Mando Diao

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since February 2008. It may need copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. Tagged since January 2009. It may require general cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since January 2009.

Mando Diao is a garage rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. The band got their breakthrough with the release of the album Hurricane Bar. The song "God Knows" was featured in FIFA 06. Their main fan base is in Sweden, Germany, and Japan although their influence has recently spread to Western Europe, most notably the UK.

Members

• Björn Dixgård - vocals, guitar
• Gustaf Norén - vocals, guitar
• Carl-Johan Fogelklou - bass guitar
• Samuel Giers - drums
• Mats Björke - piano, keyboards, organ (since 2003)

Past Members

• Daniel Haglund - keyboards/organ (1999-2003)

Origin

The roots of Mando Diao date back to 1995 when Björn Dixgård and the former Mando Diao member Daniel Haglund played in a band called Butler. With band members changing over the following four years, the current line-up decided to take the project more seriously. Björn Dixgård and Gustaf Norén locked themselves up in a summer house and spent 14 months writing songs. They claim the Beatles as their original source of inspiration. Allegedly, Gustaf joined the band after he and Björn had talked all night about this band. The two renamed their band Mando Diao which, according to the band has no particular meaning, appearing to Björn Dixgård in a dream, when a man came up to him and shouted "Mando Diao!".

Recordings

The now-renamed band made their first public performances in the clubs of their hometown Borlänge in 1999. A local writer described them in an article as the best unsigned band he had ever seen. This was soon followed by a record deal with EMI Sweden. In 2002 their first album Bring 'Em In was released in Sweden. It contains early demo versions of their songs, partly recorded in the basement of keyboardist Daniel Haglund who left the band later in 2003. In 2003 the album was released internationally by MUTE label, along with their debut single "Sheepdog". As of 2004, the band is hailed enthusiastically by the music press as one of the most sanguine newcomer bands of the year. The album Hurricane Bar was released in 2004. Their third album Ode to Ochrasy was released in 2006. By the end of 2006 the band released a DVD called "Down in the Past". Ode to Ochrasy was released in the UK through the Nettwerk label on 2 April 2007 in a previously unreleased format including 4 bonus tracks. In October 2007 the band released their latest album, Never Seen The Light Of Day. They have announced to release a new album on February 20 2009. The new album's title is Give Me Fire and the first single, titled "Dance With Somebody", was released January 16 2009. As usual Björn and Gustaf wrote lyrics and music and the album is produced by Mando Diao and The Salazar Brothers (Salla and Masse). The new album is a rocky soundtrack with lots of melancholy, soul, heart and blood. It debutes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland at #1 and Sweden #2 as well as #39 in Greece.^{[1] [2]}

Touring

Mando Diao have been touring all over the world, though their biggest following is in Germany, Japan and their homeland Sweden. The band supported The Bravery on their tour in 2005, along with Los Angeles band The Colour. On their 2006 European tour, they were supported by Razorlight and Johnossi, and for the British leg of the tour were a joint support act for the Dirty Pretty Things along with Larrikin Love.

At the end of January 2007, Mando Diao was widely exposed in Swedish media because of an incident^[3] at their live concert on 27 January, 2007. They were performing at the Amplified festival at Norrlands Opera House in Umeå, when a part of the floor the audience was standing on collapsed, leaving at least 25 fans hurt - five people were taken to the hospital with injuries such as broken arms and legs. According to the management of Norrlandsoperan, the hall had been checked, but they had never thought the floor, which was made up by several moveable parts on concrete girders over a three meter deep hole, wouldn't hold the 170 people in the room, not least since the fire department had given them approval for 800 people. After this unfortunate event, Mando Diao stayed around in Umeå in case they could do anything to help the injured fans. They visited the hospitalized fans personally. Mando Diao is planning to hold another concert to make up for what was lost that evening in January 2007.

Mando Diao appeared April 29, 2007 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival[1] and on 7 July 2007 they performed at the German leg of Live Earth[2] in Hamburg. Since summer of 2007 Mando Diao has had support from a horn section consiting of renown Swedish jazzmusicians Nils Janson and Nils Berg.

Mando Diao singer Björn Dixgård toured Europe solo during the end of 2007.

On November 3, 2008, the band played one US date for the "Give Me Fire" tour with the Capshuns and We Barbarians at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

Compilations

• "God Knows" was featured on FIFA 06 by EA Sports.
• "Down in the Past" was featured on 2006 Fifa World Cup Germany by EA Sports, and NHL 06 by EA Sports
• "The Wildfire (If It Was True) was featured on NHL 08 by EA Sports.
• "Sheepdog" was featured in UK teen drama Skins.
• "Sweet Ride" was featured in the 2005 film The Ringer
• "Long Before Rock and Roll" featured in E4 Scrubs advert Autumn 2007
• "God Knows" was also the backing track for a Tommy Hilfiger denim ad in 2007.
• "Dance With Somebody" was featured in Portugal in the 2009 NOW 20 cd.

DVDs

• Down in the Past (2006)

Videography

On November 3, 2008, the band played one US date for the "Give Me Fire" tour with the Capshuns and We Barbarians at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.

References

External links

• The Official Mando Diao Website
• Mando Diao at MySpace
• The Supporter Club
• Video Interview Mando Diao: What is really important to you?
• 13 songs chosen by and an interview with Mando Diao on Klangschau.com