Golden Kanine: We Were Wrong, Right?

By C. Price

Today we would like for you to get to know a little bit more about Swedish band Golden Kanine. A few months ago all I knew about the group is that they had played my favorite festival, Orange Blossom Special. Because that means something to me, I started listening to more and more of their music.

Golden Kanine is not the classic rock or pop or indie band. We can hear trombones, saxophones, banjos or the good old pump organ in songs like “Climb”, “No Fun” or “Cruelty”.

On October 4th, 2013 the band will release their third album, We Were Wrong, Right? through Glitterhouse Records.

I had the chance to talk to Linus Lindvall and Andreas Olrog of Golden Kanine. See what they had to say.

For those music lovers who are not very familiar with Golden Kanine YET, tell us a little bit about the beginnings.

Well, the first Golden Kanine setup did not include any horns, although we asked a friend to play some trombone on our demos. He later became a full time member. We did more of a rock-band thing back then. Blasting away the songs. With the trombone however we got the chance to develop melodies. We also change the instrumentation around then, using banjos and mandolins.

As support for Mando Diao in 2011 how was the audience’s reaction to you guys and was it a step forward for the band?

It was certainly a step forward in terms of getting experience. To witness this big machinery that their tour was, made us humble. The audience actually seemed to like us. Maybe a bit cautious at first, but we got them clapping and screaming!

Glitterhouse just announced that your new album “We were wrong, right?” is gonna be released in October. How is it different from the past 2 records?

Dare I say it is more convenient? I think so. I think it´s an album that as a whole makes sense.

You were adding quite a bit of festival experience in the past months. Did you enjoy it?

Oh, yes we enjoy playing festivals. We´ve played the big ones and the really small ones.

How is festival touring different from club touring, I mean do you prepare yourselves in certain ways or do you at all?

You´re a bit more limited when you do the festivals. There´s always a time schedule that needs to be followed. This makes it more important for us to try to make the best setlist we can. It can be hard when you need to cut a lot of songs from the list. But sometimes you have to kill your darlings.

But then it all can change the last minute if we feel there´s a different vibe at the festival than we imagined. Some festival crowds sure can cope with some slow songs as well.

Since 2 of the original band members left how has the songwriting process been? Is everyone involved?

The songwriting itself hasn´t changed that much since me and Linus write the songs separately ,at home or wherever, and then bring the songs to the band. It´s what happens then that determine how the song will end up. With new people in the band of course it changes both the songwriting and the sound…

Are there any plans in the near future to work with other Swedish artists live or on a record? Who should we keep on our radar?

Well, there´s this girl who is a great singer and songwriter. She´s called Miranda and we know that a collaboration of ours would be really good! We´ve yet dare to ask her…

 What’s your favorite part about being a musician?

There are some many rewarding parts about being a musician compared to other stuff, I guess the hours are great, the food is always good, I´m up to my neck in cash and the commute is a hoot.. No, really.. Being a musician is really not that much of a career choice or a choice in itself, for me it´s the thing you gotta do.. My favorite part though is when stuff works and you can loose yourself, it really doesn’t matter if it´s in a songwriting situation or live.

Where do you see Golden Kanine in 3 years from now?

On a ferry going back and forth between Finland and Sweden aka the Finlandsfärjan..

Name 3 things on your bucket list.

Go on a ferry between Finland and Sweden.

Start and stop smoking (halfway there)

Not to take myself too serious again.

Name 3 songs that will stay with you for the rest of your life?

Only three? Ok, here it goes, and the artists start with a B:

Bob Hund – Allt på ett kort

Bruce Springsteen – Thunder Road

Broken Social Scene – Lover´s Spit

What’s the worst venue you’ve played in?

Don´t want to put anyone out there, but it was in Germany.

Name 1 nasty habit you can’t live without!

Processed meat

Would you leave your phone at home for at least 1 day?

I wish! But no, I think for most of us the phone has become an external body part. It´s scary. What you need to do is get away from the city once in a while. To the country side where there´s no connection. Frustrating at first but after a while it´s a blessing. Growing your own thoughts.

Danke Linus & Andreas!