About Wreckage 97

Wreckage 97 play Pop/Punk/Rock similar to bands like Jimmy Eat World, Millencolin, Lit, Samiam, Weezer and Green Day but with more rock 'n' roll feeling. We're never unfamiliar with bringing in new influences from all kinds of directions or to try crazy (stupid?) ideas (Co-driver, Falling alright, Alice, T.B...). The Wreckage 97 sound is a mix between hot Californian sun and cold Swedish cynicism. Humour with melancholy. An element that is always present is the vocal harmonies. Since both Rob and Jimmie call themselves lead singers and share that role and Matz gladly sings along in the choruses.

Wreckage 97 was formed in 1997 in the small Swedish town of Karlshamn by Rob and Jimmie. Matz joined in 1999. In the beginning we had a few additional guitarists but none of them stayed very long. And since around 2000 we're satisfied with just the three of us.

During the years 2000 and 2001 we made the album called "The Original Wrecker LP" (hence our web address). We recorded it in our rehearsal room with very simple equipment.

2002 we signed a contract with the record company Soundport. The Original Wrecker LP and a single with the song Sorry were released. We also opened for The Ark two times on their tour in the fall that year. Unfortunately nothing else happened and our collaboration petered out.

In the meantime we had started to record a sequel album, the "European Ranking No.1". The title refer to an anecdote that happened to Rob in the Swedish town of Skövde. This recording was also made in our rehearsal room and Rob's bedroom. However we had bought some better equipment and gained some more knowledge as well. The result was 10 times better.

2003 Rob moved from Karlshamn to Gothenburg. Wreckage 97 was put on ice for some time and for that reason (and a million other) European Ranking No.1 was never released, except online on this website.

In early 2005 we felt the spirit coming back and we decided to try to record three new songs, more punk than ever, the Dog Days EP. Of course and as always we did it ourselves with our own equipment. We recorded the drums in our old rehearsal room, the bass and Jimmie's vocals in his living room and the guitars and Rob's vocals in his bedroom. Considering the style of the songs, we aimed at a more dirty sound with a minimum of overdubs and distortion on everything except the drums. Everything went smoothly and we were all very satisfied with the result in the summer when we were finished. But we also felt that we were not in a realistic position to contact any record companies. So we decided to burn 100 CDs and give them away for free and to put the songs online here, also for free.

At the time this is written, November 2005, Wreckage 97 is more alive than in years. We are currently working with four new songs and planning for even more recordings. Our plan is to release these new songs in the summer of 2006, along with most of the songs from Dog Days and European Ranking No.1. Probably on our own label...

//Wreckage 97 - 2005