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Freddie Wadling last recordings

By on February 12, 2017

“Freddie Wadling Live 2016” is a packed and worthy summation of Freddie Wadling as a vocalist, live performer and interpreter.

Here are the last gig Freddie and his band did, recorded at Slagthuset in Malmö April 8 last year. A full concert that displays multiple pages of Freddie, from the then newly released material from Efter regnet to “I’m Deranged“ by David Bowie, whose music had meant so much to him.

The producer and cellist Sebastian Öberg remember their last gig as “damn good“.

– No one in the band, even I knew that the concert was recorded on 24 channels. I had asked for a simple recording on a phone, to be able to remember the arrangements during upcoming tour break, that’s all.

He had kept the last mentioned a secret for the other band members.

– If you know that it is recording you often think an extra time and it risks becoming a rigid performance. We made the concert in the present.

The recording is of course mixed, but apart from a cabasa, that was not recorded on the spot, appearing neither application or auto tuner.

Öberg is confident that Freddie had approved it for publication.

– He was pleased with the show and we have removed the songs he wanted to take away for future concerts.

On this double CD is also the songs Freddie would have made in Så mycket bättre if he had lived. Before his death he managed, however, to sing in the songs he selected on the basis of the other participants’ repertoires.

– First I had one sitting with Freddie, to find the shape of each song. Then we were seen again with basic arrangements and then I rigged with real mics and did seven or eight takes of each song.

It was more than enough to make up what was needed.

– Freddie’s first vocals were the best. He did not think too much, the feeling was there and he had not had time to be bored. Because then it could become opera or hard rock!

The recordings are then supplemented into rich productions of Sebastian Öberg.

As a bonus we also get “Regntunga skyar” and “Sexton ton“, which was recorded for the last studio album, but was not included then.

– It was not that they were not good enough, rather we did not want to get bias towards old popular songs, but emphasize Stina Nordenstam’s involvement. Furthermore we did not want to make a overly long album.

On the CD version, which is a double, are all of the above, while the vinyl edition only contains live concert.

It’s easy to get a clichéd image of Freddie Wadling. He had it incredibly tough. Amidst all solemnity that we all make us guilty, it is good to recall that he was not so stupid that he took advantage of people’s compassion when he saw the opportunity for free beer. The playful twinkle was always there.

Above all he was a great singer to the last, as these fresh recordings show.

– He was very on G towards the end of his life. Singing up and inspired. And I think it can be heard on these recordings, summarizes Sebastian Öberg.

Participants on the live album:

Sebastian Öberg – Cello

Amanda Werne – guitar, vocals

Erik Berntsson – drums

John Mattsson – base

Björn Almgren – baritone sax, xaphoon, keyboard

Listen to “Freddie Waling Live 2016” here >>

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