Planet Salem: the international Salem Al Fakir fansite!

Salem joins The Voice Sverige!

2012-01-26T21:42:00.003Z

"The Voice" is the world's fastest growing TV format, and of course there is now a Swedish version - The Voice Sverige. The big news is that from this week, Salem is joining the show for four weeks as assistant coach to Petter. Don't miss the show tomorrow night on TV4 at 20:00!

Unfortunately, those of us living outside Sweden aren't allowed to watch the show oon TV4's website :(

The P3 Guld Medley!

2012-01-23T18:53:00.005Z

I meant to post this last night....I've watched it so many times since yesterday. Totally love it. Here is Salem's medley of previous 'best song' P3 Guld winners:

By the way, the P3 Guld show is available to watch until 22 February at SVT Play: http://svtplay.se/t/104018/p3_guld_2012 Of course, Salem's medley (44 minutes into the broadcast) is the best part of the show!!

There is also a video interview with Salem at this link: http://www.zeromagazine.nu/art.asp?id=330

P3 Guld promo interviews

2012-01-19T20:39:00.008Z

A new promotional interview with Salem has appeared in the Swedish media.
http://www.expressen.se/noje/musik/1.2683386/salem-al-fakir-alltid-onskat-mig-priset

As we all know, Salem will present the P3 Guldgalan this coming Saturday in Gothenburg. Despite being previously nominated, Salem has never won anything at the P3 Guld awards - but said in the interview that he always wanted to win the award (known as the "Guldmicken") for the year's best live artist. Salem describes the P3 Guld awards as a very special event because of the connection between the radio listeners and the awards, and he feels at home there.

Salem also reveals in the interview that we're going to have to wait a bit longer for a new solo album - after working very hard over recent years and releasing three albums in four years, Salem took a long awaited break in 2011: "...I went from working 150 percent to 80-90%, but I found a great many fun collaborations over the last year.". Which included his book written with Pontus De Wolfe of course. The interview states that Salem will take time to figure out the next step in his career...

Meanwhile there's another interview over at Gaffa.se: http://gaffa.se/nyhet/56541

Salem talks about dogs, and breakfast, and his busy schedule in December and January. Salem also says that becoming a presenter is a new thing for him but he now feels confident to speak rather than play. "....It will be interesting, it's going to be exciting, it's a new experience."

I'm sure this will be a very successful experience for you Salem, and that you will be able to add "presenter" to your list of many talents. Good luck for Saturday night!

Salem on P3s Musikguiden today

2012-01-17T16:05:00.002Z

Salem was the special guest on "Musikguiden i P3" today. If you missed it you can listen again at http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=4067&play=3708919&playtype=S%C3%A4ndning

Some new P3 Guld promo pics...

2012-01-15T19:49:00.003Z

Here are some new press promo photos of Salem (and Otis of course) by Mattias Ahlm for Sveriges Radio. Go to http://sverigesradio.se/press/bilder/Guldet2012/index.htm to see some more!

It won't be long now until the big night - don't forget to tune into P3 next Saturday at 20:00 Swedish time, and the show will be broadcast on SVT1 at 21:00. It's sure to be a great show featuring some of the best in Swedish music and of course it will be presented by our most favourite Swedish artist.

Salem looks wonderful in that suit, doesn't he! He may not have won this year's best dressed man at the Ellegalan (Jason 'Timbuktu' Diakité did), but here on Planet Salem he will always be our best-dressed man!!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:14:00.005Z

Welcome to 2012 on Planet Salem! I'd like to wish a very happy new year to you all - and of course especially to you Salem, I hope you bring us some new solo material this year :)

In the meantime the year starts off with a song featuring Salem in the top 10 of a very influential U.S. music website. The Hype Machine compiles a chart of the most popular songs which have been written about on worldwide music blogs. This week, "Silhouettes" by Avicii - featuring Salem of course - is at no. 4 in their chart. More information at http://hypem.com/popular

I'd love to see this song getting a full international release eventually. Avicii is massively popular at the moment, "Levels" is a huge success and made the top 5 in the UK singles chart recently, so this could be the perfect way for Salem to finally get his big international breakthrough!

Salem & Pontus at PUB tomorrow

2011-12-22T20:16:00.004Z

Here's a Christmas treat for you if you are in Stockholm tomorrow. Don't forget to go along to PUB on Hötorget for Pontus' last pre-Christmas mini-concert with a very, very special guest - Salem!

According to Pontus' blog post http://nojesguiden.se/blogg/pontus-de-wolfe/salem-al-fakir-avslutar-vad-ar-julmusik-pa-pub the guys will be interviewed on P4 Stockholm at 12:40 Swedish time, then Pontus will take to the stage at 13:00 and play some songs (accompanied by Fredrik Hermansson) before Salem makes his guest appearance. Pontus and Salem will then sign copies of "Vad är musik?".

"Remedy" is out now!

2011-12-21T12:34:00.002Z

Salem's excellent collaboration with J-Son, "Remedy" was released on Monday. It's currently at no.88 on the Swedish iTunes chart but I'm sure it's going to climb much much higher!

http://itunes.apple.com/album/remedy-feat.-salem-al-fakir/id490131348?v0=9988&ign-mpt=uo%3D1

New interview in Nöjesguiden

2011-12-21T12:12:00.005Z

Here's a nice surprise which I discovered today - a new interview with Salem on the Nöjesguiden website, and a very nice new picture of him too :)

You can read the interview at
http://nojesguiden.se/artiklar/doskalle-masterligt-moter-salem-al-fakir

And here's the picture....

(picture by Emil Jönsson, courtesy of http://www.nojesguiden.se/)

By the way, here's a tip for non-Swedish speaking readers of this blog who would like an easier translation of Swedish articles/interviews - I've just started using Google Chrome which has a translate function. If you go to a website which is in Swedish, it will ask you automatically if you wish to translate it into English. I guess this will work in reverse if you live in Sweden and want to translate English articles into Swedish?

Take it to the top of the world....

2011-12-15T22:46:00.002Z

I have some great news for all Salem fans this evening - "Remedy", his collaboration with rapper J-Son is now online and you can hear it at http://www.jsonchannel.com/blog/

I've listened to the song a couple of times now and it's already stuck in my brain. Salem's melodic chorus fits very well into the electronic beats and commercial hip-hop style. Yet again, the man's musical diversity and versatility knows no bounds. It's a great record and I hope it becomes a massive hit!

New collaboration with J-Son on the way!

2011-12-11T23:51:00.004Z

According to http://urbanboss.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/j-son-new-single-featuring-salem-al-fakir/ J-Son is currently mastering his new single which will feature Salem. Hopefully it shouldn't be too long before we hear this :)

Salem & Otis in Malmö

2011-12-10T11:48:00.002Z

Thought you'd like to see this very seasonal picture of Salem and Otis taken yesterday at the Sveriges Radio studio in Malmö. (picture courtesy of Hans Zillén/Sveriges Radio)

http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=4185&artikel=4848996

New interview with Salem

2011-12-08T17:46:00.003Z

Musicstage.se has a new interview with Salem about his role as presenter of the forthcoming P3 Guldgalan.

http://musicstage.se/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3007:ett-ogonblick-salem-al-fakir-p3-guld-2012-december-2011&catid=14:intervjuer&Itemid=9

Interview with Pontus

2011-12-05T19:34:00.002Z

Thanks to Fredrik for the tip :))

If you go to http://urplay.se/166425 you can see an interview with Pontus on the programme "En bok, en författare".

News round-up - November 2011

2011-11-30T21:07:00.009Z

Firstly, the new Eric Saade album "Saade Vol.2" was released today, featuring "Rocket Science" of course.

Meanwhile, what's Salem up to? Well, according to this website http://www.stjarnklart.se/ he is appearing in a show called Stjärnklart, along with a number of Swedish music legends past and present - Anders Berglund, Shirley Clamp, Carola, Orup, The Poodles and Tommy Körberg. The show started its run at the Stockholm Konserthuset last night and runs until 3rd December then moves on to the De Geer in Norrköping on 6th December, then to Konserthuset in Malmö from 7th to 10th December, and finally to Gothenburg Congress Centre from 15th to 17th December. If any of you have been (or will be going) to this show in any of the above cities, your comments about it are very welcome!

Finally, Pontus De Wolfe is doing some shows at PUB in Stockholm during December, along with pianist Fredrik Hermansson. Pontus will present songs from his forthcoming album and will also be joined by special guests who will perform some songs which "fit into the Christmas mood"
Guests: Magnus Carlson from Weeping Willows (Sunday 4th December, 13:00)
Britta Persson (Sunday 11th December, 13:00)
Anna Järvinen (Sunday 18th December, 13:00)

And then on Friday 23rd December at 13:00......SALEM!!

You will also be able to buy signed copies of the book at these shows.
http://nojesguiden.se/blogs/pontus-de-wolfe/pontus-konserter-pa-pub-med-magnus-carlson-britta-persson-anna-jarvinen-salem-#.TtZWnT-dovc.facebook

A little personal note here: PUB is a big department store on Hötorget in Stockholm, and I remember it very well because back in 2007 when I came to Stockholm on holiday, I stayed in the Rica Hotel which is upstairs from PUB. It was (and probably still is) a great hotel :))

"Rocket Science" clip now online at Scandipop

2011-11-27T12:16:00.003Z

The always excellent Scandipop has brought us daily preview clips from Eric Saade's soon to be released "Saade Vol.2" album. Today's selection is the one that we have all been waiting for - "Rocket Science". You can hear it at http://www.scandipop.co.uk/?p=8091

You can definitely hear the Salem-influence in the song, and based on the clip it sounds pretty special indeed.

"Vad är...." night at NK, this Wednesday - featuring Pontus and Salem

2011-11-21T21:14:00.003Z

There's a "Vad är..." night taking place this Wednesday from 19:00 - 20:00 at the bookstore on the 3rd floor of the NK department store on Hamngatan in Stockholm.

There will be words and music from Salem and Pontus, and the evening will commence with a discussion about literature, featuring literary critic Ulrika Kärnborg.

More info: http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/langenskiolds/event/view/nk-bokhandel-bjuder-in-till-stjaernspaeckad-vad-aer-kvaell-35142

Rocket Science!

2011-11-20T18:04:00.003Z

If you remember, a few weeks ago we saw pictures of Salem and Eric Saade in the studio. At that time I was wondering if they were working together or not. Well, the mystery has been solved. Salem has co-written one of the tracks on Eric's forthcoming album "Saade Volume 2". The song is called "Rocket Science",and was written with Jason Gill, Eric Saade and Julimar Santos.

I can't comment on the song as I haven't heard it yet, but I've got a feeling it will be great!

The excellent Scandipop http://www.scandipop.co.uk/ will be streaming clips from the album starting tomorrow so we don't have too long to wait till we hear it. Enjoy!

Check out Pontus' blog!

2011-11-17T21:00:00.004Z

I meant to mention this a few weeks ago, but I have been very busy and haven't had time to blog, so please forgive me!

Don't forget to check out Pontus de Wolfe's blog at http://nojesguiden.se/blogs/pontus-de-wolfe where you can read all about Pontus and Salem's book and musical project, his lovely wife Elsa, and his thoughts on music and other popular culture.

Salem to host the P3 Guldgalan!

2011-11-16T18:05:00.008Z

It was announced this morning that Salem will present the P3 Guldgalan which takes place at Liseberghallen in Gothenburg on 21st January - make a date in your diaries!

Read more about it here:
http://www.gp.se/kulturnoje/musik/1.775747-salem-al-fakir-leder-p3-guld-galan

This is one of Sweden's best and most credible music award ceremonies, celebrating Sweden's best new music. The P3 Guldgalan is due to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Salem was only asked two weeks ago if he wanted to present the ceremony, and stated that the ceremony has always been close to his heart. Salem went on to say that he was convinced to accept the job as it would give him the chance to put his own personal stamp on the ceremony. He will co-write the script with Pontus Andersson.

Will Salem perform at the ceremony? He answered: "It is too early to predict that, this is still too fresh. Just now I'll just try to concentrate on managing to be a presenter. It is the first time for me".

Salem also told P3: "Actually, I am a little sorry I never has won a P3 Guld award but now, I have the world's best consolation prize"..."I feel like the right man in the right place...I am just curious about how it's going to be like everyone else".

Check out http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=3964&artikel=4803430 for a video interview with Salem.

We're looking forward to seeing Salem as a presenter - yet another talent to add to an already long list! Here are some pictures from Morgonpasset i P3's web page from 16.11.2011. (courtesy Jonas Ekblom/SR)

Tekniskamuseet

2011-11-10T23:28:00.001Z

If you missed the live appearance by Salem and Pontus at Tekniskamuseet you can watch it again at http://bambuser.com/channel/Tekniskamuseet/broadcast/2113571

Salem & Pontus at Tekniskamuseet, 9th November

2011-10-31T19:53:00.002Z

Salem and Pontus will be appearing at Nordcafe at Tekniskamuseet (National Museum of Science and Technology) in Stockholm on 9th November, to talk about the joys of music!

The event takes place at 18:00 Swedish time and entry is free.

Info: http://www.tekniskamuseet.se/1/2764.html

Happy birthday!!

2011-10-25T21:38:00.004+01:00

I just thought I'd take the opportunity to wish Salem a very happy 30th birthday tonight, as I won't be on the internet for the next couple of days.

Salem - have a fantastic birthday, and I hope it's a very special day for you. Don't worry about turning 30 years old, as the best times are yet to come!!

I'm sure all the Facebook gang will have a big celebration too - have a great day on Thursday!

News round-up - October 2011

2011-10-23T17:35:00.006+01:00

Over the last few weeks, Salem and Pontus have been promoting their book "Vad är musik - och 100 andra jätteviktiga frågor" across the bookshops and book fairs in Sweden.

The book has also become a stage show, which will be performed at Målarsalen at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten) in Stockholm on 18th November at 18:00. The show is now completely sold out.

The show will be presented by Elsa Billgren (Mrs de Wolfe) and is a journey through music based on the perspectives of the creator, the listener and even the music itself - actress Janna Granström will be interpreting music. It goes without saying that there will be some musical illustration by Salem and Pontus during the show.

Salem was back on "Morgonpasset i P3" on Friday 21st October. If you missed it, check out the clips on P3's website at http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=2024

New interview with Salem and Pontus

2011-10-05T22:34:00.002+01:00

Stureplan.se has an interview with the boys about their new book and their love of music. Check it out at http://stureplan.se/artiklar/folk/intervju/2011/10/05/bla

Velodrone at the Umeå Jazz Festival

2011-09-17T17:09:00.002+01:00

Remember H3FK? Following a line-up change they have now regrouped under a new name - Velodrone, and they welcome Salem back to the line-up for their appearance at the forthcoming Umeå Jazz Festival. Catch them on stage on Saturday 29th October at 13:00 at Umeå Folkets Hus. More information at http://www.umeajazzfestival.se/jazzfestivalen/program/loersat/velodrone

Svansjön

2011-09-13T18:47:00.003+01:00

According to this article in Dagens Nyheter today http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/al-fakir-gor-musik-till-svansjon Salem has written music for a new street dance version of "Swan Lake" which will premiere on 2nd December at Dansens Hus in Stockholm. Anders Wendin a.k.a. Moneybrother has also written music for the show, which is choregraphed by Fredrik "Benke" Rydman of "Bounce" fame. http://www.dansenshus.se/Pa-scen/Svansjon/

Salem & Pontus' TV4 Nyhetsmorgon interview

2011-09-12T19:40:00.002+01:00

Here is the link to Salem and Pontus' interview about "Vad är musik?" from this morning's show on TV4.

http://www.tv4play.se/nyheter_och_debatt/nyhetsmorgon?title=salem_al_fakir_slappar_bok_om_musik&videoid=2011017

"Vad är musik?" - latest news

2011-09-11T14:52:00.004+01:00

The release party for "Vad är musik?" took place on Friday at Kåken in Stockholm.

Salem and Pontus will also be presenting their new book at an event at Pocket Shop, Götgatan, Stockholm this coming Wednesday, 14th September between 19:00 and 20:00. More info at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138234342935635 Don't miss it!

Here's a short article from Dagens Nyheter: http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/salem-al-fakir-slapper-musikbok

Disappointed :(

2011-08-31T23:41:00.003+01:00

Over the last couple days we learned that Salem has teamed up with Pontus De Wolfe on a new music project which I believe is called Earpony. Salem and Pontus have of course written a new book about music ("Vad är musik?")

We finally got to hear the result of their musical collaboration when Salem performed with Pontus de Wolfe on tonight's Rockbjörnen gala. The song is called "Jag e frågan du e svaret". Remember these are only my personal thoughts, so here we go...

After over 4 years as a Salem fan, I never thought the day would come when I would be disappointed by any musical project he was involved in. But when I watched this performance, all I felt was disappointment. The main problem with the song was Pontus' vocals, which were nervous and, to use a British term, "ropey" - in other words, pretty poor. On the plus side it was nice to see Salem involved in a Swedish-language track, as I would really love to hear him write and sing in Swedish at some point in his solo career. I understand that Salem may want to be in the background for a change and let Pontus take the spotlight, but it makes no sense when Salem has such a great voice and should be singing the lead vocals instead.

Maybe it is unfair to judge the song on a live version, but I can only hope that the recorded version of the song will be a vast improvement.

Listen and judge for yourself at http://www.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/noje/musik/rockbjornen/article13556387.ab
What did you think of the song/performance tonight? Your comments (as always) are welcome!

September's Aftonbladet live concert

2011-08-17T23:56:00.001+01:00

Check it out here if you missed it....and you'll also see Nisse and Jakob in Petra's backing band :)

DT's Dalhalla review

2011-08-07T17:21:00.003+01:00

http://www.dt.se/nojekultur/1.3785423-hitfyrverkeri-med-salem

Fridah Jönsson gives a 4-star review of Salem and his special guests at Dalhalla, although she's not so keen on September's performance. There is also a nice photo slide-show from the concert in this article.

By the way, can any of you tell me if Salem duetted with Oskar and/or September and if so, what songs did they play?

Also, what did you think of Salem's special guests Oskar and September? Did you enjoy them or did they disappoint you? Leave your comments here.

Avicii "Silhouettes": new vocal mix

2011-08-07T00:56:00.001+01:00

Here it is, if you haven't heard it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7jLvhHiEzI

Dala-Demokraten's Dalhalla review

2011-08-06T18:00:00.003+01:00

http://www.dalademokraten.se/Noje/Nyheter/Succe-igen---Salem-Al-Fakir/(the above picture is courtesy of Dala-Demokraten)

Reviewer Bengt Pettersson awards 4 out of 5 for last night's sell-out concert to an audience of 4000 fans. "Salem Al Fakir did it again. Success at Dalhalla. He managed to get everyone to forget that it rained during the first half of the concert and gave a totally brilliant music show".

The reviewer went on to say that "Brooklyn Sun" was one of the highlights, particularly with the accompaniment of the Gävle Symphony Orchestra. The reviewer also particularly enjoyed a new instrumental piece "Dina dagar är räknade" ("Your days are numbered") which Salem performed together with Sami and the orchestra.

Also I found out something new in this review which I didn't know before - September revealed last night that she attended the same school as Salem. I can only agree with Mr Pettersson's comment - "they must have had a good music teacher".

A couple of pre-Dalhalla interviews

2011-08-05T19:24:00.002+01:00

Firstly, Expressen http://www.expressen.se/noje/1.2519250/salem-al-fakir-jag-behovde-en-paus

Salem told Expressen: "I felt I needed a break from myself". After a hectic 2010, he felt he needed a break - "Since 2006 I have been out there and played every spring, summer and autumn....it was on the verge of becoming too much. I felt that now, do I need a break. But it is also good for the audience, so that they do not tire of me for good".

Don't worry Salem, we will never tire of you!!

In Dala-Demokraten http://www.dalademokraten.com/Noje/Nyheter/Salem-Al-Fakir-tar-en-paus-fran-semestern/ Salem says "It worked so well with the Gävle Symphony Orchestra last time and it was so amazingly nice to play there, so getting to Dalhalla again was a dream I had. It's going to be outrageously fun, if we may say so"..."It is one thing when you're out there and playing for an entire summer, then we are not nervous. But now that you only do one evening with such fine guests, Orchestra and large audience it feels like a big task. But I try to take it as calmly as possible and have fun along the way".

The article reveals that Oskar Linnros and September will play their own songs during the concert, and we can also expect a musical collaboration between the three artists.

Finally....it's Dalhalla time!!

2011-08-04T20:41:00.005+01:00

This is my 1000th post on Planet Salem, so I wanted it to be something very special. And it doesn't get any more special than this.

It's been eight months since Salem's Dalhalla concert was announced, and the wait is almost over. Tomorrow night, Salem, the band, the Gävle Symfoniorkester, Hans Ek, Oskar Linnros and September will all take to the stage in Sweden's most stunning concert venue, for what promises to be a fantastic show.

For all of you who are going, I hope you have an amazing time. As always, your reviews, comments, setlists, emails, photos are all welcome. Please let me know if Salem plays any new songs too! Planet Salem may have been a quiet place over the last few months but with your help we will bring it back to life!!

Finally, Salem.....good luck for tomorrow night, and come, come, come back soon :)

Avicii unveils new vocal mix of "Silhouettes"

2011-07-23T14:12:00.001+01:00

During a new DJ set in Sweden a couple of days ago, Avicii played a new vocal mix of "Silhouettes". At first I didn't think it was Salem singing the vocals anymore, but then I realised that all Avicii had done was to increase the pitch of Salem's voice!

Check it out on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qJshrkD7ROw

Salem in Finland (again)/Bergen in August

2011-07-15T21:18:00.003+01:00

Hello to all Salem's Finnish fans! If you live anywhere near where the Vaasa Rockfestival is taking place, then you will have a rare and very welcome opportunity to see him and the band playing at the festival tomorrow afternoon.

The guys will be on stage at 16:45 Finnish time. If you are going to the festival, remember to leave your comments here after the show.

Salem will also be playing at another festival outside Sweden this summer - you can see him at the Periferifestivalen in Bergen, Norway on Saturday, 27th August (thanks to Madelene via Salem's Facebook page for the tip!)

And then, of course, it's only three weeks until Dalhalla....

Did you see Salem on Saturday night?

2011-07-03T23:04:00.002+01:00

According to a couple of messages on Twitter, Salem was the special secret guest at the Club Killers gig in Kungsträdgården in Stockholm on Saturday night.

If any of you were at this gig, please tell us what you thought of it!

Salem hits the catwalk for J Lindeberg

2011-06-30T23:49:00.006+01:00

Courtesy of http://www.stureplan.se/, here are a couple of pictures of Salem at the J Lindeberg fashion show on 29th June.

Sweden's best dressed man is looking very stylish and handsome as ever!

Over 60,000 "like" Salem on Facebook!

2011-06-21T22:54:00.002+01:00

A few days ago, Salem finally reached the total of 60,000 fans on his Facebook page, which is a great achievement, so congratulations to all the "Facebookers" who continue to support Salem over there.

Are you all missing Salem as much as I am? Of course it won't be long until Dalhalla, which is just a few weeks away. Don't forget to book your tickets at https://sale.se.iticket.com/Sale/ShowRequestedArrangement.iticket?pCompanyId=3200&pArrangementId=364

Salem in Finland (or not)

2011-06-15T23:24:00.003+01:00

A few months ago I mentioned on this post that Salem would be playing the Popkalaset festival in Tammisaari, Finland this coming weekend - that information came from Ticnet, which is still advertising this on their website when you search for Salem Al Fakir.

However I checked the official Popkalaset site at http://www.popkalaset.com/ which does not list Salem among this year's artists which include Petter, September, Von Benzo (featuring Jay Smith) and Lisa Miskovsky.

All you Salem fans in Finland won't have too long to wait though, as he's playing the Vaasa Rockfestival on Saturday 16th July.

Do you want to hear what Avicii's "Silhouettes" sounds like?

2011-05-09T20:38:00.002+01:00

Found this tonight, and I thought I would share this link with you. Vocals by Salem Al Fakir :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJGMKkMBHcU

Dalhalla = Salem + September + Oskar!

2011-05-09T19:54:00.003+01:00

It was announced in a press release today that September and Oskar Linnros will be Salem's special guests at his Dalhalla show in Rättvik on 5th August. This is great news - three of the best artists on the Swedish music scene right now, all on the one bill! More info at http://gaffa.se/nyhet/49245?f=se_fb_fp

If you haven't got your ticket yet, these are still available, go to https://sale.se.iticket.com/Sale/ShowRequestedArrangement.iticket?pCompanyId=3200&pArrangementId=364

Soon 60,000...

2011-05-02T00:32:00.003+01:00

Just noticed that Salem has reached the grand total of 59,000 fans on Facebook and is already heading towards the magic number of 60,000!

If you are reading this and you're on Facebook, get along to www.facebook.com/salemalfakir and click the 'Like' button if you haven't already done so.

In other news, you can still listen to Salem's Klubb Molto gig at http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=4067&artikel=4475188 which should be available on the SR archive for the next three to four weeks.

Right, that's all for now. I'm now on holiday and will be going to Pisa in Italy for a few days spring break. Planet Salem will return on Monday 9th May. If there is any big news about Salem between now and then, please let me know!

Södertälje: this Saturday night on P4

2011-04-21T22:49:00.003+01:00

I previously mentioned that the Södertälje gig would be broadcast on SR P3 next Thursday night. Well, if you can't wait that long, then you only have to wait till this Saturday night, 23rd April. The concert will be broadcast on Sveriges Radio P4 Live from 20:05-20:58 Swedish time (19:05-19:58 UK time). Check out http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=488 for more info.

Of course you can still listen to the same show on P3 next Thursday night (see previous post http://planetsalem.blogspot.com/2011/04/thursday-28th-april-salems-klubb-molto.html)

Off Beat is back!

2011-04-21T22:39:00.002+01:00

According to the website of legendary Stockholm jazz club Fasching on Kungsgatan, The Off Beat band will be performing there on Tuesday 17th May when they'll be celebrating urban hip hop dance culture. Don't miss it! Check out http://www.fasching.se/artister/urban-connection-presents-offbeat-feat-salem-al-fakir-aaron-phiri for ticket information.

Thursday 28th April: Salem's Klubb Molto gig on P3!

2011-04-13T23:19:00.007+01:00

(picture courtesy of Calle Jansson for http://moltolive.nu/) If you remember this post from December 2010: http://planetsalem.blogspot.com/2010/12/klubb-molto-gig-this-saturday.html - well we finally have news about when that Klubb Molto show from Södertälje is going to be broadcast!

Make a note in your diaries for Thursday 28th April from 22:00-23:00 Swedish time (21:00-22:00 here in the UK) when you can hear the full hour-long show on Swedish Radio P3's Musikguiden. I'm sure it will bring back many fond memories of Salem and the band's autumn/winter club tour and give those of us who weren't there a chance to enjoy all the hits and more.

There is also a fine interview on Klubb Molto's website at http://moltolive.nu/i-hissen-med-salem-al-fakir/ - of course we would all like to be stuck in a lift with Salem ;)

In other news, don't forget that you can still watch "Kusin Al Fakir" at SVT Play until 24th April. http://svtplay.se/v/2367731/k_special/kusin_al_fakir It really is a fascinating documentary and even if I couldn't really understand most of what was being said, I still managed to get the "feel" of the film and the intensity of Peter's belief and passion in his music. I hope that he doesn't give up on his dream and that he "keeps on rocking on the freeway with a wheel of rock".

A new dance smash on the way....

2011-04-08T19:54:00.003+01:00

Watch out this summer for the new Avicii track "Silhouettes" which was premiered at the Miami Ultra Music Festival 2011. In case you didn't know, Avicii is otherwise known as Tim Berg - one of the hottest names in the house music scene, who had a big international dance hit last year with "Seek Bromance".

Why am I telling you about this? Well, the featured vocalist on the song is none other than....Salem!

There is no release date for the song as yet, and no studio version available, but I found a video clip recorded at the Miami festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pVBA3li7NQ

Salem's songs reinterpreted by other artists.....

2011-03-27T20:26:00.003+01:00

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPC5SNCAolY for a new demo by London-based rapper Dreamer. The song is called "It's True" and is based around a sample of the song of the same name.

Kissey Asplund meanwhile has covered "Count Me Out" in a completely different style from the original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsmhqewzVX8

"Kusin Al Fakir": this Friday on SVT2

2011-03-23T23:34:00.006Z

You'll probably have seen the trailer for this show (but if you haven't, check out this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP1vVv4VI5w). A documentary film by Johan Jonason, "Kusin Al Fakir" takes a look at Salem's (unknown) cousin, Peter Al Fakir, and his band Knights of the Night which is made up of other members of this endlessly talented musical family. Peter also dreams of the success that his cousin has achieved, and finally gets the chance to achieve some recognition when the band get the chance to be Salem's opening act. According to this article http://svt.se/2.149965/1.2349979/kusin_al_fakir the film explores the differences between Peter and Salem despite their family link, and covers everything from success and jealousy to religion, integration and the overall importance of music. (picture of Peter and Salem is courtesy of http://www.svt.se/) It sounds like a fascinating documentary and a must-see for all fans of Salem and the Al Fakir family. Don't miss it! The film will be screened on SVT2 this Friday night between 20:00 and 21:00 Swedish time, and will be repeated again on SVT2 on Saturday 26th March between 15:15 and 16:15, you'll also get another chance to see it on SVT2 on Tuesday 29th March from 22:45 to 23:45. Of course it should also be available on SVT Play and I'll post the link later. EDIT: there's also an extra clip posted at http://svtplay.se/v/2369968/k_special/extramaterial__snacket_efter_spelningen

Vad är musik? Salem has the answer....

2011-03-19T17:48:00.005Z

As we all know, Salem Al Fakir is a man of many talents. He will soon be adding "author" to that list! Salem has helped his friend Pontus de Wolfe with writing a book called "Vad är musik?" and it's all about the role that music has played through history. The book will be published in September by Question Books.

Check out Pontus' blog at Nöjesguiden, http://nojesguiden.se/blogs/pontus-de-wolfe/vad-aer-musik

Video clips of Salem and September in Norrköping

2011-03-17T20:30:00.004Z

If you go to http://vimeo.com/20943905 you'll find some lovely live footage of Salem and September from the 5th March gig at De Geerhallen, Norrköping, with the following songs...

Keep On Walking
Kärlekens Tunga
Dream Girl
All Day Love

Thanks to Livestage TV over at Vimeo.com...and thanks to the ever-wonderful Scandipop for the tip.

Enjoy!!

Salem returns to Finland in July

2011-03-16T23:27:00.004Z

According to Finnish ticket booking site Tiketti, Salem will be playing the Vaasa Rockfestival (in western Finland); the festival will take place on 15th and 16th July this year. Weekend tickets go on sale this Friday, 18th March and day tickets will go on sale in April. More info at http://www.tiketti.fi/news/6062

The Ark will also be making their final Finnish appearance at this festival, so if you live in Finland it's definitely not to be missed.

I don't have any more information at the moment regarding which day and time Salem will be on stage, but will bring you this info as soon as I get it.

Salem at the Swedish Retail Awards - 15th March

2011-03-09T19:05:00.003Z

Found some info at this link www.retailawards.se - after the prizes are given out, Salem will be performing at this corporate awards ceremony next Tuesday, 15th March, which will take place at Stockholm City Hall.

March 2009/March 2010: Salem's album anniversaries

2011-03-07T22:32:00.005Z

I don't know if you will agree with me or not, but this has been the quickest year ever! It feels like no time has passed since the release of "Ignore This", one year ago this week. Of course it was also the week leading up to that Melodifestivalen final! (By the way, are any of you PS readers out there watching this year's contest?)

The memories of March 2010 are still fresh in my mind: the excitement and anticipation of going to Gothenburg (to see Salem for the second time), and the frustrating wait for the album to drop through my letterbox. It was also the month in which I wrote more Planet Salem posts than any other in the history of this blog.

March has been a very important month for Salem fans, as it was in this month in 2009 that "Astronaut" was released. Back then...there was the excitement and anticipation of going to Gothenburg in April (to see Salem for the first time) and the frustrating wait for the album to drop through my letterbox :)

So it feels pretty strange that this year (and particularly this time of year) that there's no album and no trip to Sweden. It all feels a bit empty somehow, particularly as there won't be much to write about on this blog between now and August, but I've got plenty of things to keep me occupied during Planet Salem's break...notably my other blogs EuropeCrazy and EuropeCrazy's Random Ramblings so check them out!

By the way...at the moment, "This Is Who I Am" is at no. 122 and "Ignore This" is at no.135 in the Swedish iTunes album chart, whilst in the singles chart Salem and Josephine's version of "I'm So Happy" is at no.115.

Before I go, I just want to say thanks again to all of you for supporting this blog - and to you, Salem, I hope you have a happy and relaxing break over the next few months and that you get the inspiration you need for your next musical adventure, whenever that may be! And of course Planet Salem will be here for that next exciting chapter of the Salem Al Fakir story. :)

Norrköping review in Folkbladet / Salem in Svensktoppen

2011-03-07T21:37:00.008Z

There's a very positive review of Salem's Saturday night show in Norrköping, in today's Folkbladet: http://www.folkbladet.se/kulturnoje/artikel.aspx?articleid=5557165

Reviewer Mikael Mjörnberg writes that "the sum is greater than the parts...(Salem) tripping excitedly on stage together with the conductor Hans Ek, and then they spend, the next more than two hours devoted to filling in any gaps and they lift the music a dimension higher. Responsive and challenging....Salem Al Fakir's pop music and the hefty orchestra is simply an equation that goes very well together."

The reviewer did not feel that it worked as well for special guest September: "she did a good job, there's no question about that, but her voice and character does not melt together with the Symphony Orchestra...the feeling is that she sings to the accompaniment of the orchestra rather than becoming part of it."

The reviewer goes on to say: "(Salem) stands for the really spectacular and it creates a whole in a completely different way when he pulls the strings. That his songs make themselves great with the orchestra should be clear by now, but some are obviously better than others...Salem sings beautifully and Hans Ek has made excellent arrangements for most of the songs."

"Hans Ek bounces like an excited football fan on the conductor's podium. He manages to sneak in some Ennio Morricone in the show and in the middle of the second act there's even an incomparable orchestral version of the old theme music to "Das Boot" (as the majority of humanity, of course, rather know as techno hit by German U96 with the same name from 1991...it is very heavy in comparison to Salem's otherwise pretty neat song material, but it's very good. That said, Salem Al Fakir and symphony orchestra fill in each other's gaps. The boundaries between the orchestra and gathering rock concert blur and then the sum is naturally greater than the parts".

In other news, "Split My Personality" is the highest new entry in this week's "Svensktoppen" on SR P4. A little interview snippet on http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2023&artikel=4366360 :"...my girlfriend complains right now because we never listen to any music any longer, as I'll soon get started writing new music. But I have just become a dog owner, a small puppy named Otis, so the plan is that I'm going to start working when he sleeps!". Of course Otis probably isn't so small anymore!!

Norrköping tonight!

2011-03-05T16:06:00.002Z

There's a fabulous night ahead for all you lucky people who are going to Salem's concert at the Louis De Geer hall in Norrköping.

As you know, it'll be another orchestral collaboration. This time Salem and the band will be performing along with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Hans Ek. There will also be a very special guest appearing tonight - none other than Petra Marklund a.k.a. September.

Petra and Salem are interviewed in today's Folkbladet: http://www.folkbladet.se/kulturnoje/artikel.aspx?articleid=5555902

Petra said: "Salem is such a talented artist and musician. With Symphony Orchestra and conductor Hans Ek, it became an attractive proposition. I could only say yes".

The interview states that "....(Salem) defends himself against being called "ambassador for classical music". Salem works instead to tear down the wall between classical music and popular music. He does not care about genres."

Salem: "Collaborations with orchestras are extremely fun......the orchestra is very involved, and we are as a single band. It will be a fairly long concert, we realized yesterday". When asked about working with Petra, Salem said "She is really nice and it feels great to be working. Then I play music again. I like to just play the piano and not always sing".

The interview also mentions a previous live visit to Norrköping for the "Munken In The Park" summer show: "...it is an event he remembers with particular horror - and that was important in the sense that he has learned from it.

Salem: "I forgot a lot of the lyrics. We had a crisis meeting afterwards. I had problems with concentration and was not happy afterwards. It was an insight. I fought hard after that to get the lyrics completely right".

Remember to get in touch - reviews, comments, set lists, photographs are all very welcome and I'll publish as many as I can.

Salem - good luck with the show!

This will be Salem's last show in Sweden until August, when he appears at Dalhalla - so I hope all of you have a very special night :))

"I'm So Happy" - new single!

2011-02-28T22:58:00.004Z

These are very quiet times on Planet Salem, but today, from out of nowhere, comes a new single!

Not a new song of course; by now it's an old favourite, but it's a new version of "I'm So Happy" - this time as a duet between Salem and Josephine Bornebusch. Josephine is one of the stars of the massive Swedish hit TV comedy "Solsidan" and of course "I'm So Happy" is the theme tune to the show, so I guess it makes sense to put the two together :)

It's available to download from iTunes at the following link:
http://itunes.apple.com/se/album/im-so-happy-single/id421621772

The only other snippet of news I have today (thanks to Madelene for the tip, via Facebook) is that Adam, Jakob and Nisse appeared as backing band for another of my favourite Swedish artists, September, when she performed "Resuscitate Me" on SVT's "Go'kväll".

Link: http://svt.se/2.151820/musiken_i_go_kvall

Problem with Salem's MySpace page.

2011-02-15T19:56:00.007Z

I previously mentioned a mix-up about a gig mentioned on Salem's MySpace page....well it's still there, along with some other gigs too - in Detroit, New York , Philadelphia and Strasbourg. These gigs are actually by the American band named Salem, and not Salem Al Fakir.

I don't know how this has happened, but could someone please fix this problem? Maybe Salem should change his MySpace page back to www.myspace.com/salemalfakir in order to avoid this happening again.

Morgonpasset pics

2011-02-12T00:47:00.003Z

Salem and Otis were back in the Morgonpasset studio again on Friday morning. Here are some pictures, courtesy of Sveriges Radio, and check out more pics and clips from the show at http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=2024.

"Ignore This" is back in the Swedish album chart

2011-02-12T00:43:00.003Z

OK it's only no. 52 in the Sverige Topplistan, but welcome back anyway :)

I guess this was after the excellent episode of "Dom Kallar Oss Artister" on SVT1 last week!

Salem's back on Morgonpasset i P3 again this Friday!

2011-02-10T23:08:00.002Z

Don't forget to tune into Morgonpasset i P3 on Friday 11th February for yet another appearance by Salem, who seems to be on this show almost as much as the hosts these days :)

Info: http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2024&artikel=4341874

One year ago, on a Saturday night in 2010....

2011-02-05T23:17:00.004Z

Helsinki: watch the gig all over again!

2011-02-03T22:42:00.002Z

Good news!! Last night's Korjaamo show is available to watch again for the next 7 days at http://arenan.yle.fi/video/1665001

"Chain Gang"

2011-02-02T23:39:00.002Z

In case you haven't seen/heard it yet, here's Salem and friends with their great cover version of Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang" from Monday night's "Dom Kallar Oss Artister". Sweet, soulful vocals and reggaefied rhythms. Enjoy!

Salem's gig in Korjaamo, Helsinki: review

2011-02-02T21:08:00.012Z

Did you all hear it??? What a fabulous show!

The gig began at 8.00pm UK time - 10.00pm in Finland. The band were all on stage, but one important member was missing :) After an enthusiastic introduction by the presenters, the band launched into the familiar intro of "Part Of It" which appears to have replaced "Red Rock" as the opening number. Eventually Salem entered the stage to a very warm reception from the audience, who appeared to be a mixture of the devoted, the enthusiastic and the curious.

As befits his now-official status as Sweden's best dressed man, Salem was as stylish and handsome as ever, dressed in a dark suit, dark tie and white shirt with of course his usual braces. His hair has also grown a little since his recent haircut too, and I'm quite happy about that. The guys were also as well dressed as ever - they really are a smart looking crew, aren't they!

Anyway enough talk about the very appealing visual aspects of the show...let's talk about the music which is the most important thing!

As I said earlier, "Part Of It" kicked off the show, with pre-recorded backing vocals in addition to the live band, although I thought this worked very well in a live context. I liked Salem's hand gesture when he sang that famous line "tell your friends how big....", however he appeared pretty restrained during this song, putting extra concentration into his vocal performance. The electronic loop running through the song then cleverly segued into a new version of the ever-popular and anthemic "It's True" (which I guess he played during his recent club tour). Mixing rock and dance influences, I thought this was a particularly impressive version of the song. Of course, Salem being Salem, he mixed up the first and second verses of the song. Aah, he never disappoints ;) Anyway what did surprise me was its inclusion at such an early stage in the set, as we're probably more used to hearing it towards the end.

Next came the return of "Twelve Fingers" of course one of my favourite Salem songs and always a welcome addition in the live set. Again slightly reworked with a new keyboard line running through it: a good version - but being completely honest here, it's probably not my favourite version of the song. Of course that's just my own personal taste and I'm sure many of you will disagree! Again he got the first and second verses of the song mixed up but we expect that by now!!

A more traditional version of "It's Only You (Part II)" came next, which immediately was recognised by many in the audience, right from the opening notes onwards. I particularly liked Salem and Adam's joint vocals on the "if you ever will be mine" part of the song.

Then Salem removed his tie! He told the audience about the last time he tried to get to Helsinki for a gig, and of course we all know how that turned out :( however we're so happy that he's here, he is here, it makes us happy! Which is a cue for a song....the new version of "I'm So Happy" to be precise, which is built around a rolling guitar riff and Adam is certainly the star of this song. The new version brings a further contrast to a song which always had a strong contrast to start with: the original's bitter lyrics against the happy singalong melody, but as I said in a previous post on here, there is now a sad, regretful feel to the new version. Nevertheless it doesn't stop the crowd singing along.

Tonight I was paying particular attention to the band's performance as a whole. On the two occasions I've been to see Salem live, the first time was his previous band line-up, then the second time was the current line-up but with the orchestra, so I just realised tonight that I'd never actually watched a Salem concert with his current band line-up, playing a 'band gig' I guess! Of course it goes without saying that they are an extremely tight, well-rehearsed and accomplished group of musicians, who provide a consistently reliable musical backing to the main man himself.

One song added to the live set in the recent club tour was "This Is For" which again relied strongly on pre-recorded vocal backing tracks however worked very well with live instrumentation. (In a similar vein, I had hoped to hear "Bloody Breakfast" tonight, which was featured in the club tour. Oh well, maybe some other time). Anyway Salem removed his glasses, and the band launched into the album version of current single "Split My Personality". I thought the song might have been reworked slightly in the style of the highly acclaimed Bassflow remix, but it still worked very well particularly in this band-version.

Salem put his glasses back on...however later on in the set he removed his glasses again and also removed his jacket, to reveal the very familiar braces - Salem's trademark style!

"Astronaut" was also very well-received - I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Finnish fans were so familiar with his pre-"Ignore This" material. Not really much to say about this song except that it was brilliant as usual.

Followed by "Good Song" which as if you need reminding, is my favourite of all Salem songs. I tend to be a little more critical of my favourite songs if the live versions are anything less than perfect: no need for criticism here though, as Salem's vocals were jazzy and soulful as ever, I liked the vocal harmonies on the chorus, and musically it was just spot-on, with a dazzling synth solo by Salem. He may be more restrained now in his live performances, but there were still the occasional moments tonight when he went into "mad-professor" mode, throwing himself over the keyboard or staring upwards into the air, or headbanging.

One of the main highlights for me tonight was "4 O'Clock", which was based on the Adrian Lux remix of the song, which is probably my favourite version of it. Again the crowd loved this one too.

By this point the crowd were completely eating out of Salem's hand and they welcomed "Roxy" like an old friend. . Even this song got a little dance-makeover with new little keyboard lines running through it.

And finally....what else but "Keep On Walking" to close the show, which was rapturously received by everyone at Korjaamo. He's bound to be sick of singing this song by now, but you wouldn't know it as he still puts his heart and soul into every single performance of it, making it sound as fresh as it was when we first heard it in full, some 362 days ago if I remember correctly :)

Salem, Nisse, Jakob and Adam then took their bows and left the stage, but the very appreciative audience wanted more, as we all did! I think the presenter said something like "scream if you want him back" and boy, did they scream. The band came back on stage for one more number, an energetic "Virgin Mary" which was a foot-tapping and fabulous end to the evening.

Unfortunately that really was the end, no more encores. Still I guess that Salem and the band could play for four hours, but we'd still be sad when it ended; however you also have that exhilarated feeling at the end of a Salem show, with the realisation that you've been part of a truly special experience.

Salem Al Fakir remains a charismatic and outstandingly talented artist and this terrific show just proved, yet again, that he is the very best, backed by an excellent band who just get better and better at everything they do. Thank you all for a wonderful night, and thanks to YLE for webcasting the show worldwide so that we were all able to see it :))

Svenska Talande Klubben tonight!

2011-02-02T19:02:00.003Z

Are you ready...????

Go to http://yle.fi/extrem/radio/ for the live stream of tonight's Radio X3m 'Svenska Talande Klubben' broadcast live from Korjaamo in Helsinki. Father McKenzie are now on stage, and Salem and the band will be on stage at approximately 22:00 Finnish time/21:00 Swedish time/20:00 UK time.

Are you all as excited as I am????

By the way....if you go to http://yle.fi/extrem/artikel/musiknoje/38268-Vad-gor-Salem-med-ett-handfat-och-24-liter-dricka you'll find an article and brief video interview with Salem about his band's backstage rider. Which includes water, a washbasin and a wastepaper basket. Very rock n'roll :))))

There's also an article at http://yle.fi/extrem/artikel/musiknoje/38275-Soundcheck-med-Salem about the soundcheck and a little photostream too.

Introducing...Father McKenzie!

2011-02-01T23:32:00.003Z

From time to time on Planet Salem I like to feature other acts who are in some way connected with Salem. Tonight I thought I'd feature the band who are supporting Salem in Helsinki tomorrow, they're called Father McKenzie, and they are a mixture of Swedes and Swedish-speaking Finns, who are based in Örebro.

I found this post (dated 11th January) on their blog at http://www.fathermckenzie.se/ and I thought you might like this part of it: "Yesterday I got an e-mail from Svenska Talande Klubben in Helsinki and they asked us to be the supporting act for Salem Al Fakir (!!!!!!!). This is amazing news for us since Salem Al Fakir has always been one of our greatest Idols and role-models. The event will take place on the 2nd of February in Helsinki. Don´t miss it!!!!!"

They also have something else in common with Salem, as they are also competing in a national song contest...not Melodifestivalen but the 2011 Finnish Euroviisut, with "Good Enough", a high-quality pop song which definitely lives up to its name. The good news is that the band have made it through to the final, so I'd like to wish them all the best!

Check out www.fathermckenzie.se for more of their songs. If you like the intelligent piano-pop style of acts like Keane and Coldplay then I think you will like Father McKenzie too.

Helsingfors!

2011-02-01T23:11:00.003Z

Salem will finally play that long-awaited gig at Korjaamo in Helsinki tomorrow, Wednesday 2nd February, as part of Radio X3m's Svenska Talande Klubben series. If you remember, he was due to play there on 1st December, however he was unable to make it in time because he was stuck at the airport: http://yle.fi/extrem/artikel/musiknoje/38249-Salem-klar-for-Finland so here's hoping he has better luck this time!

The programme will be broadcast live at http://yle.fi/extrem/ tomorrow from 20:00. This is the part where I get a bit confused: I guess this is Finnish time, which will mean it starts at 19:00 Swedish time, and 18:00 UK time? Of course Salem won't be on stage till later, and I'll bring more information nearer the time and a little bit of live-blogging too, as I'll be sitting in front of the computer, listening to the show. It will probably the only time that many of us will get to hear Salem play live again this year, so it's even more important that we all tune in. Or if you're a Salem fan and you live in or around Helsinki, show your support and get along to Korjaamo for what will be a great night. As usual, if you're going - enjoy the show and remember to tell us all about it. I'd like to hear from more of Salem's Finnish fans as I know there are a lot of you out there!

Dom Kallar Oss Artister

2011-02-01T22:47:00.004Z

I hope you all enjoyed watching Salem, his band, crew and friends on last night's "Dom Kallar Oss Artister" on SVT1. If you missed the show, or if (like me) you just want to watch it over and over again, go to http://svtplay.se/t/102920/dom_kallar_oss_artister - it will be available to watch until 2nd March.

There were so many highlights in this 'behind the scenes' show - breakfast with Salem, old video footage, travelling to Gävle (good to see Mankan again too!), sharing his musical memories, getting ready for the orchestra show with Hans Ek, then getting some much-needed relaxation on the boat, travelling through those beautiful Stockholm waterways ...and finally, to close the show, a brilliant cover version of Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang" with his all-star band (featuring some very familiar faces if you're a Salem fan). It's great to hear Salem singing someone else's song for a change - one more reason why I really want him to do "Så mycket bättre" at some point in the future.

Of course it goes without saying that Salem was as charming and funny as ever, and his lovely personality shone through as always. I'm sure he'll have won many new fans after watching this show.

(Salem picture above is courtesy of Henrik Crona/SVT)

Salem (Al Fakir) is NOT playing in Glasgow in February.

2011-02-01T00:22:00.005Z

Thanks Eva for the link to the Rix FM interview
http://www.rixfm.com/webbradio/frameset.php?type=audio then click 'Eftermiddagar'.

During this interview, Salem was asked if he would be playing in Glasgow and he denied this.

I just want to clarify tonight that Planet Salem was not responsible for this story, but I reported it on a previous post here initially because it came from Salem's own MySpace page (www.myspace.com/salem) where the gig was listed in the upcoming shows/events section. (By the way, the show is still listed on that web page).

Just so you know :)

Don't forget to watch "Dom Kallar Oss Artister" tomorrow night!

2011-01-30T18:42:00.002Z

The programme will be shown on SVT1 at 20:30 Swedish time and later on the web on SVT Play - I'll post the link tomorrow night.

Enjoy the show - and remember you can leave your comments about it here.

"Split My Personality" is Song of the Day on Popjustice!

2011-01-28T19:48:00.003Z

One of the biggest and most influential pop blogs in the UK, Popjustice, has chosen the Bassflow remix of "Split My Personality" as its Song of the Day: http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5233&Itemid=279

That's great news of course - although I don't agree with their description of the original version as "a bit like crap Erik Hassle", but I guess we are all entitled to our own opinion :)

Anyway, at least it will bring the song to the attention of a wider audience.

Dom Kallar Oss Artister: sneak peek

2011-01-25T23:27:00.002Z

SVT now has some clips from the eagerly-awaited first episode of "Dom Kallar Oss Artister" which will be broadcast next Monday night on SVT1 at 20:30 Swedish time...and hopefully later on SVT Play so that all of us Salem fans living outside Sweden can watch it too. The programme will take a look behind the scenes of Salem and the band's last gig of the summer tour in Gävle, and will also take a journey with him out on his boat.

Go to http://svt.se/2.135508/dom_kallar_oss_artister?lid=20110131&lpos=SVT1_0000_sitelink&from=tabla and you'll find the trailer and links to clips from the show.

This looks as if it's going to be a very promising series featuring some great Swedish artists - of course the first show will feature the best artist of them all :))

Salem in Falun this Thursday

2011-01-25T23:23:00.002Z

According to http://www.stjarngalan.com/program.aspx, Salem will be one of the special guests at this business awards ceremony which will take place this Thursday at the Falu-Kuriren Arena in Falun.

Salem's MySpace Glasgow gig mystery???

2011-01-20T20:19:00.005Z

Late last night I found out some information which briefly sent me into a state of extreme happiness and euphoria. On Salem's MySpace page, www.myspace.com/salem, it says that he will be playing a live show in Glasgow on 17th February.

For a brief moment, it felt like all my dreams had come true - Salem Al Fakir, playing in Scotland, in my local, favourite, city. At last.

However, I don't think this is true. For there are also a couple of other bands out there who are also called Salem - I mentioned this in a previous post in 2009 http://planetsalem.blogspot.com/2009/08/whats-in-name.html and I think it may be one of them. When scrolling down Salem Al Fakir's MySpace page and you reach the Music (Albums) section, there are a couple by one of the other Salems, but when you go to the Music (Playlist) section, you find 'our' Salem. So there is a problem with the MySpace page.

Also , when checking other websites which also mention the gig, they just mention that Salem is appearing, rather than Salem Al Fakir. So, for all these reasons, I don't think he will be coming to Glasgow this time. (But I wish he would!!)

Am I right or wrong? Can anyone tell me if 'our' Salem is coming to Glasgow or not?

No awards for Salem tonight :(

2011-01-17T23:18:00.003Z

He may not have won anything at the Grammis tonight - but the competition was very strong this year, so congratulations to all the winners!

And one thing never changes - Salem, we love you, and you will always be a winner to us!!

Good luck Salem at the Grammis!

2011-01-16T23:53:00.003Z

I'm just posting this now as I won't be around till late tomorrow night, and I'm not allowed to blog from my computer at work any more :(

Anyway I just want to wish Salem all the very best for Monday night's Swedish Grammis ceremony where he is nominated in the 'best song' and 'best male artist' categories.

Lycka till!

"I'm So Happy" in "Solsidan"

2011-01-16T23:44:00.002Z

The very popular TV4 programme "Solsidan" is back for a new season, and the title theme song is none other than the la-la-la la-la-la-la riff from "I'm So Happy".

Congratulations Salem - Sweden's best dressed man :)))

2011-01-16T00:39:00.007Z

Salem was named Sweden's best dressed man of 2010, by fashion magazine Elle at the annual Ellegalan awards which took place in Stockholm on 14th January. Congratulations Salem - I've always thought you were the best dressed man in Sweden, so it's about time you officially got the prize :)

Lots of coverage of the Ellegalan on the internet, so check out the following links:

Expressen's video interview with Salem and September (Petra Marklund), another of my favourite Swedish singers who was named best dressed artist: http://tv.expressen.se/noje/1.2291069/salem-och-september-prisade

Expressen's interview with Salem and September: http://www.expressen.se/mode/1.2291278/september-om-elle-priset-jag-blev-skitglad

Stureplan.se's red carpet pictures:
http://stureplan.se/bilder/event/2011/01/14/elle-galan-2011

Rodeo magazine's interview:
http://rodeo.net/blog/2011/01/elle-galan-intervju-arets-bast-kladda-man-salem-al-fakir/
In this interview, Salem describes his fashion style as "simple, stylish and elegant". He says there's a big difference in his on-stage clothing and his everyday wear, which is more casual, particularly since he became a dog-owner! He goes on to say that there's no point in being stylish if you're sitting on a tour bus for 6 hours, but he's had some opportunities to dress up over the past year. Salem has also had the opportunity to work with designers that he really admires, but he wouldn't say that he follows trends.

Salem went on to say "It feels quite anxious to be named this year's best dressed man. I will not be able to go outside the door anymore but to reflect on this accolade...especially in Sweden, which is such a well-dressed country that you could go outside the door and find ten people who deserve this award".

But you deserve it most of all Salem, so... well done!

EDIT 16.01.11: Interview and a nice picture of Salem with September at http://www.qx.se/Xtra/attityd/16420/de-klar-sig-bast-i-sverige

Posh24.se has red carpet coverage of the Ellegalan including a picture of Salem and Caroline:

http://www.posh24.se/salem_al_fakir/ellegalan_2011

...and check out this picture of Salem on Daniel Lindström's blog for Cafe magazine : http://daniel.cafe.se/elle-galan-2011/elleg9/

Melodifestivalen: the last word

2011-01-11T21:54:00.002Z

I promised not to mention the "M" word on Planet Salem again, but I couldn't help it one last time after reading the news about the changes in the voting system at Melodifestivalen 2011, Swedish juries will be axed in favour of international juries and televoting. According to this article at Aftonbladet today, http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/melodifestivalen2011/article8393449.ab if the new system had been used at Melodifestivalen in 2010, "Keep On Walking" would have won.

Salem's songwriting tips on P3 Star!

2011-01-11T21:42:00.004Z

According to this article on the P3 Star website, http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2907&artikel=4284433 P3 Star's songwriting school will be starting, with Salem and Linda Sundblad passing on some songwriting tips on the next show on 15th January.

You can hear the programme on P3 this Saturday from 1403-1600 Swedish time and later at the P3 website. Don't miss it!

Vote for "Keep On Walking" in the Swedish Grammis!!

2011-01-10T19:56:00.004Z

One week from tonight the Grammisgalan will take place in Stockholm. Voting in the 'årets bästa svenska låt' category is still open at http://www.expressen.se/noje/musik/1.2251582/rosta-pa-din-svenska-favoritlat-under-2010 so don't forget to vote for "Keep On Walking".

Voting closes at midnight next Sunday night - so rösta, rösta, rösta! And pass it on....tell all your friends to vote too! Salem has the best fans in the world, so we need to show our support more than ever, because he deserves this award so much.

Salem (and Otis) on Mix Megapol and The Voice this morning

2011-01-10T19:50:00.005Z

"Äntligen Morgon" returned to the Mix Megapol airwaves this morning - and the first guest of 2011 was none other than Salem, who brought along a very special visitor: Otis, who is now 20 weeks old!

Pictures courtesy of http://www.mixmegapol.se/:

Nice :)

Salem and Otis also dropped in to "Vakna med The Voice" and here's a picture of Otis from their website - http://www.thevoice.se/on-air/vakna/item/8858-se-salem-al-fakirs-nya-kärlek

Last chance to vote in the P3 Guld awards!!

2011-01-06T21:26:00.004Z

You only have an hour and a half left to vote for "Keep On Walking" in the Sveriges Radio P3 Guld awards - voting closes at midnight tonight Swedish time!

http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=3964&artikel=4226387

Good luck Salem :))) hope you win - you deserve it!

"Split My Personality" - Rix FM Veckans Hitvarning!

2011-01-06T20:35:00.004Z

I'm a regular listener to Rix FM - it's one of my favourite Swedish pop radio stations and it just got better, with the news that "Split My Personality" has been chosen as the station's first "Veckans Hitvarning" of 2011. This means that the song will get lots of airplay on Rix FM! http://www.rixfm.com/musik/veckans-hitvarning

Hopefully the song will get lots of airplay on other radio stations too...talking of which, SR P4 recently published its list of its most played songs of 2010 - and "Keep On Walking" was the second most played song on the station last year. ("Monday Morning" by Melanie Fiona was no.1). http://radionytt.se/nyheter/?p=6580

One final piece of radio news - Salem will be the special guest on Mix Megapol's "Äntligen Morgon" which returns on Monday 10th January. http://www.mixmegapol.se/on-air/antligen-morgon

No iTunes Christmas present for me :(

2011-01-04T23:14:00.004Z

I hope you all managed to get the free iTunes download today.

Unfortunately, as I predicted, it was not available over here for those of us with a UK iTunes account :(

This would have been a great opportunity to promote Salem to a worldwide audience, however I notice that various countries are offering different downloads by different artists so I guess that it wasn't going to happen this time.

I also noticed on iTunes tonight that "Ignore This" is one of the featured albums on the iTunes homepage in Sweden, Norway and Finland. This will probably have helped the album to climb the iTunes album charts again in Sweden (currently at no. 24) and in Norway (no.61)

Trettondagskonsert - Jönköping, Wednesday and Thursday

2011-01-04T22:56:00.006Z

Salem will be appearing at the Jönköping Concert Hall on 5th and 6th January along with the Jönköpings Sinfonietta under the direction of Hans Ek. Also on the bill is the soprano Maria Keohane. The shows are billed as "Musik över Gränserna" which is very appropriate as when it comes to Salem's music, there are no boundaries of course :)

Both concerts begin at 16:00. If you haven't already got your ticket then I think there are still tickets available so don't miss out - there won't be many opportunities to see Salem play live this year, and this should be a very special show.

If you are going to any of the concerts, remember to leave your comments here and tell us what you thought of the shows.

"Keep On Walking" - or should that be "Keep On Waltzing"???

2011-01-04T22:33:00.004Z

"Keep On Walking" is a fantastic song, you will all agree. And it is a very versatile song too....not only has Salem performed many different versions of the song, but various Swedish television shows have also used the song over the past year - sung by a choir (Körslaget), and performed by a dansband (Dansbandskampen).

Now get ready for the new series of TV4's "Let's Dance" which starts this Friday, 7th January. Denise Rudberg and Tobias Wallin will be dancing the waltz to "Keep On Walking", now that should be interesting :)

Gott Nytt År !

2010-12-30T20:34:00.006Z

As 2010 is almost over I would like to wish all the readers of Planet Salem a very happy new year, and thanks again to each and every one of you for your friendship, support and assistance over the past year.

2010 has been a fantastic year to be a Salem Al Fakir fan....so many amazing things have happened, which I already mentioned in my 3rd anniversary post http://planetsalem.blogspot.com/2010/12/planet-salem-is-three-years-old-today.html however I just wanted to mention again that Salem has brought me so much happiness through his music this year. Thank you, Salem, for making 2010 so special. Stora kramar och god hälsa, lycka och framgång i allt du gör under det kommande året!

It has been an amazing year for Salem, of course...so it's also been an amazing year for this blog. I've put a lot of work into doing Planet Salem over the last 12 months, and it's taken up a lot of my time, but it has been an absolute pleasure to write every word.

And as for 2011? Well, it'll be a lot quieter of course - but Planet Salem never closes, so this blog will continue to report on all his musical adventures. At the moment, I've given up on the possibility of Salem's music ever being released outside Scandinavia. But maybe someday?? One thing's for sure - Salem's international fanbase is growing, and we will always want his music! So why are most of Salem's videos on http://www.youtube.com/user/salemtv/ blocked again? All you get is the message "This video contains content from Vevo, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds"? I need to know - after all, if Salem's music isn't being released internationally, why are we being denied the the opportunity to watch his videos?

In the meantime, don't forget to keep on voting for "Keep On Walking" in the P3 Guld awards http://sverigesradio.se/cgi-bin/p3/p3guld/index.asp and in the Grammis http://www.expressen.se/noje/musik/1.2251582/rosta-pa-din-svenska-favoritlat-under-2010 ....and keep voting for "Split My Personality" in the Mix Megapol topp 20 http://www.mixmegapol.se/musik/mix-topp-20

Happy new year everyone!

"Live @ Katalin" free on iTunes - 4th January

2010-12-28T23:32:00.004Z

iTunes is currently running a "12 Days of Christmas" promotion where they are giving away free songs, EPs and games between 26th December and 5th January.

What really got me excited was the free giveaway on the 4th of January - Salem live @ Katalin. I guess it will probably be "Keep On Walking" and "It's Only You (Part II)" if this link is anything to go by: http://itunes.apple.com/se/album/live-katalin-single/id408029662

I'm not sure if these songs will only be available or on iTunes worldwide - what a great opportunity this would be to introduce a worldwide audience to Salem's music. I'll let you know on 4th January if I was able to get my free downloads :)

EDIT 30.12.2010: those of us outside Sweden probably won't be able to get this download: I tried to get the Tove Styrke one tonight but it wasn't available because I don't live in Sweden :(((

UNT's review of Salem in Uppsala - 27th December

2010-12-28T22:54:00.003Z

In his review at http://www.unt.se/kultur/konsert/skojfrisk-salem-med-ljudeffekter-1175557.aspx Stefan Warnqvist awards three stars to the first of Salem's two shows at Katalin in Uppsala.

The reviewer noted a "special chemistry" between Salem and the Uppsala audience, as he sold out two gigs there in the summer and performed an almost sold out gig last night, which the reviewer described as "...a spirited celebration. Al Fakir gave us hit after hit and was greeted by singing along with almost every song. The tempo was high and enthusiasm on stage was both tangible and contagious. Visually, it was spartan. Al Fakir recently had a haircut and has grown a moustache, but otherwise he was content with Katalin's usual simple decor. But his own charisma was enough."

When it came to the new songs from "Ignore This", the reviewer said: "They went to Katalin and made the songs more danceable, but it sounded mechanical with a dated '80s feel. The versatility that otherwise characterizes Al Fakir's music also went into the background behind all the sound effects. The song "Split My Personality" was with its slower tempo and melodic guitar loops, a welcome contrast. This gave more space for the soulfulness of Al Fakir's distinctive voice."

The reviewer went on to say : "The set ended with a brilliant version of "Keep on Walking" and the jubilation afterwards knew no bounds. The song stood out already in Melodifestivalen and the high energy of Katalin gave it a stronger nerve and intensity."We have not prepared anything," joked Al Fakir when he and his musicians came back for the encore. The audience were asked what they wanted to hear and the choice fell on "Good Song", the big hit from his debut album." The reviewer ended: "..the bottom line: an energy-fuelled and spirited show, but with too many synth layers. Maybe next time Salem Al Fakir might like to cut down on the pre-programmed sound effects".

If you were there, do you agree with this review? Let me know what you think.

Salem on Morgonpasset i P3 today

2010-12-27T17:04:00.004Z

Salem returned to the Morgonpasset studio this morning and if you haven't heard the show yet you can check out the clips at http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=2024

As usual, if any of the Planet Salem readers would be able to translate the interview clips for me than I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Here are a couple of photographs from this morning's show, courtesy of Sveriges Radio.

Above: Salem with Hanna. Nice hats :)

Of course you will notice that Salem has had his hair cut. I had a feeling this might be happening, as he had spent the last couple of months hiding his hair under his woolly hat!

If any of you are going to Uppsala tonight and/or tomorrow, let me know what you think of his new look.

UNT's interview with Damien Adore / Uppsala tonight and tomorrow

2010-12-27T16:40:00.006Z

The "mystery man" with the moustache is supporting Salem at his gigs tonight and tomorrow at Katalin, Uppsala. Damien has given what he says is his first and last interview, to Uppsala Nya Tidning, and you can find it at http://www.unt.se/kultur/damien-adore-avslutar-forbandsturn-1173762.aspx along with a nice picture of the man himself. I love that costume! ;)

The interview took place in Gothenburg last month when Damien supported Salem at the Sticky Fingers club. He said that he's been involved in the music industry for 10 years, but mostly as a producer. It wasn't until the P3 Guldgalan back in January 2010, when he revealed himself "...I have not had any need to be visible externally". He said that his musical inspiration comes from "himself"!

Damien said there will be a debut album "when the time is right." Hoping we won't have to wait too long!!

As I mentioned earlier, Salem and Damien are playing their final shows of 2010 tonight and tomorrow at Katalin in Uppsala. I'm sure that all the "regulars" will be there and as ever, I'd love to hear what you thought of the shows - remember to leave your comments here!

God Jul!

2010-12-23T23:06:00.003Z

Hi everyone...

I just want to wish all the readers of Planet Salem a very merry Christmas...hope you all have fun over the festive season! Hugs to all of you and thanks for making 2010 such a special year for this blog :))

Salem...love and and best wishes to you, hope you have a great Christmas....och tack för en fantastisk och oförglömlig år! Hoppas vi ses snart igen :))))

Salem will be back on Morgonpasset i P3 this coming Monday, 27th December so don't forget to tune in!! http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=2024

New interview....

2010-12-21T09:59:00.004Z

Found a nice new interview with Salem today at http://halsa.msn.se/6393/image/3 where he talks about the past year, and about what he's doing at Christmas.

Vara Konserthus show cancelled / Finnish festival in 2011

2010-12-18T18:39:00.004Z

The show at Vara Konserthus scheduled for 18th March has been cancelled. http://www.ticnet.se/search.php?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search&language=sv&keyword=salem+al+fakir

Ticnet also reports on that page that Salem will be appearing at the Popkalaset festival in Tammisaari, Finland, on 18th June 2011. http://www.lippupalvelu.fi/Popkalaset-biljetter/event/BGR1806A although I haven't been able to find any more information about this.

Salem playing in Helsinki on 2nd February 2011

2010-12-16T10:28:00.002Z

Via http://yle.fi/extrem/program/program_inlagg.php?id=44832 some news about Salem's rescheduled Helsinki gig, which will now take place at Korjaamo in Helsinki on 2nd February 2011 at 20:00.

This is part of Radio X3M's 'Svenska Talande Klubben' series - tickets are 12 euro and available via www.tiketti.fi.

The show will be broadcast live on Radio X3M and streamed live on the internet - I'll bring more information about this nearer the time.

Voting time again - Rix Topp 6 Klockan 6!

2010-12-15T23:30:00.002Z

"Split My Personality" is "bubbling under" in the Rix FM Topp 6 Klockan 6 chart. Go to http://www.rixfm.com/program/kvallar-med-christian-hedlund/rix-topp-6-klockan-6 and vote, vote, vote to get Salem into the top 6!