Quotes

[on what would happen if his lyric writing brother Kenneth Gärdestad quit] "Well, then maybe there would be no Ted Gärdestad anymore, as an artist. That's why I am now investing in a theater education, but I have a hard time seeing myself as a dramatic actor. I would prefer doing musicals."

Humor is a way to parry the seriousness of life. Charles Chaplin is one of my favorites. In the middle of all the comedy, he is serious and there is a deep undertone of love.

My brother knows exactly how I feel. He always succeeds in representing my feelings in his lyrics.

[on what makes him happy] "Nature. Imagine going through the forests in Småland on a nice autumn day! Sports. It gives a kind of joy of life. In addition, I get happy when a melody feels right. Or when Jolly [his dog] meets me and wags his tail."

All I can wish for is that I can continue composing and singing. Music is life.

It is difficult to change an image created by the media. Sometimes I have experienced it as if my own personality has been rejected. The nuances have disappeared.

Love is much more than a love, a woman. It is a way of life and love becomes part of a whole. Love as a phenomenon is a much bigger thing. It is an approach to life, the innermost condition for all existence. Everything is an energy and I believe that love is the greatest and most positive force.

[on touring] "It's mostly the travel itself that I do not like. In the beginning, everything was new, exciting and fantastic, but soon it became routine. You grew tired of all the idle time. But you just have to learn to use it in a sensible way as well. Now I think I've learned. I read a book or look up some recreation center where you can play table tennis or something."

I'm not very interested in clothes. A lot of people can not understand why. They say that clothes are a delight to the eye. Maybe so. But people easily create an image from one's appearance. They put too much emphasis on it instead of the person. Subconsciously, I think I am protesting against it by dressing neutrally. I do not want to hide behind my clothes like many others do.

[on being afraid of death] Yes, isn't everyone? The most horrible to imagine is that you go into an eternal sleep, that you are never allowed to be active again, not to sing, not to run, not to laugh - nothing. That thought can almost break me - I mean, I love to do things! I wish there was a heaven, a heaven where everyone was active and happy, a heaven that is one big Ice Hockey World Championship. And with lots of great music!

[on how he had changed since becoming famous] Apparently I've grown a couple of centimeters, I think!

I constantly experience new values and things. I am born again, every hour, every day.

[on what he wanted to do after retiring] Either I'll read good books and play football with the kids around the retirement home. Or I'll become a politician. The main thing is not to get too narrow-minded.