Mando Diao

Mando Diao
Mando Diao
Background information
Origin	Borlänge, Dalarna County
Years active	1995 - Present
Members	Gustaf Norén; Björn Dixgård; Carl-Johan Fogelklou; Samuel Giers; Mats Björke

Mando Diao are a garage rock band from Borlänge, Sweden.

Origin

The roots of Mando Diao date back to 1995 when Björn Dixgård was a member of a band called Butler. Band members came and went and four years later the rest of the current line-up decided to take that project more seriously. Björn Dixgård and Gustaf Norén locked themselves up in a summer house and spent six months writing songs. The two renamed their band Mando Diao. According to the band, the name Mando Diao has no meaning at all, but rather appeared to band member Björn Dixgård in a dream.

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, 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"

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 are supported by Razorlight and Johnossi, and for the British leg of the tour are they form a joint support act for the Dirty Pretty Things along with Larrikin Love. Mando Diao will be appearing at the 2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 29.
At the end of January, 2007, Mando Diao was widely exposed in Swedish media because of an incident at their live the 27th the same month. They were a quarter into a live at the festival Amplified on Norrlandsoperan in Umeå, when a part of the floor the audience were standing on collapsed leaving 27 fans hurt - five people were taken to the hospital with injuries such as broken arms and legs. According to the management of Norrlandsoperan they had had the hall checked, but had never thought the floor, which was made up by serveral moveable parts on concrete girders leaving an almost three meter deep hole underneath, wouldn't hold the 725 people who were in the room, especially since the firedepartment had given them okay to let 800 in. After this unfortunate event, Mando Diao stayed around in Umeå in case they could help with anything regarding the hurt fans, and visited the hospitalized fans personally. It is now planned that they will hold another concert to make up for what was lost that evening.

Trivia

"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.

Discography

Videography

"Mr. Moon" (2002/directed by Christoffer Sahlgren)
"The Band" (2002/directed by Håkan Schüler)
"Sheepdog" (2003/directed by Pontus Andersson
"Paralyzed" (2003/directed by Håkan Schüler)
"Clean Town" (2004/directed by Amir Chamdin)
"God Knows" (2004/directed by Johan Torell & John Nordqvist)
"Down In The Past" (2004/directed by Christoffer Diös)
"You Can't Steal My Love" (2005/directed by Mauricio Molinari)
"Long Before Rock'n'Roll" (2006/directed by Daniel Eskils)
"Good Morning, Herr Horst" (2006/directed by Lovisa Inserra)
"TV & Me" (2006/directed by Kalle Haglund)

External links

The Official Mando Diao Website
Template:MySpace
The Supporter Club
13 songs chosen by and an interview with Mando Diao on Klangschau.com