Bassed on friendship – Elias Modig
The fragmentation began as Johan, the singer and co-composer on Finally Nerved, called me up one day and said he had lost his devotion for the band. Just a few days later Magnus, who has been with us from start, threw in the towel as well. Rheumatism is a common bitch, but still a bitch. No singer and no bass. But a great drummer in Joacim “Machine” Brunnberg, (who at the time recently had replaced Björn Lundberg) a few good ideas and a distribution agreement with Universal. Enough to build a dream upon.
Me and Elias never need a reason to meet over a glass. We didn’t this time either. As usual we discussed F1 racing, old cars, guitars and legendary albums. We floated into the subject Nerved and went through the two first albums.
– You probably need a producer, he said.
– Someone that put up some resistance to all your ideas and even scraps a song or two, he continued.
He was right. I knew it.
– Yeah, but I don’t even have a bass player or a singer, I replied. 
– So, you gonna do another album?
– Yeah, just got that cleared.
My good friend leaned back and smiled.
– If you gonna do another album I would love to be on it, he said.
Sorry, I should have introduced him. Elias Modig is, beside a good friend of mine, a quite good bass player…to say the least. Or to put it the other way around, who (in Sweden) hasn’t he played with? From Eagle-Eye Cherry to Blacknuss All Stars, his cred isn’t something you throw out the bathroom window. However, Elias has always been more into soul, jazz and perhaps pop. But when we meet we talk Deep Purple, Rainbow, Soundgarden, The Deftones and Rammstein. Well even Maiden, Judas…well…it carries on forever
– I haven’t done a heavy album yet, he said.
What could I say? Elias is the guy that can stop me going too far. He can scrap a song or two…even three. I would love to have him on the album, just him being such a good friend would be reason enough. Being the wonderful bass player he is – would bring swing into the Nerved machinery. My ambition went from “let’s do it” to “let’s do the best I can in every detail.”
If you want, please listen to “FINALLY NERVED” here:
