Roland Ferneborg
Roland was Gimmicks' manager. Well, since the band members were on the rampage most of the time, he also became our daddy and attendant. Most of all, however, he was our elderly buddy-brother whom with a daft hand, not always cautious, guided us around the world. His world. Because Roland had been almost everywhere in Universe while successfully breaking international ground for one of Sweden's most popular groups at the time, The Spotnicks. Wherever we turned "Mr Roland" was received with a big smile of recognition - in Las Vegas, Acapulco, Mexico City, Bahamas or Tokyo...
Roland needed almost no sleep at all in contrast to the rest of us. We were like an untamed bunch of "greenhorns" sleeping like babies after jetlag creating roundtrips between the big cities. Immediately after arrival in a new town he insistently took us to his favourite clubs and cosy corners. He chanted about food and cultural adventures, while the rest of us fell asleep around the dining table, one-by-one. After waking us up, he kept on dragging us along to the next place of his plan.
Roland knew exactly where in Tokyo to buy herring hooks. He knew all metropolises by heart - including tourist traps. With a commanding presence from long-accustomed journalist habit he waved his camera to take some pictures at fantastic city sights with us, the Gimmicks, in focus.
Roland never interfered with our music. But he was linguist and urban, so - after teaching us some good manners, giving the group's appearance a more professional touch - we finally ended up with the fancy gigs at the most attractive locations.
And he never lost his check on us - not even after Gimmicks decision to take time-out in the middle of 1970. From his new home in Spain he kept on supporting each one of us in our individual occupations. His opinion was always of importance, even after the break with the Gimmicks past.
But nowadays we have to manage on our own, because Roland died in 2004.
Thanks, Roland.
Urban Hansson