Exposed Vocals just interviewed underground indie artist ‘Blue Painted Flag’
Blue Painted Flag is an underground indie artist from Stockholm city, Sweden. The idea of Blue Painted Flag was born at the stands during the local Stockholm football team, the Blue Stripes’, home games, as well as on the trains across Sweden while following the Blue Stripes during away days. The artist, with his somewhat dark lyrics and mellow sound, is a part of one of the unknown underground indie scenes in Stockholm. BPF plays some kind of soft indie rock, and the artist strives for a mellow sound with mellow lyrics. The first EP, ”Nearly Alive, Almost Home”, was recorded in a shady studio located within an even shadier part of Stockholm during summer 2017, and was released March 23rd 2018.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
I was born 1993 and grew up in a part of Stockholm city which is called Birkastan. Music has always been present during my life. It started with me listening to the Swedish punk gigants Ebba Grön when I was five years old, to bands like Oasis and Nirvana when I was eleven, and later moving on listening to more modern indie rock music. Even during my metal head period when in high school, with favorites like Slipknot, Atreyu and Marilyn Manson, the indie rock never really left me. After the classic shity teens, I found my way back to the core of my taste, the indie rock and pop music.
I started playing guitar when I was teen. My parents bought me a cheap acoustic guitar which became a great friend of mine and I played on it for several years. I played just for fun, I never played for becoming an artist, or fame, or money, only because I loved music and loved playing small melodies on the guitar. This changed during my teenage years. I had pretty shity and painful teens, just like many others. I hated my life, hated myself, hated basically everything and everyone around me. So I turned towards metal core, it felt real, and it put my feelings of pain and anger in words and melodies. During that time, I picked up the guitar for real. I learned all the solos, the riffs, I played for hours and hours, I become obsessed with being the best and quickest guitarist in school. To pick up the guitar and just lose yourself in the music was the only time I felt truly free. That miserable time created an identity of being a guitarist, och being a real musician.
After high school, I found my way back to rock/ indie rock. Bands such as Real Estate, Florence + The Machine, Oasis and Beach Fossils, were what I was listening to. Since I was born, I had always loved the local football and hockey team, Djurgårdens IF. The supporters of Djurgården hav ealways had strong connection and been influenced by British pop- and terrace culture, both regarding music and clothing. The Britt pop scene, the dressing of casual culture, and flags/ banners with symbols of bands such as Oasis, Stone Roses and Kasabian has, and is still a big part of the terrace culture among the Djurgården supporters. This mix of music and clothing influenced me a lot. I have had season ticket to the famous Sofia Stand for several years, and still travel on the majority of away games. It was on a train in spring 2017 on my way back from an away game in Gothenburg I had the idea, I’m going to create music. I’m going to create music for all those feeling the casual culture and passion, for times when your on your way back home from an away game, for winter, spring, summer and fall. The football team is also called The Blue Stripes, which is the main influence of the name, Blue Painted Flag.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
I don’t tour, yet. My plan is to record some songs in a real music studio during summer 2018, release them in the fall, and maybe/ hopefully put together a band so I can play some live shows during fall/ winter.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
The first EP, ”Nearly Alive, Almost Home”, was recorded in a pretty shady amateur studio. It was recorded in my small student apartment which worked as a basic home studio. The recording was made into a simple computer, when I played the guitar and bass I had to stand in a small hall way because there were no space to be, and I recorded the vocals in an even smaller wardrobe. My plan is to record some songs in a professional music studio in Stockholm during this summer, with great mix technicians and release some tracks in the fall of 2018.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
I’am an underground artist, un identified, and unknown, which I intend to be, at least for a bit longer. The music is the core of Blue Painted Flag, I rely on it, it feels real and pure, and I hope some will find it likable. I am a pour student with no money, so I have no chance to be even close to something that be can be presided as professional promotion. I rely on the music, and try to share my music on social media. Luckily, it has worked pretty well regarding the circumstances, some people seam to like the music which makes me extremely humble and hopeful. The people listening, sharing and writing to me are the most important people for me, I love them sincerely and hope I can give them so much more in the future.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
I would perform at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm, Stockholm Stadium in Swedish, which was built for the Olympic Games in 1912, and were where the Blue Stripes played their home games until 2013. I would defiantly play with a Reunion Oasis, trust, it would be mental.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Just like the non-existing press release stated in early 2018, Blue Painted Flag is planing to continue the writing and releasing of music for all those feeling the casual culture and passion. I’m planing to record some new songs in a real music studio during this upcoming summer, release them in the fall this year, and hopefully be able to play some live shows later this year.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
I’m actually studying at the law school at Stockholm University, I have soon accomplished half of the education. I’m pretty interested in human rights and being a counterweight to the over powered government in Sweden, for example, the police force can do whatever they want towards the citizens without any consequences, so being a human rights lawyer would be pretty epic. Still, the music is number one for me.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?
More music, more casual culture, more passion, and hopefully some live shows in the future.
Exposed Vocals: Any Shout-outs?
To the Blue Striped family, Djurgårdsfamiljen, I don’t think they have any idea of what they have ment and still mean to me, I love them and The Blue Stripes. Hata gnaget.
Soundcloud link to the EP:
https://soundcloud.com/bluepaintedflag/sets/nearly-alive-almost-home
Spotify link to the EP, if you prefer it instead:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Wl5iycFXU6zPIryWTdw2m?si=iYKsS8DMQdC38aLZph4i7g
Social media links:
Blue Painted Flag on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7lOQa2Yr4lJloZsb9qkV5v?si=Jbm81WOeSFu0ZHLhU27QvA
twitter.com/BluePaintedFlag
facebook.com/bluepaintedflag/
soundcloud.com/bluepaintedflag
instagram.com/bluepaintedflag
