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Broder Daniel

From Alfawiki
Broder Daniel
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1989; 37 years ago (1989)
FounderHenrik Berggren, Daniel Gilbert
Defunct2008 (2008)
Headquarters
Gothenburg
,
Sweden
ProductsMusic albums, singles, DVDs

Broder Daniel—meaning Brother Daniel in Swedish and commonly shortened to BD—was an alternative rock group originating from Gothenburg, Sweden. Established in the late 1980s by schoolmates Henrik Berggren and Daniel Gilbert, the band emphasized emotional intensity over technical perfection to craft their signature sound.

Drawing inspiration from acts such as The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Velvet Underground, Broder Daniel utilized distorted guitar tones alongside straightforward musical arrangements. Their songwriting often delved into themes of existentialism and the struggles of youth.

During the 1990s, despite numerous changes in personnel, Broder Daniel solidified their position as a pivotal force within Swedish alternative music. Their track "Shoreline" has achieved status as a modern Swedish classic, with the phrase "spela 'Shoreline'" ("play 'Shoreline'") becoming widely recognized. From 2014 until 2018, a monument inscribed with this phrase stood in Gothenburg.

Following the tragic suicide of guitarist Anders Göthberg in 2008, the band dissolved. Their final concert took place at Gothenburg’s Way Out West festival, performed as a tribute to Göthberg.

History

Henrik Berggren founded a pop ensemble while attending Göteborgs Högre Samskola in Gothenburg, which later evolved into Broder Daniel—the name translating to Brother Daniel. After undergoing several lineup adjustments, the group developed a unique sound and cultivated a devoted youth following throughout Sweden, largely propelled by Berggren’s compelling stage presence. Early media coverage highlighted their powerful live performances and Henrik’s distinctive style.

Initially signed to Jimmy Fun Music, owned by Roxette’s Per Gessle, the band later transitioned to EMI Music Sweden. Their debut album in 1995, Saturday Night Engine, featured raw and straightforward tracks that helped establish a loyal fanbase nationwide.

After releasing their self-titled sophomore album, Broder Daniel parted ways with EMI in 1997 and found themselves without a record contract despite strong live show attendance. In 1998, they joined Dolores Recordings and unveiled Broder Daniel Forever, regarded as their most critically praised work. This darker and more introspective album explored motifs of love and mortality, drawing heavily from indie rock influences like The Jesus and Mary Chain. The band’s profile increased notably when three of their songs were included on the soundtrack of the acclaimed Swedish movie Show Me Love.

Post-Forever, the group toured extensively across Sweden amid some controversy and made attempts to enter the UK market; however, they did not secure an international recording contract. Following a break, individual members pursued solo ventures: bassist Håkan Hellström launched a successful solo career beginning in 2001 before departing due to differing artistic images, while guitarist Theodor Jensen gained recognition with his project The Plan.

In 2003, Broder Daniel regrouped to release Cruel Town, an album featuring more sophisticated lyrics addressing societal issues and nostalgia. Berggren’s compositions reflected on his personal background alongside broader cultural influences.

Since touring for Cruel Town, the band has appeared intermittently. Henrik Berggren has also performed solo acoustic sets incorporating Broder Daniel songs.

Tragically, on 30 March 2008, guitarist Anders Göthberg took his own life in Stockholm. The band’s concluding performance occurred at the Way Out West Festival in Gothenburg, where they paid homage to Göthberg with the song "Hold On to Your Dreams". In August 2014, a memorial was erected at their final concert location in Slottsskogen.

Members

  • Henrik Berggren – lead vocalist
  • Lars Malmros – drummer
  • Anders Göthberg – electric guitarist (deceased 2008)
  • Theodor Jensen – bass and electric guitar (departed in 2003, returned in 2005)
  • Daniel Gilbert – bassist (exited in 1995)
  • Johan Neckvall – electric guitarist (left in 1997)
  • Håkan Hellström – bass player and drummer (performed drums until 1994, rejoined as bassist from 1998 to 2002)

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:700 height:270 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:50 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1989 till:08/08/2008 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = 

id:Vocals        value:red     legend:Vocals 
id:Guitars       value:green   legend:Guitars
id:Bass          value:blue    legend:Bass
id:Keyboards     value:purple  legend:Keyboards
id:Drums         value:orange  legend:Drums

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom

ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:01/01/1989 LineData = 

at:04/21/1995 color:black layer:back
at:04/22/1996 color:black layer:back
at:04/22/1998 color:black layer:back
at:10/24/2003 color:black layer:back

BarData = 

bar:Berggren text:"Henrik Berggren"
bar:Gilbert text:"Daniel Gilbert"
bar:Neckvall text:"Johan Neckvall"
bar:Jensen text:"Theodor Jensen"
bar:Hellstrom text:"Håkan Hellström"
bar:Malmros text:"Lars Malmros"
bar:Gothberg text:"Anders Göthberg"

PlotData= 

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Berggren from:01/01/1989 till:end color:Vocals
bar:Neckvall from:01/01/1992 till:06/06/1997 color:Guitars
bar:Jensen from:06/07/1997 till:06/06/2002 color:Guitars
bar:Gothberg from:01/01/1993 till:03/30/2008 color:Guitars
bar:Gothberg from:01/01/1993 till:03/30/2008 color:Keyboards width:3

bar:Gilbert from:01/01/1989 till:06/06/1995 color:Bass
bar:Gilbert from:01/01/1989 till:06/06/1995 color:Keyboards width:3
bar:Jensen from:06/07/1995 till:06/06/1997 color:Bass
bar:Hellstrom from:06/07/1997 till:06/06/2002 color:Bass 
bar:Jensen from:06/07/2002 till:12/12/2003 color:Bass
bar:Jensen from:06/07/2005 till:end color:Bass
bar:Hellstrom from:01/01/1989 till:06/06/1994 color:Drums
bar:Malmros from:06/07/1994 till:end color:Drums

</timeline>

Studio Albums

Singles and Maxisingles

  • 1995 - Cadillac
  • 1995 - Luke Skywalker
  • 1995 - Iceage
  • 1996 - Go my own way
  • 1996 - Work
  • 1998 - I'll be Gone
  • 1998 - You bury me
  • 1998 - Fucking Åmål theme: Underground
  • 1998 - Fucking Åmål theme: Whirlwind
  • 1999 - Happy People Never Fantasize
  • 2003 - When We Were Winning
  • 2003 - Cruel Town (Promotional snippet)
  • 2004 - Shoreline
  • 2004 - What Clowns Are We
  • 2005 - Luke Skywalker 7"


DVD

  • 2004 - Army of Dreamers

Film

  • 2009 - Broder Daniel Forever

External links

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