Vote for Carl & Mando

Guys, time to wake up for this.

Click here and vote for Carl & Mando on GoTV.

Tack. Merci. Thank you. Gracias. Grazie.

Carl Norén as support of the MD Autumn Tour

Great news guys!

Carl will join the Mandos on their tour in Autumn

Tour dates:
Oct 4th - Zenith, Munich
Oct 5th - Komplex 457, Zurich (SOLD OUT)
Oct 7th - König Pilsner Arena, Oberhausen
Oct 8th - Jahrhunderthalle - Frankfurt  (SOLD OUT)
Oct 9th - Kompöex 457, Zurich (SOLD OUT)
Oct 11th - Rockhal, Luxembourg

See you there!!
Love
S.

Long interview with Carl - in swedish&english

Hej Guys

Here's a long interview with Carl in swedish.
The interview takes place in Borlänge during the P&L festival.

Go here to read it in swedish.

And here is the english translation:

Carl Norén, one of the brothers from Sugarplum Fairy, gave out his debut solo album 'Owls' earlier this year. We met up with him in Borlänge before his concert at the Peace & Love festival to talk about being recognized, Allsång på Skansen, poetry and the willingness to develope and challenge yourself. But the solo career does not mean the end of Sugarplum Fairy. "Sugarplum will always be stronger than anything else", says Carl Norén.

It is a very war Friday in Borlänge when we meet Carl at Café Esplanad in the center of Borlänge. The Peace & Love festival is yet to open the gates for the day, it's early afternoon and it's relatively calm to be the largest festival in Sweden. Carl Norén lives in Stockholm since seven year but goes home to Borlänge four, five times a year. At feasts and when the festival takes place. He feels comfortable in the green Borlänge and at home in Kvarnsveden in the garden. 

- I don't really like it in the actual town of Borlänge, says Carl. I think Borlänge overall is a very good city to grow up in, but it's a lot harder and tougher as teenager and adult. To hang out in cafes or go out is better in Stockholm.

 I've heard it's a pretty tough climate in Borlänge? 

- Yes, it is and you can feel it. When I left Borlänge there were a lot of street violence and people who got beaten to death, often completely unprovoked. But you still think back at the time. When you're back home it's still like you're a bit more careful. I've never felt that in Stockholm. Any fear.

Lately Carl Norén has both been studying and been working at a restaurant at the same time as being an artist. He started learning literature history at the university to get well-read and because he found it interesting. Now he does it all. Artist in full-time, work half time and studying half time.

- I thought I was going to take a break from the music and begin studying instead, Carl tells us. But I needed some sort of culture so I spent the days at the library. I still had some money left from the artistry to live on for maybe a year. So I sat in the library every day and just read, which gave me a lot of ideas. It is after all a weird life, to just sit in the library, but it gave me a lot as well. After that I wanted to study literature.

- Then I started working at a restaurant as well to be able to finance one more record and to get a studio and start all of that again.

 What do you think about working at a restaurant? 

- It's actually quite fun. I came there without knowing anything about the industry so I was very humble about it, I wanted to do good. I wanted to learn everything about it, that you're supposed to be subordinate and know about the hierarchy, that you got to show respect for the chef. Get thing out that holds a good standard all the time. It's a lot of fun and you meet loads of nice people. A lot of people there work extra at crafts and design or as musician, so it's a bohemian place. I like it there.

 Do people often recognize you at the university and at work? 

- Yes, but they usually tell me at the end of a course. At first they don't say anything but when they feel that they know me a bit better it gets out. One day I was on the cover of DN Kultur, and the ladies who read literature said "now you're on my refrigerator at home!". Then they knew me a bit better so they could say something like that. But other than that you can see some examples from people from Fattaru at the university. There are quite a lot of musician who study just for fun.

"One time someone pointed at me and said: 'Howlin' Pelle!'."

Other than that, Carl barely gets recognized walking down the streets of Stockholm. It's mostly when there are German tourists on visit. It also depends on who his company is, when he's all by himself it doesn't happen very often but if he's with the band or his younger brother, people notice them.

- I've kept a lower profile in Sugarplum than my brother has, so I get less awareness than him and my older brother, says Carl.

- My younger brother was in Gothenburg recently, and then two girls came to him and said "just so you know, you look EXACTLY like Victor Norén!". Things like that can happen sometimes. That we don't look like ourselves, but very much alike. And one time someone pointed at me and said 'Howlin' Pelle!'."

 No way? 

- Yeah. I guess they had seen my face on a CD or something. But stuff like that is just fun. You get a good laugh.

 What do you like to do a day when you're free from work? 

- That's almost never. But if I am free from any type of work then I do barely nothing. I do nothing and I sit down and talk with to family. Hang out with people, go out grab something to eat and stuff like that.

Carl also tells us that he got some small hobby projects he's doing when or if he got some time over that is too pretentious to be put into light. Like writing poems, just for fun and to learn how to write one. He's not planning on publishing them officially under the name Carl Norén, but has already done it anonymous on the internet.

- I got a secret account on a poetry site where I publish some poems every now and then. But it's not very often. In high school I wrote lots of poems and it's fun doing it. Lots of people do, just to get things out.

 Why do you want to be anonymous? 

- Partly because if I go out with my name, people might take it in a different way when they know who you are. It's not for sure they know me anyway but if they would, it would just be unnecessary. Maybe people take you more seriously, because you get feedback on this site. It's more honest. So I prefer being anonymous then. I'm doing it mainly for myself.

- It's pretty easy writing poems if you can figure out how it works. But to write good, so that people get what you mean, to get emotions out of it, is really difficult. 

What's the difference between writing a poem and a song? 

- First of all you got to get the language together. And then to get an emotion more than just saying it. It can be anything, use of metaphores for instance. In lyrics it's more of a story. It doesn't even have to be poetic, it can be the everyday language. If we take Broder Daniels' songs, which I think if really good, they get repeated all the time. "I'll want last long, soon I'll be gone". It's not very poetic but it tells something. If it would have been a poem in Swedish, it would have been just teenage crap.

- In a poem, every word must mean something. You got a certain number of words you can use and every word has to say something. It's must more difficult.

"I do consider it as one of Sweden's biggest TV shows, and if you don't want your music there, you don't have anything to say with your music. Then you don't want to reach out."

When we meet it's a few weeks before Carl Norén, surprisingly enough, is going to appear on Allsång på Skansen. But for Carl Norén it was never a question of saying no when he got asked.

- Of course I said yes. Maybe I wouldn't have done that years ago but it felt right. I wanted to do something different. I've always said that my music is about doing whatever you want without caring about what people might think. The person who seems cool is usually not the person who IS cool, cool is the person who is proud of what he or she does and can stand for it.

- The band Europe recently said that it's nerdy playing at Allsång på Skansen. And that says more about them, that they sort of demand getting accepted by the critics. I do consider it as one of Sweden's biggest TV shows, and if you don't want your music there, you don't have anything to say with your music. Then you don't want to reach out.

- It feels weird thinking that my music will appear on there, but on the same time it's pretty cool. When Håkan Hellström played there the Swedes taste of music got better at once. People started listening to something that really means something.

Would you have felt different about it a few years ago? 

- Yeah, I probably would have. Maybe it's about maturity. And also because I felt that Anders Lundin is some kind of childrens' show host. He was a bit too much.

You didn't like him? 

- Nah. Måns feels more.. he's in the same age I am. Younger even. And very nice. Maybe he's a bit too good. I heard that Filip and Fredrik said something about that in their podcast, that it should be a more broken person. But I still think he does a good job, and then you should be nice. He's perfect for it!

"I often feel that I don't want to do it, but if I do I'll get pass it and develope as a person."

Will you be nervous before the show? 

- Yes, says Carl quickly. Definitely. I'll be that. But I usually do things I perhaps shouldn't do or can do. Because that challenge you. I do lots of lectures and sometimes songwriting schools or talk about something in front of people. I often feel that I don't want to do it but if I do I'll get pass it and develope as a person. Allsång på Skansen is one of those things I suppose, I'll learn something out of it.

Does the fact it's on TV make you more nervous? 

- Not really, I don't think much of the TV. It's more the fact there are so many things going on and so many things around you. But I keep myself calm.

Carl is quiet for a few seconds.
- I get nervous for everything. Nervous for tonight. I don't really think it's fun doing stuff until it's done. I've always been a bit worried when it comes to music. I hate when you're about to release a record and critics are about to have their say. Every time, I ask myself why I'm doing it, what's the point? But then comes the rush of creating things, and to be out meeting people who like your music. That's the meaning. But this whole thing about having to achieve something, that can be hard on you.
"Sugarplum is like a family. It's something I grew up with. Sugarplum will always be stronger than anything else"

Right now his younger brother is doing his stuff, at the same time their recording with Sugarplum Fairy with whom they're planning on releasing something new as soon as possible. Carl is also currently writing more songs for his solo career.

- Yeah, absolutely. I'm writing songs the whole summer. Trying to find something, trying to make something that to me is different. Take another step, at some direction.

Do you feel like the things you do solo wouldn't work with Sugarplum Fairy? 

- Nah. Not really. Sugarplum is like a family. It's something I grew up with. Sugarplum will always be stronger than anything else. When we're all together, we do it better than me or Victor would do it by ourselves. Because we have played together for so long. So there's no reason for me to write a slow ballad, then it's not Sugarplum, then it's Carl Norén, and I might as well do that on my own.

- When we're all playing a song like 'Stay young' it's Sugarplum and it's damn good. Because we've been working together for ten years to get our sound and given each other every seconds of our sparetime to get it to sound like that, and that will last.

- It's like the Russian, Soviet hockey team who won against everyone. They lived together. That's how hard we've practised as well, just to be able to do what we're doing.

What are your plans for the future? 

- I've got new plans all the time. Always trying to come up with things I can do. If you would have asked me ten years ago if I would still be making music today, I would have said no, probably not. I might have said that I would have a family and living abroad or be studying to be an engineer. But that's not the way it turned out. So let's see what happens. Maybe I'll graduate master in literature and start reviewing books.

- I think that for each door you can open, there are ten more to open. The way of life gets painted one piece at a time and you never know where you will end up.

Published: on a Swedish site called Rocksoul.se 

Translation: Celine Jacobs

Love
S.

Tired of Running live P&L

Hello guys!

Here's TIRED OF RUNNING live from P&L 2011!

Enjoy!

Radio interview with Carl

Have a listen HERE


At approx. 14th minute :)
Love
S.

Walking down memory lane

Hej Guys,

I stumbled over pics again from Peace&Love this year. Very beautiful pictures taken by Emma Svensson. You can check them out here .


Also, I've been having this video on repeat for quite a while now.


Love
Sophie

pics from last night

Hi Guys!

HERE you can check out pics from yesterday's gig!

Love
S.

Carl Norén - That's The Way I Like It - Official Video

How do we say:

That's The Way I Like It, baby!

Update: 3 Videos!

Have a look at That's The Way I Like It!

Also, check THIS out.

And last but not least Going Out Tonight

Have a good one!

Carl gig at Storsjöran Festivalen in Östersund on Saturday

Carl will play another gig at a festival this year.

When: Saturday 30th of July 

Time: 22.15 PM. 

Where: Bombay Sapphire Club

For tickets click HERE.

Love

Sophie 

Allsång på Skansen & Special Video

Hi folks!

Today is the day - Allsång på Skansen day! Swedes: Turn on your TV at 8PM and non Swedes, go here! 

Also have a look at this video.

'Carl talks about dreams. As a kid, he used to dream about being able to kiss a girl but he didn't know how to make a girl wanna kiss him. What he did know was that in the church while getting married, the priest says "you may kiss the bride" - so as a kid, he dreamt about the day he would get married.'

thanks Celine ;-) 

Love

Sophie

Carl gig tomorrow at Trägårn

Hi guys!

Carl + band will play at Trägårn in Uddevalla tomorrow!

Doors: 9PM
Stage time: 22PM
Costs: 160 SEK
Age limit: 18+

More info here and here!

Hultsfredsfestivalen - pics and concert

hi guys,

here you can check out pictures from Hultsfredsfestivalen.

and you can listen to the concert on saturday sometime between noon and 2PM here 

Best

Hultsfredsfestivalen & Interview with TV4 & Allsång på Skansen

Hello Villagers,

Due to vacation, there hasn't been many updates on this page. But here's some news:

1) Carl plays at Hultsfredsfestivalen Today at 12.30-13.30. Can't be there? Well then, you can listen to it on the radio. Exact link will follow!
2) Carl did an interview at P&L in Borlänge. You can check it out here.
3) Carl will play at Allsång på Skansen on July 26th!!

That's it. Have a sunny day,

Best

Vote for Carl!

Hi guys!

It's time to vote for Carl again.

1) Go HERE. You just have to click on the +.
2) The old and familiar voting on GOTV. The Anger is still in it. To vote go HERE

All the best
S.

Carl at P&L 2011

Soo, some great news I guess we've been waiting for!

Carl's set to play at P&L 2011!!

Pretty cool, right? ;-)

Reminiscing

Hello hello,

It's been while since I posted something. It has become quiet around here. To fill this silence i found a video of which i thought got lost somewhere in the space of youtube. But I found it again.

Hamburg, September 25th, 2010. Reeperbahnfestival.

Carl played a song he hasn't played since he was 14 years old. It was a very special moment when he played it. Apologizing in case he forgets chords and/or lyrics. Hehe :)

Listen to the song here


Love 
Sophie :) 

Pics from Göteborg

Hello, hello!

How is everyone doing? Sorry for the delay. But here are some pics from the gig in Göteborg.

Both concerts were fantastic. My personal highlight of the show was 'Owls'. Just brilliant!!

Looking forward to more gigs in the future.

In case you haven't seen, you can download 'Going Out Tonight' for free. Just go here!

All Love
Sophie

Malmö & Göteborg

Hi guys!

Malmö was really great yesterday. Here you can find some pics.

Tonight is the end of the swedish Owls tour for now, we're very much looking forward to the last gig. Pictures and a more detailed report will follow :)

All love
Sophie

Signing & Singing in Göteborg

Carl will sign records and play his songs from 'Owls' on Saturday April 9th in Göteborg.

When? 13:00
Where? Bengans Stigbergstorget, Göteborg

See you there!

Love
S

Photos from Uppsala

Hi guys!

Here are some photos from Saturday night.

Source : Unt.se

Hello there Carl Norén ...

... Who is constantly trying to go his own way.

Now he has released the popular album 'Owls'.

Tonight he's playing at Pipeline in Sundsvall.

• How would you describe your music?
- I'm very inspired by the kind of music for example Cornelis sings. And my parents always played and always sang Swedish progg music and such so I got some influences from there as well. But also Nirvana and hip hop I listened to as a teenager.
• What's the advantage with playing solo instead of in a band?
- I choose all by myself how I would like the music to sound, if I would like to have reggae influences, I take reggae influences. In a band it becomes more restricted and tied to others' opinions and influences.

• How have the reactions of the Sugarplum Fairy fans been?
- Some of them have objections about it being too slow, but I don't play to satisfy people. If you don't like it, you don't have to listen to it and if you do like it, then continue listening. I also had a blog for quite some time between Sugarplum Fairy and the Carl Norén-'career' where I explained who I am and why I started this solo career.

• How has the tour been so far?
- The last concert, which was in Stockholm at Debaser, it was a lot of fun and a lot of people. I played for the first time with many people in the band, so it was fun.

• How do you feel about the gig tomorrow at Pipeline?
- It's gonna be a scaled down trio concert where you can listen to the songs on the record in acoustic versions. It will also be the first time that we are doing it with this setting, including an upright bass.

• Reactions on the new record?
- It has been good, I don't read much reviews but from what I've heard from others it's been mainly a positive response.

• Plans for the future?
- Right now me and a couple of members from Mando Diao are building a studio where we're gonna produce other artists.

Published: dagbladet.se on March 25, translated by Celine Jacobs

Love

Sophie

Videos from Earth Hour March 26!

Hi guys!

How are you doing?

Here are some videos from Earth Hour March 26.

Watch 'The Anger'
Watch 'Tired Of Running'
Watch 'New York'

All Love
Sophie

Little Reminder

Hi guys,

Long time no post, sorry about that!

Anyways, don't forget to vote for Carl Norén - The Anger on GOTV!

To vote, go here! 


Also, don't miss out on Carl playing in Stockholm on Saturday (Earth Hour). Attend the event HERE! 


All Love
S

Flyer/Poster/Sticker Mission for Sweden

Hello hello Villagers!

We created Flyer/Sticker/Poster artwork for you to spread and to promote the remaining gigs in Sweden.

How to get hold of them?
Just get in touch with the ambassador of Sweden via this email adress: viktoria.carlvillage@gmail.com and tell her, that you'd like to receive the PDF files to spread the word. She will send the artwork + the instructions of how to make them to you!
Note: Mission is only for Sweden! Mission for other countries will soon be up too!

Important note concerning promotion: If you'd like to leave flyers/poster in a restaurant, bar, store etc, ask the owner first if it's okay!!

That's how the artwork looks like :

artwork black

artwork grey

artwork white

Let's spread the word now!

And: Don't forget to take pictures of attending this mission and send them to carlvillage@hotmail.com!

Love

Brilliant Interview with Carl - and Chat with Gustaf!

Fellows!!

Watch this! Probably one of the best interviews so far.

The chat between Gustaf and Carl very honest, very cool!

Watch it HERE

Love
S

Carl Norén & Earth Hour

Hi guys!
On Saturday, March 26th, Carl will play (amongst others) at Katarina Kyrka In Stockholm, to celebrate Earth Hour Day.

More info can be found here!

Gig review on svd.se

Carl Norén got a very dark voice when he speaks. It shouldn't be that surprising, a lot of singers got a completely different voice when they speak. But when the blonde manboy is on stage and talks about how he almost got beaten before the concert in Rättvik, the history gets funnier by the fact he doesn't sound like Prince - more like a lumberjack from Dalarna.
In a sporty leather jacket, John Lennon's New York City t shirt, a necklace with an owl and a Hagström guitar, Norén performs the songs from his debut album Owls and chit chat between the songs. Behind him there is a choir with Lisa Skoglund, a band who play analog instruments and a bunch of synths. Although it's 13 years since Sugarplum Fairy took shape - the band Norén and his band hail from - they are still bright-eyed and energetic like if they still were teenagers.
There are a lot of Swedish music right now that point to the Prince direction but end up with a sound like Gyllene Tider. Norén's 'That's the way I like it'oaks to the Monkees direction, which actually is a much safer way to go when it comes to bubble gum. On album, the music can despite that become ingratiating cuddly. But live, a messy Saturday night, it works perfectly as entertainment. Norén and Skoglund got some cinematic Gainsbourg & Birkin moments, and Norén is so utterly comfortable with everything that goes on on the stage and in the audience that he's basically Tom Jones in sweatpants.
The whole concert feels a bit like finally going back to the graduation prom in one of the girly high school movies that came out in the late 90s. The only difference is that instead of rattling, the band play disco pop with funk tendencies and strings of synth.

Published: on svd.se, translated by Celine Jacobs

Reveal Pt. 1

Navigation looks like this!

Something's in the middle here, we won't reveal what it is....yet 

That's how it looks like if you follow the home page link ;-)

Love

Carlvillage Homepage - Coming Soon

Hi Villagers!
How's the weekend?

We know we said this many times, but an official Carlvillage homepage is coming soon! No more facebook needed to stay up to date - finally!

Stay tuned on this blog we will soon reveal first pictures of how it will look like ;-)

Enjoy the concert in Stockholm tonight (well those who are attending it) and check out a few pictures from Åsa from last night HERE

Love
L&S

English translation of the interview on Sydsvenskan.se

Most people are aware of the fact Carl from Sugarplum Fairy is going solo now. The debut album got released February 23. Tonight he'll play at Mejeriet in Lund.

- It's an incredible rush of adrenaline to enter the stage and play in front of 50,000 people. The rush is so powerful the everyday life can get boring afterwards, says Carl Norén when he talks about how megalomania and hubris easily gets on a young artist.

He's glad he has experienced the thing between teenager and 20-something when he toured with Sugarplum Fairy. He thinks that it was good that he got to experience that then and not now when he's almost in his thirties.

- The everyday life and calmness becomes more interesting, I've already experienced the other thing in an early age, says Carl Norén.

But all Carl's concerts haven't been of the monstrous size. When Musikhjälpen last fall collected money to stop child trafficking, Carl offered some auction items. One of the things was a home gig where the winner got a concert with Carl Norén at home.

It's a huge step from a venue with 50,000 people to a home gig, but Carl Norén sees the allure of the small things in life.

- Such things are fun to do, we did a similar thing in Lund before christmas, where we played in a student hall. It was someone who had won a competition. To do such small gigs at peoples' houses is very rewarding. A little more focus on the music when all the people get to sit down and listen to the songs acoustic, says Carl Norén.

Carl Norén often gets questions about his brothers' music careers. The two years younger brother Victor Norén is also known from Sugarplum Fairy, and currently with his solo project Viktorious. One of the frontmen of Mando Diao, Gustaf Norén, is Carl's two years older brother. He doesn't get questions about he cousin and hip hop artist Prop Dylan (Per Norén) very often though.

- He's a very talented rapper and works with DJ Premier now, so he has also succeeded with the music, says Carl Norén.

He's sick and tired of the preconceived ideas which get spread about him and his brothers. He thinks they get portrayed as arrogant 'louts' and 'retro rockers'.

- Last Saturday, someone who was going to review my gig twittered that he was going to listen to 'the lout rocker Carl Norén'. I'm 27 years old now and play folk music, so I don't know if I'm a 'lout rocker'. We're not arrogant, we're pretty decent guys and none of us listen to retro rock, all of us got a quite modern taste of music and listen to hip hop, Carl Norén tells us.

The Borlänge son lives in Stockholm at the moment, but it's not a city where he sees himself in his hat for the rest of his life.

- I would like to live in a smaller city. Live in a house. I would consider living in the south actually.

Carl Norén actually recorded his first record with Sugarplum Fairy in Lund, so the link to Skåne is there.

- It was so calm and nice to have the lowland around us, especially when you're used to being in Dalarna. It's really beautiful, says Carl Norén.

Published: yesterday at sydsvenskan.se

Translated by Celine Jacobs

Interview with Carl on sydsvenskan

Hi folks!

Here you can read an interview with Carl. It's in swedish, but translation will come soon :)

We are thinking of all the people in japan!!

And also thinking of Carl who will play in Lund tonight. People who are there: Enjoy :)

Love

Introducing - The Village Council

Names: Laura & Sophie
Last Names: Vanoni & Ganzmann
City: Basel
Country: Switzerland
Ages: 21&21


Laura's Motivation:
Well, I guess my motivation is pretty much the same as yours, I fell madly in love with Carl's songs the minute I heard them for the first time. I got completely addicted to his voice and the lyrics. The lyrics especially grew on me. I want as many people as possible to hear them...So here I am trying to reach that goal, and the fact that there are so many villagers we can count on, that Carlvillage became a friendly place keeps me going.
(P.S. that Sophie and I started that Street Team was kinda a coincidence, we're still amazed by the growth of it, so a BIG thanks to you guys!)
Sophie's Motivation:
Well, I have to walk down memory lane a little bit. Ever since I heard Sugarplum Fairy for the first time, I fell in love with their music and especially with Carl's voice. And I must admit, I always wanted to hear more from Carl. So when I read about his solo project in his blog, it was like a dream coming true. Then, when I heard him live for the first time (solo) and heard the heartbreaking 'Going Out Tonight' I was crying like a baby up until Mando Diao started their show (Laura has to add: If you were at that Mando gig in Munich, yes we were the two girls who couldn't hold their tears back:P). And then I knew: This man has so much to give with his music and I want to do whatever it takes to make his music heard. And that is why I put so much effort in the promotion of Carl's music. 


Which song on Owls grew especially to you?
Laura: Gosh I guess I have to get really cliché.... Cause I can’t decide .So here my try to answer:

The song which means the most to me is Going out tonight, it brought my safely over many rough patches since I heard it the first time

The song which ALWAYS takes my breath is spirited away

And the song I like the album version of it the most is definitely Tired  of Running...

Sophie: You know, I hate this question. If I answer this question based on my emotions it must be Going Out Tonight. If I answer this question based on my own musical talent it must be Tired Of Running. If I answer this question based on my love for Carl’s voice, it must be Dawn. 

Best Carl moment/concert so far?

Laura: Definitely when I heard spirited away fort he first time at the recordstore gig at P&L 2010... I’ve never been so happy/sad and lonely while being with so many friends ever before, kinda a special, strange and magic feeling/moment.

Sophie adds: I was kind of confused during this song. She looked so sad and at the same time so happy so I didn’t really know how to act :P

Sophie: Well, for me it’s also the gig at the recordstore P&L  2010, but for a different reason. There were not many people, it was a very intimate concert and when Carl sat into the crowd, I guess this was one of the most amazing gestures I’ve ever experienced a musican doing. 

Guesses about the future – where do you see yourselves in 10 years? ;-)

Laura: I’m so boring, cause 10 years from now I will still love music, My favourite thing to do will still be spending time with my loved ones and If everything works out according to that famous ‚’’ life-plan’’ i’ll have a couple of kids and be an Elementary school teacher...

See sooooo boring ( but I love the Idea of it :P)

Sophie adds and asks herself: how can life be boring as elementary school teacher with all those bracelets wearers with jam on their hands? ;-)

Sophie: Okay, where I would like to see myself in 10 years : practically I still want to be doing the same thing. Promoting an artist whose music I love and adore and earn my money with it. In Sophie’s dreamworld: I will be rocking the stage with my own music ;-)

Laura adds: In Laura’s dreamworld (which of course will become reality ;-)  ) Sophie will Rock the stages of the world too :P

And last but not least: What do we actually think about each other?

Laura says about Sophie:

Sophie's one of the most creative persons I know. She's been a close friend for years by now. She's always fun to be around. She's addicted to music and coffee, and it's suicidal to take either one away from her. We've been to many many concerts together over the years and it sill amazes me how she seems to suck in good live music like a drug ;-) She's in with all of her heart and soul once she decided a project (like Carlvillage) is worth her time. All in all she's the best team mate one could wish for to be with, while working on a project like Carlvillage. 

Sophie says about Laura:

Laura has been the first female person I got a long with. What connects us? Apart from many things: the love for music. You could say I educated her musically. I filled her Ipod with all kind of artists she didn't know, made her go to concerts with me. Hehe ;-) One of those artists she didn't know was Sugarplum Fairy btw. You can really depend on her, if you need her, she's there, no questions asked. That makes it so great to work with her on a project like Carlvillage. We get along and understand each other blindly and everything goes hand in hand. Her being as crazy as I am is another plus in this collaboration ;-) 


All Love,
Laura and Sophie :) 

Long interview with Carl + some before unpublished photos

Carl Norén, who has just released a record, is the 'middle brother' of three musical brothers from Borlänge. After eleven years in the band Sugarplum Fairy with his younger brother Victor, he tests his own wings with the new album Owls which is produced by his older brother Gustaf's Mando Diao colleague Mats Björke. Rodeo meets Carl half an hour between the release and tour to talk about Russian literature, reviews and music that makes him happy.

CARL NORÉN, WHO ARE YOU APART FROM THAT 'HANDSOME GUY'?
- Haha, is that a general perception? I'm a person who is curious, quite funny, happy and who likes to hang out with happy people.

WHAT DO YOU USUALLY DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING [WITH THE MUSIC]?
- I study. And then I read and look tings up. I usually start with different projects to conquer a topic or a subject. Like when I decided to read almost all Russian literature I could find.
WHERE DOES THE FASCINATION OF RUSSIAN LITERATURE COME FROM?
- I come from a family where reading has been respected, a bit too highly, and mum always bragged about her reading all the classics already at the age of 13. So after I began listening to classics on CDs I decided to read them instead. The Russian books were the most difficult ones, so I started off with them. I read a lot of them and eventually I found it fun.

"A review is for people with no taste of music, a person with a taste of music doesn't need to read reviews."

CAN WE FIND TRACES OF THIS IN THE SONGS YOU'VE WRITTEN NOW? SINCE IT'S VERY ROMANTIC AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED , DOES IT GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE LITERATURE?
- Yes, it definitely has. I guess we're afraid of being romantic in this way as it is today. Always what's cool, but the things that haven't been changed is romantic, or love, or real emotions, or children who are ashamed of their parents. Some feelings are constant and those are the feelings you can relate to.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO TAKE CRITICISM ON A RECORD THAT IS THIS PERSONAL?

- No, not at all. I don't know the people who wrights them [the reviews]. If they don't like the music, it's not for them. Music is as subjective as something can possibly be, you hear a tone and get an emotion (inside of you), and that emotion is completely unique for everyone. Reviews are for people who doesn't have a taste of music, a person with a taste of music doesn't need to read any reviews. They all know that Lykke Li's new song is good, they don't need to read in the newspaper that it has gotten 5 out of 5.
YOU GOT 3 OUT OF 5 IN DN, DOESN'T THAT MATTER WHATSOEVER?
- Oh, okey. Three, mhm okey. I don't know what that means, three out of five, well, that's good. I didn't expect to get more than that.
SORRY I THROW IT IN YOUR FACE!
- Nah.. Sugarplum for instance have never recieved anything more than 3 out of 5 in DN, so they won't suddenly throw four or five to you. If they have said you're 3, then you are.

SO WHAT YOU MEAN IS THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS BE CLASSIFIED AS THAT AND THAT CANT CHANGE?
- Then that would require a major change. But of course new generations of critics will appear.. and if I get 3 in DN then maybe I can get 5 in Germany or Japan. If I go to the US then maybe I'll get 5 there, or a minus, maybe I get a minus in other countries and then 3 in DN will be something great. In a way it's completely unnecessary to care about it. I never read any reviews, because in a review you often get to read "that was good and that was less good", and to get that in my head and start thinking about it.. then I would become schizophrenic. "I can't write that because DN wouldn't like that", that's not what you're going for.
SO YOU HANDLE IT BY AVOIDING CRITICISM?
- Yes, but it's a bit silly with reviews since no one buys any records, and no one spends any money on an unnecessary product. Then it's more "don't go online on Spority and listen to this in five minues". But time isn't that valuable that we don't have time to listen to music. If you read a review of a play for instance, you can't find 3 or 5 there. Because they think a literary play is higher, it can't just be reduced to a number. What they should do with the reviews is to remove the numbers, just wright a text and review what is high culture. As long as they'll put numbers we will always be oppressed to the popular culture.

"My music is more like home cooked meal and his is more like in the way they try to analyze what food the customers want to have with plenty of professional chefs cooking it."

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR RECORD OWLS!
- It's a very honest and creative record. It's made without any money whatsoever which means we had to conjure all the time. But then it's also a record made without the plan to ever get released. It was meant for a few supporters, for family and friends or the fact I just wanted to make a record. I didn't have a record deal when we made the record, no advances or anyone who paid for it. I just took a job and started. I wrote the songs when we had finished up with Sugarplum, so I wrote them for myself as well. It's a big difference and it doesn't turn out that way very often.

YOUR BROTHER VICTOR, HE'S ALSO GOING SOLO RIGHT NOW. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR PROJECTS?
- He's using song writers. If you do that, the music turns out more directed and analized. In Victor's case they want it to sound commercial and in this way it somehow gets more professional and some people would say less personal. My music is a bit like home cooked meal and his is more like in the way they try to analyze what food the customers want to have with plenty of professional chefs cooking it.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
- I'm going to release the record in other countries and start touring. And then I'll start with a new record, since it takes a while to make one.
YEAH, I READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU HAD ALREADY BEGUN WRITING NEW SONGS, IN WHICH DIRECTION WILL THE RECORD BE IN?
- It's almost impossible to make a record that is like the last one, because I don't feel the same way. Some parts of this record is very sad because I felt that I would never play music again, and I don't feel like that now. To make the second record is the most difficult thing you can do, really difficult, especially when you wrote all of the songs by yourself. It's almost impossible, but I'm working on it.

"For some reason Eminem and Lil Wayne now dress like me, with skinny, black jeans and hoodies."

AND YOU'RE WRITING NEW MATERIAL TO SUGARPLUM FAIRY, WILL THERE BE ANOTHER RECORD?
- Yes, I definitely hope so! It would be really nice to make another Sugarplum record as well. I can imagine it will be out about the same time as my second record, which I plan to release in 2012.
WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT FASHION AND MODERNITY BEFORE, HOW AWARE ARE YOU WHEN IT COMES TO STYLE? DO YOU THINK MUCH ABOUT CLOTHES WHEN IT COMES TO IMAGE AND BRANDS?
- No, it's almost like with music, I know how I want to dress myself and this is the way I've been dressed all the time. But then sometimes it's like fashion is catching up on my style and I'm catching up on fashion in some way, and for some reason Eminem and Lil Wayne have started to dress like me, with skinny, black jeans and hoodies. So apparently I dress like a hiphoper now. I go for a nice confortable style, but my jeans are way too skinny to fit comfortably. I gotta buy better jeans.
YOU ARE QUITE AWARE THOUGH!
- That's more because I see things. I'm good at seeing interior and such things, but it's not like I'm interested in buying a bandanna from the 70s because it's of a certain brand, you know?
CARL'S FAVOURITE MUSIC AT THE MOMENT:
Nick Drake
Yelawolf – Pop The Trunk
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes – Look At Me Now (absolutely mental!)
PJ Harveys nya skiva
Nick Cave
Leonard Cohen

Published: on rodeo.net, translated by Celine Jacobs

Found: Ambassadors for Sweden & Germany

Hi folks!

We're so happy to announce that we finally found the first 2 ambassadors of Carlvillage. We're introducing to you Alex, she's the Carlvillage -Ambassador of Germany and Viktoria, she's the Carlvillage - Ambassador of Sweden! Congrats, girls.
We think we have found 2 great girls to start with and now we're looking forward to get more in different countries.


What's your job as ambassador? 
You will help us (village council) to realize missions in your home country.

Interested? Send us an email to carlvillage@hotmail.com if you are!
Your application should include the following information:

• current photograph
• last name, name, country, city, age
• Why we shoud pick you
• What your motivation is
• Whether you have Street Team experience or not
• and answer the question: What a mission would look like if you had to create one and how you would organize it

We're looking forward to find more qualified ambassadors for other countries.

Lots of Love
Laura&Sophie

We need your help!

Hi guys!

Radio Virus plays loads of Carl Norén. Now we need your help.

Follow this link and answer this little questioning about 'The Anger'

Choose:
I have heard this song (Ich habe diesen Song) 
before (schon gehört)
Rate it with 5 stars (absolutely genius) and choose
Ich möchte diesen Song häufiger hören(I want to hear this song more often)
Choose gender, age and add your email and click on 'senden' and you're done!

CLICK HERE to check out the screenshot :)

Thank you! More missions will come soon,

Love
Sophie