A.C.T is a Swedish

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band formed in 1995 under the name ‘Fairyland’, in Malmö

Malmö

Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...

. The band has been through several personnel changes; with the current line-up featuring Herman Saming (vocals), Ola Andersson (guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

), Peter Asp (bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

), Jerry Sahlin (keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

) and Thomas Lejon (drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

).

History

Initially under Ola Andersson on guitars, Tomas Erlandsson on drums, Jens Appelgren on vocals and Jerry Sahlin on both keyboards and drums, Fairyland was started by members of a music school in Malmö. Amongst various line-up changes, Fairlyland changed its name into A.C.T in 1995. In 1996 A.C.T first came into the public eye when it made its way to the final of a Swedish music competition, although it did not win.

In 1997 a new demo was recorded and the band toured extensively in Sweden, eventually recording its debut album, ‘Today’s Report’, released in 1999. Following the release of this album, A.C.T embarked on a Scandinavian tour with the progressive rock band Saga

Saga (band)

Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions...

.

In 2001, the second album ‘Imaginary Friends’ was recorded and the band appointed Graham Collins of AAUK as their manager, after which the band went on a European tour supporting Fish

Fish (singer)

Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...

.

In 2003, A.C.T’s third album ‘Last Epic’ was released, and the band went on a European tour with former Genesis

Genesis (band)

Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...

 singer Ray Wilson

Ray Wilson (musician)

Ray Wilson is a Scottish musician, best known as vocalist in the post-grunge band Stiltskin, and in Genesis between 1996 and 1998.Wilson started off in a band called Guaranteed Pure in the early 1990s...

.

In 2006, A.C.T signed with the label InsideOut

InsideOut Music

Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...

 and returned with the album ‘Silence’. InsideOut has subsequently re-released the first three albums as special editions, with bonus tracks and enhanced booklets. They are currently recording an as-yet-untitled fifth album.

Studio Albums

• Today's Report (1999)
• Imaginary Friends (2001)
• Last Epic (2003)
• Silence (2006)

Current Lineup

• Herman Saming (lead vocals)
• Ola Andersson (guitar)
• Peter Asp (bass guitar)
• Jerry Sahlin (keyboards/vocals)
• Thomas Lejon (drums)

External links

• Official website
• A.C.T at Myspace
  Myspace
  Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
  
  Interview with Jerry Sahlin