The hype, the tripe and sideway steps 1970 -2002
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Few labels as dedicated to independent music through four decades can still claim to be as truly committed to new talent as Silence records are today.
The Silence legend began when two schoolmates and Djs at the then only psychedelic club in Stockholm - Klubb Filips - first met.
Anders Lind and Joseph Hochhauser, both shared an interest for importing records from the obscure US underground scene, had established a partnership that would prove catalytic in the birth of Silence records.
Around the same time as Klubb Filips, Anders bought a Revox tape recorder and began recording legendary drum/organ duo Hansson & Karlsson's live shows. When the duo separated in 1969, Bo Hanson offered him some tapes. In 1969/1970 they collaborated to produce 'The Lord of the Rings' recordings using the first ever and only eight-track recorder in Sweden. It belonged to the Swedish Electronic music association, Fylkingen. Anders had borrowed it on the pretext that he would test it.
He had already recorded International Harvester for Love Records and released Harvester's 'Hemåt' and Träd, Gräs och Stenar on his own label Decibel. Bo, wary of majors, had asked Anders if he could release the record. He dually obliged releasing 'The Lord of the Rings' to acclaim the world over.
However, Anders and Joseph had dreams of starting a label together and established Silence Records in 1970.
Silence records' first move was to attend an impromptu, some say 'illegal', outdoor festival on Gärdet in Stockholm arranged by the Swedish music movement where they discovered 'Gudibrallan' (God in your pants) and other independent un-signed Swedish language bands and instrumental acts.
Then while Anders touted Lord of the Rings before US majors Joseph remained in Sweden to mix Gudibrallan and Silence's debut release in two hectic days.
A second Gärdet festival attracted thousands. Silence documented it on a double album and with that, the proverbial floodgates opened with records by Handgjort (Handmade), Samla Mammas Manna, Kebnekajse, Fläsket Brinner (The Flesh Burns), Turid, Philemon Arthur and The Dung released.
The operation was growing and more and more friends got involved.
Not knowing they were missing out the big distributors soon saw the label as an unwelcome competitor, considering Silence acts (somewhat incorrectly) as a bunch of long haired dreamers lacking commercial potential.
At the third Gärdet Fest they met MNW, (another newly started independent) and kindred spirit who shared the same distribution problems. By the end of 1972, Silence and MNW had launched SAM Distribution together.Friends and family were enlisted to help despatch the Christmas orders of 'Magicians Hat' by Bo Hansson and 'Who is to trust' by Hoola Bandoola Band from old cinema in Waxholm which they shared with MNW.
For Silence things snowballed, yet within the Swedish music movement cracks appeared. For many within the movement Silence was the black sheep since the label released non-political instrumental music and lyrics.
In 1977 Silence set up in Värmland, western Sweden, close to the Norwegian border and established the Silence studios fulfilling a collective dream to bring the operation under one roof. 
Again enlisting the efforts of friends and musicians alike, they converted an old school house into a modern recording studio. The studio neared completion and punk rock broke in Stockholm. In true punk spirit, the first band to use the studio, Grisen Skriker (The pig is screaming), donned their hard hats and boots and mucked in to help complete the building work.
Suffice to say: Word got out about the quality of the finished studio.
The beginning of the eighties began with Dag Vag's 'Seven lucky elephants', mixed by Anders and Dag Vag in the Bahamas, topping the charts. Unexpectedly Dag Vag disbanded and another top selling Silence act, Eldkvarn signed for a major label that met the large financial advance demanded by the band.
Enter synth music and New York as opposed to the Swedish countryside was suddenly en vogue for local artists. Silence suffered.
The eighties tested the Silence's mettle. Many Swedish Independent labels faced financial ruin because of economic downturn in world. Yet, with the likes of MNW (who restructured as a last gesture to the independent spirit and the music movement, before they changed direction completely) the label came through.When the Dag Vag's percussionist Per Cussion returned from America filled with a hive of new musical inspiration called hip-hop it charged life back into the operation. Silence released 'Don't Stop!' the first hip-hop record released in Sweden.
Traste Lindéns Kvinttet noted for their intelligent music, funny lyrics and uninhibited live shows proved to be the perfect antidote to all dark rock and cold synth bands of the late eighties. The band released 'Jolly Bob goes ashore' on Silence and adding even more fervour the label's comeback.
Then while Groupa member, Totte Mattsson recorded Amigo at the label's studio and talk of how the rock and folk scenes never crossed entered the frame. Realising the same vision for the genres to meet led both parties to establish HEDNINGARNA and put a new perspective on Swedish folk music. 'Kaksi!' 'TRÄ' and 'Hippjokk' each managed international successes.
When bob hund played Hultsfred festival in 1993 Silence scouted them having received a press cutting from Philemon Artur of The Dung. Later that year they signed, possibly because Silence was 'least ingratiating' toward the band dispelling distrust held for record companies by bob hund.
Fitting then that Silence released recordings of prank calls made by at DJ at Swedish public radio, SR. The Hassan compilations broke Swedish Chart records by attaining three simultaneous Top 5 placings, and serve as an offbeat example of why Silence is still around today.
As for the future, Silence has First Floor Power, Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks, Fint Tillsammans, Urga, Hederos & Hellberg, as well as Dub Sweden, Bergman Rock and bob hund still going strong about to meet the world.Current staff includes proprietor Anders Lind, and inaugural staff member Eva Wilke, A&R and Nikolaj Steenstrup who joined the label in 1980 and Joakim Hermelin joined in 1997.
With the same drive, passion, and ambition for music as always - to keep the good music alive and create good conditions for musicians and their creativity - Silence continue to share it with the world.