The Wannadies played their first gig, a festival in support of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas, in October 1988 and only weeks later entered local studio KN to record the three tracks that would become their debut release - the Smile EP.
Smile was released in February 1989 and managed to pick up several 'single of the week' accolades from national newspapers as well as airplay on indie radio shows such as 'Bommen' despite little or no marketing.
Following the bands appearance at the Hultsfred Festival in August 1989, The Wannadies signed a deal with MNW records, releasing their debut single, "My Hometown", in May the following year.
The bands eponymous debut album was released in August 1990 and was supported by tours of Sweden, Finland and Norway. A highlight for the group was 1991s Nordic music festival in Paris where they shared the bill with Finland's 22 Pistepirkko and Iceland's The Sugarcubes.
Second album, Aquanautic was released in October 1992 on Snap records, MNW's indie label. Not without controversy the album saw videos for the singles "Things That I Would Love To Have Undone" and "Cherry Man" banned by MTV the former for featuring a foam animal cadaver, the latter for the allusions to paedophilia in both the songs lyrics and video which featured a middle-aged man surrounded by young girls and boys.
Starting a band
"We were all part of the Music factory (Musikfabriken). A club where bands and fans of alternative music came together. A place where heroes like the cult, the cure and joy division joined forces with The Clash, Sex pistols and Kraftwerk.
We danced the pogo and worshipped the darkest of them all: Sisters of Mercy."
October, 1988 - Skellefteå, northern Sweden
A festival in support of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas is to be the first gig for Pär Wiksten, Stefan Schönfeldt, his kid brother Fredrik, Gunnar Karlsson, Christina Bergmark and a guy on violin.
They take the name The Wannadies.
"It was only for a gig but somehow the name kind of stuck..."
Only weeks later, after having saved up enough money from studycircles*, they enter the local studio 'KN' to record three of the four songs they have.
