Beardfish

RIP Georg Jojje Wadenius

It’s hard to believe that Jojje is gone. He seemed like one of those guys that would just live on forever, for some reason.. He will of course live on through the music. Thanks to his contributions to rock, pop, jazz and prog, children’s music etcetera, as a composer, guitarist, bass player or singer - he always touched a nerve and he’s on so many of my favourite Swedish albums from the 60’s and 70’s. Pugh Rogefeldt, Cornelis Vreeswijk, Merit Hemmingson (för Guds skull!!)…

There’s a legacy of so much wonderful music and so many wonderful collaborations and contributions to the music scene, both in Sweden and internationally. My fiancée and I went to see him play in Gävle this January and it’s really hard to think that he’s gone now. We both love his music. So much so that when we had a name giving ceremony for our daughter, we asked our friends to sing ”Mitt Lilla Barn” from ”Goda’ Goda’”

I sat at the same table as him once, at a Hansson & Karlsson concert in Sandviken and he was really nice to talk to. I expressed my admiration for his work and especially how much I loved the Made in Sweden albums. I had just found a copy of their ”Live at the Golden Circle” album at that time, so I was raving on about it. But I was also 18 years old then and probably a bit starstruck.

It could be a long, long list of great albums but for me I always come back to ”Where do we begin”, the album he made with the second incarnation of Made in Sweden. It was my first encounter with them and I couldn’t believe how good it was! Jojje noodling away with his famous s**t singing together with Pekka Pohjola on bass and the mighty Tommy Körberg on vocals! Wow!

So when Beardfish were asked once to do a cover of a Swedish prog classic for a compilation album, we chose the song ”Pop Poem” from that particular album and we had a great time trying to make a cool version of what was already one of the coolest tracks to come out of Sweden in the mid 70’s!!

Here’s to you, Mr Wadenius. Well played!

”Songs for Beating Hearts” has been out in the open (oops, see what I did there!) for a year now and we’re currently working on new music! What’s your favourite song from the album?

https://www.loudersound.com/features/beardfish-songs-for-beating-hearts?fbclid=IwdGRjcANzCFdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvlgXDYfujvH0f0D-8hZhpPVNMbGGptAVKAe6qj8oz96i98MlvYXp6ZLbUb9_aem_64BTOcL20R4ZW3F4_ydNow

“We started by playing an old song and it was a case of the hairs standing up on your arm. I felt straight away that we were back”: The power of music compelled Beardfish to return Unable to decide on who should leave, the band of friends broke up in 2016. To their own surprise and delight, they’re back with new album Songs For Beating Hearts – and loving their work more than ever

YEAH! Go listen to the first single from Rikard and Amanda's new duo River Talks - out today!
They're also performing this weekend on Cruise to the Edge

Change My Mind River Talks · Change My Mind · Song · 2025