This Perfect Day

by Steve HueyAlong with Eggstone and the Wannadies, This Perfect Day made a name for itself as part of the top echelon of the late-'90s Swedish alternative guitar-pop scene. The quintet originally consisted of high school friends Mats Eriksson (vocals), Ove Markstrom (guitar), Richard Johansson (guitar), Peter Fahlgren (bass), and Ralph Tjarnlund (drums), all from the northern Swedish town of Skelleftea. This Perfect Day began releasing singles as early as 1987 and signed to the indie label Soap in 1991 following a festival performance. The band issued its debut album, Rubber Soul, in 1992. During the recording of their 1993 self-titled effort, which proved highly successful in Asia, Tjarnlund left the band and was replaced by Johan Nilsson; the album was reissued in America in 1995 by Orchard Lane, the same year that Don't Smile was released in Sweden. This Perfect Day's fourth album, the new wave-ish C-60, was released in 1998.