The Flower Kings: A Kingdom of Colours

A Kingdom of Colours (2017)

Here we are: at the end. The Flower Kings played their last shows in 2015 and, while it's never impossible, a return seems unlikely. Roine Stolt certainly hasn't shown any interest in reviving the band – although he hasn't shut the idea down. A career-spanning solo tour might be in the works as soon as The Sea Within's tour ends, which should be interesting. Jonas Reingold has moved from Sweden to Austria, but he and Roine still collaborate frequently. Hasse Fröberg is happily fronting his own band. Tomas Bodin, meanwhile, has developed a rather severe case of tinnitus that left him unable to perform. As long as he doesn't recover (and it goes without saying that I really hope he does, regarldless of whether TFK will re-unite) it seems unlikely that we'll be hearing more from The Flower Kings any time soon.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 12: Desolation Rose

12) Desolation Rose (2013)

That's how the story ends...

So here it is, the last album by The Flower Kings. We've come a long way, haven't we? Don't bring out your handkerchiefs just yet, I'll do another one after this to wrap it all up. Today, we will focus on one of the strangest birds in the entire back catalog of The Flower Kings, an album that is so unlike all other TFK-albums that I have trouble believing it's even the same band.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 11: Banks of Eden

11) Banks of Eden (2012)

Do you think it is really over?

When Tour Kaputt hit the stores in 2011, I assumed it was going to be the last little hurrah for The Flower Kings. They had been on hiatus for years and were showing no sign of regrouping. They just needed to get that DVD out of the way. However, less than a year later, out of nowhere, the band announced their comeback; they were to release their eleventh album in early 2012 – another Year of the Dragon – in yet another new line-up.

The Flower Kings: Tour Kaputt!

Tour Kaputt! Official Bootleg Live @ De Boerderij, The Netherlands, November 2007 (2011)

Over the years, The Flower Kings have released a number of “official bootlegs” though Roine's (or Jonas's) own record label. There's 2002's Live in New York, 2008's Carpe Diem and 2004's amazingly-titled BetchaWannaDanceStoopid!, a collection of studio improvisations. Most of these had a pretty limited release and are hard to come by. Why haven't I talked about them? Because I don't have them, mainly.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 10: The Sum Of No Evil

10) The Sum of No Evil (2007)

It's like coming home, coming home again...

Confession time! When this album came out, I didn't like it very much. When I went to see the band on their subsequent tour, it was a very dissappointing experience. In fact, I retroactively started to like Adam & Eve and Paradox Hotel less and less and felt the band was on a downward curve. After all these disappointments, I was done with The Flower Kings for a while. And I wasn't the only one: it turns out The Flower Kings were done with The Flower Kings for a while – but more on that later. The Sum of No Evil was, relatively sepaking, a commercially succesful album. It got some extravagantly glowing reviews but some real stinkers as well. It remains one of TFK's more controversial releases.

The Flower Kings: The Road Back Home

The Road Back Home (2007)

After Paradox Hotel, Roine felt the time was right to release a new compilation album. There already was one, of course, but the intent was quite different this time around. This would be a compilation consisting almost exclusively of short, accessible, snappy, “normal” songs. The songs you could play at work, to your girlfriend, or to your family, without confusing the heck out of everybody. The album was not so much for attracting new fans as it was for helping existing fans introduce this band to their normal friends without making them look too crazy...

The Flower Kings: Instant Delivery

Instant Delivery (2007)

Of course, we need to edit that out for the video… It's gonna go “Roine, you're <<beep>> great.” And I'll say “You're <<beep>> great too!”

I became a Flower Kings fan around 2005, and the first opportunity I got to see them live was on the 2006 Paradox Hotel tour. Turns out I had hit the jackpot. The show at the 013 in Tilburg was the very last of the European leg of the tour. It was a fantastic show full of great moments, I was there with my best friend and we made it home safe. But the best part: the show was due to be recorded and filmed for a DVD release.