The Wannadies

Emerging from Skelleftea, the Wannadies stood out as one of Sweden's most charming hidden treasures by sidestepping the glossy pop dominance of ABBA, Ace of Base, and Roxette in favor of carving a distinctive path within modern rock. The group came together in the late '80s and, nearly a decade on, propelled Sweden's alternative rock scene into wider view. Pär Wiksten (vocals/guitar), Stefan Schönfeldt (guitar), Fredrik Schönfeldt (bass), Gunnar Karlsson (drums), and Christina Bergmark (organ) delivered two independent albums during the early '90s, yet only in 1995 did the band achieve the recognition they sought. Their sound had grown sleeker, drawing swift interest from the U.K. A partnership with Indolent yielded the third album, Be a Girl. The singles "You & Me Song" and "Might Be Stars" entered the U.K.'s Top 20 and earned favor with NME audiences. Appearances at festivals across England showcased the Wannadies' campy rock charm, helping the fourth album, Bagsy Me, rise rapidly in 1996. Drummer Gunnar Karlsson exited soon afterward, and Erik Dahlgren took over in time to join a co-headlining tour with the Lightning Seeds. Momentum for the Wannadies felt limitless. Producer Nellee Hooper chose "You & Me Song" for the widely successful Romeo & Juliet soundtrack in 1997, opening the door to college radio airplay across North America. That run of success proved brief. Persistent conflicts with labels and contractual obligations marked the latter '90s. After a two-year withdrawal from the music business, the band worked with Ric Ocasek on 1999's Yeah. American listeners finally received Yeah the following year.