The Plastic Pals
"These guys rock, in the vanguard of what seems to be a paisley Viking invasion, still wielding axes but these days they are plugged in and making glorious noises" Rob Ellen, The Medicine Show: http://www.themedicineshow.eu
The Plastic Pals - from Stockholm, Sweden - released their debut album GOOD KARMA CAFÉ in 2008. An americana-tinged affair and a huge step forward for the band, while yet staying true to the twin guitar-paisley-garage-powerpop-New York rock-ideals as presented on the EP THE BAND THAT´S FUN TO BE WITH (2006). A collection of magic melodies with a dark edge.
The sound of The Plastic Pals continues to attract an increasing number of fans worldwide. A rootsy classic guitar-laden rock sound that takes you on a time capsule from the 50s to the present. The band has been compared to bands and artists like Echo&The Bunnymen, Television, The Dream Syndicate, The Velvet Underground, Green on Red, The Godfathers, Blue Oyster Cult, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello. Too rootsy to be called garage, too poppy to be called rootsy, too garage rocking to be called americana or alt-country.
The album GOOD KARMA CAFÉ - with guest appearances by Green on Reds keyboard maestro Chris Cacavas) - has received really good reviews, in Sweden as well as in the UK, The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. Tunes from the album have received airplay and/or is receiving airplay in the USA (WFMU and WFNX), the UK (BBC6 and the House for Mercy show at Total Radio), Greece, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Belgium and France - with A-rotaion for months on a radio station in Lyon.
The Plastic Pals have been support band to The New Christs (Australia) - with members who have played with Radio Birdman and Barracudas.
In November 2008 The Plastic Pals were invited to London by Gurbir "Another Cowboy" Dhillon (who released albums with The Dream Syndicate and Band of Outsiders in the 1980:s) and Nick West (from the magazine Bucketfull of Brains) for a celebration of The Paisley Underground at the Windmill, Brixton. Besides playing a regular Plastic Pals-set the band backed ex-Long Ryder Sid Griffin on a set of tunes by The Long Ryders, and finished off the night with a set of songs by The Only Ones, The Dream Syndicate, Green on Red, The Velvet Undergound and Danny&Dusty. The same weekend The Plastic Pals played two more London dates at The Hope & Anchor and 12 Bar Club.
The Plastic Pals are soon to be featured on a compilation of songs by The Only Ones with a version of No peace for the wicked. Currently The Plastic Pals are working on new material for a second album and are on the lookout for more exciting gigs.
Instrumentation
Håkan "Hawk" Soold: lead vocals, guitar
Olov Öqvist: drums
Anders Sahlin: guitar, backing vocals
Bengt Alm: bass, backing vocals
Discography
"Good Karma Café" 2008 (album)
"She´s going back" 2008 (radio single)
"The band that´s fun to be with" 2006 (EP)