“That term has such a variety of styles mixed in and that’s why I like it,” he says. “You are not bound to do either country, blues, swing or rock. It’s a mix, so anything goes, kind of. I love it.”
Sandberg formed The Go Getters way back in 1988, in Västerås in central Sweden. At the time, the band’s home country boasted a strong punk and hardcore scene, crowned by the likes of Anti Climex and Mob 47. However, there weren’t too many Swedish musicians wholeheartedly embracing rockabilly music. Nevertheless, Sandberg wasn’t conscious of setting himself apart from the pack.
“I never even thought of doing a crossover or such,” he says. “I just play and write songs that I like – no mission going on here or then. The diversity is the key to keep going without getting bored, I think.”
The Go Getters have spent the better part of the last three decades taking their Viking-inspirited rockabilly power all over the world. Despite such constant global travels, Sandberg hasn’t fallen out of touch with Sweden’s underground rock scene. “I keep my ear to the ground and go see as much live shows as I can,” he says. “It’s been a bit slow, but picking up again.”
Having devoted such a significant portion of his life to the band, Sandberg’s gained invaluable perspective on that which is most important. When bands are young there’s a lot of concern with how to make money and associated questions of whether it’s worth devoting so much time to a musical project that mightn’t ultimately be profitable. But, the longer you survive, the concern for money gets supplanted by genuine passion and artistic ambitions.
“It’s always been for the love of music,” Sandberg says of his core motive. “Passion-driven music is unstoppable. Money is not unimportant, but it won’t keep a band together.”
Indeed, it’s unlikely The Go Getters would be alive and kicking today if their founding motivations were purely careerist. Still, perhaps no one could’ve predicted that in 2015 The Go Getters would remain a touring band, headlining major rockabilly festivals around the world. “Well, it was the plan,” Sandberg rebuffs. “But no, I don’t think I could’ve imagined how much joy and beautiful people I was going meet. It’s been a great time, and still is.”
By virtue of the band’s passion-driven foundations, they’ve fostered a worldwide following composed of people with a similar outlook. “The energy of the audience and contacts all over the world; that makes me believe in humanity,” Sandberg says. “There’s a lot of cool people out there”.
That said, Sandberg’s commitment to the band is, at its core, deeply personal. “I’m driven by passion for music,” he says, “and if it’s getting people happy, it’s a big bonus.”
The Go Getters will return to Australia this August for the Kustom Kulture extravaganza, GreazeFest. Having visited several times previously, the trio have secured a fervent Down Under following. “Australia’s always been great – it’s a bighearted country,” says Sandberg.
Although rockabilly and Kustom Kulture both originated in the United States, the devotion of the subcultural constituents transcends borders. “We are all pretty crazy,” Sandberg laughs, “but in a sweet way. The only difference is the size of the scene. But it’s a very universal thing, Kustom Kulture, and it’s the best thing that happened since beer.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
