Prime Mover
Prime Mover is a different band. We don't try to jump bandwagons and get fast results by riding on waves of success created by others. Instead we try to make unique music that we like ourselves. The members in Prime Mover don't have one common favourite band. We don't even have a common favourite genre, instead we listen to many different styles of music. We try to create strong songs by mixing influences from a wide spectrum of styles with progressive rock.
So what does it sound like? Well, it might slightly resemble some vintage prog rock, but it is difficult to draw parallels to a particular band. To spice up the mixture a bit more, the lyrics on the new album "Prime Mover Alias Drivkraft" are written in our mothertongue Swedish, instead of in English like we used to (we are part of the 6 % minority in Finland). We also had two friends playing a bit of violin and trumpet on the album, to make it sound more interesting.
These days there are a few Finnish bands that have become very successful abroad, and the result is that in Finland you now, a lot more often than before, hear people saying things like "a band must have a certain style and lay stress upon their image" and "every good rock song has already been written, now all you can do is make new versions of them". If this were true, Prime Mover wouldn't stand a chance, because we do not sound exactly like anybody else. There is no established market for Finnish prog with lyrics in Swedish and influences from metal, jazz, folk and pop. But we - the guys in the band - are happy anyway, because in our opinion the album turned out very well. We also strongly believe that there actually are many people who like this kind of music. The decision makers at some record companies might want music that is easier to sell, but... who cares? Everyone who is interested in more unusual music can listen to us and form an opinion for themselves. We hope it will whet your appetite!
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Michael Karlsson and Roger Nyman started recording various stuff together way back when they were kids in the late 80's. This was in Nykarleby/Uusikaarlepyy in Finland. As time went by, they learned how to play guitar and bass respectively, and started forming bands, writing songs and recording demos.
These old recordings sound quite horrible today, mostly because they were made using stone age technology (4-track tape recorders, in other words). But around the end of the 90's the digital recording technology for computers had its breakthrough, and it endlessly increased the amount of possibilities for musicians who aren't pro. By that time, Roger and Michael had become better and more ambitious musicians, and therefore decided to try to record some own music that is good "for real". A friend of theirs, Dennis Nordell, was brought in as he was the best singer they knew, and the first release the group completed was Prime Mover's debut cd-r "Mr Zingelmann" (1999). It was a 40 minute concept album about a young man trying to find his own identity.
Sebastian "Kebu" Teir guested on keyboards on one track on "Mr Zingelmann", and became a full member on Prime Mover's first real album, "Put in Perspective" (2001). With him he brought the talented young drummer Kenneth Lagerström. Overall, "Put in Perspective" was well-received. Most people seemed to like the songs and thought the musicians did pretty well, but the sound and recording was criticized, however.
Since 2001 three of the members have finished their studies and found jobs. This, of course, means that they have bought better equipment for their home studios. The third album, "Prime Mover Alias Drivkraft" (2004), undeniably sounds more professional than the earlier works. This is not only because of the equipment. The arrangements for example have some new elements, interesting flavours have been brought in by acoustic guitars, bouzouki, violin, trumpet, and more backing vocals than before. Of course the guys in the band are also overall better at what they do these days.
On "Prime Mover Alias Drivkraft" the lyrics are in Swedish, instead of in English like they used to. Nobody seemed to take any notice of the lyrics on the earlier albums, really, although they had been carefully written and filled with philosophical thoughts. So hoping it will get more reactions the band decided to express themselves in Swedish this time. The legendary French band Magma always seemed so exciting when they sang in their own language (Kobaian). To do something a bit similar Prime Mover didn't however need to invent any new language. The band members' mothertongue is the kind of Swedish which is spoken by the 6 % minority in Finland - unusual enough in itself.
Prime Mover has never played live, and will perhaps never do it. This is because it would be too much trouble when all the members live in different cities. But nevertheless Prime Mover shouldn't be called a "studio project", as the band is almost constantly active in some way and has been like that for many years. The line-up is also permanent, so far no band member has ever left the band.
