Nikke Ström is a prominent personality in Swedish artistic and social landscape. Politically, he is concerned over the rise of Swedish Democratic Party (SD) the right-wing party and the way it has grabbed the place in Swedish politics. He insists that Sweden needs immigrants in an age where the borders are blurred, the world is globalizing and Swedes are also living in other countries.
As Sweden gears up for national, regional and local elections on Sunday, 9 September 2018, Nikke Ström shares his views on the state of political landscape in Sweden, and what he intends to do. He is concerned about the social-political landscape in the backdrop of the rise of SD and the growing narrowness of the country. Listen to the podcast:
Nils-Åke aka Nikke Ström was born on 8 June 1951 in Karlskoga, and worked in Swedish National Theatre (Theater) as a bassist and studied in the National Theater and had studied philosophy at Stockholm University. But he made Gothenburg aka Göteborg as his home town since 1970s and has worked in a number of musical projects and bands as a musician.
Nikke Ström was one the three Gothenburgers from the fields of academics, music and journalism who has participated in a discussion on ‘Talk is Cheap’ surrounding the theme ‘1968: The Rhythm of Revolution’ bringing politics, music and politics to the platform at Pustervik in June 2018, and supported by Västra Götaland region.
The focus was on the year 1968. Why? Because ‘the 1968 revolt year went hand in hand with politics and music. Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix, MC5, Joan Baez and James Brown are part of the political scene. At the same time they create some of the best songs and albums in music history’. The participants spoke and answered – How did the music and politics hang together? What was unique with 1968? What can we learn from 1968 politically and artistically? The discussion was ‘calmer than a club, but livelier than a conversation at the library’.
You may also want to read:
Ina Lundström on Music, Politics, Elections
Professor Håkan Thörn: The Legacy of 1968 Continues … in Music & Politics
