A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 1: 3 POLITICAL SINGLES

Three political various artists singles with a strong local flavor.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Historien går igen (Manifest, EP 1977)
Featured artists: Ted Ström / Thores Trio / Magnus Nilsson
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

A four-track EP released on Manifest – the premier label of Northern Sweden – to raise money for a feature length documentary on the fate of small town Karlsvik, directed by Kerstin Wixe and Ylva Mårtens. The subtitle for ”Historien går igen” is ”Stöd filmen om Karlsvik!” (=”support the Karlsvik movie!”). An early example of fundraising.

Karlsvik is a very small town, a village really, just outside of Luleå (home of the Manifest label), with a population of then only 280, and once dependent on the local ironworks before it was blown-up in the early 20th century which almost forced the village to shut down completely. The same thing was about to happen again in the late 70s (hence the title ”Historien går igen”, ”history repeats itself”) when the local grocery store was about to shut down. According to the EP's liner notes. a municipal commissioner says in the movie that they'd prefer if they just could let Karlsvik cease and desist altogether. This was actually not uncommon in Sweden during the 70s when many a rural area bled both financially and populationwise to the bigger cities in the South. Several artists, especially from the affected regions, dealt with it in their songs, most notably Bernt Staf and Ted Ström. Not surprisingly, Ted Ström contributes to the lead-off title track to this EP, an acoustic number also included on his ”Kärva lägen” album.

The remaining three tracks are shared between obscure band Thores Trio (who had one full album out in 1981), and Magnus Nilsson who gets two songs. Nilsson was actually a member of Gothenburgians Text & Musik, and although none of the tracks on this EP is any good, Nilsson's ”Den första butiken” is the best. The style of all four selections is rather typical political songs, and if I am to point out any certain value of this release, it would be exclusively historical.

If the movie and its accompanying EP had anything to do with it is beyond my knowledge, but the village of Karlsvik still exists; population 232 in 2020. 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Norrbottenplattan 1 (Manifest, 1977)

Featured artists: Anton Swedbergs Swängjäng / Contraband / Thores Trio / Norrlåtar / Håkan Rudehäll
 Swedish vocals, other languages
International relevance: *

The second of the two volumes of ”Norrbottenplattan” is already on this blog. This first volume was released a year earlier than volume 2, in 1977. Featured on both releases are Anton Swedbergs Swängjäng, the nebulous musical collective who had different members on any given occasion. Their track here is one of their weakest – ”Playa Plannya” is several songs in one mixing show tunes with trad jazz, like a miniature cabaret.

Contraband is featured with a song named ”Euskefeurat” which soon also became the name of the band. As such they had a long career which earned their mix of folk sounds and comedy quite some popularity for reasons that will remain obscure with me.

Thores Trio is back again here with a track in the same sort of old timey folk vein and just as forgettable as the one on ”Historien går igen”.

Norrlåtar is the most credible band in this lot but their contribution is among their weakest tracks.

Håkan Rudehäll released at least one album on his own, and at one point contributed an essay on the lack of work in Northern Sweden to an anthology book published in 1973. His track on ”Norrbottenplattan” is a jolly ditty of which there are seemingly thousands in the field of political song. And none of them is worth hearing.

All in all, this is for local patriots only. Others should steer clear.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Livet i Kvarnbyn / Vi bygger landet (no label, 1982)

Featured artists: Pär Holmertz / Leif Moe / Maria Samuelsson / Mats Sköldberg / Stefan Sporsén 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Quite possible one of the most obscure and secretive releases on the blog, this was a local release from Mölndal, a neighbouring town to Gothenburg. The two songs on the single was culled from a stage play about the labourers movement's development in the Mölndal region in the early 1900s. Info on this release is scarce to say the least; it's not even listed on Discogs and I don't recognize most of the names on the cover either, but it appears that Leif and Ole Moe (brothers, assumably) later had a couple of private releases out, and Pär Holmertz (guitar, bass, drums) could possibly be the Per Holmertz who later did some engineering work for bands in the Gothenburg area. Trumpeter Stefan Sporsén however has had a long career afterwards, playing with several of Sweden's best known artists in more recent times. Not that any of this really matters because it's nothing worth hunting down. ”Livet i Kvarnbyn” is an undistinguished track that reminds me of equally undistinguished Christian singer/songwriter rock from the same time (but without the Christian message). B side ”Vi bygger landet” sounds like any old laborers movement song, and without any proper songwriter's credit here it might very well be. The production is pretty good, especially for a release like this, so I assume somebody put a little cash into its realization.

from Historien går igen:
Ted Ström - Historien går igen
Thores Trio - Hit kom dom

from Norrbottenplattan 1:
Contraband - Euskefeurat
Anton Swedbergs Swängjäng - Playa Plannja
Thores Trio - Norrbottenssången
Norrlåtar - Lakkolaulu Pajalasta

Livet i Kvarnbyn:
No links found.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Norrbottensplattan vol. 2: Kom igen! (Manifest, 1978)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

It's not often that a seven-inch finds its way to the blog, but this is is one of them. (It's not that I don't care about singles, it just hasn't happened very often yet.) Then again, it's almost like half an album, with five tracks running at 33 1/3 rpm. It's the second volume of two, with volume 1 being released by Manifest the previous year, 1977. It features a couple of lesser-known outfits, as well as members from familiar bands from Sweden's Northern regions, such as Rekyl, Skottes Musikorkester and Anton Swedbergs Svängjäng.

The weakest track shares the A-side with the best one. Lule Stassteater, a local independent theatre group, contributes a 'funny' stinker called ”Flyttvisa från Norrbotten” quickly followed by the excellent "Snålblåst" by members of Rekyl's, Skottes Musikorkester and Det Rivna Pianot collectively named Snålblåstgänget. If ”Snålblåst” sounds familiar, it's probably because you've heard songwriter Tomas Forsell's own version of it on his second album ”Nya tider” from 1980. Forsell's recording is the better of the two, but the song is simply excellent you just can't fail with it. To my ears, it's one of the Great Songs of the progg era.

The B side offers up three tracks, none of them particularly good. Folket I Ton's ”Vi vägrar att flytta” is run-of-the-mill shout-your-propaganda-message crap; Pyramid's contribution ”Arbete och liv” sounds like a late 70s Christian MOR track with the religious theme replaced by unexeciting political lyrics, and Anton Swedberg Svängjäng's ”Kom igen!” is probably their weakest ever outing and another ”shout-your-propaganda” track even worse than Folket I Ton.

If you like ”Snålblåst” as much as I do, you might want to seek this one out, otherwise you can safely pass on this.

Lule Stassteater - Flyttvisa från Norrbotten
Folket I Ton - Vi vägrar att flytta
Pyramid - Arbete och liv
Anton Swedbergs Svängjäng - Kom igen!

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Alternativ festival (MNW, 1976)

Featured artists: Fungus (NL) / Amerindios (CHL) / Sume (GRL) / Nynningen / Viltstråk / Anton Swedbergs Swängjäng / Konvaljen / Slim Notini / Margareta Söderberg / Pojkarna Från Storholmen / Harpan Min / Turid / Balkan (DEN) / Arja Saijonmaa / Gregoris Tzistoudis (GR) / Gunnar Thordarsson (ISL) / Ville & Valle & Viktor / Adolf Fredriks flickkör / Silverdalskören / 3 På En Pall / Þokkabót ‎(ISL) / Slim's Blues Band / Solvognen (DEN) / Södra Bergens Balalaikor / Peggy Seeger (UK/US) / Ewan MacColl (UK) / Amtmandens Døtre (NOR) / Risken Finns / Nationalteatern / Sillstryparn

Swedish vocals, instrumental, spoken word

International relevance: **

When ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, Sweden was to host the show in 1975. The music movement responded with a festival of its own under the banner of ”fight against the commercialization of the culture”. Alternativfestivalen, ”the alternative festival”, took place in Stockholm during six days in March 1975. An array of performers from Sweden and abroad (including Greenland!) gathered for the occasion; Anton Swedbergs Swängjäng, Kebnekajse, Nationalteatern, Nynningen, Risken Finns, Solar Plexus, Solen Skiner, Södra Bergens Balalaikor, Hoola Bandoola Band, Konvaljen, Turid, Slim Notini, Margareta Söderberg, Francisco Roca, Fungus, Shit & Chanel, Kevin Coyne, Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger... A total of 950 musicians appeared before an audience totalling 12,000 people. The event was recorded for a future double LP on MNW, and filmed for what became the ”Vi har vår egen sång – musikfilmen” documentary, both in 1976. A staggering 5,000 people partook in the protest march against the contest held on Saturday 22 March, 1975, the very same day of the ESC broadcast, which led to the Swedish cancellation of contest the following year.

Alternativfestivalen culminated with Sillstryparn – a character invented by Nationalteatern's Ulf Dageby – performing the acidic satire ”Doin' the omoralisk schlagerfestival” (”doin' the immoral Eurovision Song Contest”) backed by members of Nationalteatern and Nynningen. The song was featured on the album and also released as a 7” and became not only a hit but a progg anthem plenty of people still know today. (The 45 also includes two non-album tracks by Risken Finns and Nationalteatern & Nynningen respectively.)

Featuring such disparate artists, the album itself is a stylistic roller coaster ride. Traditional folk music from several countries, choral music and spoken word performances mix with rock. blues and fusion. It doesn't hold up as an album – the symbolic value as a commemorative piece from the manifestation exceeds the listening pleasure. That said, it has a couple of OK selections. Dutch band Fungus offers up a nice albeit unashamedly derivative slice of Fairport Convention styled folk rock with ”Kap'ren varen”, Nynningen gives ”Skuldkomplexet” a spirited performance, and Danish trio Balkan (led by Bazaar's Peter Bastian) are great. ”Doin' the omoralisk schlagerfestival” is, well, not exactly great but very amusing. Oddly enough, neither Solar Plexus nor Kebnekajse are on the album but they do appear in the movie which is an overall better document than the album. An alternative festival was arranged in the spirit of the original event in 2007 with contemporary artists.

Arja Saijonmaa & Gregoris Tzistoudis - Moderns klagosång 

Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger - Song of Choice

Nationalteatern, Nynningen & Sillstryparn - Doin' the omoralisk schlagerfestival

REKYL – Rekyl (Manifest, 1976) / I himlen är det för sent (Manifest, 1979) / Vi blir aldrig som ni vill (Manifest, 1980)

Rekyl was an important part of the Northern Luleå scene. Apart from being a much appreciated band in their own right, their members participated in other projects such as Anton Svedbergs Swängjäng and Vi Var Tolv Man I Laget, and helping Tomas Forssell out on his ”Ingenting står stilla” album, and Ted Ström on his ”Kärva lägen”.

Rekyl (Manifest, 1976)

International relevance: *

Swedish vocals

Rekyl appeared as a fully fledged band already on their maiden work. Blues based rock with an obvious Rolling Stones bent (not only because of their Swedish take on ”Street Fighting Man”, ”Slagskämpens sång”) with political and sometimes very graphic lyrics. I'm sure it helps getting along with Rekyl if you're a Stones fan. Which I'm not, so the best tracks to me are ”Mardröm” (more progg than Stones) and the melancholy album closer ”Grå grönska”. Great cover art though!

I himlen är det för sent (Manifest, 1979)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

The second album follows along the tracks of the first, with more Stones infused rock, only a little tighter production-wise with horns added to ”Låt dom inte få dej” and ballads ”Då behöver jag dej” and ”Vi behöver dina ögon”. Tight playing and often well written lyrics. I can understand how this appeal to a lot of people but the album fails to move me. 

Vi blir aldrig som ni vill (Manifest, 1980)

International relevance: *

Swedish vocals

The horns introduced on ”I himlen är det för sent” come further up on Rekyl's final album for Manifest. Rolf Hedberg's sax has a strong Clarence Clemons vibe, pushing tracks like ”Arbeta hårt” and ”Gasen i botten” closer to Bruce Springsteen than the Stones. I don't consider that as a problem per se, but there's something about ”Vi blir aldrig som ni” that makes it the weakest of the band's Manifest albums. There's still some good lyric work going on here but the bigger production makes the songs unnecessarily fluffy. 

Following ”Vi blir aldrig som ni”, Rekyl signed with the Frituna label and released live album ”Levande i Luleå” plus two 45's on the same label. They're also featured on ”Norrbottenplattan 2", ”Tonkraft 1977-78”. A 1975 radio recording can be found in the ”Progglådan” box set.

Rekyl full album playlist
I himlen är det för sent full album playlist
Vi blir aldrig som ni vill full album playlist

Tonkraft 1975 full album playlist (tracks 1-10)

ANTON SVEDBERGS SWÄNGJÄNG – Anton Svedbergs Swängjäng (Manifest, 1975)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Anton Svedbergs Swängjäng (sometimes spelt differently) was a Luleå based collective of musicians also involved with other bands including Rekyl, Norrlåtar, Kornet and Norrbottens Järn. With input from a whopping 36 members from such different genres the music moves wildly between folk, rock, jazz, progg, and singer/singwriter music. The style changes from track to track and one could almost think the band's main purpose was to confuse as many people as possible. Because of its entertainment value mention should be made of their cover of ”Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”, in Swedish with the original title appropriately changed to ”Anton Svedbergs Swängjäng”. Best track is the hard driving ”Den olympiska maskinen”. The album was recorded live and features some amusing between song banter (in Swedish). 

A curio more than anything.

A live recording was also released as part of  ”Progglådan”.

"Anton Svedbergs Swängjäng"

"Disco Dick"
"Kärlek"

"Den olympiska maskinen"

Tonkraft 1975

"Nödrop från ett betongghetto" 

"Sedelmakaren"

"Lillan snusar i skönan säng"