Thåström x the HÖGDALEN

E: In our very first conversation, you said: “Va faan är The Högdalen!”
I started The Högdalen as a place to play and collaborate — a kind of creative playground, a sub-brand to Efva Attling Stockholm.
My idea with you was to design jewelry inspired by your lyrics and song titles. I design, and you say “ok” or “not ok.”
I gave you a ring engraved Fan Fan, you put it on and said, “Let’s go!”
I was over the moon — a yes from you means a lot, because you’re a man with strong integrity.
You said I was very good at persuading people.
Of course, I have to ask — why did you say yes?

T: I thought it was really fun that we’re both from Högdalen — that we can refer to certain things in life that come from there.

E: Fan Fan is the most perfect love song, but those who haven’t really listened think it’s saying something else.
It’s always wonderful to open a new musical door for people — to let them discover something new.

T: You can’t expect everyone to know everything… you just have to be glad there are some who do.

E: Now we’re launching our second jewelry collection for men and women, with titles like Magiskt Oändligt, Dom som skiner, and new versions of Fan Fan and Beväpna dig med vingar.
Right now I’m wearing one of the bracelets from the live album “Kl 2. på natten öppet fönster” (“2 a.m. Open Window”).
You didn’t like the first designdraft — I’d put a few different symbols on a safety pin.

T: I didn’t want any punk symbols — it felt dated.

E: That didn’t even cross my mind — I was thinking fashion. Safety pins are totally in right now!
So I went back and made a stiff silver bracelet with engraved text — and you really liked that one.

E: I love talking to you — it’s fun and stimulating, because we talk about things I don’t usually talk about.
And we’ve gotten to know each other a bit beyond just “hey” and “bye.”
Like that night back in the ’80s when we met at Hotel Excelsior in Gothenburg.
My band X Models’ roadies had filled a case with beer, and everyone wanted it because the bar was closed.
We weren’t as cool as Ebba, but everyone wanted beer — suddenly X Models were the hot ones.
You said you liked my song “Två av oss” and that you bought it at Pet Sounds… and then you said, “You don’t have to say that…”

E: The new record is called Somliga av oss (“Some of Us”).
I wanted a title to inspire a new design, and you gave me Magiskt Oändligt.
I made a necklace and a bracelet based on that.
I was a bit nervous, because I got the song title very early in your writing process — and the song might not have made the album.

T: It’s actually the first track — and it’s my favorite.

E: Eva Dahlgren photographs all the Högdalen artists and creators, right? What’s it like being photographed by her?

E: Eva Dahlgren photographs all the Högdalen artists and creators, right? What’s it like being photographed by her?

T: I thought it worked great… but, you know, I don’t find it the most fun thing in the world.
I got tired of being photographed back in 1987.
It’s hard for me to summon any enthusiasm — my poses ran out in ’87.

E: Now you’re going on tour. How do you prepare?

T: It’s a long process — planning songs, singing in the studio.
We start rehearsing in mid-December. It’s going to be fantastic.

She didn’t dare to ask at first, she knew that he basically says no to everything, but eventually contacted Thåström's management. She received a text message from Thåström saying: "Efva, what is the Högdalen?"

"We met at a café, I was so damn nervous, it feels wonderful to be 68 years old and still get shaky, he has such incredible integrity. But I have practised for a long time on a person who is also a great poet with strong integrity", Efva says laughing and refers to her wife Eva Dahlgren.

"I explained my idea, that I wanted to start from his lyrics. I had prepared a ring with the Swedish word for, "Damn damn damn" based on his song. He took it, put it on his finger and said, 'let’s do this!

"Efva was very good at persuading me. She is a very passionate person and I like that. I say no to almost everything but thought that I someday might have to do the opposite. I got a ring from Efva that says, "Damn damn damn", it sounded like a fun and different idea and… well, jewellery is nice ", says Thåström in a broad Stockholm accent over the phone from his apartment in Berlin.

"I don’t really know what to say about this jewellery", Thåström admits and it is noticeable that as soon as we fall into talking about music and songwriting, he changes, gets more open and talkative. But yes, he wears jewellery, more specifically rings, and he likes jewellery. He claims that he is not very aware when it comes to style, "I have been wearing the same black clothes for twenty years", although he wouldn’t wear just anything.

In addition to Thåström, the Högdalen includes jewellery designed by Jocke Berg (Kent), collaborations with the artist Emma Altafulla and the designer Göran Kling. Why t it became Thåström is of course not only due to Attling and Thåström coming from the same suburb. Thåström, and Jocke Berg, are two songwriters who put their full heart and soul into the lyrics.

“Thåström is a fantastic poet with such power. He can affect and touch you deep with only a few words. His music and lyrics really hits you, it can open your heart. It's like when someone could come behind the scenes and thank me and say, 'just what you describe, I can’t express myself'. I have also always used words for my jewellery, and I want to continue to touch people with words”, Efva says.

Thåström has a new record on the way, but due to the coronavirus, the recordings have had to be postponed. He had planned to go somewhere else, a studio in Palma, as a contrast to Berlin and Stockholm to see if it could give him something new. He is frustrated that he has not yet been able to finish the record. But like other musicians, he has to wait in uncertainty about what will happen in the future. He has no need to do anything else in the meantime, or that he will start saying yes to things just because he has done it now, he points out carefully.

“Music takes a lot of energy and time and I have no reason to do anything else. I get questions about making film music, writing a book, but I have realized my limitations, I stop with what I know.”

By: Marimba Roney