Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Zirbel. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Born out of SLO in 2019, Swede & Skogen was originally a three-piece comprised of Erik Methot, Braden Hotra, and Riley Ross. In an effort to wipe their slate clean and start over, Cameron Zirbel and Ben Schulze joined the group in 2022 to begin recording their debut album, ‘Big Dog’.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been no struggles. Life has been happy, like jellybeans. Music is fun.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Recorded over the course of 8 months in the garage of their southern Californian home, Big Dog is the culmination of many nights of laughter, catharsis, and effort. A full-length album was never intended when the group started recording in late October 2022; it was just a few friends seeing what they could make with the restrictions of a modest budget of gear and the acoustics of a garage filled with memorabilia. On the first night of recording, Supertrick, the first single of the album, was created, and the playful and unique dynamic of Erik Methot, Cameron Zirbel, and newly joined Ben Schulze’s songwriting was realized. Motivated by the immediate ease of creation, a full-length LP quickly began to take shape into whatever beautiful, amorphous blob Big Dog has become. Slowly oozing with personality and blends of music pulled from the conscious and subconscious of the group’s musical inspirations, something truly unique begins to take shape.
What matters most to you?
Relationships. We were all friends before playing music together, so I guess not trying to take ourselves too seriously but still trying to make a series attempt at creating music together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.swedeandskogen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swedeandskogen?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@swedeandskogen
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-75883061
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3OgDppwaGMbOgrr4dTg6e7
Image Credits
Alex Hrisanthopoulos
