mikes interest in folk

[Alteredmindeath]

Speaking of folk, have you heard Ritchie Blackmores "Blackmores Night"???? The music is folk but also adds classic rock influences as well, I wonder if Mr Akerfeldt has heard of them?

 

[Shemsu'Hor]

I fucking love Ragnarok

 

[Maggai]

Ah I love checking out new music! Thanks for the recommendations Mikael.

 

[mental_mercury]

Can anyone hook up that album Mike recommended in full?

shoot me a PM if you would

 

[dwoakee]

Speaking of folk, have you heard Ritchie Blackmores "Blackmores Night"????

I bought the first Blackmore's Night album when it came out. I liked it at first but after a while I couldn't listen to it anymore. Too much kitsch for my ears. I gave it to my father who enjoys it more than me now ... However, I still keep the mp3s for when I'm in the mood. Shadow of the Moon is still a nice song.

 

[the opeth affinity]

Folk music to me is strongly related to what country it's from, it's not one style, it's based on the musical history of that specific country, so no-one really "invented" it I guess.

I was heavily into bands like Steeleye span, Fairport convention, Fotheringay (I love Sandy Denny and "Nothing more" is a great magical song!), Mellow candle, Trees and so forth.

Sweden had some bands who we're influenced by Swedish folklore and music like Kebnekajse, Ragnarök, Turid and so forth. It was also strongly related to the political progg movement music that was big here in the 70´s.

Norway also had an excellent band called Folque.

I can highly recommend any of the above bands but if you want to hear the sounds of the vast Swedish woods you have to get Jan Johansson "Jazz på svenska" album. It's the best album ever to come out of Scandinavia and overall one of the best albums ever worldwide in my opinion. You will thank me for this snippet of info if you don't know the record already.

Cheers
Mike

Being from ireland i know the whole deal with folk music in relation to certain 'movements' lol. but yeah sandy denny rules

 

[Rude Boy Stig]

a bridge over black water

LOL!


I also agree that "Jazz på svenska" is painfully beautiful.

 

[Kuros]

I might be wrong but didn't the Swedish state TV (SVT) use to play "Visa Från Utanmyra" from Jazz på Svenska sometimes between TV programs? I'm listening to the preview clips and I seem to recognize it.

 

[DEMIgOD]

i must say i am ADDICTED to the Jan Johansson record. Iv been googling traditional folk music most of the night. I have work in like 4 hours, but i wanna find out as much info as i can, with audio samples ,and just the history of Traditional folk music from different countrys.

 

[Zephyros]

I might be wrong but didn't the Swedish state TV (SVT) use to play "Visa Från Utanmyra" from Jazz på Svenska sometimes between TV programs? I'm listening to the preview clips and I seem to recognize it.

Yes.
I think it was on the "commercial" that SVT aired about the transition to digital tv.

 

[iosys]

I'm new to this forum and I was blown away when I noticed Mikael actually posts here. I came here thinking I could learn about some more intimate details regarding Opeth and Mikael, but to see that he actually posts here made my day. I can't wait to see Opeth live whenever they come to/near California. My favorite songs would be The Moor and Patterns In The Ivy II.

More on topic, I've been crawling through last.fm checking out related bands and tags, searching for anything dark/medieval/folk/etc and discovered a few folk bands I really like. Blackmore's Night is one I would recommend. I've always been into darker lyrics and atmosphere, though Blackmore's Night has some really nice uplifting songs that I just can't resist, like their song 25 Years.

Another I must recommend even more is the album by Empyrium: Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays. This album is just too great for words.

I'm also going to check out those other bands mentioned in this thread.

 

[Arjen W.]

Empyrium: Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays. This album is just too great for words.

Welcome! If you like that album, be sure to check out Ulver - Kveldssanger too if you haven't.

 

[DEMIgOD]

I really wish i could find what influanced garm and the guys to do Kvedlssanger. There was no dark folk quite like that before Ulver. With the chanting, and the atmosphere. If there was such groups, i would love to learn more.

I can only assume they made the record useing the template of norwegian tradtional folk, just darker.

I never found out what Mike thought of Ulver. I can imagine he would respect them, but not really dig em.