PEDS POL – Blueskatarr (GoodWill, 1982)

 

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

A blues based band featuring musicians that would later go to other bands such as neo-garage rockers The Maryland Cookies and a reformed Solen Skiner. Peds Pol's only album was engineered by ex-Tempelrock guitarist Sten Tempelman.

I say ”blues based”, because Peds Pol wasn't an all out blues band. Judging by opening track ”Hungry Boogie”, they did count John Mayall among their influences, but there's a bit of straightforward pop rock here, as well as indistinct heartland rock. The most progg tinged tracks are ”Dimman” with a sort of Grateful Dead inspired ending, the ballad ”Kvinna i svart” and the jam soaked title track that ends the album. Overlong at 15 minutes, but still the best moment with some pseudo-psychedelic moves that would have livened up the entire album had they dared to show them more often. 

Dimman 
Kvinna i svart
Blueskatarr 

4 LOCAL V/A COMPILATIONS: Musikpuls / Umeå Rocks Vol. 1 / Först Värnamo... sen världen... / Linköpingsrock '82

Region specific compilations are often very hit and miss, with more misses than hits. There might be some nuggets hidden away there, but it's admittedly a dirty work finding them. Also, their main purpose is often demonstrating the musical breadth of a region, meaning they're usually stylistically inconsistent. That certainly goes for the four discs presented here.

 

MUSIKPULS (Wisa, 1981)

Featured artists: Axels Misär / Gathering Freak / Exodus / Untermensch / P-Nissarna / Hellzephyrs Poporkester / Spader Madame / Decerth / Sunshine Explosion / Skilda Världar / Starglide

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: * 

From Dalarna in the middle of Sweden comes this ragbag collection of blues, punk, heavy metal, post punk pop,ska and FM rock. The best known bands are P-Nissarna (punk) and Hellzephyrs Rockorkester (pop/rock with Janne Goldman and Arbete & Fritid connections). Gathering Freak's ”Skywalker” is a slightly under-rehearsed heavy metal track but still probably the best cut on the album, featuring future metal band Six Feet Under's vocalist Björn Lodin.

 

UMEÅ ROCKS, VOL. 1 (Brute Force, MC, 1981)
Featured artists: Steve Roper Band / Döbelns / The Pinheads / Arrows / Ma Connection / Nylle & Nallarna / Peppes / Vampires / Europa / Street Level / Boi Top / Checkpoint Charlie / Caligulas Barn / La Machine / Incontinents / Unknown artist
Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Probably the most interesting item in this quartet of V/A's, but also the one hardest to find as it was released on tape only. It was the first issue ever on Brute Force Records that later would morph into Garageland Records. Some names wellknown to progg heads here, most notably Steve Roper Band, Ma Connection and Checkpoint Charlie, while The Pinheads might be the most widely familiar name overall. As expected, ”Umeå Rocks, Vol. 1” is all over the place genre-wise but there's a couple of interesting tracks here. Ma Connection's ”Cascade Of Love” is a great slow blues that might be better and moodier than anything on their album ”8691” with some really heartfelt guitar playing from Jan Bjuhr. Vampires were a very obscure synth based band with bass and electric guitar augmenting the cold synthetic sound that (to my knowledge) only ever released this one track ”Stake At The Hard”, an ominous instrumental with faint krautrock traits, almost like a drowsy post-apocalyptic Cosmic Overdose. Incontinents are in a similar vein only with a lighter mood and more adept lead guitar. Not as good as Vampires but still one of the highlights of the tape.

The unknown band at the end of the tape is exactly that, an unknown band. Whoever they are, they deliver a pretty bad cover of The Who's ”Substitute”.

I don't think there ever was a second ”Umeå Rocks” volume.

FÖRST VÄRNAMO.... SEN VÄRLDEN... (Värnamo Musik, 1981)
Featured artists: Abcess / Paj-Cana / Snubbelfot / Omar / Luftgrop / Chronicle / Moder Jord / Akupunktur / Fladderhälarna
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **

Värnamo is part of the Swedish bible belt, situated in the Småland region. Although all bands on this album are from Värnamo, there's not much religion to be found here. The best known group here is Omar featured with one of their better tracks, ”Opium”. They're actually one of the most accomplished bands in this lot too, as many of the other contributing combos surely would have benefitted from a few more rehearsal hours. The emphasis is on rock sometimes reaching into punk and hard rock, although there are occasional ska/reggae influences heard in Abcess and Luftgrop. The most ambitious track comes from hard rock/prog outfit Moder Jord – actually a bit too ambitious for their technical prowess. The curiously named ”Fiskmuskler” (=”fish muscles”) is nevertheless one of the best tracks in this generally pedestrian collection.

The album title means ”first Värnamo... then the world...” which obviously is intentionally ironic, or at least proved to be. Except for perhaps Omar, none of these bands reached very far beyond the city limits.

 

LINKÖPINGSROCK '82 (Studiefrämjandet, 1982)
Featured artists: Articats / DR/DR / Wallraff / Glamour / Axewitch / Midwinter / Dr. Pollon / Bulldogs / Bädda / DNA / Müsk / Skenet Bedrar

 Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

Time to go to Linköping, home to Kultivator, Mendoza and Erik Aschan and an album released by the study circle Studiefrämjandet in 1982. Linköping has always been a musically active city keen to provide rehearsal spaces to young bands, and ”Linköpingsrock '82” is a testament to that. The bands are well rehearsed although the musical styles aren't particularly interesting. There's a bit of formulaic punk, dull funk rock, pedestrian pop rock and mediocre synth pop. Again it's the heavy metal kids that bring home the medals. Axewitch's ”Nightmare” has an effective riff, and they're the most professional sounding band in this collection. No wonder they actually had a career following this compilation, with several albums out during the first half of the 80s. Artifact didn't – ”A Tribute To You” is the only thing they released – but their mix of heavy metal and symphonic rock might appeal to some readers.

Musikpuls full album 
Umeå Rocks, vol. 1 full album   
Först Värnamo... sen världen... full album   
Linköpingsrock '82 full album

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 9: Political, religious & theatrical

 
JOINT EFFORT – Du, värld / I morgon (Kyrkoton, 1969)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

A very rare single from a very obscure Christian trio, so obscure it's not even listed on Discogs at the time of writing. Released on the Kyrkoton label who also gave us the collectable Vergers which should pique the interest of some readers. Not that it needs any pull from others because it stands up well on its own. The B side is the weaker track of the two, although that one's OK as well with a Sir Douglas Quintet styled organ and a pretty catchy drive. But the real treat is ”Du, värld” which is just excellent, a rare Swedish example of what's internationally known as moody garage. Absolutely haunting with brooding organ, reverbed rimshots and a mesmerizing atmosphere created by a slow, almost ghostlike, harmonized melody. In a time when everything appears excavated, discovered, comped and reissued all over again, it's a mystery how this one slipped through the cracks. It's not even of Discogs at the time of writing. It's one of the best Xian tracks I've ever heard from Sweden, almost up there with New Creation's ”He Is There”.

Joint Effort later changed their name to Mission Possible and as such released another Kyrkoton single in 1971. The A side, in a style similar to ”Du, värld”, is featured on the ”Frälst!” compilation.

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Jubileum SSU 60 år (Frihets Förlag, 1977)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: -

Four tracks recorded for the ”Democratize Sweden” conference in January 1977 and released to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Social Democrats' youth association SSU the same year. The focus is obsviously on the message, delivered by singing groups Nacka-gänget, Nya Gesällerna and Lasse-Maja. The music was written by Göran Blomqvist known from some other Social Democratic releases, with words by journalist Bernt Rosengren (no, not that Bernt Rosengren). A couple of the songs – with hot titles such as ”Var börjar socialismen” (=”where does socialism begin”) and ”Socialismen är solidaritet” (=”socialism is solidarity”) – appear rooted in the Eisler/Weill tradition but are melodically paralyzed. The whole thing just sounds unmusical, but it wouldn't surprise me if some perverted hipster DJ takes a liking to ”Du duger” (=”you're OK”) because of its, ahem, 'funkiness'.

 

FRISKT VATTEN – Tågsång / Marknadsföring (A Disc, 1980)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Two non-album tracks released inbetween Friskt Vatten's last two albums. ”Tågsång” is a ballad of sorts, unpleasantly close to yacht rock but with some fine piano playing. ”Marknadsföring” speaks out again mindless consumption and shares the sentiment with Peps Persson's ”Hög standard” but lacking Peps's ability to transform observation to sharp-witted lyrics on his level.

KYRKSTÖT – No Smoking / Dr. Jekyll (no label, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

A Christian hard rock band familiar from the V/A comp ”Rockplock”. This single was the only other outing from Kyrkstöt. The A side is competent but entirely uninteresting boogie rock, while ”Dr. Jekyll” is radio friendly pop rock that feels overlong despite being of 4 minute standard length. Best avoided.

 

SKOGSNÄSKOLLEKTIVET – Odlad jord ska förbli odlad (Ljudbarrikaden, 1980)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

The title of this single is ”Odlad jord ska förbli odlad” (=”cultivated land should remain cultivated”) but the song titles are actually ”Fattig på de fattigas planet” (=”poor on the planet of poors”) and ”Den trygge” (=”the safe one”). It was recorded within the long running environmentally concerned and anti-capitalist Skogsnäs community in the Northern Sweden.

I was afraid ”Odlad jord ska förbli odlad” would be just another fingerpointing pamphlet progg release, so I was completely taken aback when ”Fattig på de fattigas planet” proved to be an outright fantastic minor key folksy track in a Townes Van Zandt vein, augmented with a wonderful, gnarly fiddle like straight out of cult movie ”The Wicker Man”. Even the children's chorus sounds good (!), adding another emotional layer to the splendid track. The guy who wrote it is Kåre Wigforss who I think is still musically active (judging by a Youtube channel dedicated to Kåre Wigforss Band) although I can't find any proof of him having released anything apart from this one knockout track.

The B side is credited to the band Ryktet Går and while their ”Den trygge” isn't on par with ”Fattig på de fattigas planet”, it's still better than expected. It's more of an early 80s folk rock track with jangly guitars – think a slightly more garage-y but relaxed early R.E.M. and you're not exactly correct but going in the right direction.

MUSIKGRUPPEN NEJRÖSTERNA – Solen och vinden och vattnet och jorden / Kärnkraftsman (Live Studio Lane, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

A twelve-piece band formed in late 1979 when the Gothenburg fraction of The Anti-Nuclear Movement needed music during their meetings. (”Nejrösterna” means ”the no votes”, referring to the nuclear referendum held in Sweden in March 1980). Two songs were recorded in November 1979 but the release was belated by the pressing plant until early 1980 when the single was finally released in an edition of a 1000 copies (with about half of them sold by the band). The lyrics for the A side were found in a leaflet distributed during an anti-nuclear protest march, while the words for the B side used The Beatles' ”Nowhere Man” as a source inspiration. Let's get it over with right away: This sounds nothing like The Beatles. It doesn't sound like anything you'd want to hear. As opposed to Skogsnäskollektivet above, this is exactly the kind of stuff that makes me want to rip my ears off my head. Ten people singing at once in a smug tone, backed by flutes, bongos and accordeon and an unnecessary large number of maracas. My only question now is how far this piece of shit will fly if I throw it from a cliff.

SKOTTES MUSIKORKESTER / THOMAS WIEHE, PER DUNSÖ, OLA STRÖM & TRULS – Antikärnkraftverk (Källan, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

The resistance against nuclear power was well spread in the cultural world prior to the referendum mentioned above. Plenty of actors, musicians and artists spoke out against it in 1979-1980 as proven by several charity singles and albums released at the time. This one gathered Skottes Musikorkester, and Thomas Wiehe together with Per Dunsö, Ola Ström and Ström's nephew Truls. Per Dunsö and the two Ströms were known from TV where they produced appalling children's shows, and their track ”Vaggvisa fem i tolv” (=”lullabye five to twelve”) could very well have appeared in one of them. The clarinet and the fiddle are pleasant features, and the acoustic framework is nice enough, but the song itself is oddly formless. And there's way too much Truls singing.

Skottes Musikorkester in turn contribute a klezmer styled track with a few instrumental turns that are quite nice but it's spoiled by the overzealous vocals.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE – SUSB / Pyret (CC Records, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Checkpoint Charlie formed in 1976 and had a few active years before eventually disbanding in the early 80s. In the meantime they appeared on the various artists comps ”Vi har rätt till jobb” and ”Umeå Rocks, Vol. 1”, but had only one single out under their own banner. Heavily rooted in the semi-heavy rock style of the Umeå/Luleå region as represented by Rekyl and Kylans Rockorkester. The title ”SUSB” is short for Stiftelsen Umeå Studentbostäder (Umeå Student Housing Foundation) with some wonderfully acidic lyrics against the local lack of housing. The track is credited to guitarist Urban Bergman, but it's so much Chuck Berry that it's almost a cover of every Berry song in the style of ”Johnny B. Goode”. Still, the hard driving performance and the great lyrics (if you can understand them) have a certain appeal. ”Pyret” slows things down a bit, a dark observation written from a two-year-old's perspective. Some heavy guitars and a couple of progressive sections are nice features, but it's not as effective as the rousing A side.

 

TURMANS BAND – Bluesen kommer från Tierp (Mistlur, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Three songs recorded in 1979 and released the next year by the Mistlur imprint that at the time, early in their existence, was one of the companies that most strategically documented progg's extension into punk. As the title of this EP suggests (meaning ”the blues come from Tierp”, Tierp being the band's hometown situated between Uppsala and Gävle), Turmans Band dealt with blues, but not very proficiently. There's no real edge to it, and the main focus seems to be on the lyrics (also printed on an insert) that address a dull everyday life, unemployment and the troubles getting somewhere to live. The vocals could have strengthened the pedestrian performance but they're too weak to help the cause.

Mora Träsk's Thomas Örstrand appears on harmonica, and the EP title is a nod to Mora Träsk's album "Rocken kommer från Gävle" (="the rock music comes from Gävle"). 

MIKAEL WIEHE, NYBERG, FRANCK & FJELLIS – Gökungen / Livet efter 30 (Amalthea, 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

”Gökungen” was later included on Wiehe's 1983 album ”Lindansaren”, one of the best tracks off that album. It has a a scary, sinister atmosphere and is by far one of the best tracks on that album. The B side is unique to this single and it's easy to see why it was left off the album. A weak track with an ironic lyric about the ”joys” of turning 30 when your body has been broken down by hard work (although the hard work bit is merely implied).

SÄTRASKOLANS MUSIKTEATERGRUPP – Tjejsans nya kläder (no label, 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

A real oddity with seven songs taken from a school play performed at a suburbian Stockholm school. (The title is an impossible to translate wordplay on the "emperor's new clothes" expression.) Probably of interest mainly to those participating in the play (about fashion peer pressure among youths), but several of the songs actually have pretty cool solo guitar. A couple of surprisingly catchy performances, especially on ”Mode, mode, mode”. But there's also a couple of tracks which suggests some of the songwriters (teachers?) had listened too much to political progg in the 70s. The EP is generally better than I expected, but not worth looking for unless you're a collector of school projects.

The track "Discolåten" was included on "Annorlunda Underground", a CD-r compilation released in 2000.

 

ETOS – Den nakna sanningen / Skulden (A Disc, 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

One of very few singles released on the pathologically humdrum A Disc label. That this is one of their best releases says way more about the label than the music on this disc. It's very commercial sounding with some hard rock aspirations mixed in with the lacklustre pop rock and ska influences, but they fall flat due to a submissive production. Minus also for the shouty singer and the A Disc-typical bland lyrics.

 

PISTOLTEATERN – Reggae från Torsgatan (Alice, 1982, EP)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Pistolteatern (=”the pistol theatre”) is probably best known to proggsters as a venue where bands such as International Harvester and Fläsket Brinner played. But their main purpose was of course that of an independent theatre group, and their progressive stance has made them legendary. The four tracks on this seldom seen 33 rpm EP all come from the play ”Alive”, and features the busy Göran Lagerberg on bass and Sven Bjärhall (Solen Skiner, Jan Hammarlund) on lead guitar. Guitarist/keyboardist Håkan Möller also appeared on a late Thomas Mera Gartz album. The vocals are shared by Jonas Uddenmyr (later appearing on a cassette-only release by Thomas Tidholm) and Lars Källenius. All tracks are suprisingly solid reggae numbers, much more credible than I expected from their ephemeral origins. There's a relieving lack of ”jokiness”, but one of the songwriters is Lars Naumborg, friend of Aston Reymers Rivaler, and thus respectful and knowledgeable enough of reggae not to waste his efforts on any unserious silliness. Can very well be of interest to those into Swedish reggae.

Friskt Vatten full single playlist
Etos full single playlist (Spotify) 
Musikgruppen Nejrösterna 
Solen och vinden och vattnet och jorden (poor sound) 
Jubileum SSU 60 år
Ditt eget ansvar / Socialismen är solidaritet / Du duger / Var börjar socialismen
Skottes Musikorkester
Frihetens eko 
Turmans Band
Till arbetsmarknadens förfogande blues / Bostadsblues 
Mikael Wiehe
Gökungen / Livet efter 30 
Sätraskolans Musikteatergrupp
Brain Tango / Mode, mode, mode / Discolåten / Sången om Tom / Pia Jansson / Barbies sång

Joint Effort / Kyrkstöt / Skogsnäskollektivet / Checkpoint Charlie / Pistolteatern no links found

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 8: Various singles

 

BLUESET – Midnight Rambler / The Band (Efel, 1970)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

Second single from Södertälje's Blueset. ”Midnight Rambler” is a pointless cover of The Rolling Stones monolith while the 'B' side is an autobiographical revamp of Willie Cobbs' ”You Don't Love Me” (which in turn was a modification of Bo Diddley's ”She's Fine, She's Mine”). Not any of Blueset's best moments.
 

RÖDA KAPELLET & UNGA GARDET – EP (Arbetarkultur, 1974)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Recorded in 1973 and released as a four-track EP the following year, this was Röda Kapellet's first release. Two of the songs are performed with vocal group Unga Gardet in a typical political leftwing style à la a less militant Freedom Singers/Knutna Nävar. Not good. The two remaining tracks are by the electric (and better) incarnation of Röda Kapellet. Not that neither ”Västeråsvisan” nor ”Rätt till ett meningsfullt jobb” is particularly good, but both have some drive to them that make them at least a little bit catchy. 

 

OKAY TEMIZ - Denizaltı Rüzgarları / Dokuz Sekiz (Yonca, 1975)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Something as unusual as a single from the magnificent Okay Temiz, released only in Turkey in the same year as the ”Turkish Folk Jazz” album but very different. It's actually rather different to most of Temiz did, especially in the 70s (although I do recognize the riff from somewhere). ”Denizaltı Rüzgarları” has a persistent, driving groove and is one of the funkiest tracks in his ouvre, and I could imagine someone remixing it for the dance floor unless it has already happened. ”Dokuz Sekiz” in turn is a freaky percussion workout with downright psychedelic shadings. An excellent non-album two-sider from both ends of the spectrum, thankfully reissued in 2017 by UK based label Arsivplak specialized on Turkish rarities – originals are rare and costly.

JAJJA BAND – Tårarna / Linda (MNW, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

A supergroup of sorts with members from November, Träd Gräs & Stenar, Eldkvarn, and Sigge Krantz from everyone from Bröderna Lönn to Archimedes Badkar. Not that it says much about how Jajja Band sounds – they were more of a standard period rock band with light strokes of punk and new wave. Interesting as a footnote to the abovementioned bands but nothing that stands up on its own merits.

 

MUSIC TEAM – Funny Way Of Livin' / Sweet Lorraine (no label, 1979)

English vocals

International relevance: -

The 'A' side is stupid horn rock boogie, the 'B' side is better but only just. And what's better about it is effectively ruined by Boel Peterson's intrusive back-up vocals anyway. Said to be a private release but the labels are suspiciously similar to the labels of Janne Goldmann's R & P Records so maybe there's a connection.

 

ACHILLEUS – Allt vi begär / Öbergs präster (Pang, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

One of many, many bands lured to the rogue label Pang Records by the dodgy Lars E. Carlsson who ran it between 1978 and 1984. The single was pressed, as often with Pang, in 500 copies and the band was gravely dissatisfied with the results. They were a hard rock band with some symphonic moves, and the inferior four track studio was not what they were promised and couldn't capture the sound they aimed for. They remixed the single in 2024 for streaming platforms, and while still an insufficient recording, it does sound better now. It's musically not very good though. Those who nevertheless want to hear more early Achilleus material can check out their streaming compilation ”The Sins Of Youth 1982-1984”.

 

TIEBREAK – Mina grannar (gillar inte rock'n'roll) / Balladen om Lotta Bengtsson (Pang, 1982)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

The singer's dialect suggests Tiebreak might have been from the Swedish West Coast. They sound very much like a Gothenburg version of Sydkraft, meaning irrelevant stupid rock'n'roll. Both songs are bad.

 

VICTIM – Framtid med hopp / Det var då han vann (Pang, 1982)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Clumsy hard rock verging on heavy metal from Vimmerby in the county of Småland. Poorly rehearsed and with a horrible, insipid singer. The cover art is bad even for a Pang release. Very expensive these days, but that has definitely more to do with rarity grade than musical value.
 

 

HELIUM HEAD – In The Sky / Take Me Home (Pang, 1982)

English vocals

International relevance: **

One more Pang 45, and one of the better. The band was from the small town of Yxbo in the Hälsingland county in the middle of Sweden and might have taken their name from the Sir Lord Baltimore song. The guitars are a bit metallic but Helium Head is generally closer to good old fashioned hard rock. ”In The Sky” is really catchy, and while the 'B' side ”Take Me Home” is also very melodic, it's not as good as the other track – it's a little bit too poppy for the style. Still a pity they never released anything else, they had more talent than many other bands screwed over by Pang.

Released without a picture sleeve.
 

 

DREAD NOT – Reggae Inna Umeå (no label, 1982)

English vocals

International relevance: *

Reggae band of little significance. They came from Umeå as revealed by the single's title, and despite a prime time television appearance, nothing came of the band except this one self-released and self-produced 7”. The only member I recognize is drummer Jan Gavelin who was in Harald Hedning in the mid 70s. Closer to brit reggae acts like Aswad and Steel Pulse and not very close to Jamaica, the 'A' side ”This World” is OK albeit formulaic, while 'B' side ”Welcome Brother” is entirely forgettable.

Blueset no links found
Helium Head no links found
Okay Temiz full single playlist (Bandcamp)
Tiebreak full single
Victim full single
Röda Kapellet & Unga Gardet:
Västeråsvisan / Världsungdomssången (with Unga Gardet) / Unga gardet (with Unga Gardet) / Rätt till ett meningsfull artbete
Jajja Band:
Tårarna / Linda (Soundcloud)
Music Team:
Funny Way Of Livin'
Achilleus:
Allt vi begär / Öbergs präster
Full remixed single playlist
Dread Not:
This World / Welcome Brother 

PEPS PERSSON – Walking By Myself: Live At Fattighuset 1972 (Mellotronen, 2025; rec. 1972)

English vocals
International relevance: **

This is very strange. It was released through streaming sites only in early 2025 with the info that Mellotronen's behind it, but it's an unusually shoddy release coming from them. To begin with, it's short on info. What we know, or at least are told, is that was recorded at Club Fattighuset in Stockholm. But there are no musicians credits (although it sounds like Slim Notini on piano) and the recording year is uncertain. The ”cover” says 1972 (a date also given by long running Swedish blues magazine Jefferson on Facebook shortly before the release) but every streaming platform says it's from 1973. The ”cover” is as unimaginative as it gets and looks more like the work of some kitchen table bootlegger. The sound is in stereo; it's either an execeptionally good audience tape or a B+ soundboard recording. 

Being from the early 70s it's an all blues set but edited down to a six songs of a mere 25 minutes. What's interesting is that it only has songs not on any other Peps album, and being a good performance it's highly interesting to Peps fans. But if someone bothers to release it even in such a disappointing fashion, why cut it down to EP length, and why such careless presentation? Being of musical as well as great historical value, I wish whoever's responsible for this hack job would have paid more respect to the source material and Peps devotees.

Full EP playlist

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 2: Blues

 LIBERTY BLUES – Road Scrambler / Right Way Blues (Marilla, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: **

All Liberty Blues managed to release during their five year existence was this single. Very much a throwback to the kind of rhythm & blues that was in vogue in the 60s. ”Road Scrambler” is brimming with fuzzed out energy, fighting to get out of the murky cellar in which it was recorded. At least it sounds like that. Being released on Hans Edler's Marilla imprint, maybe a few cents were put into the recording after all. The B side is a slow rolling blues but it still has a similar underground vibe including that overheated fuzz solo. Plenty of youthful charm and if you're into the style at all it's rather enjoyable.

OLHSSONS GROVA – One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer / One More Mile (NCS, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: **

Legendary Kalmar outfit who had two singles out in 1971. This was their first, notable for some mean guitar playing courtesy of Bo Wilson. Wilson much later formed his own group, and the band also has loose ties to another Kalmar band, Kung Tung. It's plain blues, but it's very solid and that guitar elevates the single to a new level. The flipside of their second single was included on ”Swedish Meatballs, Vol. 2”. Both their singles are very rare and expensive.

VIGGO – Sings His Own Mississippi River And Blues In Stockholm (Intersound, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: *

Norweigan born Viggo Paulsen moved to Stockholm in 1969 and there he recorded his only single. Both songs are just Viggo, his acoustic guitar, harmonica and somewhat tortured vocals. It's not so much blues as a 60s styled folk singer/songwriter. Not very good and certainly not worth the ridiculous asking prices on the collectors market. 

COOL HAMBONE – I'm So Tired Of It / Supervisor Blues (Tibet -46, 1972)
English vocals
International relevance: **

Rolf Wikström's debut was this 33 1/3 rpm single with two songs both around the 6 minute mark. There's not much that differs this from Wikström's better known later efforts except the English vocals. His raspy voice is already there, as is his penchant for overbearing guitar soloing. Without a doubt a desirable item for Wikström freaks but very little on offer to those who are not.

FRIENDS – To Bad / Burning Love (SMF, 1980)
English vocals
International relevance: **

Not to be confused with any other Friends, this is the lost chapter of the Blueset saga, with two original Blueset members, singer/guitarist Kenth Loong and bass player Ingemar Linder. The A side is a Loong original with misspelt title ”To Bad”, a slice of autobiographical blues based rock that isn't very exciting. The flip side is a stiff cover version of Dennis Linde's ”Burnin' Love” made famous by Elvis. Those who expect more of Blueset's shabby, stoned psych blues will be sorely disappointed. Two versions exist, a standard black vinyl issue and a red one.

Liberty Blues full single playlist
Cool Hambone full single playlist

Ohlssons Grova:
One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer
One More Mile
Viggo:
Mississippi River
Blues In Stockholm
Friends no links found

TOTTA'S BLUESBAND – Live At Renströmska (Nacksving, 1981)

English vocals
International relevance: *

Totta's – or Tottas to use the Swedish possessive form – Bluesband began life as a side project to the other two bands Torsten ”Totta” Näslund was part of in the 70's, Nynningen and Nationalteatern. This side project was even called Nynningens och Nationalteaterns Fritidsorkester ("fritidsorkester" meaning something like ”hobby orchestra”), before eventually evolving into Tottas Bluesband with several members from the old Nynningen and Nacksving label coterie. With the blues always close to Totta Näslund's heart, this was a chance for him to fully immerse himself in songs by the likes of J.B. Lenoir, Otis Rush, Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and Jimmy Rogers. They became a popular outfit during the 80's, and also had a weekly spot every Monday on Näslund's and bassist Nikke Ström's own restaurant C Von in hometown Gothenburg. This particular album, the band's debut, was taped live during two consecutive evenings at the Renströmska jazz club in the late summer of 1981.

A lot of people will disagree with me, but I don't think Totta Näslund was a good blues singer. His voice is dull and and colourless and while I'd never question his love for the blues was serious and honest, Tottas Bluesband still sound just like a band playing pubs to beer burping buddybuddies and the occasional married couple with the husband touching his wife in more appropriate ways the later the hour and the drunker he gets. To me, this simply sounds as any old bores with hats and sunglasses on and think they're ”bloooooze, man”. They go through every well-rehearsed move in the book but they never get the blues down for real. It's all form and very little real content. Put on a proper Howlin' Wolf track and this album will run home crying for mum. And if you want straight pub rock go for the real British stuff instead – any early Dr. Feelgood album with Wilko Johnson grinds this album to tiny shards between the teeth.

An equally uninteresting single coupling ”Ain't Your Business” with ”Too Bad” appeared in 1982, and a few more albums followed sporadically during the rest of the 80's. Totta Näslund later had several solo albums before passing away in 2005. His very last regular album was a tribute album to Bob Dylan together with Mikael Wiehe.

Full album playlist

MIKE CASTLE – Kaliyuga Express (Sonet, 1970)

English vocals
International relevance: *

Chicago born guitarist Mike Castle spent time in Sweden and teamed up with Peps Persson and his then backing band Blues Quality for one album 1970, seemingly the only one Castle ever did. An all-blues effort with the exception of Gordon Lightfoot's ”Early Morning Rain”. Only ”Stockholm Blues” and ”Eagle Blues” are Castle originals, the rest is rather pedestrian cover choices such as ”Sweet Home Chicago”, ”Death Letter Blues” and ”Walkin' Blues” (although the latter is only a digital bonus track). Castle is an adequate but unexceptional acoustic guitarist and an uninspiring singer with a voice better suited for American folk styles than blues. Therefore he sounds best on the Lightfoot track and Mississippi John Hurt's ”Casey Jones” than the gruffer songs of Son House or Robert Johnson. He's learned the moves but fails to infuse much personality into them. Blues Quality appears on two tracks, Peps on six.

Kaliyuga Express full album playlist

ERIC BIBB – Ain't It Grand (MNW, 1972)

English vocals
International relevance **

Eric Bibb is a well-known name these days, hailed for his live performances and numerous albums somewhere between blues and singer/songwriter material. Born in New York City in 1951, he was given his first steel string guitar at the age of seven. Quitting his studies in Russian and psychology, he left for Paris in 1970, assumably as a draft dodger, before settling in Stockholm shortly after. Once there he got in touch with the still relatively new MNW label and MNW co-founder Roger Wallis who took him under his wings and released Bibb's first-ever album ”Ain't It Grand” in 1972. Wallis also provided horn arrangements and piano for the album, joining forces with people like saxophonist Christer Eklund (Grapes Of Wrath, Slim's Blues Gang, Rolf Wikström), bassist Torbjörn Hultcrantz (Bernt Rosengren, Albert Ayler and numerous other jazz luminaries) and Dave Spann (Red White & Blues, Vildkaktus).

”Ain't It Grand” has those sweet characteristics of a good debut album. Bibb was already a skilled player with a keen sense of delivery (and a very pleasant voice), but the music isn't yet fully formed. It has an intimate, stripped-down feel and there's a seeking, trying quality to it, a certain hunger to prove its greatness to the world. Sometimes it reminds me of Terry Callier and Bill Withers, sometimes it's a bit like John Martyn. One track, the lovely ”Tuesday Mornin' Rendezvous” even hints at UK guitar maestros Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. The more laidback tracks are nicely balanced against a couple of songs relying more on groove, such as the album closer ”The Last Time?”. The semi-shuffle ”Lovefire” in turn has some biting electric guitar and gurgling wah-wah faintly like a lighter variant of Pete Cosey's work on Muddy Waters's and Howlin' Wolf's psych blues albums on Cadet Records. The understated aggression of the playing goes well together with the lyrics reflecting Bibb's anti-racist and anti-draft stance.

”Ain't It Grand” is something of a forgotten nugget, especially in the MNW discography. It captures the spirit of the times but doesn't feel the slightest antiquated. For reasons beyond my knowledge, it took him five years to release his second album ”Rainbow People” on the audiophile imprint Opus 3. A more exact and polished effort for sure, but also lacking the imperative and directness of his beautiful debut.

His stint with Opus 3 also hooked him up with folksy singer/songwriter and U.S. expatriate Bert Deivert for a couple of collaborative albums, and as a side note, I'd like to mention Deivert's own 1979 album ”Handcrafted Songs” which might appeal to fans of Bibb's folksier sound, especially that which veers towards the U.K. style perfected by Bert Jansch.

Bibb's vast discography includes further collaborations with artists such as Taj Mahal, Maria Muldaur, Swedish gospel singer Cyndee Peters, and Eric's dad Leon Bibb.

Full album playlist

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Bygg ett eget musikforum (Upsala Musikforum, 1973) / 018/Tio grupper (Svenska Love Records, 1980)

The music forums were the backbone of the 70's progg movement, not only providing places to play for nationally established acts but for local bands executing their talents (or lack thereof) as well. Many of the music forums (well, some at least) were rather well organized units with plenty of people involved in booking, budget issues etc, all on a non-profit basis where the money earned went back into the independent operations that apart from music in several cases also included other social activities. The two best known and as far as I know also longest running music forums were the one in Uppsala and Gothenburg's Sprängkullen. Uppsala Musikforum was the archetype, the blueprint for other music forums to come. In 1973, Uppsala Musikforum recorded several bands associated with them, and self-released the double album ”Bygg ditt eget musikforum”. 

 Bygg ett eget musikforum (Upsala Musikforum, 1973)

Featured artists: Samla Mammas Manna & Uppsala Kammarorkester / Rio Brazzaville / Simon Simonsson, Kristina Ståhl & Bengt Cedervall / Lön För Mödan / Tom Thomason / King Kinos / Hederskompaniet / Björnligan / Music Inn Big Band

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

Most of the featured acts on ”Bygg ett eget musikforum” remain unknown outside a small circuit of local friends, and it's no wonder as most of them are mediocre at best. The style varies from the Mikael Ramel inspired prog rock of Rio Brazzaville (it sounds a lot better than it actually is); traditional fiddlers Simon Simonsson, Kristina Ståhl and Bengt Cedervall, and Lön För Mödan's political folk pop horribly similar to Fria Proteatern, to the decent but unspectacular acoustic blues of Tom Thomason and the urban sounding electric run-of-the-mill variant of King Kinos, the guitar-driven snooze jazz of Björnligan and Music Inn Big Band that sounds just like you expect from a combo of that name. Hederskompaniet's two tracks would have been OK had they kept their music instrumental, not spoiling it with an incredibly grating singer with a Jesus freak vibe.

That leaves us with the sole track of any real interest. Followers of this blog know I'm not a Samla Mammas Manna fan, but this ten minute version of ”Den återupplivade låten” (its standard incarnation can be found on ”Måltid”) is by far the best selection in this overlong exposé of Uppsala's music scene in the early 70's. Recorded with Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, it's a singular piece in Samla's ouvre with interesting timbres not found elsewhere in their discography. Furthermore, the track has never been reissued why ”Bygg ett eget musikforum” is essential to Samla die-hards – but hardly to anyone else.

 018/Tio grupper (Svenska Love Records, 1980)

Featured artists: The Stain / N-Liners / Rune Strutz / Automania / Rävjunk / Caiza / Olle Morgon / Lepra / Allan Ball / Original Rummies / Lars Garage

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *

As progg waned at the tail end of the decade and punk took over, the surviving music forums changed accordingly. In Gothenburg, punk legends cum blue collar rock band Göteborg Sound became a crucial force to Sprängkullen, while Rävjunk (with one foot in stoned out progg jams and one foot in punk and new wave) played an important part in Uppsala. ”018/Tio grupper” was recorded in its entirety at Rävjunk's head quarters (referred to as ”studio” on the album cover; the quotation marks suggest it's really the band's rehearsal space). It was released by Svenska Love Records in collaboration with Uppsala Musikforum.

The Rävjunk connection is the only thing that make this release vaguely interesting to progg aficionados. It should be mentioned that their only contribution to this album, ”Slå tillbaka”, is along the lines of the punk/new wave dominating ”018/Tio grupper”, i.e. more akin to Rävjunk's 45's and the straight-forward 1-2-3-4! tracks on the ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” album. It's only two minutes long, so that should give a hint what it sounds like as well.

A couple of tracks move away from the traditional punk format, most notably Caiza's synth punk number ”Ångestskri” and Dag Vag clones Olle Morgon's ”Se mig”, but obviously none of these do anything to elevate the album's minimal progg credentials. Its value as a punk document cannot be questioned though.

And in case you wonder: The 018 of the album title is the Uppsala area code.

A documentary on Uppsala Musikforum was in the making in the 70's but abandoned. Thanks to one of the forum's driving forces, Anders Folke, the surviving footage is now up on Youtube. Taken for what it's worth – i.e. a time capsule and not a finished piece – it's worth a watch, especially to progg interested Swedes.

Bygg ett eget musikforum no links found
018/Tio grupper full album playlist

BLUESBLOCKET – Bluesblocket (Tredje Tåget, 1981)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A blues band founded in Lund in 1980 by Mats Zetterberg, previously of progg/punk outfit Fiendens Musik. Bluesbocket's repertoire originally consisted of several John Mayall numbers translated into Swedish by Zetterberg. The band used two different guitar players, Mårten ”Micro” Tegnestam and Jan Gerfast who played on one side each on ”Bluesblocket”. A plethora of musicians has appeared with the band over the years, including Peps Persson.

Bluesblocket's only album hitherto came in 1981 with appealing tracks like ”Sovit så dåligt”, ”Vad är det för ett liv” and ”Du skriver och frågar”, but it's not in the same league as for instance Slim's Blues Gang and certainly not Peps Persson.

A rare blue vinyl edition of the album also exists.

The projected follow up 1985 album remains unreleased as a whole. A new album was however released in 2019, "Svart blues är ett vitt begrepp".

No links found

SLIM'S BLUES GANG – The Blues Ain't Strange (Sonet, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: **

Pianist Per 'Slim' Notini was an early flag-bearer of Swedish blues. He was greatly influenced by piano legends Memphis Slim and Fats Domino, and in 1967 he travelled to Chicago to play with Magic Sam on his classic ”West Side Soul” album. He was one of Peps Persson's earliest musical cohorts, and years later, in 1975, they made the album ”Blues på svenska” together. He also appeared with blues guitarist Rolf Wikström. He also co-founded Swedish world renowned reissue label Route 66 with Jonas Bernholm and Bengt Weine in 1976, championing rhythm & blues from the 40's and 50's, thereby bringing new and extremely well deserved attention to a largely forgotten kind of music.

Although founded already in 1962, Slim's Blues Gang didn't make their debut album ”The Blues Ain't Strange” until 1971 which, as it happens, is the gang's only album. Notini may not be a first rate blues vocalist, but he gets the job done. The album is a very credible effort with a tight and solid backing from Rolf Wikström on guitar, Ola Brunkert on drums, Åke Dahlberg on bass, and Christer Eklund and Olle Frankzén on saxes. The reworking of Elmore James's ”Stranger Blues” (”I'm a Stranger Here) has some really fine guitar work from Wikström, ”Break It on Down” moves its hips in a suggestive way, ”Gone Father Blues” rolls and tumbles along nicely, and the devil-may-care ”Tow Away Zone” is a hint at Notini's stint with Magic Sam. Very good!

Slim Notini later left the devil's music behind, became a Born Again Christian and turned to gospel music full time in the 90's.

Full album playlist

ROLF WIKSTRÖM – The 70s albums

To many, Rolf Wikström is the blues king of Sweden. No matter what you think of him, you have to admit his staying power. He has released numerous albums over the years, the most recent one in 2011, and he's appeared on several more as a studio musician, from the disastrous (Löpande Bandet's ”Nån gång måste man landa”) to the brilliant (John Holm's ”Sordin”). His first solo release was a 45 on the Tibet -46 label as Cool Hambone in 1972. His lyrics are sometimes on the political side. 

Sjung svenska folk (Ljudspår, 1975)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

 Rolf Wikström's full length debut established his style which unfortunately also includes his vocals. While the music is OK blues in the Buddy Guy and Albert King vein, Wikström sings as if he had chewed up three pounds of chalk. His voice is so raspy it almost can't produce a sound other than a toneless screach. It's an exceedingly unpleasant experience listening to him. Would it have been better if was an instrumental album? Nope, because his guitar playing is too much as well.

Jävla måndag (MNW, 1978)

as Rolf Wikström's Hjärtslag

Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

After an LP for the Alternativ label (home of Kjell Höglund with whom Wikström performed on ”Baskervilles hund”), Wikström switched to MNW for ”Jävla måndag”. It's a sometimes funky thing with powerful playing courtesy of his backing band Hjärtslag, and again reminiscent of Albert King. But, again, the album's seriously injured by Wikström's voice that is unbearable. Pity, because this could have been a rather decent album.

Den åttonde dagen (Metronome, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

What Wikström's voice doesn't ruin on ”Den åttonde dagen”, the limp funk/soul/disco moves do. Give it to someone you hate.

Sjung svenska folk full album playlist
Jävla måndag full album playlist

Den åttonde dagen full album playlist