A Times article from last year, talking to
Swedish pop band I'm From Barcelona about their background:
Any pressure Lundgren feels at taking the helm of this oil-tanker of a group is, he admits, entirely his fault. After years of being what he describes as a melancholy guy writing melancholy songs a funny thing happened, and he fell in love with a girl called Frida (who now plays maracas in the band). Spurred out of his malaise, an idea quickly crystallised as he found himself writing songs not just for his own benefit, but also for his friends.
Many pursue other musical interests, such as Erik Ottosson, the dreadlocked tuba player who is "the youngest by about fifty years" in a local marching band. Rikard Ljung has his own group, but joined I'm From Barcelona as their flautist despite having next to no experience with the instrument. "I know all the notes I need to know, but there are kids from second grade who are better than me," he admits, before leaning forward to make sure Lundgren is out of earshot. "If we're playing live and it's too hard, sometimes I just pretend to play."
For those in the UK, I'm From Barcelona are playing in London on either the 24th or 25th of January, depending on whom you believe, and possibly in Manchester around that date as well.
Ho, if only you'd heard about this now famous self-promoted post-pop band named Delpech Mod (some kind of a medley between Depeche Mode music and Michel Delpech, quite an old-fashioned Frenc singer from the seventies), you'd probably have enjoyed this as well.
Beware, pure French speaking website.
http://delpechmode.com/mouvement.php