Just released via Aor Heaven is the excellent new album from Talk Of The Town called 'The Ways Of The World' featuring one of Sweden's most famous sons Tommy Denander who has worked in some sort of capacity with everyone from Richard Marx and Dan Rees through to Steve Stevens and Giant's Dann Huff etc... Tommy has already this year appeared on the highly praised Prisoner album on Z Records, and with a fourth coming album from his Radioactive project due through MTM, I decided to catch up with Tommy, here's what he had to say....

Nicky:- Tommy, I really love your new record with Prisoner, I think it's one of the best things you have done, can you tell me a little about yourself and your career over the years please?

Tommy:- Well, me and Ricky B Delin go way back,.we actually met in England back in 1983 and have stayed best friends since.We both have been involved in the music business more or less through the years but not untill 1996 did we decide to start working together. And in 1997 I got fed up with all these Swedish hard rockers who had no career over here but were making millions of these albums for Japan!!! So I asked Ricky "hey, why don't we do an album as well, cash in on it too? Less than two weeks later the whole Prisoner album was written and music recorded!!!

But we had no singer! So through trial and error we finally struck gold with not one but two world class singers, Geir Ronning and Piere Wensberg. Me and Ricky have always been fans of groups like TOTO that have more than one singer, so it worked out really well.

Nicky:- How have the reactions been towards "BLIND" from the fans, how's it selling?

Tommy:- The reactions and reviews have been fantastic, we get letters from fans all over the world, there was one guy who only days after the release wrote to Mark and Z Records and asked if and when we were playing in Europe cause he was willing to take time off and pay to go and see us where ever!!!

These days hard rock isn't selling close to the "good 'ol days", but for a new band we've not done just ok,.we've done amazing!!! The word is spreading like wild fire, few groups today have the knowledge and ability to combine classic hard rock/AOR with a modern feel, and like I said, we're blessed with two world class singers.

Nicky:- I would like to know how your experiences with record labels has been?

Tommy:- We actually have this secret plan for an upcoming tour, instead of playing the usual clubs for fans we're gonna go on a rape, torch and streaking tour of label offices!!!.JUST KIDDING!!!!! I've been blessed I have to say, cause I've been signed to many labels since my first deal with Polygram/Vertigo when I was 14 and the only deal I regret was signing with Sony/Sweden in 1992, the A&R was more excited about the fact that he was gonna get his own computer, than the fact that I was going to Los Angeles to record with TOTO!!!!.but I got out alive, he didn't!

These days life couldn't be easier, I just produced a couple of records for AOR Heaven in Germany (Sayit, Sayit "Again" and the new Talk Of The Town album).worked perfectly I just signed my Radioactive album to MTM and I'm very happy with that cause it's the perfect home for it,but my real home is with Z Records.

Prisoner is signed to Z and Mark has done a perfect job with it, we've already signed for several more Prisoner albums with him easy choice really!

I'm also doing Rainmaker for Z records plus producing some nice young kids for him*smile*

Plus me and Mark are friends outside of "work" and that is rare with labels you're signed to and Mark takes care of his bands like no one else.

Nicky:- Who writes the material in Prisoner?

Tommy:- I write 98% of the music and Ricky writes 98% of the melodies and lyrics. We have this magic partnership, he's the brother I always wanted. I've never been a fan of the lyrics when it comes to AOR and melodic hard rock bands, it's always been about performances only for me, but Ricky is such a brilliant writer that he's opened up this new world to me. He's one of those writers who can match any style on any level makes my life a lot easier I have to say!

Nicky:- Musically and spiritually who what inspires you?

Tommy:- I can only speak for me and musically it's simple good music!!! don't care what style. I think it helps a lot to keep an open mind to everything in life no mystery is closed to an open mind! My influences growing up though were Santana, Steely Dan, KISS, Van Halen, TOTO, Whitesnake and David Foster. My favorite guitar players are Michael Landau, Steve Stevens, Dan Huff, Eddie Van Halen and the way Steve Lukather played
in the early 80's he's totally lost it these days,.the biggest fall of a musician in my book!!! But now you've opened the door to the spritual world, that's where I spend most of my time! I refuse to let life pass and then in the end wonder what I did, I live life so I know in the end what I did.

My motto is simple - I don't wanna die curious! so I collect experiences, could be a silent walk on the shores of Malibu alone watching the sun go down in the ocean or playing live in front of 30 000 people in Germany with a rap star!!!or a quiet evening with my mom on a saturday, life is what you make of it so make your life interesting and keep your my mind busy and open, make it worthwhile.

We are not taking care of this little beautiful blue dot in infinity we call earth and it's gonna come back hard on us soon. Life is only about "money" and "me what about me, me ,me"sickening really, the spirituality is lost in most modern countries, but hopefully the new age culture will be big enough to inspire us to a better living.

Nicky:-You have done many projects over the years, what have been your favorites?

Tommy:- There's been quite a few albums to date I know! I sometimes get some negative remarks like I'm doing too many albums but I'm a session player, producer, songwriter and studio owner so I just do my job

Most people in the rock business are a part of a band and maybe appear as a guest on one or two other albums but I'm a working pro who happens to be a part of a couple of groups so it's the other way around for me.

But back to your question, it's always hard to pick favorites, especially after more than 350 albums!

I'm very proud of my first two solo albums "Less Is More" and "Skeleton", the Prisoner, Talk Of The Town and forthcoming Rainmaker plus Sayit albums.

Nicky:- How's everything been with Z Records and how did you hook up with them?

Tommy:- I couldn't be happier to tell you the truth, I've known Mark Alger since right before he started the label and we've become good friends.

It's the first time that I've found a home in a label, Mark sent me an e mail in 96 or 97 when he started the label so he was one of like three labels we sent the Prisoner album to and he got very excited about it so we signed with him right away.

He's done such a wonderful job promoting us and I'm thrilled to have done the Rainmaker for Z as well and I know there'll be many more albums coming.

Advice to any bands out there if YOU are serious and you need a serious label Mark is the one you don't wanna realize later that you missed a chance to sign with!!!

Nicky:- Tell me about your latest release with Prisoner and Talk Of The Town?

Tommy:- Prisoner is the brainchild of me and my partner Ricky B Delin.

In 1997 I had a this stupid idea that we should write and record an album for the Japanese market since so many other Swedes were "cashing" in on that market and mostly with pretty bad albums I thought.

So I wrote the music in less than 10 days and gave it to Ricky who took care of most melodies and all lyrics in as short time. It was first recorded with programmed drums and two other singers but that's when we understood that this is maybe too good to not work harder on.

Unfortunately those two singers weren't right for the songs eventhough they're both very good so we were blessed from heaven in getting two worldclass singers in Piere Wensberg and Geir Ronning.

We also re-cut the album with the great Johan Koleberg from Lions Share on drums plus we invited Thomas Vikstrom from Talk Of The Town and Andy Eklund, Bernt Ek and Mikael Eriksson from House Of Shakira to help with backing vocals and also my good friend Bruce Gaitsch to do a guest solo on "Hear Me Heaven"

The funny thing is that we were rejected for a deal in Japan and instead got a great deal with Z Records in UK, now the album is selling extremely good for a debut and only now in august will it be out through Marquee/Avalon in Japan...go figure

The Japanese version will have two bonus tracks that I think are worth checking out.

And Talk Of The Town, this is an album I have wanted to do for more than 10 years! I've been involved in TOTT from the start more or less and I wrote and worked a lot with them for what was supposed to be their second album around 1989-90 but the band split up and me and Thomas Vikstrom started our own band "Speedy Gonzales" with Dalton on drums after that!

I was always sad that I never got to do an album with them but when AOR Heaven released their "second" album "Reach For The Sky" a couple of years ago - an album with old demos and such - and it sold pretty good they were signed to make a new album and this time Antonio (Saluena) asked me if I wanted to write and produce it with him

Thomas and Antonio gave me so much space to be creative with this album and I love them both for that.

I ended up writing 11 of the 13 songs, playing drums, bass, keyboards and lots of guitars they really trusted me with where I wanted this album to go.

Of course Antonio had much to say in writing the songs but he seemed happy with what I came up with so I simply took the ball they gave me and ran like a crazy Forest Gump

It's selling very good and the reviews are amazing so we've already started to talk about another album for next year I can't wait!

Nicky:- Tell me about the songs on the on your new record?

Tommy:- Our goal was to make an album that combined the sound and quality of 80's bands like Journey, Hughes &Thrall, Toto (Isolation) and even Europe and those "hair" bands!

But i always like to "twist" things around a little and add some Pink Floyd moods or odd little instrumental parts to songs.

The irony of this album is that we wrote it for the Japanese market cause we figuered no one would touch it in Europe and we get signed in England and sell good in Europe but couldn't even get a deal in Japan!!!

Now it's signed to Marquee in Japan and we're making that version rather special 3 new songs and some updated versions of several of the other tracks. It's a nice treat for the fans over there and I urge the fans here to at least check it out as well, cause there's some very good new songs on it.

We're also a long way into writing the follow up, I think we have about 9 songs written and if you like the first album you will be blown away by this one cause we made the first one "almost" like a joke to cash in on the Japanese scene (sorry Japan .we love you though!) .and this time we're really working on it.

Nicky:- You recorded some solo albums a little while ago, is their another on the horizon?

Tommy:- I've done 6 solo albums if you count an Asian version of Less Is More and an Romanian version of new and old songs plus my album with Bruce Gaitsch called "Denander-Gaitsch - Counterparts"

I have a contract in USA with Angelynn records in Nashville to do a new solo album but i've just been to busy with other stuff and there's such a small market right now for guitar albums that I think I'll wait. Me and Bruce are working on the follow up to Counterparts but we're in no hurry with that either.

I have an idea of maybe doing my next solo album with more vocals but not in the traditional way I always look for the edge of my mind and try to jump one step further!!! we'll see.

As I mentioned, I recently signed my once in a life time project Radioactive to MTM, an album that features almost all TOTO members plus stars like Bill Champlin, David Garfield, Vince Dicola, Michael Thompson, Tony Franklin, Fee Waybill, Richard Marx and so on so if anything this will be like a solo album right now!

Nicky:- Tell me about the gigs you have done?

Tommy:- So far Prisoner hasn't played live we're booked to do the first show on August 25th in Sweden on Z Rock and we're also booked to play on Z Rock in England next year.

Nicky:- Any funny stories you can share with us?

Tommy:- No,.kidding!

Hm...we joke around all the time so it's hard to think of isolated stories, the only thing that comes to mind is when Thomas Vikstrom (Talk Of The Town & Candlemass) who did backing vocals was stopped in the middle of a session to act as lighting director and "pose producer" for Ricky's promo pictures, Thomas being the star he is passed with flying colours, as for Ricky? you be the judge!!!

Nicky:- Do you think that with the current populatiy of Iron Maiden and Bon Jovi that these bands will open a whole new market again for Hard rock and AOR etc?

Tommy:- Absolutely! What people forget is that there's still a lot of rock and hard rock bands that sell in the millions but because media is so slow on what's going on "outside" their narrow world of what's "hip" we don't read that much about it. Even old groups like Deep Purple are selling quite a lot and they're still touring the world.

Trends come and go and the 80's are back in fashion and music it just takes one or two bands like Maiden or Bon Jovi (who at the moment are climbing charts around the world with "It's my life" a typical 80's power hit) to make it really big again and all labels will start looking for "our" music again.

What most bands fail to see is that labels couldn't care less how "good" you are .unless you play music that is gonna sell and make sure that their company is making good money.

They're not in it for the music it's business like any other business and when you sign to a bigger label you're nothing but a product number to them and if you as a product can't find your space on the market, you're gone!

That's why I love smaller labels cause they care about the people and the music much more.

Big labels these days are the biggest cowards you can find cause they rarely dare to take chances with something new, all they do is sell what's trendy and scout among the indie labels for things that are really happening and then simple buy up bands or small labels. It's smart business but bad for music!

Nicky:- What are your plans for the up coming future?

Tommy:- For Prisoner, it's finishing the Japanese version really quick now, writing the next album and put together the live band.- I'm almost done with the new Sayit album, We're working on it right now and it should be done now in August.

It's actually SAYIT, it's the name of my good friend who's solo album it is!!!

He called me in 97 and asked me if I could help him do a solo album so I called my partner Ricky to help out and the album turned out pretty good but with an awful production and some songs that maybe are a little "out" there.

But this new album is 10.000 times better, it's like Georg at AOR Heaven said "Ah, like Talk Of The Town goes westcoast" It will feature Geir Ronning, Michael Thompson, Bruce Gaitsch, David Hungate and Jim Jidhed among others and i guess it's set for a september

Also the first Rainmaker album, a single for a very talented girl Jessa Slatter plus a couple of pop albums but the big thing for next couple of months is my Radioactive album and the next Prisoner album.

I have to finish songs for compilation albums as well so I'll be busy the year out.

I was producing a good young band for Z Records called Eclipse but it didn't feel right for me or them so they've finished it themselves.I have about 7 to 10 albums coming out before next spring and that's a lot I know, but starting next year i'm gonna ask for a little more money for each project I do so I can do less albums but work harder on the one's I really wanna do.

Nicky:- What words of wisdom can you offer to the aspiring musician?

Tommy:- Follow your heart, you can't fake the funk!

Trends come and go and the chance any young musician will become a star these days are slim to say the least. This is how it works - LUCK - TIMEING - TALENT...in that order. Hardly any new hard rock or heavy metal bands sell enough these days to become stars on any larger scale and that means you have to be under 20 and look amazing to become a member of a teen thing.

For me it's always been simple, i just honestly love playing, writing and working with music, I don't do it for the money, I still work on sessions for free if someone can't pay cause I wanna play.

If you burn enough for your passion, fate will lead to right somehow and someday, just make sure you're in this fucked up world for the right reasons!

And most importantly party all night long but leave shit like drugs alone listen to Coverdale sing about "Wine, Women and Song" it's all you need cause if you're so lucky that you're one of the very few who make it in, you'll soon kick yourself out of your mind with drugs, you don't wanna live with that.

Last, get your own sound there's already a Yngwie, Eddie or who ever you like out there and you can't beat them on their own thing so be curious enough to explore all kinds of music and in time you'll hopefully find your own "voice" in the mix of it all.

Nicky:- Any last words?

Tommy:- Thanks for your support, .thanks to all those who already bought the album and don't forget to check out Rainmaker (also on Z records) in september cause it's me and Geir Ronning but the style is a bit harder.