ULF EKBERG, ACE OF BASE: CROATIAN SONGS ARE SO SAD

 Do you remember hits ATSW, TS, CS? If you answer id affirmative, then you also remebber that they were performed by swedish dance/pop band Ace of Base, which had so much been compared with legendery group Abba. Their top of carriere was in the mid '90s. Their debue album TS/HM was sold in more od 23 mil. Copies in 1993 which made them the holders of record in Guiness book of records (best selling album of a new artest). You wonder where are they  now, what have they benn doing?

One of them, Ulf Ekberg, is in Dubrovnik these days. He visited the city with his family; wife and 18 month old son. He is in the visit to the godfather of his son – Zoran Vladic, the owner of Eastwest beach club on Banjama beach. They met eachothers 15 years ago in Sweden, where Zoran have been living for years. Despite the distance, Ulf kept the friendship with Zoran, and he visited Dubrovnik in 1999 for the first time. He have been coming back every summer ever since.

 
-         Croatia is, no doubt, one of the most beautiful parts of Europe. Beautiful land, but it still have to develope. By that, I mean the offer of a night life which is still quiet poor, and too bad that you have so much waste potential and i don't know why don't you use it. Lot of my friends that had been here are complaining that there are not enough night clubs and they don't wanna come back.

Ulf was spending most of the time in Dubrovnik at Banjama beach where he enjoyed with his little son in charms of sea, which was warm to him as a Swed. Although he enkoys the status of star in Sweden, nobody stoped or recognized him in Dubrovnik. But', that has not been the case 5 years ago when the band was on top of popularity. Ulf will perform this Saturday as a DJ in EastWest beach club. In the meanwhile, he planned to visit islands Hvar and Brac. Awared of the fact that one of the matches of the world chamiponship where Sweden played visited more that 50 000 of Swedish supporters, we were curious if Ulf plans to go to Germany?
 

-         I will go if we qualify into the next round. I like football and I like to watch the games, but on television.

Swedish dance group was hot during the '90s, and last 5 years they are not on scene. Will the band get together once more, release the new album?

-         At this moment, each of us have been doing various projects. I've been doing with Nokia and Canon, I advised them in musical matters. I write few scenarios for movies, and I produced several TV series. You asko me for the new album? Maybe we will release it but we need a good timeing. At the end of last year we had more that 25 concerts in one month, and each one was sold out, which means the croud still like us.

 Although he played the popular dance music with Ace of Base, privatly Ulf loves to listen the relaxing music. He listened the Croatian music lot of times, thanks his friend Zoran and Ulf concludes:

 -         I've noticed that the lyrics of your songs are so deep, sad, there are lot of broken hearts…

(Ines Vlašić, Snimio: Grgo Jelavić, translation: Rade Popadic)
http://www.dubrovacki-vjesnik.hr/

Today I made an interview with Ulf. It was possible because of the major help of Zoran Vladic, the godfather of Ulf's son. Zoran is also the owner of the club where Ulf will performe as a DJ this Saturday. I spoked with Ulf about 15 minutes. I recorded the intervju via my digital cam, and than I put it to the PC. I must say that strange thing happen, I can't find the first part of the interview anywhere, maybe it's hidden somewhere… But I uploaded the last part of the intervju (3 minutes). All in all, I asked Ulf about his holidays in Croatia, he said that Croatia and esp. Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful places for vacation in the world. He will play this Saturday as a DJ in the club just for fun, not professionaly. The gig starts around midnight, and I will meet Ulf one hour earlier. If anyone is interested to meet Ulf with me pleas contact me at radesnow@yahoo.com

I asked about the new album. I was quiet angry at Ulf beacause I sad it is  very unfair towards the fans to say so often that the new album comes soon. He said that the record companies are to blame, not the band memebers. Ulf said that the bend member have strong will to make an album. But it won't come out at least in one year. And I think that's about it. He also said that few songs are finished. And that they have more than 200 demo singles. But they don't want to publish an album before they are completely ready for that. That means two things: they have to have very good songs, and more imortant they have to be mentaly ready for new album. I told Ulf that they should do more original music than with Da Capo. Poppy songs are out. Ulf said that the strange thing is that the whole first album (which was mega succesfull) was completely made by the computers. The big role in the sound played legend Dennis Pop. On other albums they used some real sounds - instruments.  Ulf said that he hear more and more music that soundd like early '90s on american radio stations, so this could mean that new Ace of Base would be Ace of Base of 1992. Ulf doesn't think that Malin is ready to take the front place in the band once again, she will do the vocals, but probably won't tour with other aces. Malin returned to the University once again whre she studies now. Finaly Ulf said that he thinks that last year's performances in Belgium were success, the band enjoyed the gigs, and fans were happy too. He said that something like that is possible once again before the new album.

Here is the intervju with Ulf (WMA format, 1,56mB).

Click on the picture below, that's Ulf in Dubrovnik last year!