Erik Borelius, guitar-player, singer and composer, has worked professionally with music since 1986. During these 38 years he has released sixteen albums, fourteen through his own company and two during his time at EMI. In 1994 Erik received a Swedish Grammy for the album “SexTioTvå” – the best instrumental album in 1993 and the first recorded under Erik’s own label EB Music. The following year he was nominated with the album “Duende”. Erik’s music is often described as a peculiar blend of styles and as a guitar player he is praised for using his technique in a tasteful manner.
In 1984 Erik sent a demo to EMI. After a couple of weeks he got the answer: “We will produce your record!”. His happiness was complete and during the time up to the recording, in the summer of 1985, he participated in Per Gessle’s and Roxette’s productions.
Erik invested in a studio in 1990 and began to make music for radio and television alongside composing. In 1992 he decided to start a record-company and release his own productions. The company was named EB Music. His own record-company gives Erik the ultimate satisfaction of working with the whole process; creating, arranging and producing. He knows what he wants and therefore does most of the work himself. It’s not always an advantage in the creative process but it gives him both challenges and satisfaction. And that is what counts in the long run.
“I am going to play “vo knåvs” and “chängs” (Swedish pronunciation) Erik said to his music- teacher when the pupils were told to bring their favourite records to the music class back in 1971. Erik was nine and the real names of the songs were “Who Knows” and “Changes”, with Jimi Hendrix “Band of Gypsies”. His older brother was a guitar-phantom and his mother had a nylon- stringed guitar hanging on the wall in the living-room. The electric guitar was an exciting, somewhat dangerous instrument and the recorder was doomed in all its drabness. It would take until 1977 before Erik began playing the guitar seriously. Two brothers at school, Jens and Anders Johansson (Yngwie Malmsteen, Hammerfall aso and sons of the legendary Swedish piano-player Jan Johansson) had heard a rumor about a skilled guitar-player. Anders played the drums and Jens the organ and the trio “SLIME” was formed with Erik on the guitar. Like all fifteen-year old boys they sought attention. The method was raw punk-jazz rock, as technical as possible, played at maximum volume, with song-titles such as “The necrophilians nightmare”, “The punk boots of the kidney-dead”, “Asphalt in the ear” and “Respiratory-slime”. After a year in the US Erik moved to Stockholm in 1980. The acoustic guitar was increasingly calling him. The clean distinct sound and the technical challenge appealed to him. Having never had a single guitar lesson, a couple of years of intense training followed. Whatever you do, you should do it with all your heart otherwise you might as well just quit. “Life is much more fun that way”, says Erik!
Discography
Strings Alive (2024)
Familiar Rooms (EBM 2021)
Expedition Inside (EBM 2019)
Erik Borelius No. 13 (EBM 2016)
Erik Borelius And House Of Sound (EBM 2014)
The World We Know (EBM 2010)
Movies On A String (EBM 2008)
Live The Life Of A Star (EBM 2006)
What Is Success? (EBM 2003)
Guitar (EBM 2000)
Reality Bites (EBM 1997)
My Kind Of Picture (EBM 1995)
Duende (EBM 1994)
SexTioTvå (EBM 1993)
Fantasy (EMI 1988)
Perfect Partners (EMI 1986)
