Erik Hases
lead singer & bass guitar
Hi folks, you are now about to read a short story about me and my way into the beautiful world of music!
It all started in the year 1998 in Garpenberg, Sweden. The school had sent out paper forms with different choices of instruments. I remember sitting with my mom and dad in the kitchen, they tried to help me out with the choice, but I had no doubts. Of course I had to choose the trumpet! So with the trumpet in my hands I jumped right into the world of music.
It took about 5 years before I left the trumpet which was when I started seventh grade in upper school (2 years after I met Dennis Filatov). I discovered so much cooler instruments than the trumpet (though I now see trumpet as a fabulous instrument). I began to play the bass and guitar mostly but after a while, me, Dennis and some other guys decided to try out playing as a band. I’ve always known that I could use my singing voice fairly well, so I took the role as the lead singer in the band, it didn’t take long before I found the passion for singing and realized I was supposed to be a singer, and not a trumpeter! One of those “other guys” in the band was more talented than the rest of them, and he was definitely shorter than the others (one of the reasons why he later became known as Littleman). His name was Stefan Söderqvist.
In 2008 the friendship between me, Stefan and Dennis had grown strong. So strong that we together took a decision to form a rock-band a band that made us spend many hours, days and years together, on the stage, in the rehearsal room and during our free time. Still we have many years left, and still we’re working hard to show everyone the best band in the world, Great Garb!
Stefan Söderqvist
guitar & backing vocals
My roots in music take us back to the year of 2001 when I, 10 years old, started playing in my first band, "The Proof". We mostly played at smaller gigs such as weddings, town festivals and competitions. Most of the reactions to our performances were: "But, they're so young" or stuff like "Cute!"
In 2003 we recorded our first demo in Vansbro, Sweden, where the producer introduced us to the art of singing background vocals. I was amazed by how simply adding one tune in addition to the lead-singer's vocals, could lift the music as much as it did.
I've really been stuck with the background singing ever since, which came in handy when I met Erik Hases and Dennis Filatov in the seventh grade of the upper school, year 2004. We found each other quickly and played with great unity, in different constellations for four years before "Great Garb" was formed in 2008.
With the pop-influated background singing still tightly wrapped up in my head and the electric guitar almost always on my back, I am now on my way to a much bigger adventure with two of my best friends.
Dennis Filatov
drums & keyboard
It all began when I was at the age of 8, in Uzbekistan. We were visiting my godparents. They had a son that had finished the music school after 7 years of study. He always played and composed his own songs on the keyboard he had in his room. Something that really inspired me was that he played so well even though he was blind. That day I asked him to teach me a song, so there I was, learning Für Elise and trying to reach the octave in the E chord. And that's where the interest for music had awaken.
My family had moved to Sweden when I was 10, it was a tiny town called Garpenberg. I had started school and that's where I met Erik Hases. When I'd started the upper school I usually borrowed a keyboard so I was able to learn the basics before I started at the local music school. I traveled around the region and performed with my father and his friend who played folkmusic. At school I rehearsed with Stefan and Erik during most of the lunch breaks, so music was with me pretty much all of the time.
As time went on I discovered a passion for drums and percussion and it led to a change of roles with Stefan so he could start playing guitar in the band we had back then. When we started the upper secondary school we continued with the band to "keep the music addiction at bay", not long after that I realized that music is my life and that's what I want to do, one way or another. So now I'm on a journey with two of my closest friends and it's gonna be immensely epic!
