David Braic Biography

1970

Started playing the accordion! at the age of 6.

1976

Started to play the guitar…….

1977

First band called ”Fireballs” started.

Performing some own songs toghether with covers by Kiss, Status Quo, Deep Purple.

First ever gig played on the roof on the local supermarket ”Konsum”.

1979

Change of line up lead to a new bandname: Cassiopeia.

5-6 gigs were performed.

1980

Change of line up and a new bandname: LA-band !

5-6 gig were performed.

1981- 1983

Change of line up and again ! change of bandname to: EXIT

A version of Beatles ”Eleanor Rigby” and 4 original songs by David were recorded at Radio Kronoberg Studio. Exits version of Eleanor Rigby was aired on the local radiostation several times. About 10-12 gigs were performed.

Two original songs by david were recorded in Stockholm for a Compilation album.

Called ”Rock beast”. The Album contained several rock groups from Sweden.

One of the songs included in the compilation album written by David called ”Lost Woman” won a radiocontest for best song in the local area, the song was then aired on the national Swedish Radio during the fall of 1982.

1984-1992

New band formed in late 1984 called ”PYRAMID”

About 40-50 gigs were performed.

In 1986: 5 new original songs by David were recorded in the new ”Radio Kronoberg” studio.

In 1987: 5 new original songs by David were recorded in the new ”Radio Kronoberg ” studio

Two radioprogrammes followed these sessions were the songs were aired together with interviews.

Two songs by David ”Things will never be the same again” and ”Sudden changes” are frequently played on the radio during 1986.

1988: A 20 year anniversary Deep Purple party is taking place, Pyramid performs many Deep Purple songs in the evening. About 350 people attends the event , people are coming from Scandinavia. After the concert people are so excited by Pyramids performance that it creates a bit of a chaos in a positive way though….. David even smashes up his first electric guitar in pieces to the audiences cheer…….

The Deep Purple parties then becomes regular annual events for five years ahead until 1992.

1989 an original song by David called ”Straight from my heart” is recorded and a video is made as well. The song is played frequently on local radiostations during 1989, and the video is shown on local and national Television.

1992

Pyramid is disbanded and David creates his new group ”Mandrake Root” together with singer Per Englund (fomer singer in the group Blacksmith)

The band now consists of :

David Braic: Guitar
Per Englund: Vocals
Tommy Braic: Bass guitar
Staffan Stavert: Keyboard
Stefan Nilsson: Drums

During the fall of 1992 two original songs by David (music) and Per (lyrics)songs called ”Crazy little lover” and ”Lonely man’s day” are recorded as demos in Kristianopel in the Pama recording studio.

Now a more ”serious” musical relationship evolves… featuring:

David Braic as musicwriter, Per Englund as Lyricist, Magnus”Mankan”Sedenberg from PAMA recording studio as engineer and producer Magnus ”Maxe” Axelsson as executive producer of PAMA recording studio…………

1993

David writes the music for 5 original songs. Per Englund writes lyrics and recording begins in the PAMA recording studio during the beginning of 1993.

The session results in a Promotional CD called ”Waves in motion”.

The album consists of the following tracks:

Inside Information
Speed Trippin’
Waves in motion
Strange walking
March of the immaculate

The album ”Waves in motion” is well received in Japan and approx: 3000 copies are sold.

The album is also reviewed in the Japanese magazine ”BURRN” and gets 85 points out of 100 !! In Sweden and in Europé about 2000 copies are sold and the album is reviewed in several Swedish magazines and in the english magazine KERRANG as well.

The song ”Inside Information” is frequently played on radio and even reaches local charts in Norway ! A video of ”Inside Information” is made containing footage of the band joking around the area of castle Teleborg and Kronoberg Castle ruin.

1994

Mandrake Root signs a recorddeal with XERO Corporation in Japan.

Recording sessions begins in PAMA Recording studios, David writes 10 new original songs for the forthcoming album….The album is completed during July 1994 and contains 13 songs.

The album ”Tales of the sacred” is released in late september 1994 and about 5000 copies are sold initially in Japan.

1995

New member drummer Hempo Hilden joins Mandrake Root,

Hempo is a well known drummer and has played with band such as, Pugh Rogefeldt, John Norum, Glenn Hughes to name a few…

David writes 4 new original songs and makes an own arrangement of the song ”You keep me hangin’ on” for a possible subsequent new album. Recordingsessions starts in Pama recording studios during february 1995. The sessions results in raw mixes of the following songs:

Running wild river
Feed me anger
Build &Burn
Love is blind
You keep me hangin’ on

Feed me anger and You keep me hangin’ on are filmed by Swedish Televison TV4 in the TV studio. You keep me hangin on is used as a whole video, while clips of Feed me anger are used together with interviews with bandmembers. The complete programme is shown on swedish television and You keep me hangin on is shown several times on both local and national Swedish TV.

Mandrake Root is supportband for Yngwie Malmsteen in Växjö november 1995.

1996

David writes 6 new original songs during january-february.

Recording sessions starts in PAMA recording studios in march 1996 and sessions are continued on several occasions until september 1996.

The well talanted singer Göran Edman (Ex John Norum, Yngwie Malmsteen to name a few) joins the singing sessions and performs backing vocals and duet vocals on some songs.

The sessions results in following songs:

7:th mirror
Love on wheels (featuring Göran Edman on backing vocals)
Kings of the desert
Put your money where your mouth is
   (featuring göran Edman on lead and backing vocals)
One in a million (featuring Göran Edman on backing vocals)
1000- colour rain (featuring Göran Edman on backing vocals)

European version of the Album ”Tales of the sacred” is released.

Some songs from the Japanese version are omitted and replaced by other songs, the european version is also remixed.

Mandrake Root supports Glenn Hughes on his Swedish tour in november 1996.

Concerts are performed in Borlänge, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Uppsala and Malmö.

1997-1999

During 1997-1998 finally 12 songs are mixed from the sessions in 1996.

David writes another 5 new original songs and these still today remains in the demo stage….

2000

In may David writes 3 new original more Pop orientated songs together with the talented vocalist Göran Edman. Hopefully these songs will be published during 2003…..

In August David makes a tribute to Alice Cooper !!! and records 4 Alice Classics…

David sings the lead and backing vocals and also play all guitars, co-musician and engineer is Staffan Stavert.

The maxi CD contains:

Under my wheels
Elected
Schools out
No more mr Nice Guy

2001

David and the talented rocksinger Pete Sandberg get together in order blow new life into the unpublished songs from the sessions in 1997-1998.

Pete writes new lyrics and songmelodies to David’s previously made music.

David have plans for a medeival/renaissance project more based on acoustic guitar…..

2002

Recordingsession begins in march 2002..

Again PAMA records studio is chosen, and the songs are getting new blood by Pete Sandbergs singing.

Some songs are getting completely re-recorded while other songs are remade in parts.

The recording session ends with 3 ready songs which are sent as demos to Japan….

David Braic and Pete Sandberg are offered a recorddeal in Japan, but the offer is rejected because of ”politics” and dissagreement between David and Pete and also dissagreements with PAMA recording Studio…….

So still 12 original classic hardrock songs are waiting to be picked up by a serious recordcompany……

Minstrel Spirit is born and performs Play Minstrel Play on six occations during august

For 800 people at every performance…

In september Minstrel Spirit plays an acoustic set in a winecellar in Växjö.

On Halloween (31 october) minstrel Spirit plays an acoustic set for 350 people.

2003 and onwards

David is more and more becoming or transforming !!! into a renaissance man……

Note that the medeival inspired song Gabriella was written back in 1992 !!

In march Minstrel Spirit plays in Växjö Concert Hall for 400 people.

First CD Tales from the past is issued in may.

David attends several concerts and renaissance faires in Germany july 2003.

Minstrel Spirit plays an outdoor acoustic set in Linneparken , Växjö for 3000 people in august.