Arcana

A short presentation of the band. Who are you? What do you do for living?
Peter: - "Peter Bjärgö, born 1974. I've had Arcana since 1994. I work as a bookbinder, a profession where I can unite work and pleasure. I play all kinds of instruments, I've got my own studio where all Arcana's and Sophia?s material is recorded."
Stefan: - "Stefan Eriksson, born 1971, I'm doing the choirs, playing all kinds of percussion and keyboard. Peter usually shares his musical ideas with me and I respond with mine. Mostly I enter when the songs are in the middle of production and then talk about it. I'm currently on paternity leave at home with my second daughter, I work as a chef and I've got my own web-company."
Ann-Mari: - "Ann-Mari Thim, born in Eskilstuna 1976. Singer in Arcana. I'm soon done with my masters degree in international business and I dream about to work with music marketing. I also sing in two other bands."
Ia: - "Ia Bjärgö, born 1969. I do the choir both live and on the latest record. I'm currently studying on Komvux trying to improve my old grades. In the autumn of 2005 I'm going to start studying to a teacher. Together with Peter I've got a daughter, I've also got three other daughters who are in the teen-ages or nearby. I am the one who are responsible for all Erebus Odora, Arcana, Sophia and some other websites."

You played on Electric Gathering 2001 where I met my girlfriend so for me Arcana is a bit special. What's your emotional bond to Arcana?
Peter: - "EGF 2001 we played with Sophia, not Arcana. But I can understand what you mean. I met Ia through my music. She had listened to Arcana many years when we met and that's it. Arcana have always been my favourite and because of that it's my emotional bond."
Stefan: - "I think Arcana's music gives calm when listening to it. It's harmonic, melancholic but still it gives a feeling of happiness. I've heard many "why" from Arcana fans, and there seems to be as many "why" as fans."
Ann-Mari: - "Arcana''s music feels many times as movie-music and it makes me disconnect the everyday boredom and reality. It feels great to sing to the beautiful music."
Ia: - "As Peter said, I met Peter through his music. I was totally crazy in Arcana's music and then you can understand how happy I was when I got contact with Peter. I didn't think then that we would be married and have children. So, the emotional part for me is everything Peter does."

Musically Arcana have evolved much over the years; there are big differences from the early albums to the later ones. Which is your favourite album and why?
Peter: - "I've chosen to change the sound, I wanted to go away from the medieval resemblances and more to develop my own sound. My favourite album is probably the most recent one, Le Serpent Rouge. I've been working in a tempo that I chose and I'm incredible satisfied with the result. But I also think the Inner Pale Sun means much to me. Maybe because that my daughter was born then and there were a lot of big changes in my life."
Stefan: - "I wasn't in the group in the early releases, I joined first year 2000. But I've known Peter for a long time so Arcana have always been there anyway. Personally I think Arcana has evolved into a more softer and more beautiful sound. Maybe it's not so strange because we all are a bit older and got (more) kids now but I don't think Arcana has lost it's magic for that sake. For example "Innocent Child" from 'Inner Pale Sun', it contains many strong emotions both in text and music. I like that album best, not because it was the first I was on but because it got the best feeling. It contains many themes and it was by my opinion Arcanas first naked record. Song and music didn't need to be hided in effects instead everything came out in a better way. After that the music has been influenced from many directions and it feels like the music has grown up a bit."
Ann-Mari: - "'Inner Pale Sun' is my favourite album. It's well-produced and the melodies in the songs are so good. Beside that it's the first Arcana record that I've contributed with my singing on, so it makes it stronger for me as a person."
Ia: - "I can't decide. I like all records. But 'Inner Pale Sun' and 'The New Light' is probably my absolute favourites. The New Light mostly because you can follow Arcana through time, you get the new and the old."

A quite ordinary question, but from where do you get your inspiration to the music?
Peter: - "It can be all from hearing a record that I like and then I want to test a similar thing. Or I can make a song depending on how I feel at the moment, it an involve feelings, politics, environment, well practically anything."

The new record presents some new sounds and perspectives in Arcana's music. Tell a little bit more about 'Le Serpent Rouge'.
Peter: - "I've begun a little with the Arabic sound on "Wings of Gabriel" on the last record. It felt fresh and fun to work with so the idea of an Arabic influenced album came quite quickly. Then when I got contact with Agnieszka Szuba who made the graphics then it all floated on. I've got inspiration from her art and vice versa. I have also begun to explore different instruments from all over the world. To this record I've used an Armenic Duduk. It's a wind instrument and it's not easy to master, it will take many years before I've completely learn it."

What can we expect from 'Le Serpent Rouge'?
Peter: - "A new sound, more minimalistic and suggestive. It's more a record as a whole and now I will more than ever understand people who say that Arcana give a movie-feeling"

You played in Russia recently, how was it? Does the Russian stage differ much from the west European?
Peter: - "It was a incredible experience to see St. Petersburg. We were on sightseeing and got to see the Winter Palace and all other famous places. Wonderful! There isn't so big difference when we're on stage, but when you come down. They treated us as superstars and that was a new experience I must say. I've only experience similar things in Italy. Everyone was really nice so we would like to go back some time."

What will happen next? What's the next step for Arcana?
Peter: - "They who got the box-version of 'Le Serpent Rouge' know what will happen in a near future. Those 100 who bought it will be only ones who can buy an exclusive record in only 100 ex. It will be a sister-record to 'Le Serpent Rouge' and it will also have graphics of Agnieszka Szuba."

Peter is active in other projects such as Sophia. I think Arcana and Sophia is like night and day, the opposite of each other. Was it the meaning or is it only my imagination racing away?
Peter: - "No, it's quite the opposite. Sophia I created to be able to experiment with my music. Arcana is more serious and I cannot really play around there. But with Sophia there is not that problem. I change the sound on every record and I think I will go more to the punkish sound in the future."

The last question about Sophia is obvious. Will we hear more from Sophia and when if so?
Peter: - "There will be more, but I don't know when yet. Sophia is currently inactive. But I will go more to the punkish sound, more like the Death, Dumb And Blind record. It's a style I think is fun to work with. Stefan will also have a great part in Sophia's future record."

I've heard rumours about collaboration between Peter Bjärgö and Gusaf Hildebrand. What can we expect us from this constellation?
Peter: - "There are a record ready to press. We have worked alone and together with these songs. It all begun as a small experiment but evolved to a whole album. It won't sound like Arcana or Gustaf Hildebrand. The easiest way to explain it is like a dark ambient album with electro rhymes."

When will it be released?
Peter: - "I hope in February next year (2005), we have to see how the economy looks. We got everything ready, music, graphics etc. Now it's all about the money."

Last question now. Who is the greatest musicians through time?
Peter: - "Peter Gabriel and David Sylvian, two great musicians. Peter Gabriel for example because he can have variety his music and he masters a large amount of different musical styles. Same thing with David Sylvian."
Stefan: - "Oh, that's not an easy question. There are many good musicians in the world. I think that them who makes their thing without being controlled by others is admirable. I think I'll pass on this question. But I want to say that I rather see/buy a band that is mediocre but gives everything live instead of great artists that spends all their energy on posing and focusing on their thing and forgets about the feeling of the music."
Ann-Mari: - "There has been a great deal of fantastic composers in the classical music and there are a lot of great composers in many other genres as well. Who the greatest composer or musician is I can impossible answer."
Ia: - "Hard question, can I write a lot? No, I have to mention some... Arvo Pärt, John Lennon, Brendan Perry. Arvo Pärt's fantastic choirs and compositions make me feel great when listening to it. I don't think there's anyone who makes as beautiful modern classic music as he does. J