New (old) interview !!

[sound world]

I found this Swedish webpage with a picture/article about Stina from 1994:-

http://evawrede.se/wp-content/uploads/2 ... C_0370.jpg

I tried to read it with an OCR scanner but it didn't work, so instead I took the trouble to type it all out (the Swedish, that is) and then put it into Google translator. I offer it here, unedited, so that someone else who has a knowledge of Swedish might be able to do a better version. Interesting insofar as it talks about the ASCHE video, Stina's then boyfriend, her plans to move out to the archipelago (to write Dynamite!) etc etc.

Stinas sång terapi
Lyssnar inåt, anonym utåt

Mest av allt hade hon velat smyga ut sin nya skiva i lönndom.
Minst av allt vill hon ge sin musik ett ansikte att kånna igen.
-Det här är poängen med mig, säger SN beståmt och marjkerar den öppna munnen, tånderna och tungan med två kupade händer.

Kompromisser är ett gissel, men en del blir det. Särskilt om man släpper sin andra skiva äver hela världen och samtidigt inte vill synas.
‘Stina har svårt för fotograferingar, vi har bra färgbilder som ni kan använda’, meddelar skivbolaget kort när Aveny vill ta egna bilder.
Ska det tvunger kompromissas fär det bli på hennes villkor.
Ilbland önskar Stina att hon hade tänkt sig før bättre i början av karriären. Då hade det kanske varit möjligt att skapa en stand-in, ett offenligt alter ego.
I helgen spelsde hon in en kortfilm på tjugo minuter ämnad för engelsk TV. Låtar från nya plattan ASCHE varvas med intervjuer gjorda av en brittisk journalist.
-Så slipper jag åka dit och spela, säger Stina och ler lite snett.
Påfallande nöjt konstaterar hon att det inte lär bli några spelningar över huvud taget. Inte i England, inte i Sverige, inte på scen, inte i TV, ingenstans, Stina har spelat in en video och det får räcka. Hon är rädd för att bli igenkänd på gatan.

-Kan det handla om självförnekelse? säger hon teatraliskt och skrattar.
-Säkert är det djupt ner någon självbild som spökar. Konkret handlar det om att jag har en mycket stark lust att uttrycka mig och ibland är den lusten helt borta. Det skulle inte fungera om människor flög på mig med frågor och blickar hel tiden, förklarar hon och tillägger:
-Att formulera mig har ett terapeutiskt syfte. Därför kvuittar det egentligen hur resultatet låter eller vad folk tycker.
SN talar som hon sjunger. Sprött och trevande. Meningar blir oavslutade. Ord lämnas hängande i tystnad precis som en ton ibland lämnas hängande i slutet av en versrad.
Om man inte lyssande på vad hon sa, kunde man lätt få för sig att det är en råddhågsen liten människa som pratar så tyst att ljudet knappt når fram över det smala bordet.
Men det är som med hennes texter. På något sätt klarar hon konststycket att kombinera integritet med generositet.
För drygt två år sedan gjorde Stina kritikerrosad debut med MOAC. Skivan sälde 20,000 ex i Sverige. Japaner, engelsmän och amerikaner blev nyfikna på den lilla mörka svenskan, som liknades vid både Billie H och RLJ.
Stina suckar.
-När jag nu i höstas på radion hur de presenterade Rebecka Tornqvist som ‘vårt nya jazzhopp’ tänkte jag meddetsamma; varför kom hon inte för tre år sedan?! Hon passar mycket bättre i det fack som de ville ha in mig i...
Precis som på föregängaren har Stina skrivit och arrangerat allt material på nya skivan själv. Rösten är densamma, den engelska dialekten lika säregen, men musiken mer visbetonad än förut.
Musiker och körsångare har hoon plockat ihop från olika håll. Uppsättningen varierar från lät till låt. Flöjt, trumpet, saxofon eller stråkar anger tilltalstonen. Lite Fleshquartet här, lite Popsicle där, överallt i mycket Nordenstamsk tappning. På tre låtar medverskar en kör med glaskara gossröster. Här och var rycker Stina själv in på keyboard, piano, guitar, percussion eller som körsängerska.

Låtarna är nästan i samtliga fall att betrakta som kärleksballader. Stilsamma stycken om stora känslor med mycket svärta. Texter som har ganska lite gemensamt med Stinas första offemtliga framträdande som protestsjungande sjuåring.
Minnet får henne att skina upp. Hon lutar sig fram över bordsskivan och sjunger tyst, tyst:
-Om jorden dör, vad ska vi leva för?
Föräldrarna var aktiva kommunister och själv har Stina tillhört Sveriges socialistika pionjärer. Hon röstar på vänsterpartiet.
-Mest av pliktskyldighet och för att det inte finns några alternativ, säger hon utan entusiasm.
Intresset för ploitik har hållit i sig, men engagemanget mattats. Dagens partipolitik avfårdar hon som ‘futtig och abstrakt’. Hon har försökt aktivera sig fackligt i Musikerförbundet, men hade svårt att känna sig hemma bland ‘all nöjespersonal från bingohaller och biografer’.
-Jag skulle gärna ägna mig ät kulturpolitik. En av de fä saker som jag kan bli heligt arg över är att se hur man skär ner på skola, fritidsgärdar och kulturella insatser när ungdommsbrottslighet och missbruk bara ökar.
Stina beskriver sin egen vardag som nästan helt befriad frän Musikhögskolans individuella utbildningslinje. Tvivlar själv på att hon någonsin kommer att slutföra sina studier.
Att tillgodogöra sig teoretiska kunskaper i ämnen som arrangering, musiklära och komposition, innebar aldrig några problem. Då var det knepigate med sångundervisningen.
-För mig handlar sång mycket om att lyssna inåt. Det har ingen lärare varit intresserad av.
Tidigare har hon bland annat jobbat som diskare, servitris, telefonist och städerska. Nu är det bara musiken som gäller. Dagsrutinerna styr hon själv. Det kan bli skevt, menar hon. Tid att tänka på sig själv finns det ibland för mycket av.
-Jag är väldokumenterat totalegocentrisk, säger hon och hakar upp munnen i ett leende.
Sedan förklarar hon odramatiskt att hon periodvis mår ganska dåligt. Så har det varit sedan 16-ärsåldern. Att göra musik blev tidigt ett slags beredskap för morveska ‘sprickor neråt’.
-Ett tag tog musiken nästan all plats, Kreativitet är väl i och för sig en god kraft, men ibland har den mest dövat en del känslor.
Nu har musicerandet fått rimligre proportioner. Det har mycket med pojkvännen Jonas att göra, tror Stina. Tillsammans med ett piano och mängder av böcker trängs de i en etta i centrala Stockholm.
-Det känns som jag håller på att byta liv. Vissa forsvarsmekanismer har börjat lösas upp, förklara hon.
Hon skulle kunna tänka sig att författa. Inte dikter, som Jonas (han är poet), utan en bok.
-Det fattas bara ett knäpp i mitt huvud för att jag ska sätta i gång. Eller kanske krävs det att något i min omgivning förändras. Att jag flyttar ut på landet eller blir gravid.
Annonsen har redan gått i tryck. Bostad på landet önskas hyra, mas sju mil från Stockholm.
På väg ät rätt håll, säger Stina.
Something Nice, skivans näst sista och ljusaste spår, börjar så här:

(Opening lines of Something Nice)



GOOGLE TRANSLATION (warts, howlers and all):-

Stina's voice therapy
Listening inward, outward anonymous

Most of all, she wanted to sneak out of her new album in secret.
Least of all, she wants to give his music a face recognizable.
-This is the point of me, says SN firmly and select the open mouth, teeth and tongue with two cupped hands.

Compromise is a scourge, but some will be. Especially if they release their second album over the whole world and at the same time do not want to be seen.
'Stina has been difficult for photo shoots, we have good color images that you can use', announces record label card when Aveny want to take their own pictures.
Should there had compromised it may be on her terms.
Sometimes I wish Stina she had in mind for better early career. By then, it might have been possible to create a stand-in, a publicly alter ego.
This weekend, she recorded a short film in twenty minutes meant for English TV. Songs from the new album ASCHE interspersed with interviews made by a British journalist.
-So I will not have to go there and play, says Stina and smiles a little awry.
Strikingly pleased she notes that there'll be a few gigs at all. Not in the UK, not Sweden, not on stage, not on TV, nowhere, Stina has recorded a video and it will have to suffice. She is afraid of being recognized on the street.

-Could it be about self-denial? she says theatrically and laughs.
-Certainly it deep down someone's self-image as ghosts. Specifically, it is about that I have a very strong desire to express myself, and sometimes the desire completely gone. It would not work if people flew to me with questions and glances full time, she explains, adding:
-Formulating me have a therapeutic purpose. Therefore, it really does not matter how the result sounds or what people think.
SN speaks as she sings. Fragile and tentative. Sentences are unfinished. Words left hanging in the silence like a ton sometimes left hanging at the end of a verse.
If you are not listening spirit of what she said, you could easily get the idea that it's a squeamish little man who speaks so softly that the sound barely reaches across the narrow table.
But it's like with her lyrics. Somehow she manages the feat of combining integrity with generosity.
Just over two years ago, Stina critically acclaimed debut with the MOAC. Album sold 20.000 copies Sweden. Japanese, British and Americans were curious about the little dark Swede, who was compared to both Billie H and RLJ.
Stina sighs.
-When I last fall on the radio how they presented Rebecka Tornqvist as 'our new jazz hop' I thought right away, why did not she come three years ago?! She looks much better in the tray that they wanted me in. ..
Just like before thread button is Stina written and arranged all the material on the new album himself. The voice is the same, the English dialect as peculiar, but the music more visbetonad than before.
Musicians and singers, she has put together from various sources. The set ranges from sounding song. Flute, trumpet, saxophone, or strings indicating spoken tone. Flesh Quartet little here, a little popsicle there, everywhere in very Nordenstamsk vintage. The three songs involved a choir boy with crystal clear voices. Here and shrugs Stina yourself into keyboards, piano, guitar, percussion, or choir.

The songs are almost in all cases be regarded as love ballads. Style same pieces of great emotions with lots of blacks. Texts that have quite a bit in common with Stina's first public appearance as a protest singer seven.
The memory makes her light up. She leans over the table and sing quietly, quietly:
-If the earth dies, what are we living for?
His parents were active communists and himself Stina belonged to Sweden socialistika pioneers. She votes for the Left.
-Most of duty obligation and because there are no alternatives, she said without enthusiasm.
Interest in ploitik has continued, but the commitment has slackened. Today's party politics dismisses her as 'laughable and abstract'. She has tried to activate a union of Musicians' Union, but found it difficult to feel at home among 'all entertainment staff from bingo halls and cinemas'.
-I would like to devote myself eating culture. One of the few things that I can become holy angry about is to see how to cut down on schools, recreation centers and cultural efforts in juvenile delinquency and substance abuse only increases.
Stina describes his living almost entirely exempt from the School of Music, individual training line. Doubt yourself that she will ever finish their studies.
Reaping the theoretical knowledge of subjects arranging, music theory and composition, meant never any problems. Then it was trickier with singing lessons.
-For me, singing a lot of listening inward. There has been no teaching interested.
Previously, she worked as a dishwasher, waitress, telephone operator and chambermaid. Now it's just the music that apply. Daily routines control herself. It can become warped, she says. Time to think of himself, there is sometimes too much.
-I is well documented totalegocentrisk, she says, and hooks up her mouth into a smile.
Then she explains that she undramatic periodically feel pretty bad. So it has been since the 16's. Making music soon became a kind of readiness for combat 'crack down'.
-For a while, the music took almost all the space, creativity is well in itself a force for good, but sometimes the most dövat some feelings.
Now musicianship with reasonable proportions. It has a lot with her boyfriend Jonas to do, think Stina. Along with a piano and lots of books crowding those in a studio apartment in central Stockholm.
-I feel like I'm doing to change lives. Some defensive mechanisms have begun to dissolve, explaining she.
She would be willing to write. Not poems, as Jonas (he's a poet), but a book.
-It is taken just a click in my head that I'll put in the time. Or maybe it is required that something in my environment changed. I moved out to the country or become pregnant.
The ad has already gone to print. Living in the country desired rent, maximum seven mil from Stockholm.
On the right track, says Stina.
Something Nice disc penultimate and brightest tracks, begins like this:

(Opening lines of Something Nice)

[RobB]

Dave,thanks for taking the trouble to type all that out .....for Stina that's quite a revealing interview. Never knew that she'd been a dishwasher, waitress, telephone operator or a chambermaid before.

Judging by the photo of the original article,the publication date was 28th January - 3rd February (1994) which is handy to know as we can now date the filming of the ASCHE EPK to late January 1994, most likely (judging by the text) the weekend of 22nd/23rd January. Amazing what you can still discover, even after nearly twenty years?

[Blown_A_Wish]

Sorry, double post!
See below post
Thanks!

[Blown_A_Wish]

Hi!
I'm Swedish but have lived in Ireland for the past 8 years. I was having a quiet Sunday afternoon so I decided to make a proper translation of the above article. I hope it finds you well

Stina's song therapy
Listens inward, outward anonymous.
Most of all she would have liked to sneak out her new album in secret. Least of all does she want to give her music a face to recognise.
- This is the point with me, says Stina Nordenstam resolutely and gestures towards her open mouth, teeth and tongue with two cupped hands.

Compromise is a scurge, but there will be some, especially if one releases their second album all over the world while not wanting to be seen.
'Stina dislikes photo shoots, we have good colour photographs that you can use' is the brief announcement from the record label when Aveny requests to take their own pictures. If there has to be compromise, it will have to be on her terms.
Sometimes Stina wishes that she had thought the matter over beforehand, at the start of her career. Then it might have been possible to create a stand-in, a public alter ego.
Last weekend she recorded a short film of 20 min. duration destined for English TV. Songs from the new album ASCHE are intermingled with interviews made by a Britih journalist.
- Then I wont need to go there and play, says Stina with a skewed smile.
Strikingly content by the fact that there wont be any gigs at all. Not in England, not in Sweden, not on stage, not on TV, nowhere at all. Stina has recorded a video, that'll have to do. She's afraid of getting recognised in the street.

- Could it be about self-denial? she says in a theatrical voice and smiles.
- Surely there's some self-image haunting me deep down. Concretely it's about the fact that I've a strong desire to express myself and sometimes that desire vanishes completely. It wouldn't work if people came upon me the whole time with stares and questions, she explains and adds:
- To express myself has a therapeutical end. That's why it doesn't matter to me how the end result sounds or what people think.
SN speaks like she sings. Delicately and tentatively. Sentences go unfinished, worlds are left hanging at the end of a lyric-line. If one didn't listen to what she was saying one could easily get the impression that it's a squeamish little person talking so quietly that the sound barely reaches across the table, but it's like with her lyrics, for some reason she succeeds with the feat of combining integrity with generosity.
Just over two years ago Stina made her critically acclaimed debut with MOAC. The album sold 20 000 copies in Sweden, the Japanese, the English and the Americans became curious about the little dark Swede, who was likened to both Billie Holiday and Rickie Lee Jones.
Stina sighs.
- When I heard last autumn on the radio how they presented Rebecca Tornqvist as 'our new jazz hope' I immediately thought: why didn't she emerge three years ago?! she fits much better into that box that they wanted to put me in…

Like on its predecessor, Stina has written and arranged all material on the new album herself. The voice is the same, the English accent slightly peculiar, but with the music being more ballad orientated than previously. Musicians and backing vocalists have been picked from various places. The line-up varies with each song. Flute, trumpet, saxophone or strings set the tone. A bit of Flesh Quartet here, a bit of Popsicle there, but a sound that is very much Nordenstam throughout. A choir of crystal clear boy voices contributes on three songs. Here and there Stina herself steps in on keyboard, piano, guitar, percussion or backing vocals.

The songs can nearly all be seen as love ballads. Quiet pieces dealing with big feelings with a lot of darkness. Lyrics which have little in common with Stina's first public performance as a seven year old singer of protest songs. The memory brightens her face. She leans across the table and sings very quietly:
- If the earth dies, why should we live?
The parents were active in the Communist party and Stina herself has belonged to the Swedish Socialist Pioneers. She votes for Vansterpartiet (the Swedish left-wing party).
- Mostly out of duty and because there are no alternatives, she says without enthusiasm.
The interest in politics has been sustained, but her dedication has vaned. She dismisses the party politics of today as 'paltry and abstract'. She has tried to engage herself in the Musicians' trade union, but found it hard to feel at home among 'all entertainment personnell from bingo halls and cinemas'.
- I would like to engage in cultural politics. One of the few things that makes me raging mad is when I see how they cut down on schools, youth centres and cultural activities while youth criminality and addiction is on the increase.

Stina describes her own daily life as almost entirely free from the individual study programme at the Royal College of Music (Stockholm). She doubts herself that she'll ever complete her studies. To assimilate theoretical knowledge in subjects such as arrangement, musical theory and composition never posed any problem. Then it was trickier with the singing classes.
- For me singing is about listening inward, something that no teacher has had any interest in.
Previously she has, amongst other things, worked as a dishwasher, waitress, phone operator and cleaner. Now it's only about the music. She's in charge of her own daily routines. They can get a bit askew, she admits. Time to think about herself is sometimes too abundant.
- I'm well proven as a total egocentric, she says and widens her mouth into a smile.
She then explains, undramatically, that she feels quite bad from time to time. It's been like this since she was 16 years of age. Making music became a way of counteracting ''downward cracks' from early on.
- For a while music took up almost all my time. Creativity is, I suppose, a good force, but sometimes it has mostly just numbed certain feelings.
Now the music-making has taken on more reasonable proportions. It has a lot to do with boyfriend Jonas, thinks Stina. Together with a piano and loads of books they crowd together in a one room apartment in central Stockholm.
- It feels as if I'm about to change my life. Certain defense mechanisms have started to dissolve, she explains.
She could consider writing, not poetry, like Jonas (he's a poet), but a book.
- All that's needed is a snap in my head for me to get started, or maybe it's needed for something in my environment to change. That I move to the country or get pregnant. The advert has already gone to print. Looking to rent house in the country, 70 kilometres from Stockholm maximum.
- Going in the right direction, says Stina.
Something Nice, the album's second last and brightest track starts like this:
(opening lines of Something Nice).

[sound world]

Welcome, Blown-A-Wish!! and thank you so much for that, it makes far more sense.

[Blown_A_Wish]

Thanks!
And sorry for the double posting, the first time I tried I got an error message so I didn't think it got sent...
Anyway, no worries, I'm glad to be of help

[paul-pgss]

thanks for translating. It was an interesting read.

[RobB]

Cheers for being so helpful. Erm...have we any other Swedish interviews that need translating?

[Blown_A_Wish]

If you need any more help with translating Swedish stuff feel free to post it to me!
Did anyone ever translate the extensive interview from Swedish Sonic Magazine from about 2004? I have it in my parents place in Sweden, but unless it's somewhere online I don't have access to it...

[RobB]

Did anyone ever translate the extensive interview from Swedish Sonic Magazine from about 2004?

Yes, Daniel translated the interview back in 2005 but unfortunately his links to the interview are now broken.

http://desireavenue.free.fr/phpbb3/view ... ?f=3&t=269

.

[sound world]

I have the magazine-and Daniel's translation, which seems very good.

[Blown_A_Wish]

Ah that's a shame the link doesn't work anymore... I was just in Sweden over Christmas and was thinking before I went that I was gonna re-read that interview since it's a couple of years since I got hold of the magazine in a flea market/antiques shop. And yeah, of course I forgot all about it! Next time...