This compilation explains better than anything else why we started Licking Fingers in the first place. (Well, technically in second place, as our first motif was purely egoistical; we had formed a band called The Concretes and we needed a way to get our albums onto Scandinavian store shelves.) It became very clear at an early stage that we weren’t alone in our search for a nice, warm home – with high ceilings, an ocean view, fabulous taste in music and interior decoration. But you don’t want just anyone to move in with you (as sir Alec McGuiness made
perfectly clear in ‘Ladykillers’ way back in 1955) so it took us a while to unlock those gates.
We are so happy we did. The first person to stroll in was Frida Hyvönen, pointing six very muscular and handsome young boys in the direction of the Licking Fingers banquet room, giving them careful instructions not to damage her grand piano in any way whatsoever had they the desire to live to see their 20th birthday. In her other hand she was carrying ten perfect pop songs, carved in ivory and neatly folded in a little bundle she referred to as ‘Until Death Comes’. That was in 2004. Three years later there’s another knock on the door. Enter the most adorable dog (dawg?) we’ve ever seen. And curiously, although she was wearing a very stylish collar, she appeared to be homeless. She was El Perro del Mar and she was looking for shelter.
We couldn’t possibly put in to words how proud we are to house two such marvellous talents. (Not to mention our own genius landlord selves.) And though we’d like to think that we really couldn’t do much better we can’t help but notice that Sweden has come a long way since the early days of Licking Fingers (our 10th anniversary is coming up soon). A very long way.
We get asked about this all the time. What is the secret? How come Sweden sports so many incredible musical talents? Is it the long dark winters? The suicide rates (we all know true artists must suffer)? The government fundings? Is it the boredom we all surely juggle with, living as we do in such a remote and tiny country? Is it the early indoctrination of ABBA and their unique blend of bittersweetness and
bombasticity (is that even a word?)? Has Britt Ekland and Rod Stewart anything to do with it? Could it be something in the water? OR is it something to do with those mythical open sandwiches??? (Yes the rumours are true, we eat but one slice of bread and then our spread of choice on top of it, and then no extra lid of bread – nor do we slice it diagonally before digging in).
Truth is we don’t know. We all have our theories but we can’t know for sure.
We know one thing: This compilation brings together, for the first time ever, twentyone of those incredible talents. Twentyone of the twentyfirst century’s finest, finest acts. Some of them are just starting out, others have already conquered the
world (in a sensible Swedish social-democratic kind of way). All of them have contributed with truly terrific songs. All of them from the artists’ most recent offerings, some of them very recent indeed –
spanking fresh if you will, in some cases previously unreleased, in others rare tracks. One by one they are great, side by side they are something else.
So, Sweden as a nation may not know who to thank for the music. But we sure as hell know: To all who contributed to this record.
Thank you for the music.
Licking Fingers, spring 2008.
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