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About Me

The Sounds are an upbeat New Wave band from Helsingborg, Sweden founded in 1999. Their biggest hits include Hit Me!, Living in America and Tony the Beat (Push It).

Their musical style is primarily New Wave with punk and pop / electronica influences. Most songs make integrated use of synthesizers, and Maja Ivarsson provides a spunky vocal lead. The group is often compared to New Wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, The Epoxies and Missing Persons.

Their debut album Living in America was released in 2002, with the follow up Dying to Say This to You on March 21, 2006.

Lead singer Maja Ivarsson was also featured on Cobra Starship's Snakes on a Plane (Bring It), for the film Snakes on a Plane. In addition to Ivarsson's contribution to the Snakes soundtrack, the entire band is featured as track 6, Queen of Apology, remixed by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump.

Members
Maja Ivarsson (1979), vocals, guitar
Felix Rodriguez (1979), guitar
Johan Bengtsson (1979), bass
Jesper Anderberg (1981), synthesizer
Fredrik Nilsson (1979), drums

History
The Sounds were formed when childhood friends Felix Rodriguez and Johan Bengtsson decided to form a group amongst their high school friends, enlisting Fredrik Nilsson as drummer. Maja Ivarsson, formerly a classical horn player, was invited to join as the lead singer. The group met Jesper Anderberg by chance at the Hultsfred Festival. The band's name was decided months later during a trip to London.

Their debut album Living in America was recorded in Stockholm. It earned them several "best newcomer" awards, a Swedish Grammy and a #4 position in the Swedish album charts, as well as establishing the band not only in Sweden but also in the United States. The band has played over 300 gigs since the albums release including participating in the 2004 Warped Tour and have toured with bands such as: the Foo Fighters, The Strokes and Morningwood.

In the United States, the band has had several TV appearances and magazine articles and has reputedly built up a celebrity fan base that includes Dave Grohl, Pharrell Williams, Quentin Tarantino, Bam Margera and Britney Spears.

The second album, Dying to Say This to You was recorded at Studio 880 in Oakland, California, and produced by Jeff Saltzman (producer of The Killers' Hot Fuss). The band took part in the 2006 Warped Tour playing the main stage. They started the European leg of their tour in September and in October toured with Panic! at the Disco which included dates in London and several other major European cities. Following this tour, The Sounds made another run of the United States, starting with a Myspace secret show in Miami, Florida on Halloween and then stopping at 10 major cities from coast to coast with supporting act Shiny Toy Guns. All together, The Sounds played over 200 shows in 2006, over half of which were in the United States. During the first part of 2007 The Sounds will do another tour of Europe.

My Interests

Music

Albums
, Living in America (November 11, 2002) — #4 Sweden
, Dying to Say This to You (March 21, 2006) — #8 Sweden, #1 US Heatseekers, #9 US Top Independent Album, #107 US Billboard 200

, Extended Plays (EPs)
, Dying to Say This to You EP
, Live EP (May 30, 2006)

, US Singles
, Living in America / The S.O.U.N.D.S. (August 2002)
, Song with a Mission / Goodbye 70s (January 2006)

, Swedish Singles
, Hit Me! (2002)
, Living In America (2002)
, Seven Days A Week (2003)
, Rock'n Roll (April 22, 2003) — #27 Sweden
, Song with a Mission (February 15, 2006) — #22 Sweden
, Tony the Beat (July 12, 2006)
, Painted By Numbers (2006)

, Demos
, Under My Skin
, Bombs Bombs Away (Teenage Battlefield)
, Bombs Bombs Away (alt. version)
, 24 Hour Love
, Turn Back The Time (Breathe)
, You Will Never See Me Down Again
, Come Inside
, She Moves
, Free, Free, Free
, Like A Lady (demo version)
, Fire (demo version)
, Goodbye Seventies

Movies

Television

Books