From the quiet corners of southern Sweden comes a project with roaring emotional depth and rare creative synergy. Southside Café, the alt-rock duo formed by vocalist Anders Ljung and songwriter/producer Johan R. Norberg, have spent the past two years meticulously crafting songs that linger. Their latest single 'Like Sparks From the Sun' is a masterclass in that ethos: delicate and stormy, intimate yet widescreen, it feels like a transmission from somewhere between memory and myth.
The track’s slow-burning elegance and cinematic crescendo recall the shadowed heights of Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, and the skybound atmosphere of early U2. It’s the sound of two artists with vastly different backstories, one a lifelong vocalist whose voice has filled bars, churches and city streets, the other an academic-turned-composer pulled back to the music that never left him, finding a shared language in melody, emotion, and lived experience.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with the band's Johan R Norberg to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Guitar. Absolutely. It is still my main instrument. As a kid, I dreamed of being Mick Ronson rather than David Bowie, or Steve Van Zandt next to Bruce Springsteen.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I discovered The Beatles very early on, and I am still insanely devoted to their music. Bowie of course, especially from the Ziggy period until Scary Monsters. I am also very much shaped by early 80s British rock music in the wake of punk: Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, early U2, the Vapors. But I've always listened to very different things: from Bach to ACDC.
In the late 80s I played guitar in hard rock bands. Traces of this can still be heard in our music.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Revolver with the Beatles. And the world was forever changed.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Good question! I'm constantly trying to write just that – the perfect song. I guess I'd have to say "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles. Or maybe "Brothers in Arms" by Dire Straits. That song has it all: drama, dynamics, and a guitar that bleeds. Or maybe “London Calling”?
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
No habits, but I must admit that I’m constantly composing. In my head. Whether I’m driving, making dinner, or walking around town. My wife has grown accustomed to me suddenly going into “zombie mode”. I don’t need a guitar or piano to create music; it all happens in my mind.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Right now I'm listening to a lot of Peter Bradley Adams. His music is so low-key, minimalistic, but yet fantastic. I guess you would classify him as a singer-songwriter or "Americana" but there's so much more to his music: drama, atmosphere and lovely melodies. I hear traces of the Beatles in every song.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Hard to say. Many of my heroes are no longer alive. I guess the best choice would be to choose an artist with a large audience who hopefully would also appreciate Southside Café. Perhaps U2? Coldplay? But I would also love to open for ELO if it meant I could shake hands with Jeff Lynne. What a hero.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Creativity. For me, writing and producing music is like painting a picture. You start with a blank sheet of paper and you never know in advance what the result will be. I'm never in a hurry when I make music and I love every second of the process.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Creativity. For me, music is not a hobby or a pastime. It is more like an itch that I can never get rid of. I love it but it also takes a lot of strength. My colleague Anders has to put up with a lot when we write songs together. Frustration is a bit of a default mode for me. But I love it.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Many years ago, Max Martin advised me: "When you think you're done with a song, don't stop. Give it one more hour." I believe this advice is important and that it says something about his great success. Don't stress or slouch; always strive to elevate your music. And maybe I should add: remember there is also a lot of joy amidst all the frustration that always arises when you are creating music.
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Southside Café's new single 'Like Sparks From The Sun' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.