Crazy Swedes at TELEFUNKEN “Live From The Lab”

An inventive rock fusion group, Crazy Swedes’ original compositions feature complex improvisation combined with an amalgam of jazz, funk, and rock that celebrates the worlds of the jazz fusion era of the 70s/80s and the jam band scene of today.

Founding member Will Severin recounts his history with TELEFUNKEN, “The first mic I bought for my studio was the AK-47 large diaphragm condenser, a quality built microphone that is still working great. When I hit the road, it just seemed like their drum kit was exactly what we needed because of the ease of set up and the quality of sound. I was famliar with their dynamic mics because I had been using the M80 for vocal duties. We’ve been touring heavily with the drum package and it really complements our drummer George Snyder ‘s kit.”

Severin continues, “Our studio engineer, Chris Theis, is also a big fan of Telefunken. He co-produced the latest record with me, as well as a lot of the live shows we’ve done. He’s a multi-Grammy Award-winning engineer and also a good friend. We’ve worked together for years.”

Members of the Crazy Swedes have shared many stages with numerous acts, including Brand X, ELP’s Carl Palmer, Joshua Redwood, Fates Warning, Kenwood Dennard, Clay People, Haken, and American Idol’s Madison VanDenburg.

TELEFUNKEN’s DD4 Drum Pack is comprised of different dynamic mics designed for easy set up. “They don’t get in your way,” Severin explains. “For a drummer, they’re almost out of sight and the cables with right-angle xlr connectors that come with the kit make it easy to set up and break down. These mics accurately capture the sound of the drums, and the M82 on kick gives a really nice beefy sound. You get the low end from it, but it’s nicely defined and has a little bit of a snap to it.”

Long term touring bands encounter just about every possible type of acoustic environment. “Going from place to place, we try to plug in and play as quickly as possible, especially if you’re doing a show that’s got a number of acts on the same bill. Getting on and getting off is always the stressful thing.”

In conclusion, Severin says, “Basically, these mics do the job that needs to get done – the consistency is there, capturing what you’re actually hearing and having that amplified and projected out. Having done at least 50 shows with these mics, doing tours where it’s night after night, we’ve never had an issue, never had a problem. I’ve never had to guess or wonder if everything is going to be okay. Never had to replace one of those mics or cables. Obviously, I’m a big fanboy of Telefunken. I just recently added to my studio arsenal a stereo master set of their ELA M 260s small diaphragm condensers.”

Crazy Swedes’ new release was co-produced by engineer Chris Theis and the band’s guitarist Will Severin. Other members are keyboardist Rob Lindquist, bassist Eric Schwanke, and drummer George Snyder.

“Brilliant progressive fusion…masterfully crafted jazz-rock that is rooted in the sounds of the early pioneers of jazz fusion. This is the good stuff, with a superb mix of dazzling virtuosity, creative jamming, and engaging melodic work.”
— Angel Romero, Progressive Rock Central