Sweden's Finest Export

After a thrilling live performance at The End of the Road festival my hunt for more information on the elusive Hyacinth House began. First off I had to make do with this clip on YouTube but eventually I managed to track down singer and band leader Mack for this exclusive interview…

First off I am really excited that I have tracked you down. Could you just start of by telling me a little bit about how the band started?
The first CD was made as a solo album but during the progress it somehow became a band. It's a long story and I can't explain it properly so therefore I don't even try. Someday you're just in the middle of something together. Some people are spirits and some are souls I guess. That is what some people call destiny.

You introduced a new bass player at End of the Road. What’s the story their?
We did the "Black Crows Country" as a band and as a unit. Peps (original bass player) was and still is a member of "Hyacinth House". He had to leave for another place and for how long no-one knows. I just hope that he is alright where ever he is. Some people can't handle the modern times we're facing, you have got to be tough, you got to be hard, it's blistering cold!

Does being in such a ‘large’ band encourage creativity?
The album was recorded in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere far away from thousands of things, in the deep forest of Sweden. I was also sitting for months alone watching the landscape turn from spring to fall when I did the mixing. Now looking back in retrospect I don't even remember how we did it.

Ah ha and back to your question! Our sound it's teamwork but it was also a lot of loneliness. I almost went mad during the progress now I try to adapt myself to the city life again.

The name Hyacinth House obviously has strong connections to The Doors song of the same name. Are you named after that or is there another story entirely?
Well no and yes, the meaning of hyacinth house is (and that is also what Jim is singing about in the song too) "What are they doing in the hyacinth house to please the lions"? Hyacinth house is American slang for whorehouse.

There is a song on the next album called "Pete la las" that describes one of the hyacinth houses in New Orleans. I think I got the name from Mezzorow and Wolfie’s book "Really the blues" (It's a great book by the way).Don't get me wrong though the doors are a great influence.

By the way I was thinking about The Doors the other day. Why don't any bands sound like them? I mean why does all rock music have the sound of the Stones and the Beatles?

The influence of Dylan on you guys to me seems strong. Do you think its cool he is still touring or do you think these rock dinosaurs should give up the game and give the new bands more space?
You're the first to hear the influence from Dylan and I appreciate it. I cannot believe people when they compare us with all the new music. I mean you sound like this and that with a touch of that, what is that? I guess Dylan is a musical Shakespeare everyone that makes poetry should at least know about Shakespeare, it's the same with Zimmbo.

It's the record company and the wrong media attention that suffocates all great new music. It's okay if Bobby, Neil and all those old dogs keep on running the tracks. But they should also tell their record companies to wake the fuck up. I heard Bobby complained in an interview about the music biz and about all the shallow artists. He is on the same ship and is somehow sinking with it, that's a catch twenty-two situation.

What’s your opinion on how the Internet has affected new music - has it help or hindered you? Do you think it makes the marketplace more competitive or does it just allow for a glut of mediocre bands?
Internet is the only way these days I don't know if that is good or bad it's just the way it is.

So what’s it like making music in Sweden? Describe your scene
This is what I know about the Swedish music scene but maybe I am just paranoid or maybe I am right on target. Hyacinth House is not on big label so we get no attention as a band over here. We even got a hit single on the radio in 2005 but the media gave us no attention. They strangled the song pretty fast and the TV stations were not interested either. Hyacinth House also turned down a pretty big promotion company. Why? They didn't seem to know anything about music.

I tell you Sweden is an American Idol country and a lot of people love the Eurovision contest.

Performing is a problem because of the alcohol laws. You need a big kitchen and be serving six or seven main courses to be able to serve beer. It's hard to open up a music business over here. The clubs we have in Sweden are only booking bands through booking agencies and all the agencies go through big labels.

Anyway I'm running and art gallery and a club with a friend in Gothenburg and we provide the people with an amazing music night once a month. We have a show coming up on Pusterviksbaren, 17 October, 21 cero, a fair price of 70 SEK.

Your brother obviously plays in the band with you? How does that work are you like Ray and Dave Davies or is it more harmonious?
We have our ups and downs it's a roller coaster but I guess we're on a plain surface right now. He is my best friend and the only one that truly believe in what I say.

So after the festival season what are your plans for the future? Any gigs in London / new releases etc?
There is a lot of thing going on right now. A contract deal with a pretty well known indie label, publishing deal etc. We're also going on a tour to Holland in December 07 and to US in February 08.