Organized Crime in Cool Sweden
In Sweden, it's not just soft stuff! In addition to ABBA and EUROPE, the Swedish music scene also has bands like CANDLEMASS and TREAT. And since the latter did very well in our sound check of the first LOUD PROUD issue with their "Organized Crime", we're taking this opportunity to introduce those responsible for "Organized Crime" here...Founded in Stockholm in the third year after 1980, the guys were able to attract the interest of major record companies with their first albums. Robert Ernlund (VOC), Andreas Wikstroem (gui), Jamie Borger (dr) as well as Lillen Liljegren (gui) and Ken Siewertson (bass) toured Sweden the following year as a support act for such men as Blackie Lawless and friends. As a result, TREAT were soon on the lips of all the locals, who were now waiting all over the country for the first vinyl from this group. In 1985, the debut "Scratch & Bite" was released by the Swedish Polygram. TREAT took this as an opportunity to leave nothing to chance and immediately switch to the professional camp.
The fact that this was the right path was proven by the increasingly positive reviews abroad of the second LP "The Pleasure Principle", which was released in 1986. Even Japan took notice of this Swedish quintet and put them on a level with his fellow countrymen, EUROPE. In the summer the same year, TREAT toured their homeland again as support to QUEEN and GARY MOORE.
The status they had now achieved in Sweden was now of course to be built on internationally. In 1987, the five northern men went to the world-renowned WISSELOORD Studios in Holland to record their third long player "Dreamhunter". However, TREAT partly ignored their independence, as the end product had a strong EUROPE touch. However, they were able to make up for lost ground with an accompanying video production - it is well known in Sweden that sex sells well. And so a very attractive and extremely scantily clad girl hopped around the musicians on the video screen, who were obviously delighted by these "sporty performances".
Many fans were also impressed by the LP, and "Dreamhunter" eventually changed the front of the counter over 50,000 times in Europe, with a good half of these being sold in Germany. The latter, an excellent result by German standards, was only possible thanks to PHONOGRAM, which opened up this lucrative market for TREAT.
Having now made themselves heard outside of Sweden with a sinful promotion, the first highlight in TREAT's band history was not far away. August 1988 - It's monster time!!! For the German "Monsters Of Rock" in Sohweinfurt The Swedish rockers opened for KISS and IRON MAIDEN in front of over 50,000 fans. Due to their professional attitude and the fact that they were playing mainly harder material, TREAT were able to pass this acid test. They then took full advantage of their lucky streak and completed their own successful headline tour through Europe with CRAAFT as support. As an appendage to a mega-act on a (world) tour, TREAT could have only further expanded their already acquired good reputation and made a lot more possible. But with a radio silence of over a year, the five Swedes missed this opportunity that presented itself.
Instead, they formed a small group. Bassist Ken Siewertson withdrew from the stressful business - Joe Larson filled the gap without any problems. Anders Wikstroem took over all the guitar work and a permanent keyboard player named Patrick Appelgren joined the band for Lillen Liljegren. The new material was also recorded in this line-up. Ian Taylor (G. MOORE, SCORPS, among others) produced in the Frankfurt HOTLINE studios in the spirit of the musicians who were now back to hard music. On the fourth LP "Organized Crime", released in autumn 1989, some changes in the sound of TREAT'S night were therefore overlooked or overheard: With rough, unpolished guitars, accompanied by keyboard passages in the traditional Hammond sound, the quintet wanted to declare war on the world once again. TREAT can build on a more than solid foundation here, because in addition to the German BFS management, the Swedes are now also directly managed by the German PHONOGRAM.
Jamie Borger's outlook on the future shows that the guys from TREAT know exactly what it's all about: "The only trick we know now is to tour, tour and tour again!!!" With this good intention, a European tour as headliner began in early 1990, with the Swiss STEVE THOMPSON invited onto the tour bus as a "special guest". If the band doesn't surprise us with another unexpected blackout, a successful trip to the States should be within reach. Surely Miami wouldn't be the only place to be in a state of excitement about "organized crime made in Sweden"...
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Torsten Kempka
Photos: Courtesy of Tina Tassis / BFS