Dan Swanö ou le génie caméléon

Dan Swanö : Edge Of Sanity

So this winter 2006 Edge Of Sanity was back from the grave : the best-of When all is said is released. Can you say a little bit more about the contents?

There is 2 songs from each release that was voted for by the fans. I think there are a few songs that could have been replaced, but I choose to go for what the fans voted for to 100% The liner notes are pretty lenghty and revealing!! I wrote a little essay for all the songs except for the songs I was not involving in the writing of. Those are written by Dread.

No irritating cutting of Crimson II?

The editing is minimal. I hade to cut out the intro strings to make the under 80 min. mark
Crimson I was shortened down with a minute or so.. If you want them in all their glory. Buy the originals :)

Some people see that best-of useless, just some more royalties for you. What do you answer to them?

Hmm...I see this as a way to introduce new fans to the works that have influenced bands that still rule the metalcharts. EOS were pioneers in many territories and it is about godammed time that we get some credit for this :) I also think it is nice when it is made with so much love. I took 0 (zero) money to put together this double CD package. The editing and remastering took atleast a week. I got a wonderful for free, all the layout for free, all by fans that wanted to pay a tribute to EOS. I asked BMP to make it double for the price of 1 and give us a fancy booklet and all. If I ever make any money out of this, it will go straight into the heavy minus on the EOS account of BMP :(

Many fans wonder if the designer of the first Crimson's artwork is in jail?

He should be because it looks so fucking horrible :)

A question that bugging me : Purgatory Afterglow is one of my favourite album but what is this horrible song “Song Of Sirens” which breaks the magic?

It«s called "Comprimise" I was always the melodic/progressive element in EOS. Dread was the "what-ever-is-in-at the moment metal" force. Benny was Benny. Sami liked more aggressive, hardcore stuff. Anders was just the bassplayer :) The song in questions came to life from an idea of a riff (that was mine) the original production idea was to make it really really heavy and industrial. All the drums should be replaced by samples of what sounded like war and the voices and the guitars should be like a fucking carnage in hell....but as the time ran away (as usual) I had to use the same sound as the other songs...and therefore it sucked ass.

I made an interview with the drummer of Necrophobic and he said to me that their years spend with Black Mark were the worst of their lives. What do you think about that? Did you have some propositions of other labels which could do a better promotion for example?

I think BMP is a nightmare for any band that really wants to get out in the world, and get tour support and all that jazz. For me BMP have been great. I signed for them when I was 17, I am 33 today...I have worked with many labels through-out all my career. All want to make money. It's a business. OK. Some labels give you a lot of money, but they want a lot in return, and will question your ideas. Do you think one of the bigger metallabels really would have approved an unheard 1 track 40 min. deathmetal symphony as a follow up to the biggest success of the band (and label) for a long time??? Not.

Don't you regret that EOS didn't have the same success that melo death bands like In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates?

We never toured. We did not have the internal chemistry of some of those bands. We never sat us down and said, "Let«s take on the world and quit our dayjobs.."
I did not have the drive to take it one step further. I hate sitting in a 9-van for 700 kmtrs per day for 2 months for nothing but debts....

And what do you think of the masters of Swedish death's return this year (Dismember, Grave, Unleashed, Entombed)?

Amazing line-up. I would have vomited blood to see that in 1990!!!
Nowadays...I rather see myself and my girlfriend cuddle up in the sofa!!!

Are you still in contact with the ex-members of EOS?

Nope. Not if you means, regular basis, call and say hi etc.
I guess I fucked that up when I tried to overthrown the guys, soon 10 years ago.
shame on me...

Have you got some feedbacks of them about Crimson II?

Not a word.
They never have any feedback from me on Cryptic either...

A reunion of Edge Of Sanity for a world tour and a DVD : there's no harm in dreaming?

The biggest problem is that 3 out of 5 members are not really playing an instrument on a daily basis. The rust on these days are a bit much to endure a live show without a lot of preparation.
The thought of a coverband with myself in the line-up have passed my mind from time to time. We'll see about that. It would be great to play some of those classic songs live again. Some of them were never even played by us because they were to difficult....

What's more : why so a few concerts of EOS?

We sucked live. My voice got messed up too soon. I got ill from exhaustion. I sing with my hole body. Not this fake growling. I go for it 100 db. That is the only way. This works for 20 min, then caputt!! We did maybe 50 shows in total. Never counted really. But only a handful of them were really nice.

But EOS isn't completely dead : I think you have planned to re-record some titles of EOS, is it true?

Maybe. It would be nice. I am currently transferring the mastertapes of some of the albums from reel to reel to a firewire drive. I might do a few re-mixes or something...I really don't know. It is so easy to sit here and say "yes" but to get time to do it, learn the song again, find a good sound, mix it etc.... it takes bit much time for someone like me, that is looking for a way to make an hour last longer...

Dan Swanö : the other bands.


Unfortunately you'll never skip that question : did you have some news of Blackheim about your Bloodbath's eviction?

Not really. I am talking to their AOR guy sometimes and he is not happy about the decision. I will not return. I cannot work with happening in my mind. I need joy and friendship to make that kind of music too!!!

So it's the end of all your collaborations with the Katatonia team (especially Diabolical Masquerade)?

Life is short. I hold no grudge against them as persons. Me and Blakkheim have never really spoken eye to eye about anything, ever. We do our thing and get on with it. I like him, no harm done...but this makes you a bit more "precautious" because it felt a bit weird to be sacked from such a clear blue sky...
I would have quit gently if they just gave me the "talk"..

Therefore no DVD for Bloodbath, is it?

There is footage and all, but I am not sure about the technical quality of the recording.
There is some debate about who owns the recording, the label or the band... I really don't care anymore. The Wacken show is with me til I die in my own THX surround brain!!!

Do you have some ideas for another death metal project?

Ideas, yes, intention to fulfill them, maybe :)

No more mad projects like Karaboudjan (what substances did you use?) or Pan.Thy.Monium?

With a schedule like the one I have these days, nope. Maybe a song or too. I have an idea to make a coveralbum and let the projects I have been a part of be the bands that make cover versions of other artists... but it«s just a dream. but a cool dream!! Karaboudjan revived to make a Judas Priest cover, or something :)=

Why a keen interest for the keyboard (with this unique sound)? ”The Final Countdown” revealed you this instrument?

oh no.. Rainbow Rising introduced the Moog-worship, when Joey was still a moustache mopedrocker!!!

Many of your metal fans don't know your band Nightingale, what would say to them to feel like listening it?

If the fans of my metalprojects have a more melodic and harmonic side to them, I suggest that they buy the "Nightfall Overture" re-recorded best of CD and get a grip on the whole concept. The other albums are a bit patchy in parts. But from now on it feels like we have found our style...

When your website will be up? Have you planned a Unisound website?

Good question. I have really no desire to launch a personal website since the crash of swano.com. I will put up like a contact page for Unisound and present a bit how I work and stuff. other curious people can go to www.nightingale.cc

As Hammerfall, would you like to record a hymn (or to give one of your songs) for a Swedish sport team (it brought luck to your female curling team)?

Yeah, why not. The Swedish chess team could use some Steel song, maybe???

Some capital questions :The instrument that you'd bring with you on a desert island?

A digital piano (since the climate would fuck up a real piano and they are a bitch to tune...but hey..hmm. is there electricity on this island??? Then maybe an acoustic guitar...or a kazoo???)

The most beautiful song that you wrote?

I like "At the end of the bridge" from Unicorn. Then there is a lot of songs where there are magical passages, but I haven't written so many trax with the quality of that song.

The most awful song that you wrote?

Must be some of the "filler" EOS songs, but none of them are "awful" just a bit meaningless...
I never let a song grow into something I dislike. My process of writing is a bit too complex for that

Dan Swanö : the producer.


After all those years involved in the Scandinavian Metal with some cult bands now, what is your feeling about those 15 years of producing?

I am still a bit confused over the fact that the phone kept ringing. I never really wanted to become what i became but it was a good time and I was lucky to be a part of a lot classic records.

Are you still in contact with some bands (Vinterland, Sacramentum, Mšrk Gryning)?

Nope. I have really little contact with any of the guys from this era. Some, who live in …rebro, are still a part of my "see everyonce in a while" crowd, but most of them are lost.

How did you feel the suicide of Jon Nödtveidt?

I was truly shocked. Jon was a really talented musician and songwriter. It's a shame that he's gone. I had him in mind for helping me out with some other stuff that I am going to work with in the future..but now that will never happen. :( I hope he is happy whereever he went..

Imagine that my band wants to mix an album at Unisound, how much it will be? Do you accept discount coupons?

It all depends on the quality of the recordings. Sometimes I knock up the faders and it sounds good, sometimes it's pure horror!!!
I thing I would have a hard time to spend more that the time worth around 2500 euros on a mix, unless it is a really complicated genre like symphonic street punk rap fusion grind....

What do you think about those studios?

* Abyss (Tätgtren) Great guy, great sound. I like his approach. He do his thing, his way.
* Antfarm (Tue Madsen) Haven«t heard much. Met him around 98 in Soundlab. Clever guy with some cool ideas.
* Hansen (Jacob Hansen) I sang on a record from his project Maceration in 1991. I haven«t heard so much of his latest work, but I am sure it is good.
* Fredman (Fredrik Nordström) One of my fave mixers of all time. I love his punch and in your face yet deep sound. I wish he was a bit cheaper so I could go there to mix one day...but I am getting better and better and hopefully, someday, I will achieve the same kind of sound.

Did you mix recently a band that seems a revelation for you?

Not really. I have mixed a lot of cool bands lately, but they are all a bit too brutal to really fit my musictaste these days.
I like my recent work with MISERY SPEAKS, HEARSE, NOVEMBERS DOOM, COLDWORKER and more....I have built a new little mixsuite with good acoustics and also changed my monitorsystem a bit, so I really hear what is going on. Takes a while to get used to, but it«s beginning to pay off real well!!


Have you one funny anecdote in your studio for our readers?

There is plenty of fun. One funny one is when I recorded ALLEGIANCE. I have an allergy for the basic studio. I always converted an office into a recordingspace. So therefor the controlroom of the last incarnation of Unisound was high up in a big black tower and with lots of windows. It was hot as hell and because I wanted to coach the vocalist a bit more natural, he sang in the controlroom with me. This guy screamed really loud and the windows were all open. Bogge sang these songs in Swedish and there were lots of words (in Swedish) like death, Jesus, die, burn, kill etc. and after a while it rings on the door and 2 policemen show up because a woman have called 911 and said that a woman (!!!!) was screaming like she was being murdered from our place :) I played back the tape and the guys laughed a bit and asked us to shut the windows nexty time!

What is the album produced/mixed you are the most proud?

So far, I am still very proud of being one of the first people in the world to hear and worship Opeth!!

Dan Swanö : the simple man.


What do you think of Christian Ävelstam (Scar Symmetry, Incapacity, Torchbearer, Unmoored), the new Swedish bulimic talent (furthermore a big fan of EOS)?

Good stuff. I like that he like my stuff and isn't afraid to show it in public. I think we could do some cool shit together

For an ultimate Hypocrisy fan : how long are you friend with Peter? How do you meet each other?

We both knew of each other since around 1991 but one day he rang me up in the studio and asked how I got the guitarssound of The Spectral Sorrows. I explained to him about the twin guitars with 2 completely different sounds and so on and later on when I started to work in a studiogear shop I sold him stuff and went there to install and service it on several occasions.

And what do you think of this band?

They have done a few really really classic songs. Never worse than average, if u know what I mean.They never suck, just have a high lowest point and some really good peaks, like "Roswell 47"

In Sweden, the metal community seems to be like a big family (many metal projects linked to different band members). Do you often do shopping with Mikael Äkerfeldt?

Yeah, all the time. We meet every Tuesday for tea and bisquits and Brasilian prog, and some cockrock/sleaze vinyl shopping....or not...
I wish I had more time to go see guys like that, but my schedule is waaaaay too busy for stuff like that.
I love Mike. He is one of the few people that I truly, in my heart, believe deserves every second of success and every penny of his growing fortune.

What is your play-list at the moment?

Today I listened to the new Europe CD. Good stuff. I love ALTER BRIDGE One day remains .Among the best 20CD's ever. I have also syublemd upon a dude with a massive MP3 collection and downloaded a shitload of stuff to listen to the car etc. Anything from King Kobra to Balance, to Soilwork, Whitesnake, etc. The new Hoobastank is good too.
I do hear a lot of my own stuff, since I am mixing and recording both the new Nightingale and the Second Sky album simultaneously. They both rule, of course :)

How do you do to be so creative and perfectionist? What are the sacrifices that you have made in your life ?

God, what a tough question. I have sacrificed pretty much everything. I saw early on that girls and hardrock was tough to combine, so I always fled to the rehearsalroom whem my friends hung out and played tonsiltennis with their teenageheartbreaks. I managed to screw up my marriage and my family. I fucked up some promising bands in my constant quest for a new kick. I am a bit more careful these days..
I try to stay creative and do things my way and try hard to have a good time doing it. Plan my life so I have time to do nothing. Quite often. I am an "on or off" person. I can work my ass off for 5 days straight and then just do nothing for 2 days, then I need to go back out again and work till I pass out!!

What is your best and your worst memory in your life?

I know there will be moments when these are topped. The worst are bound to happen, unless I die before them. But the happiest. That will be when I pick up a Grammy for the album of the year with SECOND SKY!!! Most guys say, my wedding day, or when my son was born and that stuff...but for me it is different. When I am so nervous I cannot feel anything. I am really numb. Since I never really go into any situation to a 100%, I never get 100% kickback. Better safe than sorry. But the standing ovation when I walked on stage in Moscow was huge. Also the crowd roaring after a perfect live version of "Stalingrad" in Oslo. Some moments during the recording and playback of key albums like Moontower, Emotional Wasteland, Alive Again and of course the Second Sky album (coming....soon....maybe...)

What is your preferred beer?

Not Guiness...I know from a little get together with Peavey from Rage the other day!! I like Heineken a lot...

Do you play to video games ?

I do not play any games. I tried Donkey Kong once and it was nice. I came to the 2nd world in Super Mario on 8 bit Nintendo a 100 times before I went to the piano and wrote a song instead....life is too short for games.

Some movies or television series that you appreciate recently?

I like Angel and Buffy, also Smallville is nice. Jonathan Creek is excellent. I love Black Books too...

Many European countries (France for example) envy the political and economical Scandinavian system (especially for the lowest rate of unemployment). Living in Sweden is such beautiful as we see it or it's rather utopian?

I have no idea, since I have only lived here. But I guess all countries have their good and bad sides...

Will we have the chance to see you in France one day and reveal you our culinary skills?

I have never been to France but I am sure that I will go there one day. I wanna see the Eiffel tower and this stuff before my days are over.
Culinary means cooking and this? WOW, Then u have nothing to look forward to.. I can barely open a can of spam :)

Sorry for the lazy reply but my time is limited these days and I finished this on small breaks where I normally have a breather..but it's nice to talk about yourself so this was never boring. Thanx.