BIOGRAPHY
General manager Jonathan E.'s liner notes from the box set LP compilation Reminiscent:
And the letters spelt S.E.P.P.U.K.U. [a short biography]
Spring, 1984, and as the snow melts in the northern country of Sweden, Seppuku is formed by friends Rasmus, Ronny and Fredric. Out of the frustration of teenage boredom the trio starts to experiment with music, which is the result of their common interest in spy flicks, electronic music, Asian culture and space-age futurism.
By early autumn the single “Under Your Controllâ€/â€A New Illusion†sees the light of day. Rasmus and Ronny are now joined by new members Togga Papp and Conda, while Fredric leaves as part of the recording-/live act. He, however, remains in the inner circle as an adviser and co-designer of posters and the single cover. (Fredric painted the Samurai on the single cover.) The successful 7†takes Seppuku, with new member Johan, out on a tour, which starts in Swedish metropolises as Varnamo, Norrkoping, Ljungby and Oskarshamn, through Germany and the BeNeLux countries and ends up in Le Havre, France.
Back home again, the latter city is sung about in one of the new songs; “Assignment Franceâ€, which is part of another successful recording session. The other two tracks on this session are; “Man Utan Moral†and the still unreleased; “Hon Gav Mig Alltâ€. If you ever witnessed a concert by Seppuku, you have probably never forgot them or their blue pyjamases and red Jofa hockey helmets with black stick-on letters that spelt S.E.P.P.U.K.U.
They never really called it a day, but as the synth pop/new romantic-era was over and fellow acts like OMD, Ultravox and Devo started to make lousy records, Seppuku as a group just vanished into the blue... I soon lost contact with the guys, but after what I’ve been told, two of them became semi-professional soccer players, while the other three remained in the music business.
Now, fifteen years later, we are proud to be part of this great compilation, and next year an EP will be released, and for the first time Seppuku will be available on the CD format. A format that was hardly invented the last time around. The boys have even had plans to re-form and join the nostalgia circus for a few anniversary gigs, but then again - they might not... But one thing is for sure, for two short, but eventful years - the letters spelt S.E.P.P.U.K.U.
Jonathan E.
December 2000
PICTURES
RELEASES
V/A - Genotypes (CD, 2010, Genetic Music, GEN030)
feat. Under Your Control
V/A - Reminiscent (LP box set, 2003, Genetic Music, GEN010)
feat. Assignment France and Man Utan Moral
Seppuku - Under Your Control/New Illusion (7", 1985, Falk Records, FALK 8406)
