world is needed, to dig into...me. I dig into me.....( haha like that Love Guru film with Mike Myers...Intimacy.... In To Me I See) I have a lousy sense of humor....went to see that one with my God daughter (14) and I laughed so hard.....and she just looked at me like I was a total nut head. (she´s probably right......)

Anyway...the writing goes really well.....me struggeling with the lovely Gibson I got for my 30th birthday. A couple of days ago my friend Ebbot ( TSOOL)came to see me. Jammin a bit and getting and giving feedback....a collaboration that will be interesting and wonderful and all at once. Life is Good. Gotta get back to the guitar.......later folks, love ya