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Dynamo Chapel

About Me

It all began sometime in late 1998 in Stockholm, Sweden when singer/songwriter Magnus Ericsson and guitarist Mårten Lundmark sat down together for the first time. Over a bottle of Smirnoff and in the company of their guitars and a big pile of their favourite vinylrecords, they tried out a bunch of songs Ericsson had written since moving from their native Skellefteå. It turned out so well that they decided, right there and then, to form a band that would play these songs and, as these things go of course, change the face of music.
Back in Skellefteå both Ericsson and Lundmark had been playing in a lot of different bands; however, never together, and trying hard but not quite getting to wherever it was they were heading. Maybe it was the boring, industrial town's fault because when they packed up and left for Stockholm they found themselves with a whole new view on what it was that they really wanted to do and, most importantly, on how to do it. All they needed now were people whose idea of what made music great was the same as theirs. People who love it when songs make your eyes flood with tears of joy or sorrow. People who love it when a song gives you goose bumps or when a song lets you know that you're not alone; that someone's been where you are and lived to tell. People who love songs, verse, bridge and chorus. Coincidence intervened in the most peculiar fashion; everyone Ericsson and Lundmark came across who would later form Dynamo Chapel turned out to hail from the same provincial, northern town as themselves, driven to the capital for the usual reasons; work (or rather the lack of it ), love (or the lack of it), studies and boredom.
Keyboard player Jonas Hällgren became the first one to join. That he and Ericsson had been playing together for ten years made him an obvious choice. In addition, he used to frequent the same bars as the other two, forming and disbanding different constellations as the nights went on and the minds grew dim. Now they were not two but three. In the summer of 1999, Lundmark found himself backstage at Hultsfredsfestivalen, Sweden's largest rock festival. The backstage area was as backstage areas always are - artists, journalists, industry people and wannabes in cohorts, drinking too much and slagging each other off. On an adjoining football pitch sat Patrik Sundqvist drinking lukewarm beer. Known as "Skellefteås most drummer" he had met Lundmark before and they soon started talking music. Lundmark told him about this new band he was putting together and after splitting a six-pack Dynamo Chapel had a drummer. Back in Stockholm, the band started rehearsing. Still a bass player short, Jonas filled in on the bass as the songs were coming into shape. Noticeable on the demo-tapes of this era are early versions of "Aiming for the sun", "Things get Rough" and "If there's a Darkness". But still they were a bass player short. Lundmark came up with the name Alf Orvesten, an old friend he had played with previously. He told the band that he'd found a guy to fill the vacant spot, without even asking Orvesten if he'd fancy joining a band again after hanging the bass up for a career as a gardener. In addition, he was at the time living further south in Sweden, in Malmö.
However, after listening to the tapes Lundmark sent him he packed his bags and moved up to Stockholm. Joining the band in February of 2000 he was the final piece to complete the puzzle. Everything clicked into gear as they started rehearsing as a five-piece and now all that was lacking was a name to be known by. Ericsson and Hällgren came up with the name Dynamo Chapel, thinking of those great eastern European footballing sides who ran out on the pitch under similar names. They've never looked back since. The band members eclectic music taste makes the band sound like some kind of traditional singer/songwriter type-Van Morrisson-Tim Hardin-Springsteen-soul-boogie-country. Some might call it pub rock; some might call it boogie ballads. But, the important thing is the songs and the way you play them.


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Member Since: 30/01/2007
Band Members: Magnus Ericsson - lead vocals, guitar
Jonas Hällgren - piano, organ
MÃ¥rten Lundmark - guitar

Type of Label: Indie

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