Many people still remember the successful Japanese tour as "route #15", it's honored to introduce the Swedish HOUSE / TECHNO producer, HAKAN LIDBO on our Web site. It was hard to unmask this Swedish guy even when the Swedish club music are much favored by the sounds oriented listeners here in Japan. This go-round between his busy schedule, we were somehow able to have an interview finally unveiled the whole picture of him, at a cafe NEUTRON, Kyoto, with his wife (Ms. ULRICA/also singing on some his music!) and their lovely, blue doe-eyed baby (5 months old yet!), in a friendly mood. (also see photos to find out the relaxed atmosphere when he was talking about parental care with having lunch at the house of our shop owner KCMT). Started getting too far into the music business in late 90s, since the 1998's release; "TELEVINKEN" on the label by STEVE BUG, POKERFLAT, Mr. HAKAN has been releasing multiplicity of releases under many different names, his discography has already reached more than 120, surely puzzled all his fans like us, set him to be called "THE BUSIEST MAN IN THE BUSINESS". His works cover all different styles of music, CLICK HOUSE, ABSTRACT, MINIMAL TECHNO, ELECTRONICA to POP ELECTRO HOUSE... have shown us his multitalented talent with the sense of the most cutting edge & exciting music by putting everything together in the only way he can manage. In 2005, he started by the release of the cover version of "FIELD WORKS" (originally written & performed by RYUICHI SAKAMOTO and THOMAS DOLBY) under his solo name (on the Japanese label, FROGMAN RECORDS), he's planning to release so many works to spin out. On the interview, we had so many interesting conversations, about his most accessible "DATA 80" works, musical roots, untold story behind his producing works etc..
INTERVIEW+TEXT: KOZUE FUKUSHIMA(JET SET KOBE)
HÅKAN LIDBO WORKS
QUASIMODO JONES
ROCK'N'ROLL DREAM/12"
FIELD WORK/12" WORST CASE SCENARIO/12" FIELD WORK/CD MY GIRLFRIEND KITTY/12" FROM A TO D/12"×2 FROM STOCKHOLM WITH LOVE/CD WALK AWAY/12" TUFFA POJKAR E.P./12"


Fist of all, please tell us something about yourself.
-- OK, my name is HAKAN LIDBO. From Stockholm, Sweden, 39 years old now. Getting a bit older to make these youth culture music?
What motivated you to start making music?
-- Well, I first began on the piano at my childhood, with my younger brother. But the things really got me into music were the tape recorder which my parents bought for me as a X'mas present. It was 70's when I was only 10 years old...so nothing like a these day's modern recorder but I put it together to my younger brother's one and approached to...very simple "ping-pong" recordings (the process of combining the signals of two or more tracks and recording them onto one), used to try to create a sound layer. It was really nothing like... I can say I was making music, but great fun for me, more than learning piano. During that time I also used to broke a cassette tape open, cutting the tape, looping it, tried to create loops by it.
Was that just a 10 years old boy? Like a modern composer.
-- Yeah, now that you say it, the sound deteriorated and also some unexpected effects were mixed up, I was like... making industrial music. Since that time, I was interested in sound itself, rather than playing skills or melodies. I could say that experiences work on my present self.
Let us know about your first release
-- I remember...it was 1988? I released a 7 inch single called "1-3-7 DISCO HEAVEN" on my self label. Back to the time ACID HOUSE from Chicago came across very much around UK, I made the single under the influences. I still love it, it was sampling from a phrase of some movie, sounds really catchy and finished up in very uplifting CHICAGO HOUSE. It was pressed in 500 but sold only 200 copies, the rest are still at home as a deadstock (with laugh).
Why it was 7 inch, not on 12 inch?
-- In 1988 it was not so important if it's 12" or not, and before then I used to listen to PUNK, NEW WAVE, on 7 inch was the deserved choice for me.
OK. You're working under so many different names, how do you use them?
-- I have about 8 to 10 different names, in many cases I use the different name for each label. Like, THE VANISHER is for TRANSMAT/SPECTRAL, DATA 80 for FORCE TRACKS, BOBBY TRAFALGAR for PAPER, MISS BOMBAY-74 for MANTIS, STOCKHOLM DECADENCE for FROGMAN, and... JELL for X-TRAX, BIG SPENDER for LAPDANCE... that's all off the top of my head now... Usually I make music first, then send it to a label, later talk about the release, so I choose a different music and name for each label.
Can you tell me how many songs you've released?
-- Oh, don't remember. Maybe 1000 tracks? I know I've released 160 titles including remixes, producing works. And it also includes albums, EPs... so I can say 1000 tracks. In the last three years I was so busy working, released a record in every two weeks, but now I've had a baby and cut my works a little.
I just wonder you must spend so much time to work hard to create so many music. Tell us about your routine work.
-- I have my studio and office at Stockholm. In studio, mainly three people are working, including me and ANDREAS TILLIANDER, and another 2 people working at office. I drive to my studio/office and start working at 8, 9 am then come back home at 6 pm. I keep regular hours like other office workers in Sweden.
Working with ANDREAS TILLIANDER?
-- Yes, he's been doing many our producing works. He's also got involved in Grammy Awards of Sweden this year, he's the only guy who works in publicity activities as a representative of Electronic music in my country.
Next question, what is the best selling record of your releases?
-- I don't have any smash hits but it should be "BAD GIRL GO TO HELL" on MINISTRY OF SOUND. It's also my favorite. And "WALK AWAY" on LEADED as well. You know.. EUROVISION SONG CONTEST, which is a much popular contest among Europe, like being broadcasted all over the European countries. Then I wrote a POP song for it, with my wife ULIKA, and put it in the contest. It was a bit like a joke, my concept for the music was a pop unit by three Russian girls. Unfortunately it didn't win the prize, but I'll try it again.
The "WALK AWAY" on LOADED was much talked about when repressed.
-- I hope they will play my side, but maybe it was because of the remix side by TODD EDWARD (with laugh). At that time TODD was working on the productions for DAFT PUNK, already became much famous (He's also sung on "FACE TO FACE" of the masterpiece second album from DAFT PUNK, "DISCOVERY"). He's been releasing the same style music since 1996, stuck to his ways, totally opposite to me releasing many kinds of music. But the combination worked quite well.
Any influential artists for you?
-- First to everything, KRAFTWERK, then MILES DAVIS, KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN. As for POPS, SCRITTI POLITTI, THOMAS DOLBY, and of course, YMO. Also ROBIN SCOTT, well known for M "POP MUZIK". I think AKUFEN, RICHARD VILLALOBOS, ANDREAS TILLIANDER are also so great artists as you can call them modern minimalists, but MILES DAVIS is, by some way, the one and only minimalist for me. And KRAFTWERK is one of the top 10 events of all kinds of the 20th century's culture, including architecture, art. I believe they are such a huge artist in that level, after passing 25 years, their sounds are still fresh and surprise us all.
What is the best KRAFTWERK release for you?
-- "COMPUTER WORLD" and "MENSCH MASCHINE". It's just perfect for me, I mean at every inch the albums are perfect! PREFAB SPROUT "STEVE McQUEEN" and ELTON JOHN "YELLOW BRICK LOAD" are also perfect POP albums, all the elements sit in where it should be. You know, in China, you have a "perfect apple", it exactly means it, people love to buy it at an incredibly high price. The same thing happens sometimes in music, you know, all the elements sit together for a track. MARCOS VALLE "SAMBA '68" is also the album with a perfect sense of rhythms, arranges of the instruments, sound harmony... although I don't understand Portuguese. "YOU GOTTA SAY YES TO ANOTHER SUCCESS" by YELLO is fantastic as well. It sounds really crazy but I think it's perfect.
Any recent artists who affect you?
-- Non big influences from these day's artists, but the production of KYLIE MINOGUE was perfect. She's a pop icon rather than an artist, so those productions must be brought from her management crews. The same is true of MADONNA. She always picks up a fine producer, especially her first album "MADONNA" is outstanding. But recently, both her lyrics and vocals, have started to crack. And...BJORK is awesome, she's the only artist I respect in the main stream.
Moving on your works as DATA 80, the project seems to be the most accessible work from you, appealed to wide range of music fans. You made it with such an intention?
-- I have so many different artist names but DATA 80 is based on an unique concept. The concept is to absorb all the different kinds of musical elements, which I love or even don't love. Well.. let me tell you just a bit, nowadays artists prefer making the music inspired from 80's. Then I got this concept for DATE 80, that I try to create a music for 2010's artists who should be inspired by the mid 90's music. Of course the sound includes 80's elements but I've intended to take in those elements as a secondary incident, like by being inspired from early 2000's artists, who might be inspired by 80's music. So, for DATA 80, I bring EUROPEAN POPS, which I really don't like it, or crappy HOUSE on it. The lyrics are basically cliche, there's a song called "DON'T BELIEVE ME" on the album, that track is the key track of the album. Have a listen, also it's sung by my wife (with laugh).
But I can't find the credit, "DON'T BELIEVE ME" on the album jacket of the DATA 80...
-- Oh, yes, it's a miss print! But it's on the lyric sheet of the sleeve.
OK, the next is about your cover version of BLUR, "GIRLS ＆ BOYS", released on an Italian label, "OXYD". I found the credit as HAKAN LIBDO (not HAKAN LIDBO), with one misspelling, then thought you had released it as a bootleg, as a joke or something. Is that really your work?
-- Oh, it's just misspelling! They are Italian, maybe got my name wrong. It's an official release.
Really?! It's made me thinking of a lot. Why did you cover this track?
-- Well, I like this track of course... but I think if you do cover, you've been having a vision of what you really want to do for the track...I mean you do remix or cover when you feel something missing in the original song you love. On that cover I tried to mess it up as much as I can. It's originally a good song so I was like... let's turned it to a punkish, chaotic version! But the remix version by KLONHERTS is again back close to the original. It's good, I didn't know about him but lucky to have the remix.
BLUR loves this remix version?
-- No, I don't think so. I sent it to the friend of DAMON ALBARN but have nothing heard from him (laugh slightly).
Finally, please tell us about the forthcoming release.
-- Now I'm planning to release a glitchy & experimental TECHNO track, called "POP VS ANTI POP" on MANTIS, and a ROCK album with a guitarist QUASIMODO JONES on SHITKATAPULT. He's supported T.RAUMSCHEMIERE's tour around America and Europe, experienced many live performances. And also I just finished up an early 90's like HIP HOUSE, which will be released on an American small label. The label is run by THOMAS SUNSHINE, a key person of ELECTRO scene, so you'd better check them!