KJELL PEDERS
Kjell Peders hails from Norsjö, a small town in the north of Sweden. They formed in 1984 and were active up until 1989. During these years they recorded rehearsal demos, live demos and even a video. But only the 1987 seems to have made it into the digital age.The demo I'm talking about was recorded during a gig in Norsjö when the band opened up for none other than the legendary Swedish heavy metal band Gotham City. In todays interview I've talked to Peder 'Paddlurken' Lundgren.
First of all, You're obviously Peder, but who is Kjell in Kjell-Peders?
There were nobody named Kjell in the band?
Me and Lars decided to start a band after a music class in 8th grade. Leif and Magnus joined the band soon after. I remember I wanted to call the band Merciless Onslaught (After the Metal Church song?) at first but then somebody came up with the fantastic idea of 'Kjell Peders'. It made fun of Swedish dance bands and pissed off a lot of people. Lars last name is Källströmer and it sounds like Kjell in Swedish.
Kjell Peders - Leave it to the Blade (Live)
Is the live demo from 1987 the only recording with the band that survived to this day?
I've also found a live video from 1985 but sadly nothing else.
You opened up for the legendary Gotham City that night. What do you remember about their gig?
Our school together with the community youth centre had a theme event against racism. We wanted to do a metal show in Norsjö and call it 'Rock mot rasism' (RocK against racism). Fortunately we got some money to organize the festival. The lineup was Kjell Peders and another local band called P-Nissarna and two bands from Skellefteå; Allied Force and Gummibandet. The 5000 SEK (500$) we got in funding was given to Gotham City.
Not the trve cult band that they are known as today but surely the best band in the area that had released albums. Gotham City's performance was excellent. They played mostly songs from The Unknown LP but also the songs from their 1986 demo. In my opinion one of the best shows in Norsjö since 220 Volt and Heavy Load played at Rännaren (The Local football arena) in 1985.
In the article from the local paper 'Norran' it says that Rickard Bylund was the bands temporary vocalist and on the metal-archives it says that the bands vocalist was Fredrik Eklund, so who sings on the live demo from 1987?
Fredrik Eklund was the singer on the live demo from 1987 and Rickard Bylund sang on the live video from 1985. But the singer on the song Wargod on both recordings was me (Peder).
What was the bands full lineup for this show?
Fredrik Eklund vocals, Leif Renström lead guitar, Peder Lundgren rhythm guitar and vocals, Magnus Johansson (Now Glaas) bass and Lars Källströmer on the drums.
There is said to be a live video of the band too, what do you remember about that recording?
I have found that recording but haven't made the transfer from the VHS cassette yet. It was our first live show at our local school in 1985.I remember that two of the guys from Fat Lisbeth (Another local band). They were older than us and a band we looked up to was recording our show. In the beginning you can hear them talking about how important that they record everything from the start so they don't miss out when everything goes to hell for us.. haha. I was very nervous and the show was not so good but we had fun as hell, played a couple of covers and a 'genitalia' blues song and ended with our first original song Wargod with a Sodom-ish outro.
You recorded a cover of Fighting the World by Manowar, did you play any other covers?
AC/DC - TNT
Black Sabbath - Iron Man
Mötley Crüe - Knock 'em Dead Kid
Killer - Blood on the Black Flag
Sinner - Out of Control
Pantera - Heavy Metal Rules
Running Wild - Under Jolly Roger.
What were Kjell Peders influences?
Growing up as a metal maniac in the early 80's and following the shift from NWOBHM to speed and later thrash metal was amazing. So our influences were tons of bands. Among them Exciter, Nasty Savage, Znöwhite and of course Metallica. But also lesser known bands who was pioneering that 'new' movement in metal from all over the world, many who still to this day haven't got the recognition and the praise they deserved.
Did you send out demotapes to any record labels?
No, Early on we only recorded live and rehearsals. And when the music was getting good enough for serious demo recordings it was time for military services for many of us and after that Kjell Peders split up in 1989.
Kjell Peders sound developed more towards thrash in the later period of the band, there are still no material found from this period?
Sadly no, I know there were some decent sounding rehearsals, probably the best music you'll never gonna listen to... haha.
Did you play any gigs outside your local town of Norsjö?
Yes, we played a couple of times outside Norsjö both in Väster- and Norrbotten.
Was the title for the song 'Born to Metalize' taken from the 1984 Megaforce compilation with the same name?
That's correct, It's really a great compilation. Me and Leif was always looking for new unknown bands. Buying compilations and trading demos with others was the best way to find new fantastic and faster music.
Any chance of a reunion gig?
Probably not, After Kjell Peders split only Leif continued with music (not metal) and had success with his rock band The Drowners. They recorded albums, were played on the radio, etc.
Are you sad that the band never played the Eurovision Song Contest (Their goal in the Norran interview)?
Yes, I cry myself to sleep every night... haha. But we got a little Eurovision Song Contest fame when we were the opening act when Roger Pontare was playing in his hometown of Mellanström, Arjeplog. But the other promise we made in that article in 'Norran' that Kjell Peders would be better than Europe, that was easier.
Did the band have a logo? I have never seen one.
Of course, I recently found one but I know we had other in a similar style but with axes and inverted crosses.
Have you got any funny story to tell about the band, if anything weird or so happened?
More important than funny or weird, the international day of Kjell Peders is on the 8th of July. It's the name day for Kjell but also Peder's birthday.
And last of all, Who was this 'Lars in the pink jacket' guy who you talked to on your demo?
It was another friend from school, a non metalhead also named Lars. Who celebrated his 17th birthday that classic date 1987-04-04 when Gotham City played in Norsjö, that night he was wearing a pink jacket. haha
Any last words to our readers?
Thank you Jim for this opportunity to talk about an amazing but almost forgotten time in my life with my friends in Kjell Peders. I've been into heavy metal since the early eighties and will be to the day that I die. Still going to shows, festivals and buying CDs (Only Gotham City vinyls) as much as I can. And I know that I'm not alone because 80's Heavy Metal will never die.
/Ruthless
2017-11-07
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