Göran Edman has long been one of my favourite vocalists so it was a joy to hook up with him and get a great interview out of him. Having been the vocalist behind Yngwie Malmsteen and John Norum, Göran has an impressive catalogue of releases many of which reveal a much more varied approach to singing than the high vocal power gigs he is probably best known for.

Göran thank you for agreeing to this interview. If we could start out with the early days, When was it that you realised that you could sing and wanted to do it for a living?
It was all a coincident really. I friend of mine who was playing in a "garage band" heard me singing in a toilet. I think it was "Oh sole mio" in a loud voice, so he asked me if I was interested in an audition and I said yes.It was quite late that I discovered my talent . I was around 20 years old but originally I never had a thought of making a living on it. I found writing my own material very stimulating, especially playing around with a 4 channel tape recorder bouncing vocals. That was my real hook.

What were you doing musically before your first band Madison?
I was singing in a progressive band with a keyboard player who had a real "synthesizer".
After a while it got more complicated, listening to Frank Zappa making a big jump over psychedelic pop into blues rock influences from ZZ Top. We wrote our own material and mixed it with various covers. Playing local gigs but without no serious attempt to get a record deal.

How did you hook up with John Norum which led to you singing on several tracks on his debut solo release Total Control?
A friend of mine had some of my demo projects including my audition for Vinnie Vincent where "Back on the streets" was one of the songs. He told me that Norum was looking for a singer to his first solo album and asked me if it was OK to send in some material, I said yes and one day the I received a telephone call. From what I understand it was his impression on my performance on "Back on the street" that convinced him. I was asked for an audition and got the job.

Are you still in touch with John and is there a chance you two will work together again?
I haven't heard from him in years.

You then got a gig that many might view as a baptism of fire. How did you hook up with Yngwie Malmsteen?
He was hanging with Norum from time to time and heard the album that way. He noticed my voice and when he broke up with the "Rising Force" after "Live in Leningrad " during the pre production of "Eclipse" he told his manager to set up an audition in Miami. I had never met him before.

Did you have to go through any auditions with Yngwie?
Yes, after hanging in his house one night he introduced me to his home studio and played some songs for the coming album. His guitar tech arranged for me to sing a little on "Save our love" and the gig was offered to me.

Where did the initial stages of song writing for Eclipse take place?
Yngwie gave me free hands with some tracks. Making Love, Bedroom Eyes, Faultline and Judas. Judas though had a chorus melody but I had to come up with the verses and the bridge. Faultline was his title but I had to make up something around it. Mostly I was sitting in my apartment or at the beach, preparing the lyrics. There was plenty of time before we started recording the vocal parts and I took opportunity of the nice climate to get myself a nice sun tan.

The band Yngwie got for that album was a fresh start. Yet the sound of the album showed a band that was very confident. Was there a lot of rehearsing prior to recording the album?
The band rehearsed for a week or two in Criteria Studio´s before the actual recordings took place. The band where all friends of mine and I told Yngwie about them when I heard that I was his only member so far. He was going to London for an audition with some members from Saxon but managed to set up an audition with the Swedish guys when he was in Stockholm a day earlier.

Do you have any favourite performances on that album?
Bedroom Eyes and Motherless Child perhaps.

Where was the video for Save Our Love shot?
In the countryside just out of London in a fancy house.

You then embarked on a world tour that led to a second album with Yngwie, the excellent Fire & Ice. Was this album a similar sort of process making as Eclipse?
Kind of. Yngwie focused more on the instrumental backgrounds and gave me more responsibility over the lyrics. He had a clear idea of what he wanted out of the production and asked for less choirs this time. As an example he thought that Faultline was over produced and almost impossible to perform live so this time - no such mistake.
We had a dispute over "I'm My own enemy". We had just recorded it when he arrived late at night to listen to the ballad he did not like my approach to the song, where he thought it was too soulful and improvised around the melody; so I had to sing it all over again. It did not feel right to me at the time.

How responsive was Yngwie to your lyrics and vocal melody ideas?
Beside that, he was always very cheerful and enthusiastic about my performance and lyrics. He encouraged me a lot, and was very generous.

Was there any sort of master plan in regards what the band wanted to create on those 2 albums?
I found the work sometimes a little chaotic when it comes to a master plan. A lot of wasted time etc. A lot of waiting for Mr Malmsteen.

Another world tour in support of Fire & Ice saw you travel the globe. How was life on the road with Yngwie and the rest of the band?
It felt like a heavy load on my shoulders. Mentally I did not feel that stable and after a while got bored of all the routines. I loved the travelling and the days off. But the distortion and turbulence around Yngwie became too much in the long run. I went through a lot and I guess something cracked inside.

Looking back now what did you learn in those years with Yngwie?
How to handle the pressure and survive I guess. And I learned about Yngwie of course.
Oh I learned how to scuba dive in Miami. My greatest experience.

Many other projects have since followed, Treat, Street Talk and a number of guest spots on Nikolo Kotzev's Brazen Abbot and solo albums. Do you like the variety that comes from working on numerous projects?
First of all I have never been a member of Treat, but I guess I like variety and conformity as well. I hate being locked into a little box and prefer the artistic freedom that comes out of working with smaller independent record companies that do not get too involved in the music writing and performance.

What do you get from and give to the projects you get involved in?
I'm giving 100% no matter what, I sometimes gain satisfaction, I make new friends... and a living on rare occasions.

How did the Johansson album The Last Viking come about?
Anders called me and we worked out an agreement basically. All the material was written so I spend a week in Anders (Johansson) home studio outside Malmö for the recordings. I laughed a lot I remember. Anders has a certain influence on me. I like him a lot

Your most recently released vocal performances can be heard on Jonas Reingold's Karmakanic albums. What aspect of the bands sound appeals to you?
I find Jonas very talented. He's a hard working man with total control over his master plan. Well organised and a great musician, it's always a pleasure to be around him.

I suspect a lot of people view you as a rock singer, but there is a lot of versatility throughout the albums you have sung on. What style is the most comfortable or enjoyable for you to sing?
To be honest I don't know. Comfortable well...not Metal. In Metal you have to move around so much air so you need all the strength you can find, its like a workout but good for your aggression.
In contrast with west coast music you can almost whisper with a silent airy voice and still be heard, which is good for other things, small details etc., More subtle.

What other vocalists appeal to you and why?
There are so many. I like Bowie, Peter Gabriel Tom Waits, Beck, Stevie Wonder, John Farnham, Steve Walsh, Dio, Paul Rogers, Billie Holliday, Marvin Gaye etc etc...
Ones that have personality or expression, the other has a sound quality that I prefer or a lot of feeling and blending technique. I guess it depends on what mode you are in but it is impossible to pick out one favourite.

If you could back and change one thing you have done in your career what would it be?
I would have spent more time with my X-wife.

What are you currently up to and what can fans expect in 2005?
A new Brazen Abbot release, I'm also working on a new progressive album with a new band called Xsaviour (not religious). I will start recording a second album with Crossfade (Westcoast), another Street Talk is also going to be recorded in 2005 amongst others...

Anything else you would like to add?
Thank you all for taking interest in this interview, and thank you Andy for giving me the opportunity.

You're welcome Goran, thank you very much for your time.