Nina Persson, frontwoman of the Cardigans, has revealed that Ozzy Osbourne called their cover of Black Sabbath's 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' the 'creepiest thing he’d ever heard'. Speaking in a fan Q&A, Persson said the compliment from the Prince of Darkness was the highest praise. The Swedish band's lounge-style rendition of the heavy metal classic was, she explained, a deliberate stretch from their natural sound, adding that singing a song originally performed by 'very manly men' gave it a 'wonderfully creepy aspect'.
On the future of the Cardigans, Persson remained non-committal. The band, known for hits like 'Lovefool' and 'My Favourite Game', have not released an album since 2005's 'Super Extra Gravity'. Persson has focused on solo work and her side project A Camp, but she did not rule out a reunion. 'We are all still friends and we talk,' she said, though she offered no concrete plans for new music.
Persson also reflected on the Swedish music scene of the 1990s, which produced acts like the Wannadies and Stina Nordenstam. She attributed the country's output of 'happy dark' music to a combination of factors: the weather, sparse population, and a state-funded music education system that provided free instruments to children. 'All the kids' TV shows we grew up with were scored by the best jazz players,' she noted, 'so we were exposed to good quality music very early.'
The singer paid tribute to her late friend and collaborator Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse, who died in 2010. Persson described a deep musical and personal bond, marred by Linkous's struggles with mental and physical pain. 'Two days after I learned I was finally pregnant, Mark died,' she recalled. 'It was the biggest win and the biggest loss at the same time.' Her son's middle name is Link, a permanent reminder of their friendship.
