Easy special with Johan Holmlund

Easy special with Johan Holmlund in conversation with David Eastaugh

It was twenty-seven years ago that Swedish Indie band Easy released their highly acclaimed debut album ‘Magic Seed’ on the hip Blast First label. Label supremo Paul Smith signed the band after listening to their demo tape while taking his evening bath.

The band had something special, their sound may contain many elements from Pop history, but there was something unique in the delivery. Smith saw the perfect combination of Sonic Youth-like intensity and the sweet harmonies of The Beach Boys.

Easy released three singles, Castle Train/ Cloud Chamber, He Brings the Honey and Horoscope (all U.K. Indie Chart Hits), toured all around Europe with bands like The Gun Club, The House of Love, Lush, The Charlatans and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

They disbanded in 1994 but not before leaving an impact, when going back to Sweden they found a new Indie scene full of bands who had been inspired by their success.

In 2010, after celebrating the twentieth anniversary of ‘Magic Seed’ with some live shows, they decided to write some new songs and the tracks on ‘A Heartbeat from Eternity’ have all been recorded since the comeback. The latest track ‘Ask theSky’ was recorded in June 2017, produced by Swedish producer Charlie Storm, who in the last couple of years has scored a string of Swedish number one hits (Håkan Hellström, Henrik Berggren, Mando Diao).

”I think Easy will help break down that traditional English snobbish attitude towards European acts. People will be made to sit up and take notice, ‘cos what they’re doing right now is intrinsically more valid than most of the inadequate who clog up record space in the Rough Trade shop. Simple, really.”
NME

“Easy like nothing better than to reinvent themselves in the middle of a song. Easy come, Easy go? I doubt it very much.”
Melody Maker