Well, now we are in August 2009 and I'm finally writing this letter to you all... I'm sorry for the delay, what more can I say...?
Anyway, when we started working on the new record 2 years ago, actually even more, it was a longer journey then we thought it would be...

Jerusalem has for close to 35 years now, released 19 records and toured most parts of the world. We have done at least 4 major tours in America (starting up on MTV), and countless tours over Europe as well as in Scandinavia and other parts of the world... Scheduled 2 times for concerts (Heaven & Hell) with Black Sabbath in Switzerland in the 80's, both cancelled for different reasons. Later scheduled for a tour in South Africa with DIO and Motorhead that didn't go through because of the 9/11 tradegy in New York. Well, it seems to me someone doesn't want us to be seen or heard in those environments.

Nevertheless, there's a long history and many things has happened in the story of the band, impossible to tell here but maybe in a book in the near future.

The 30 year anniversery 2006 was a great happening for all of us - Michael, Peter, Klas, Anders, Dan, Reidar and me. And the response was overwhelming from fans and friends! We did 3 shows in Sweden, Stockholm, Jonkoping and Gothenburg (Gbg and J-koping sold out, Sthlm close to). We did a special V.I.P. night after the concert in Gothenburg were we hired Hard Rock Cafe and invited more than 300 people, friends and bussiness relations, and many of them we hadn't seen for many years. It was a fantastic night with a lot of memories, music and happy birthday speaches.

I remember Bruce from M.U.G. (musicstore in Gothenburg) said; Jerusalem is the only band through our history, that I trusted with the keys to our store!

Well, I think all of these guys have done a tremendous work helping us through the years...

I go back to when we started the band and "hell" broke lose: People were chocked, some religious people tried anything to stop us. Remember Karleby, Finland; people were standing outside the venue with signs saying we were sent by the Devil, and warning people from going inside... There were comments about our music, our long hair, volume, lights, almost everything. Countless storys in the newspapers, for or against us, it was amazing!

Even our record company was threatened by religious people wanting them to cancel us.

We went through this for a purpose... For a calling. Because this is a calling in shape of a rockband... Klas, Anders, Dan and Goran (soundman at that time) and me had to take a lot of persecution in those days, but we refused to give up! When I think back now, it was almost like we didn't recognize it, as if it didn't bother us. That's true... Yes, even some churches in Sweden proclaimed; We will never have Jerusalem playing here, they are from the Devil! Some years later we played those churches... But many times we just wanted to quit, give up... It was hard, specially financially but we kept on going, and we kept on through the 70's into the 80's, when Peter and Michael joined and we first came to America... And then the 90's and now into 2009, but now I'm writing a book... So...

What I want to share with you for a moment is news about the record we've been working on these last years.

We have decided to hold the release until next year, and are shooting for a release in March-April... This is because I'm not done yet with the vocals and the guitars. And I feel it wouldn't be completed the right way if we released it now. Also we will put everything we have together in finding ways to make this record a waybreaker for what the band wants to see and have been waiting for, for years. And we need more time for this.

Hope for your understanding.

We will spend this fall on connecting and talking to the right people for finding new (big or small) ways for distribution, marketing, such as the Internet etc. We will also try to go for festivals in Scandinavia and other places next year. We have been doing some "secular" festivals these last 2 years and feel it's time for us to break the ranks and move out on greater areas... And it has been a real blessing and a lot of fun! It feels like we are made for that.

We are at a place of wanting to take NEW steps... And therefore we do not want to waste this record on fast decisions or not well-planned steps.

When we released "Prophet" we did it through 4 different recordcompanies... REX in USA, Pila Music in Germany, Zero in Japan, and Viva Records in Scandinavia... And... They all went bankruptcy within a year... And it totally destroyed the record... It didn't help we had the best reviews we ever had on any record. Still it was kind of "locked" into a box... Therefore we want to have more control over it this time... We will go step by step... Taking risks but not being stupid or pushed.

We are of course giving this to God. Seeking him... He is the real thing - not a religious symbol or an icon or whatever we have made him to be... He is a person talking to us every day, if we just want to listen... And I will not take one single step without him, ever...

I can also tell you it will be done in English. As we see it, this is a follow-up for "Prophet", not saying it sounds like "Prophet".

So we will get back to you all, asking for help. When we are getting closer, we want you to be together with us on this. Actually we need your help hoping you want to give us some... Tell you more about that later.

If you feel like it, give us some respons on the Forum and let us hear from you, knowing you are with us.

Please pray for us...

Love from Ulf... for the band Jerusalem