ULF EKBERG - ACE OF BASE - All That She Wants, Stardom, a Crazed Fan, and a dark secret past!

[@TheRetroGuy2000]

Nice interview, Steve! You really asked some good questions, and Ulf gave really thorough answers. Glad to know Ulf and Jenny still get together at Liseberg, and their relationship seems improved. Weird that Ulf hasn't seen Malin in 18 years, but everything about Malin after 1995 seems weird.

[@popthehistorymakers]

Thx. He does tell how the Jenny attack affected Malin and clearly as he says that was the beginning of the end. Not surprising really. Not sure if it’s been released but there is a documentary out or out soon in Sweden about Ace of Base - i think they filmed over a few years and may shed light on this.

[@TheRetroGuy2000]

@@popthehistorymakers I don't doubt the knife attack affected Jenny, as she not only wrote the amazing song "Ravine" about it, she's spoken about the knife attack, and how it damaged her spirit, in many interviews. It was horrific. And a knife attack on Jenny in 1994 doesn't really explain why Ulf hasn't seen Malin in 18+ years, which must be around 2006 to present, just as if I asked you why you don't see an old co-worker anymore, and you reference an argument from three decades earlier that neither you no your co-worker were present for. As with everything Malin, it doesn't quite make sense. Thanks for the news about the upcoming documentary; I'll watch, if I can, even though I'm sure any real discussion of Malin will be cut out (which is what happened in 1998 with the "The Story" documentary: too much was edited out for there to be a cohesive story. Malin briefly does say in the "The Story" documentary that she's not quitting, but the band members said decades later she had mostly already left by 1996, and the plan was to phase her out. If there is any discussion of Malin, it will only confuse viewers further, with new contradictions introduced. We definitely know she was unhappy, and that bodyguards, fame, and a star lifestyle were not for her, but no one forced them to say she wasn't leaving when it was clear she was being phased out). None of this takes away from the excellent interview you did will Ulf, though, and it was quite enjoyable. Thank you for your efforts and professionalism!

[@popthehistorymakers]

@@TheRetroGuy2000 not sure a knife attack can be compared to an argument. She wasn’t there but would be directly affected because crazed fans have done much worse, and I would assume she couldn’t live the same life under that pressure and presumably thinking it might be her next. I have a feeling this documentary aims to reveal all, so hopefully you’ll get your wish. You obviously know and like them a lot. Will let you know if I hear about the doc.

[@jonasandersson3684]

About the thing "Ulf hasn't seen Malin in 18 years" is a bit strange since Ulf seems to be a nice guy and it doesn't make sense that she wouldn't want to meet him.

[@BozJustBad]

@@TheRetroGuy2000Well, I believe it was said Malin was the intended target in that attack but I guess that crazy woman didn’t know where she lived, thank goodness. It’s funny, I used to read on Wikipedia how Malin looked physically ill in her final years with AoB, but now there is nothing about it there anymore.

[@shanethomasdonovan6033]

Great interview! Always love listening to Ulf talk and always loved his vocals and songwriting for AOB. I watched several interviews with him and no one has ever asked where his nickname " Buddha" came from. Hope you can get Jenny and Jonas for an interview!! And more AoB related content!

[@popthehistorymakers]

Thx. If I could I would! Will try!

[@douglasspaltro2697]

A reeeeeely great interview! Ulf's a fantastically intelligent and well-spoken guy and Steve's line of questioning really brought out some great information!

[@popthehistorymakers]

Thx Doug

[@kallekula84]

I remember my dad coming home with Happy Nation album when I was 10, he was telling me and my sister how he bought it mostly because how much he hated Swedish music journalists and that they tried to make it shameful to listen to Abba and Roxette the same way. Anyway we listened to it on repeat over and over again.

[@marcelo_1984]

The one good thing the internet, mp3 and streaming did for music was turning music criticism irrelevant. You're free now to listen to any music ever recorded and make up your own mind without gatekeepers.

[@BASSER81]

Ulf is a lovely guy. Always respected him. I think he had more drive than the other 3 members and that must be frustrating. The band had a great run and produced some outstanding pop music.

[@popthehistorymakers]

He’s definitely driven, and possibly the main reason for the success, even today he’s the one pushing both in business and foe Ace of Base!

[@BASSER81]

Jonas is a solid song writer as is Ulf. The two girls has unique vocals which aided in individuality. It just worked with this combination. But Ulf has always been business minded and innovative. I’ve loved this band for decades. I was supposed to do track with Jenny but we couldn’t proceed due to legalities with the Ace of Base name at the time :(

[@popthehistorymakers]

@@BASSER81 sounds like that would have been awesome!

[@mathewbowen1753]

Fascinating interview! Really enjoyed this! I’m British but had MTV Europe so enjoyed being first to know about bands like Ace Of Base and Army Of Lovers breaking out from Sweden ! Great music and Ulf had a lot of info to tell. 👍

[@popthehistorymakers]

Thanks. Also pleased with the interview and pretty fascinating stories that you don’t completely expect!

[@Mrbynby]

Persevering over all the naysayers and a crazy fan to make it. Great story about the pip music business

[@marcelo_1984]

Very insightful interview, thanks. I had no idea they had worked so hard in the beginning. I mean, four years working and living in a small studio, and cleaning oil tanks for a living, that's dedication. Even though their rise to success was fast once they got their album out, it took them a lot of work to just get to that point. It's never easy, that's for sure.

[@popthehistorymakers]

@@marcelo_1984 don’t think overnight success exists - it’s always years of work before the overnight happens

[@SebastianIsla]

Great interview ❤thanks a lot for the good questions! Saludos desde Chile!🇨🇱 here ace of base was huge during 1993-1998

[@popthehistorymakers]

Amazing. They really were a world-wide success!

[@AyKonik]

It feels sad to know Ulf hasn't seen Malin for almost 20 years, (when she appeared in the videos for the album "Da capo" in 2003 - just like us-) (!!!!), I guess she left the music industry very disillusioned, and it wasn't for her, which would confirm she won't be involved in next year's documentary either; at least there's contact between Ulf, Jonas and Jenny, but apparently no feelings to bring ace of base back.

[@popthehistorymakers]

I’m sure you’re right.

[@marcelo_1984]

There's no demand for a return, really. The business has changed and they'd be relegated to playing nostalgia festivals like the ones in which Jenny usually plays.

[@pagedown4195]

Looking forward to that new documentary. It´s gonna be aired this year on Viaplay here in Sweden 👍

[@popthehistorymakers]

Same!

[@paulmachado1343]

execelente, saludos desde Colombia.

[@popthehistorymakers]

Gracias!

[@jonasandersson3684]

Interesting is the question of the "flirtation to the extreme right". In Sweden, it doesn't take much to be called "extreme right". If you happen to criticize Sweden's migration policy, you can easily be called "extreme right". Being "extreme right" doesn't neccessarily have to mean that your a bad person.

[@marcelo_1984]

That was an euphemism. The band he was involved with was a neo nazi band, with hateful lyrics, swastikas and everything.

[@pare4918]

behind Roxette? wow

[@popthehistorymakers]

ABBA, Roxette then Ace of Base

[@mauricio.nascimento]

Extreme "Right"???

[@popthehistorymakers]

From what I understand from his past, he flirted with the extreme right as a teenager (age 14,15) because he was distanced from his father, and they provided the feeling of family (which is what these groups use to lure young people in). He wrote horrendous racist lyrics at that time, then rejected it all. I don't condone what he did, but as he was very young I think teenagers are worthy of a second chance. If he had been older I would think differently. What's your opinion then?

[@johnsmith-ir1ne]

Here's the truth: everyone has done embarrassing things during our youth. Anyone who denies they did, is a liar. So when I see anti Ulf comments who still pretend he's a secret natsi, all I see is hypocrisy and double standards from such cancel culture keyboard warriors. Including from a certain prolific commenter I see in so many AOB KZbin videos As for you: thank you so much for doing this very insightful video. I'm sad that he and Linn haven't kept touch but I'm not really surprised given her views on show biz.

[@johnsmith-ir1ne]

Here's the truth: everyone has done embarrassing things during our youth. Anyone who denies they did, is a liar. So when I see anti Ulf comments who still pretend he's a secret natsi, all I see is hypocrisy and double standards from such cancel culture keyboard warriors.

[@johnsmith-ir1ne]

Here's the truth: everyone has done embarrassing things during our youth. Anyone who denies they did, is lying. So when I see anti Ulf comments who still pretend he's a secret natsi, all I see is hypocrisy and double standards from such c*ncel culture keyboard w*rriors. Including from a certain prolific c*mmenter I see in so many AOB videos

[@johnsmith-ir1ne]

everyone has done embarrassing things during our youth. Anyone who denies they did, is lying. So when I see anti Ulf comments who still pretend he's a secret natsi, all I see is hypocrisy and double standards from such c*ncel culture keyboard w*rriors.