I thought Elvira Bira was an alter ego and solo
project for Mathilda and I guess that's in a way,
but it's still a group. But the questions are
more directed at Mathilda but of course concern
the whole band. Check out their new album
Vispunk before it's too late. September-2021
Tell me about you a little bit, I know you're in
Fuck Frankie?
-Elvira Bira is a band that has been found in
different constellations and sometimes as a solo
project since 2007. The first gig with Elvira
Bira was with electric bass, drums and ukulele
at a ukulele festival on Långholmen in 2007.
Then we have played at ukulele festivals and
spread punk spirit in Helsinki, Paris, New York,
Amsterdam m.m. Mathilda Sundin and Oriane
Reinberg are both former members of Fuck
Frankie. Bassist Peter Sundin has been playing
bass in Elvira Bira since the beginning, with a
brief break over 10 years ago. We have Charlie
Andersson on guitar who has been with the band
since 2013. Then there is Benjamin Ek at viola,
Elin Olsson on the cross flute and Joel Prim who
is our new drummer in the band. They are the new
additions that Mathilda met at the School of
Music in Stockholm, where all four have studied
to become music teachers.
How did the idea for this project come about?
-Elvira Bira started in 2007 when Mathilda
started playing ukulele and wanted to start a
band. She was already playing guitar and writing
songs, but when she got a ukulele, that's all it
was about. Punk it would be, disttorted ukulele,
angry and fast.
You call the record Vispunk, but I'd like to
call it medieval punk, what do you think of
that?
-It's interesting that it's possible to discern
medieval vibes in our album "Vispunk". I think
we'd say it's a blissful mix inspired by folk
and world music. But the funny thing is that we
have some new songs going on with melodies from
the Middle Ages as well. Folk music and music
from the Middle Ages probably have a lot in
common.
You sing both in English and Swedish, which
feels best, which language is easiest to write
in?
-We have mixed songs in Swedish and English
because we are more interested in getting the
expression of music. We've always mixed. When we
write songs, it sometimes comes in Swedish and
sometimes in English. Elvira Bira had mostly
English texts at the beginning, but now we write
almost exclusively in Swedish.
Are all the songs made by you?
-Mathilda wrote some songs herself. Otherwise,
we write a lot together. Someone comes up with a
song idea, we build on and create quite a lot in
the rehearsal room. Charlie and Mathilda write
some music and lyrics together at home at the
kitchen table as well.
Tell us a little about the texts on
Visa dig
1+1=3
Hate Parade
Uke The world
The song "Visa dig" was written by Mathilda and
was first a love song that is featured on the
self-burned album "Acoustic". Turns out it
needed to be rewritten into a fuck you song
because it was too good to let go. Now the text
fits much better! It is therefore about violence
and harassment in relationships and the
inability of the perpetrator to see his or her
behaviour.
1+1=3 is about xenophobia and that it may be
completely impossible for some people to
understand that we are all human beings who have
the right to live on this earth.
Hate parade was written by Mathilda and was
first released with Fuck Frankie on the album "Twobeat
continued". So it is the same text and similar
chord structure but quite redesigned. It's about
the fact that it's easy to get caught up in hate
and opinions that you don't really stand for.
Uke the world (instead of Nuke the world) is an
antiwar and anti-violence song about bombing the
world with music and love. Uke stands for
ukulele and the idea is to bomb the world with
ukulele punk love.
What have you been influenced by for making a
record that sounds like this?
-The music on the record is influenced by the
world and values. It's observations, wrongs,
experiences, hate and love. When we have written
the music, we have taken inspiration from
different cultures and tried to lift people's
opportunity to question and change the way they
see the world.
How did it come to be Grönpeppar Records?
-Martin at Grönpeppar contacted us and asked
when we are going to release new material. We
had everything ready but had waited with release
due to Corona. They offered to release the album
if we wanted to and we said yes. Then they
wouldn't even hear the music. Grönpeppar has
been very helpful now that we have released
"Vispunk" and we have already sold out of first
edition records.
Elvira Bira, is it a band or is it your alter
ego. But if you're going to play live, you're
going to have to have a band, tell them about
them, right?
The idea has always been that Elvira Bira is a
band. Like Tant Strul or Ebba Grön. Then it has
become a bit of an alter ego because Elvira Bira
has sometimes been a solo project. But playing
an entire band leads to so much more creativity
and power in the music than playing just
Mathilda and the ukulele. (Tells you about the
band members during the first question).
Fuck Frankie, are they still playing? Do you
have any other bands on the side as well, or
what?
-Fuck Frankie, where Mathilda sings, doesn't
play today. We do not know for ourselves whether
we have a long break or if we have moved on.
That remains to be seen. I see them
sometimes
and play because it's fun. If you're lucky,
we'll come back to life. Mathilda, who plays
ukulele and sings in Elvira Bira, also plays
bass and contributes some vocals to the folk
punk band Crash Nomada for 3-4 years. She also
started up Skymf with members from Besserbitch
and Fuck Frankie but that was just before the
Corona so when we were ready to go out and play
everything was cancelled. And also the band as
it looks like now. Then several of the band have
other band projects so the music is something we
are really attracted to and do a lot.
Are there any other bands/Artists in the same
style that you would like to recommend to us?
-We would recommend Crash Nomada of course and
Gogol Bordello. Then there's Bohemian Betryars,
which is a little calmer but has really nice
melodies and songs. Mischief brew has a
fantastic record, Fight Dirty where they
collaborate with Guignol, a kletzmer/balkan
orchestra. If you want to hear black metal mixed
with folk tones and tones, Myrkur is a clear
favorite. Not close what we do but very cool
music.
Punk, what does it mean to you, is it just a
word or is it a lifestyle?
-Punk is, of course, an expression and a way of
life where music, free and dirty art forms,
thoughts and opinions belong together. After
all, it is a question of questioning and
opposing what is commercial. Frameworks and
rules are stretched, even in punk.
Is it important to release physical records, do
you think? What records have you been involved
in releasing over the years?
-You can trust physical records. You can have a
record in your home and bring out whenever you
want. People are getting happier and more
interested in getting a record than a Spotify
link. The Internet is fragile and unreliable.
Elvira Bira has only released DIY. A self-titled
demo, an acoustic disc called "Acoustic", an EP
called "If necessary", a Christmas album "Merry
Christmas wishes Elvira Bira" and now "Vispunk".
Mathilda has since released three albums of Fuck
Frankie. "Fuck Frankie" (self-titled), "Hate me"
and "Twobeat Continued". Before Fuck Frankie,
"Urban Legends" was also released with a band
called City Demons where Mathilda was a singer.
Who do you think will listen to your music? What
kind of people I mean?
-We can see that our music appeals to a very
broad audience. People of all ages stop and want
to buy records when we played on the street.
From preschool-age children up to older people
in their 80s (and certainly older). This summer,
a man ordered a video greeting with song and
music from us for his wife as a 75th birthday
present because she likes Elvira Bira. There are
many people with similar values to us, including
old and new punks and progpeople.
Have you ever played live with this? If so, how
was it received?
-We have played live many times with this music
before the corona. There's usually full speed
and dancing in the audience. With the full
backline there will be real club atmosphere,
people screaming and jumping and looking very
happy.
What else do you think about involving politics
in music, is it a must or can be made music
without involving political opinions?
-Music is an art form and emotional expression.
It is a way to communicate thoughts, opinions
and messages. If you have political opinions or
values, they often appear in your music and
lyrics. Of course it is possible to write lyrics
that are not political, but there is always some
kind of valuation.
Best political band/artist?
-I'm not sure. Like Nationalteaten, Ebba
Grön or Blå tåget.
Five favorite records right now? Five favorite
records of all time? Actually, I find it very
difficult to answer this. Pass on that!
What do you think it's like to live in Sweden
right now with parties like SD, KD, M etc? Is it
easier to write texts when there are such
parties?
-There is a lot of inspiration to be had given
the political situation both in Sweden and other
parts of the world today. The problem is that
often we play to audiences who think alike. We
need to reach those who need to change their
view of the world.
Is ukulele the new punk instrument, have you
heard Pukes, I interviewed them a while ago on
my website?
-Oh, yes, of course. Pukes has Mathilda seen,
met and jammed with at Rebellion in Blackpool.
Wonderful band. The ukulele is definitely a
great instrument for punk. Easy to learn and it
is not possible to be too many people playing
ukulele at the same time. As I said, frames and
rules should be stretched and preferably blown
up. Ukulele is fucking tough.
Is there going to be a lot of interviews, is it
boring with interviews?
-This is our first interview since the release
of the album. It's really fun to answer
questions. Those are good questions. It takes
some time, but it is exciting to formulate
Elvira Bira's meaning in words. Then the
questions are the most important thing to be
able to do so!
What are the future plans for the band?
-The future plans are to go out and play a lot
now. We have a lot of new songs and want to
start recording and release another album
eventually. Then we are working on a project
where we make songs from a long poem about the
position of women in society, powerplay,
darkness, depravity and finding back and seeing
the light again. There we mix in Swedish folk
music, jazz, world music, music from the Middle
Ages, heavy riffs and much more. Everything with
punk spirit, of course. So we've got a lot going
on.
And to yourself?
-Same as above. And that Crash Nomada where
Mathilda plays bass will release new soon as
well. So keep an eye out for that.
Words of wisdom?
-Be yourself and don't care what other people
think.
Anything to add?