Bright Lightning

English Cloud & Bad Lightning before changing his artist name to Bright Lightning made one album. It was recorded at Nord Studios in Stockholm in part by Michael Nord who worked with The Rasmus. It features guest musicians like Michael Blair (Lou Reed, The DBs and others), Peter Kvint, Martin Hedström and others. Peter Lemarc wrote the music to the title track Pawn Shop Lives. It has been out of print for 8 years. Swedish Cloud & Bad Lightning heter artisten innan han ändrar sitt artistnamn till Bright Lightning. C&BL spelades in i Nord Studios i Stockholm delvis av Michael Nord som arbetade med The Rasmus. Gästmusiker som har jobbat på plattan är bl. a. Michael Blair (Lou Reed, The DBs m. fl), Peter Kvint, Martin Hedström och andra. Peter LeMarc skrev musiken till titelspåret ”Pawn Shop Lives”. Det har varit utgången i 8 år. History Cloud landed in Sweden in the summer of 1985 on the California State College Exchange program with 20 other American students. He was accepted due to his high grades and studied Informations Teknik at Uppsala University where he completed his studies and then graduated. During that year, he worked at Studio Radio in Uppsala, representing Östgöta Nation’s time slot with Peter Lindholm (who is now Nöjes Red at METRO in Stockholm. He also performed in various bands during this period: The Undecided, Bend Over, New Clear Clouds and Psychowards (the later being a popular spoken word and sound ensemble which sold out shows in Uppsala and also performed at Hultsfred Festival and at Stockholm’s Konstfack. Psychowards opened for Henry Rollins and Damanda Galas at the Poetry Festival in Stockholm in 1988. Cloud has always been interested in music, poetry, song writing and art and it is this big passion for culture, which set the groundwork towards him working within the Swedish Music Industry. Cloud has been working within the Swedish music industry for 15 years. He got his start at RADIUM 226.05 Records in Gothenburg working with such artist as: Sator, Union Carbide Productions, Blue For Two among others. This lasted about 9 months and gave him the contacts and time to learn about the industry. After leaving Radium, he started his own company Cloud Machine Music that spawned a record label called Exercises In Style. Two albums and three singles were released on the label. At CMM, he worked with publishing and management where via a band named Pretty Triggers made contact with Jonas Sjöström and Lars Tengroth at MNW whom Cloud would later ink a deal signing them to MNW. The band would break-up later but the contact with MNW lead to Cloud being hired for the post of Head of International. At MNW, he was Head Of International for 10 years and had licensed & exploited Swedish music all over the world. After leaving MNW in protest of a cooperate takeover, Cloud restarted a new company called Cloud Machine Music & Entertainment where he wanted to consult for various companies and do music supervision for film. Shortly after in August 1999, Cloud became Head of International of Playground Music Scandinavia. Apart from the record company side of creative business, Cloud was worked at the short-lived all-English Bandit Radio producing a two-hour metal program once a week. Furthermore, he has taught Musikbranchkunskap at FolkUniversitet in Uppsala. He has also been a guest speaker at many conferences. Immediately after leaving MNW, he co-composed and performed with Per Andréasson and Michael Blair on the film score MAMY BLUE (staring Viveka Seldahl). He was also Music Supervisor for the same film placing all the music into the film. He won a STIM Stipendium in 1989. In the USA, Cloud was previously the Music Director at KUOR FM in Redlands and Program Director of KSSB in San Bernardino (both in California) often working freelance on special campaigns with various record companies. Music is his hobby and his hobby is his job! Details: Discography Cloud & Bad Lightning “Pawn Shop Lives” album on Stormstreet Records Misery Loves Co. “3 Seconds” from debut self-tilted album on MNW Zone. He was asked to do the lead talk vocal as if he was Henry the Serial Killer. The Wannadies “Lucky You” from album Aquanatic. Cloud makes a speech like a Southern Baptist Minister to a crowd who cheers. Pretty Triggers “Tears On The Rocks” Cloud voice is heard at the beginning backwards where he says something a bit “fräck”. He also wails on the Tambourine. Psychowards “Patients In Life’s Asylum” a limited edition vinyl whitelabel album of Spoken word and sound esemble. 500 ex. were made and sold and released on Exercises in Style Records. Cloud does all vocals and feedback guitars Lewis H.A.L.O ““ Cloud screams a backing vocal with Graham Lewis on a track… Karin Mildton “Life Love & Games We Play” Cloud plays acoustic guitar New Clear Clouds “Twist & Sweat” on compilation MOTION New Clear Clouds “Half Breed” on USA Compilation I BELIEVE IN MUSIC on Pravda Records TAKING A VACATION FROM ME album info Bright Lightning landed in Sweden from the Southern California desert region in the summer of 1985 on the California State University of San Bernardino college exchange program. He met a girl and Swedish romance kept him in Sweden now going on 25 years. It is not a unique story but it his story. The album is recorded at Seawolf studios on the island of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) outside of Helsinki’s harbor.. This is the studio where Franz Ferdinand, The Bellrays, Mark Lanegan and Hanoi Rocks have recorded. "The album, the songs sound like a mix between the compasionate Country of Steve Earle and choruses reminiscent of Counting Crows... Every song is like a day in the life of this sometimes lonely traveller, but the music manages to find the beauty in simple things like a sunset." Alex Young FAZER Magazine. His album is available for export. Special Guest on the album: Sammy Aaltonen and Elias Logren - Private Line Marko Saaresto - Poets Of The Fall Conny Bloom - Hanoi Rocks Mathau Mikonoja formerly of Bloodpit Milla Palovaara - Thee UltraBimboos/Shake Maria Hänninen - Extra Virgin & Members of Masterstroke The musicians: Sami “Kuoppis” Kuoppamaki - drums (Zook, f.d. Kingston Wall) Petri Peevo - guitar, (The Flaming Sideburns) Joakim Jähnke – bass Lauri Murtomaa - guitar (Clifters). PIMP YOUR MIND album Info Bright Lightning the Swedish-American artist living in Knivsta, Sweden releases his third studio album entitled: “Pimp Your Mind”. The album is recorded, arranged and produced by Thomas Hedqvist. The album is rockpop with country flaire and can be for those who like Tom Petty, Buddy Miller, Jack Brugg and Mumford & Sons. The songs themes are love in a world of the internet with social networking as a good and bad thing. Produced by Thomas Hedqvist. Vocals, acoustic Guitars: Bright Lightning Bass - Joakim Jähnke Electric Guitar: Gunnar Danielsson Drums: Per Westin Slide, Dobro, guitars: Peter Lindberg Electric Guitar: Lars Tengroth Backing Vocals: Angelica Cloud Accordian: Frida Alkestrand Percussion: Michael Blair