A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 13: FRINGE PROGG

 
BRUNO WINTZELL
Idag sköt jag ihjäl en okänd man / Du och jag – en kärlekshistoria (Polydor, 1970)
Balladen om Joe Hill / Som en seglande mås (Polydor, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Roger Cook's ”Today I Shot A Man I Didn't Know” proved very popular when translated by Hawkey Franzén. There are four Swedish versions from 1970, that I know of, but there might be even more hiding away somewhere. The antiwar message was of course perfectly in tune with the times with the mindless Vietnam war raging like a tameless beast so loud the entire world could hear it. Actor (known for his role in ”Hår”) and singer Bruno Wintzell must have found it irresistable to record it as it's a perfect song for his voice and rather haughty vocal style. Vocally speaking, the best Swedish version is probably Tommy Körberg's, but the arrangement and the production is more to my taste with Wintzell. Still, the calculated maudlinness of the song is always overbearing. The sound and arrangement is what's best with the flipside as well. ”Du och jag – en kärlekshistoria” isn't progg but nice (if you like that kind of stuff) albeit undistinguished orchestral pop lacking the necessary distinctive features.

"Balladen om Joe Hill" was originally known as "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night", and was first recorded in Swedish by Fred Åkerström. That one and "Som en seglande mås" (which is Leonard Cohen's "Bird On A Wire" in Swedish) are country tinged but both of them are pretty terrible, with Wintzell taking himself even more seriously than usual.
 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Jukebox JSEP 5601 (Jukebox, EP, 1970)

Featured artists: Tommy Körberg / Mike Castle / November / Diddlers

 English vocals, Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

The so called Jukebox EPs were a long running series of budget compilation seven-inches known for mixing completely unrelated bands and artists, usually four at a time. They're in low demand as most of the tracks chosen for the EPs were taken from already existing releases. This one here is an exception, as blues artist Mike Castle's ”Walkin' Blues” was unavailable elsewhere at the time. It's a not very imaginative rendition of Robert Johnson's classic and was later added as a bonus to the digital reissue of Castle's lone (and Peps related) album ”Kaligyga Express”, also from 1970. But this is the only place to get it on vinyl, why I mention it here. The others are non-exclusive tracks by November, Diddlers and Tommy Körberg..
 

BJÖRN JANSON – Det är skönt / Sommar i en skärgård (no label, 1976)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Apart from music, Björn Janson was a boat designer and a restaurant owner, and he released this single at his own expense. The B side is pure dross, a nondescript piano ballad I wish a long and painful death, but ”Det är skönt” has some nice features of which the soaking reverb isn't one. It's certainly on the commercial side, but the fake funky drive is pretty catchy, and it has some semicool and semiheavy guitar passages which unfortunately are too short. You could probably remix ”Det är skönt” and bring a better track out of it, but I suppose the master tapes are long gone. Probably very rare, but I suppose nobody wants it and that most likely includes you too.

ENVOYS – Kräv Bryggeriet kvar / Så svårt (Marilla, 1976)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Envoys were more than anything a pop band, having started already in 1964 (then with future journalist and TV personality Robert Aschberg as a singer). Their first single appeared on MNW in 1969, a cover of The Beatles' ”I Saw Her Standing There”. Their best known track however is ”Almarna åt folket”, a translation of John Lennon's ”Power To The People” released in support of those who fought for the preservation of the elm trees in Stockholm in 1971. The next single had David Bowie cover ”Starman” on the 'A' side, which was followed by their second charity single ”Kräv Bryggeriet kvar” in 1976. Bryggeriet's full name was Münchenbryggeriet (=”the Munich brewery”) and was built in the 19th century. From the early 1970s, it was a node for various cultural activities, but the powers in charge wanted to tear it down and make room for a new housing area. It caused an outrage with the people, and the protesters against the teardown included several well-known musicians, actors and writers. As in the case of the elm battle, the authorities eventually backed down and Bryggeriet was spared. Envoys' call to arms isn't as powerful as their Lennon interpretation from five years earlier. ”Kräv Bryggeriet kvar” is fairly rocking, especially in the choruses, but it doesn't have the same punch, coming across like a mix of Björn Afzelius and Nationalteatern. The 'B' side is a sappy ballad that sounds more like teenybopper singer/songwriter Ted Gärdestad than a progg band, revealing Envoys' true commercial nature.

 

GOG – The Beatless E.P. (Magog, 1979)
Instrumental
International relevance: *

Not only fringe progg, but on the fringes of everything. Gog was a one man project by Gothenburg's visual artist and musician Dan Fröberg. Gog's self-released EP is basically an abstract sound sculpture in four parts with fractured musique concrète characteristics. It's not without artistic merits, but it's best suited for adventurous listeners accustomed to prototypical tape music and primitive EAM. Might interest those who consider Imp.Ink, Psynkopat and Friz Be too mainstream... Some, perhaps all, copies had extra, off-centre, hand-carved spindle holes so you could choose between a regular playback and a wowy one. 500 copies were pressed, some came with a picture sleeve and an insert. A rare item today, sometimes fetching €100 on the collectors market.

TOMAS BERGH – Upp till kamp / Oh... tryggare kan ingen vara (Frituna, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ?

A very peculiar single with no clear target audience. Because who would possibly want a disco version of ”L'Internationale” in five different languages? Studio 54 strings, perky horns, cheesy basslines and a high BPM number – huh?! And a deconstructed punk version of the hymn ”Children of the Heavenly Father” on the B side?! I mean, what the hell is really going here??? It's obviously tongue-in-cheek but it's still so bizarre and absurd that I dare say that you've never heard anything quite like it before and never will again unless you play it a second time. And you might as well want to, just to figure it out.

I've no idea who Tomas Bergh was, if it even was his real name, but the guys backing him up were sessions musicians including Anders Eljas who thought up the concept. Eljas was a music conservatory graduate who worked with opera singers as well as pop stars (he played keyboards on ABBA's 1977 world tour for instance); he orchestrated the ”Chess” musical; produced stage shows for Povel Ramel (Mikael's dad), and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra during a Hyde Park show featuring guest stars like Kylie Minogue, Jamie Cullum, Lulu and Chaka Khan – to mention just a few things he's done. But I still think this very single must be the most askew thing he ever did. Do I like it? Not at all, but I'm intrigued by it. 

It was also issued as a 12” with an extended disco mix of the A side. Burn, baby, burn!

MAKE UP – Hot Love Street / My First Love (Wave, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: - 

Included here more as a warning. Make Up are often classified as a hard rock band, but there are not many features on this single to back up such an assertion. ”Hot Love Street” is a really terrible discofied pop rock track while ”My First Love” is a sappy ballad where the singer's linguistical and vocal shortcomings really come to the fore. A full length album followed in 1981.

DYNAMO VARBERG – Ayatollah Khomeini / Anwar Sadat (Nacksving, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Dynamo Varberg made their debut with a very rare cassette-only album called ”Filiberts höna” in 1978. The 1980 single at hand is a fairly elusive Nacksving release with two songs taking a clear leftist stand against Middle Eastern dictatorship and oppression, with an additional stab at Sweden's then rightwing prime minister Gösta Bohman, like Rävjunk did on their legendary ”Bohman Bohman” single. The music itself has in fact a wee bit in common with Rävjunk's more rock oriented style. It's not as punkish, but Dynamo Varberg had a similar sleazy vibe. There's some biting guitar playing including wah-wah going on, and the songs are quite good – especially ”Anwar Sadat” where singer Björn Spåls also manage to sound a bit like Eldkvarn's singer Plura Jonsson. The worst element is the sitar on the A-side which sounds as if it was played by a stoned-out Edward Scissorhands. Apart from that, this quite appeals to me, and it's certainly one of the more vital releases on Nacksving.

CALCUTTA TRANSFER

Mannen (som på tunnelbanan sket) / Howrah Station (Mistlur, 1980)
India Waits (Mistlur, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

If Calcutta Transfer hoped for any radio play with their first single, they probably shouldn't have named it ”the man who shat in the subway”, so a lot of people probably missed the lyrics' environmental worries. Like almost everything coming from the Transfers, ”Mannen (som på tunnelbanan sket) is outlined from Dag Vag, more precisely ”Ogräs” from their debut album. It's still one of the Transfers' best songs. The clavinet sounds like a spider tapdancing on a hot hob. It's either bloody annoying or oddly effective depending on your mood. ”Howrah Station” isn't their typical reggae but closer to disco. It was a live favourite apparantely, and I can imagine they could stretch it out with plenty of Kenny Håkansson styled guitar soloing on stage, but here it's as dull as yesterday's pasta leftovers.

Their second single is called ”India Waits”, but there's no track here by that title. Both songs are non-album tracks, and the Dag Vag influence is intact. The 'A' side ”Plus minus noll” is a fast paced ska track with a debt to pay to Dag Vag's ”Glappkontakt” but the 'B' side ”Fet guru” shows more originality. It's a slightly spacey track with a rock beat, thick layers of tasty organ and soaring guitars. The band whips up quite some energy the longer it goes on, and it stands out not only as one of their proggiest efforts but also one of their very best.

PAJ VAJ – Med hacka och spade / Flum e dum (Bums, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

It's actually rare that I hear something that leaves me stumped, but this eccentric 45 knocks me off course. What on earth am I listening to? Is it for real or is it a joke?

I've no idea who's behind it because I can't find any valuable info on it anywhere. The songs were written by Bask (who?) and Lindström (which one?), and the Bums label mostly released commercial artists. Paj Vaj were anything but. The singer sounds like Blå Tåget's Torkel Rasmusson trying to cure a hangover from hell by eating three pounds of chalk. He remains hungover but with a demolished voice. Ot maybe he sounds like a Kenta with a rubber ball stuffed down his throat? Is he fucking around or does he need a doctor? Is he immaculately groggy? Deranged? Is he, at all, for real? His idea of enunciation is, er, unusual but it's obvious that the singer (or lyricist, or both) holds a grudge against... parents, teachers, the police, the authorities, actually the entire society. Kill them and bury them. Problem solved.

The music is pretty straightforward with a certain lilt; it's standard rock setting plus harmonica, but thanks to the off-kilter vocals, it has some bizarre gravity. It's too straight qualifying as outsider music, and it's way too odd for any mainstream appeal. I can't really recommend it, but I can't not recommend it either. I'll probably play it a lot more, if only to find out what the hell is going on here. If the discofied "L'Internationale" was puzzling, then this is completely bewildering.

ROCKTEATERGRUPPEN SMÅFOLKET – Nu drar vi ner på stan (Rainbow, EP, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Little known four track E.P. by a self-appointed 'rock theatre group' which immediately makes you think of Nationalteatern. Which is perfectly true because it's hard to imagine this would exist without the source inspiration from said group, But it lacks the sharpness of the Ulf Dageby's and Anders Melander's songwriting, and the instrumental prowess that Nationalteatern developed is surely lacking here. Småfolket sounds like a local group (more precisely from Malmö) performing at youth clubs to a less than excited underage audience. The drummer is rudimentary, the guitarist is far from experienced, but the the two singers – male and female – are especially amateurish. Esther Nordenbrink in particular sounds shrill and shouty which suggests a punk awareness in a Mörbyligan way.

The four songs were featured in the play that gave the E.P. it's title, roughly meaning ”let's go downtown”, and while the B side is a wee bit better with ”Nu är jag ung” (=”now I'm young”) being the best song of all, none of them is up to snuff. A 'B' grade effort that time rightly forgot.

HS3 BOYS – Fel tåg / Hon är ett lik / Pia Love (no label, 1983; rec. 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Little information availabe for this one as well. There's no print on the colour-coded labels and only the members' first names are stated on the cover. However, HS3 Boys might originate from Östersund as Myrbein's bass player Johan Von Sydow is featured here, and both bands used the Tommys Musiklab studio. While this three-track EP wasn't released until 1983, it was recorded already in 1981 according to information presented to Swedish Radio. With no drummer present, the rhythm is provided by a drum machine which defines their original sound. It's hard to pinpoint it, but there's definitely a Latin influence there. I also sense a touch of Mikael Ramel, but that's possibly only in my head. Still, it's not a very good disc, so not worth the effort hunting it down. 

LJUDLÖST ÖS – Jerry / USA (Natty Records, 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Reggae has always been pretty popular in Sweden after Peps Persson introduced the style in the mid 70s, and we had a few quite good or at least decent reggae bands already back in the day. Not only were there high profile names as Dag Vag, Rotpuls and to some extent Rockamöllan following Peps in his footsteps, but there was also a pretty widespread undergrowth of local bands. Ljudlöst Ös was one of the unknowns trying to adapt to the Jamaican backbeat, but thay had certain problems succeeding. If anything, reggae demands a drummer who can forget everything he learnt about the standard rock beat, and Matte Pettersson of Ljudlöst Ös struggles a bit. I've heard far worse examples of drummers losing the concept when switching to reggae, but a Bosse Skoglund he is not. Both songs on their lone, privately released single speak out against racism and cultural colonialism. With female singer Maria Johansson, Ljudlöst Ös sound like I imagine Nationalteatern would sound like if they attempted to be a reggae band. It all sounds a bit chunky and awkward proving that good intentions won't always come out as good results. 

MANTRA – Made In Japan / Här är jag (Mercury, 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

This is probably Mantra's biggest claim to fame being released on major label Mercury, produced by Janne Schaffer and with lyrics for both tracks written by Mikael Ramel. It's not Mantra's typical test tube jazz fusion but it still sucks. ”Made In Japan” is some misguided attempt at synth pop an while ”Här är jag” is a bit better, the quasi-punkish rock falls on its feet just the same. 

ZVENSKA MUSKLER – Fyra årstider / När elden har brunnit... (no label, 1981)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

One-off single from a band that grew out of probably unrecorded band Dr Rockford, and with a name would translate into "Zwedish Muscles, featuring singer/guitarist Tobbe Rüsslander. ”Fyra årstider” isn't that great and not too proggish either, while the slower ”När elden har brunnit” is OK with some extended guitar workouts, electric piano and a peculiar, almost ghostly atmosphere – perhaps due to the decidedly non-professional mix. It's not as good Rüsslander's 1978 solo cassette, but it's still worth hearing once for "När elden har brunnit".

JSMB – Låt fler forma... / Håll mej varm (JSMB, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

More progg in the socially concerned lyrics than in the actual music. The lyrics are unusual in the sense that singer Magnus Sjögren declares he's a liberal (i.e. not a leftist), but he proclaims care for your fellowman whoever and wherever he or she is, so the fundamental tone is that of humanism rather than politics. Sjögren's phrasing suggests he's an Ulf Lundell fan although I wouldn't call the vocals exactly epigonic. ”Låt fler forma...” is decent enough in a rock singer/songwriter style, and certainly much better than the other track. ”Håll mej varm” is totally terrible, a rheumatic rockabilly pastiche which is entirely embarrassing complete with a bathroom reverb to make it sound 'authentic' which it of course does not.

Sjögren later reappeared in Örebro band Big Deal who had some success in the late 80s and is still active. I know nothing about the other members' whereabouts – there are no credits on the label and the single came in a plain white sleeve when originally released.

COREY – Havet / Livet är en dröm (GAT, 1982)
Swedish vocal
International relevance: *

A Gothenburg band apparently with some connections to the Social Democratic Youth Association SSU. Corey's lone single was a private release and features two pop/rock tracks with some semi-heavy and progressive elements. It's quite OK for what it is, especially ”Havet” which is actually rather good, but although it has some nice touches of the right kind, there may not be enough prog/progg here for most blog readers. Two versions of it exists, one in black vinyl and one in red.

Bruno Wintzell
Du och jag - en kärlekshistoria / Balladen om Joe Hill / Som en seglande mås  
Jukebox EP
November - Cinderella / Mike Castle - Walkin' Blues  
Björn Janson
Det är skönt (poor sound)
Envoys
Kräv Bryggeriet kvar  
Gog
Full single 
Tomas Bergh
Upp till kamp / Oh... tryggare kan ingen vara  
Make Up
Hot Love Street  
Calcutta Transfer
Howrah Station / Plus minus noll  
Paj Vaj
Med hacka och spade  
Rockteatergruppen Småfolket
Nu drar vi ner på stan  
Ljudlöst Ös
Jerry / USA 
Corey
Havet 
 
HS3 Boys, Dynamo Varberg, Mantra and JSMB no links found

A KLIPPAN PROGG SCENE SPECIAL – Tors Hammare / Heta Drömmar / Svenn Kruse / Christian Brandt

Klippan is a small mill town in the northwest part of the Skåne county in the south of Sweden. Way back in time, Klippan was known for their wool production, and later (and to this day) for their paper industry. But they did also leave an indelible mark on Swedish rock history in the late 70s and early 80s when local record label Svenska Pop Fabriken (and their various sublabels) began releasing singles and albums that gained nationwide attention from both media and record buyers. Responsible for the first ever Swedish punk single ”Vårdad klädsel” by Kriminella Gitarrer, they soon added bands like Torsson, Kommissarie Roy, Noise, The Push, and Wilmer X to their roster. Being a very Swedish label, none of the bands (mostly singing in Swedish) are known outside our borders, although Kriminella Gitarrer have indeed earned a belated international reputation as interest in local punk scenes has grown around the world. Most of Svenska Pop Fabriken's output may be called rural rock'n'roll with a strong sense of pop melodicity, but to someone like me who pretty much grew up with in their golden era 1978-1985, their legendary status is carved in stone.

However, Svenska Pop Fabriken's history goes further back in time to the music association Bombadill who took the homegrown music very seriously. Not only did Bombadill function as a local network for the bands, Bombadill also built their own studio. Plenty of recordings were made there from the mid 70s and on. One album and a couple of cassettes of Bombadill recordings were released at the time. Although Klippan is best known for the pop/rock of Svenska Pop Fabriken, a few of those early bands and artists represented a more progressive and experimental style. 

Tors Hammare: Ska du med på disco 

Tors Hammare went through several line-up changes, but important members in their fledgling days were Örjan Mjörnheden (guitars, vocals), Svenn Kruse (guitars, vocals) and Christian Brandt (percussion, violin). The so called Mk I only ever released one official track, ”Vägen till Valhall”, on the first Bombadill cassette. It's a surprisingly heavy, guitar infused, folk tinged instrumental, as was the five-part suite ”Ska du med på disco”. Among their true confessed heroes were Träd, Gräs Och Stenar and similar bands, plus the latin rock of most prominently Santana. There's strong psychedelic overtones with wailing wah-wah leads on the shambolic ”Hästen” as well as on their slightly revamped take on Träd, Gräs Och Stenar's ”Sommarlåten”.
 

Tors Hammare: Demo 1

The Santana influence grew stronger when Kruse and Brandt left the band, as proven by a surviving 1980 demo by Tors Hammare Mk II, but the demo also shows they developed a stronger grip of their progressive ambitions as on ”Myrornas flykt” and ”Nattens drottning”.

Meanwhile, Svenn Kruse and Christian Brandt made their own recordings in the Bombadill studio. Judging by those, they were the real avantgarde force of Tors Hammare Mk I. Their joint recording ”Kretsloppet” mixes field recordings, electronics and tiny slices of more organized music – it's almost like a nine minute condensate of Thomas Mera Gartz's ”Luftsånger”. ”Vernissagemusik del 1” (=”music for an exhibition”) is based around an extended organ drone before turning into a summery piece for acoustic guitar and synthesizer. A second part of ”Vernissagemusik” was recorded as Heta Drömmar (=”hot dreams”), which is pretty close to the lyricism of Anna Själv Tredje. The lyrical side also comes to the fore on ”Hjortronguld”, a 27 minute piece with guitar and violin, while their Träd, Gräs Och Stenar admiration is obvious on their very strange cover of ”Sanningens silverflod” with sped-up vocals similar to those on Kebnekajse's debut and Mikael Ramel's first album, a trick also used on Svenn Kruse's solo recording ”Tomtar på loftet”.

Christin Brandt & Svenn Kruse: Vernissagemusik 1

Other short Kruse tracks further emphasized his infatuation with Swedish folk progg and psychedelia – ”Svens psykedeliska ögonblick” (=”Sven's psychedelic moment”) gives it away already in the title, while ”Säkkijärven polka” (a Finnish tune popular in Sweden at the time) sounds like some lost demo for Kenny Håkansson's ”Springlekar och gånglåtar” album.

When Tors Hammare transformed into Mk 3 in the early 80s, they had lost just about all of their original underground charm. They got better at playing for sure, but their watered down takes on ska, funk and fusion simply suggest a band without a vision. They really could have used Brandt's and Kruse's experimental spirit.

There's also an 'all-star' recording of several Bombadill artists coming together as The Bombadill Chosen Few, "Latino Blasfemia" that mixes latin with Swedish folk.

All these recordings (and more) have thankfully been digitzed for the Bandcamp age. Although a lot of the music is admittedly sloppy, it has a youthful energy and explorative desire. More importantly, it reveals a part of the local Klippan scene that has previously been only fond memories in the minds of those who were there, but only tales and legends to those who weren't. It adds several fascinating pieces to the ever so nebulous jigsaw puzzle called Swedish progg. 

Bandcamp links:
Tors Hammare
Vägen till Valhall / Ska du med på disco - Svit i fem delar / Hästen / Sommarlåten / Vinternatt i Klagshamn / Demo 1 full album playlist 
Christian Brandt & Svenn Kruse
Vernissagemusik del 1 / Kretsloppet 
Heta Drömmar 
Vernissagemusik del 2 / Hjortronguld / Sanningens silverflod / Tomtar på loftet  
Svenn Kruse 
Hymn / Svens psykedeliska ögonblick / Säkkijärven polka / Långt ute 
The Bombadill Chosen Few 
Latino Blasfemia  

LOOPING – Sänd mej en ängel (Musiklaget, 1980)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

This is pretty much a ”progg by association” album, more than an actual progg album. It features Christer Nahrendorff of Solen Skiner as singer and main songwriter, keyboardist Pierre Swärd of Soffgruppen, fusion band Life, and Mikael Ramel's Harru Lust to name a few, and session guitarist Thommie Fransson. It was also released by Musiklaget, home to Bättre Lyss, The Underground Failure, Bröderna Lönn and several other progg albums from the early 70s and on. Unfortunately the album itself is typical early 80s pop rock with some funky touches. Plus a whole lot of glitzy treble and a fair bit of synth polish. In short, it sounds just like the album cover looks.

The best track is also the longest, the more than eight minute album closer ”Sanning” which might sound like progg if you squint hard with your ears.

There's also a 1979 Looping 7”, ”Den underjordiska rymden”, with two non-album tracks.

No links found 

HAPPY BOYS BAND – Bush (MNW, 12”, 1980)

 
English vocals, other languages, instrumental
International relevance: **

Happy Boys Band has strong progg connections as three of their members were formerly in Kebnekajse: Hassan Bah, Thomas Netzler and Rolf Scherrer. Netzler was also part of the Tillsammans collective and Scherrer used to be in Steampacket with Mikael Ramel in the 60s. Scherrer and Netzler wrote one of the 12” EP's three tracks with the other two being Bah compositions. The tracks all have a different feel to them. The instrumental ”Song To Maria (Smulan)” is unexpectedly spacey in a semi-fusion way, while ”Saturday Night” shows a clear inspiration from African high life music. ”Na Jo Na” is closer to afrofunk. Out of Kebnekajse's ouvre, ”Bush” is obviously closest to ”Ljus från Afrika”. What you think of it depends on your tolerance for African music, but even if it's not your thing, just listening to these guys play is satisfying. They're a really tight lot, and the solo contributions are top notch. Scherrer (or possibly Mats Dahlberg) delivers quite a few tasty guitar runs, especially on ”Song To Maria”.

If you're into them, you might also want to check out Happy Boys Band's Tonkraft gig from early 1981, a rather short but fiery set that at times is pretty close to Archimedes Badkar's most Afro flavoured efforts.

No links found 

SAREK – Smol 1 (Bastun, 1981) / Ohoj! (Mandarine, 7”, 1980)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Sarek (not to be confused with any other band by that name) were distantly related to Splash through multi-instrumentalist Kay Söderström, while drummer Gus Dahlberg appears on Mikael Ramel's all too underrated ”Jag rycker dig i svansen” in 1979. Thommie Fransson in turn was an oft-hired session guitarist who also released a solo album at the tail end of Sarek's existence.

Sarek's debut came with an absolutely appalling 45 in 1980 with the idiot rock of ”Ohoj!” on side 1 and the pseudo yacht rock of ”Alla tiders hjälte” on the flip.

The curiously entitled LP ”Smol 1” followed the next year and is in a similar vein, but it also displays a clear inspiration from contemporary Zappa. The best track on the disc is even a cover of Zappa's ”More Trouble Every Day”, here named "Spüan”. That's a homemade spelling of the word ”spyan” meaning ”the vomit” and gives you an example of Sarek's low rent humour.

I certainly don't recommend it, but if anyone wants to hear Sarek's Tonkraft gig from April 1980, it's available as scattered tracks on this Youtube channel.

Full album + single 

ANDERS F. RÖNNBLOM – The 1970s albums

Approaching the work of Anders F. Rönnblom's from scratch must be a daunting task for someone who never did before – his discography is moving towards a whopping 40 albums at the time of writing! Just about everyone with such a long creative stretch has artistic dips, but Rönnblom's output has been strikingly consistent. His lesser albums are good, and there are some merely great, but most of them are simply brilliant. At 79 in 2025, he's still as active as a recording artist as ever before, and not only that: for the last decade or so, he has made some of his best albums ever.

Steeped in the American beat poetry tradition with names like Allen Ginsberg, Richard Brautigan and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, he has carved out a completely original niche of lyric writing within the Swedish language. It's as if he watches the world from his own sidelines, always with a sharp vision and often with a spiky wit. A serious admirer of Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Little Feat and The Grateful Dead, his musical sense is just as precise and precious.

Educated at Konstfack, the university of arts and design, Rönnblom has also worked as a graphic designer and he has provided artwork for books as well as record covers for artists such as Monica Törnell, Neon Rose, Telge Blues and Cornelis Vreeswijk to name but a few. He began playing music in the late 1950s and made his first appearence on a commercially distributed record with Bob Major & The G.I:s in 1964, an EP for which he wrote all four songs.

Although he was never an obvious part of the progg movement, he wasn't shunned by it either. ”I was on commercial labels, just like Pugh, Bernt Staf, John Holm and Ola Magnell,” Rönnblom told me in 2017. ”But the music movement still let us into their venues, the so called music forums. True there was a rigid nucleus of strongly politically charged journalists and concert promoters centered around the Musikens Makt magazine, but even if they didn't write a lot about me, I had no problems getting gigs. I even played at Gothenburg's Sprängkullen which was considered one of the movement's seats of honour.”

Then again, he's never been part of any movement. He had a few hits in the early 80s, and his biting 1980 Christmas song ”Det är inte snön som faller” (inspired by The Rolling Stones' ”Sympathy For The Devil”) is a perennial favourite to everyone who despise the commercialized hysteria of that particular December holiday. But he's always been satisfied with being a maverick. As he put it on his 2015 album ”The Subliminal Solo Inferno”: ”Who the hell wants to be beloved by the people?”

This piece will include Anders F. Rönnblom's 70s output only. His albums ”Rapport från ett kallt fosterland” (1980), ”Vit flagg” (1981) and ”Krig & fred & country music” (1982) would of course fit within the time frame of the blog, but they're more in a new wavish vein (comparatively speaking). All wonderful albums, among his finest, but not quite progg blog material.

Din barndom skall aldrig dö (Decca, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

I have a fetish for debut albums. It's something special watching artists' first steps, hearing their first voice and knowing it was the seed of the future.

”Din barndom skall aldrig dö” came out in 1971. Pugh Rogefeldt's ”Ja dä ä dä” was only two years old, Kjell Höglund's ”Undran” was released the same year as ”Din barndom”, as was Robert Broberg's ”En typisk rund LP med hål i mitten”, the first of his where he really displayed his special outsider talent. In short, Swedish singer/songwriter pop/rock was only in its infancy, and there was still room for original expressions because there were yet no fixed reference points. ”Din barndom skall aldrig dö” is one important piece of that puzzle.

The album title means ”your childhood shall never die”, a beautiful title that says a lot about this lovely, touching album's overall mood. It has a naivité but the innocence comes with a fledgling worry that it might not stay that way forever. There's a kind of a Peter Pan quality to it, but a Peter Pan with a beginning identity crisis.

The title track is an eternal fan favourite, but there are so many great songs here. ”Hon håller ut över vintern” is a cross pollination of The Beatles and Big Star. ”Kärleken är död” echoes of Paul McCartney's early countryside recordings and is a wonderful song. But my favourite song here is the final track, the seven minute ”Mamma hjälp mig” with Dylanesque imagery and desperate underpinnings further emphasized by a distortion-drenched guitar solo soaked in escalating panic.

”Din barndom” has been reissued a couple of times, most recently as a lavish 50th anniversary 3CD set with one disc being the original album, the second being new recordings of unfinished songs from the period finally finished in the early 2020s, and the third one being other artists covering the entire original album
.

Ramlösa Kvarn (Epic, 1972)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

I count ”Ramlösa Kvarn” among Rönnblom's top 5. The songwriting's more focused, the lyrics are stronger, the melodies are more precise and the arrangements are richer, with tastefully applied horns, tablas, accordeon, vibraphone and even an electric sitar on ”Ta väl hand om Louis”. An all-star cast of session players back Rönnblom up, and he himself sings with greater confidence than before. There's not one bad track here, and although the songs are varied, the album's very cohesive – a tight and carefully pieced together unit. Oddly enough, demon producer Anders ”Henkan” Henriksson appears as a musician but not as a producer. It was in fact produced by Claes Dieden, formerly of 60s pop band Science Poption, but he did a great work making the many elements gel. A masterpiece, up there with period Pugh, Mikael Ramel et al.

Måsarna lämnar Gotland och hela Sverige tittar på (Epic, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The third album has the slightly unwieldy title meaning ”the seagulls leave Gotland and all of Sweden is watching”. After the majestic ”Ramlösa Kvarn”, the follow-up was perhaps destined to be a disappointment. I said already from the start that Anders F. Rönnblom hasn't made any bad albums, and ”Måsarna” does have qualitues, but it's just not on the same level as much of his other stuff.

Again released on Epic Records, the framework is very different from the predecessor, with a smaller ensemble opting for a jazzy and even funky sound. I get the feeling that Rönnblom deliberately tried to change push his songwriting forward not to repeat himself, and while that signifies a great visionary artist and should be applauded, choosing a slightly bluesy groove based mode doesn't work out that well. The standout track is ”Ulla Hau” with a vibe not dissimilar to Dylan and The Band's ”Planet Waves” which was released the same year.

Still, this might be one of Rönnblom's albums most easily accessible to a non-Swedish listener because of its international style.

A lesser known Rönnblom related album from 1973 is ”Glas” by Marita Mejstam for which both he and Hawkey Franzén contributed several songs. Although some songs are OK, it's a more commercial sounding pop album and mostly interesting as a footnote to Rönnblom's own releases.

Alternativ rock'n'roll cirkus (Epic, 1974)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Third and final Rönnblom on Epic Records, and while not another ”Ramlösa Kvarn” it's definitely a step in the right direction after ”Måsarna”. The songs are sharper and the rock oriented sound is a lot more becoming to them. A great addition is drummer Pelle Holm, known from especially Scorpion, Resan and Kebnekajse. His loose, open kind of playing is very important to how ”Alternativ rock'n'roll cirkus” turned out. I'd even go as far as to call him the most important element here as I suspect it's his presence that inspires the other players (including Rönnblom himself) to open up a bit more than they did on ”Måsarna”. I like how the album sounds, but the specific song I like the best is curiously enough the most atypical one here, the brooding and oddly claustrophobic ”Guds rosor”.

 

Det hysteriska draget (Tyfon, 1977)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

After his stint with major label Epic he took a break for three years until 1977 when he scored a deal with Tyfon Records. Not known as a rock imprint, their output up to his signing consisted of particularly bad dance bands and budget albums of nameless artists covering hits from the last few years. The only other rock act they had was Rhapsody, so I suspect Tyfon's ability to market music of even the smallest merit was limited. Which might explain why ”Det hysteriska draget” is one of the rarer Rönnblom albums from the 70s. Which is a pity, as it's a return to form with plenty of great songs and inspired performances.

Rönnblom explains in his liner notes for the double CD reissue of the two Tyfon albums that he rediscovered Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks around that time, which inspired him to enrich the instrumental palette. A horn and string arranger, Jonny Blomqvist, was hired to give the album a fuller sound – a successful move that gave the album an extra push. As he explains: ”'Draget' became the album that 'Alternativ rock'n'roll cirkus' should have been.” Also, the lyrics turned darker. Rönnblom's earlier lyrics often had a romantic gleam, but now torn souls and broken people entered his lyrical world. That makes ”Det hysteriska draget” one of his most multifaceted albums up to then.

Komedia – En tripp nerför Tarschan Boulevard (Tyfon, 1978)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

The modus operandi for the second Tyfon album was vastly different to ”Det hysteriska draget”. The drums were dragged out to the centre of the studio with all the other musicians standing around ”as if it was a rehearsal room gig” as Rönnblom puts it. Overdubbing and meticulous studio work was the order of the day, but producer Börje Forsberg wanted a raw and unpolished sound. Rönnblom's newest songs were too intricate for this method, so instead he had to present simpler and more straightforward material. And that's what you hear on the album.

And what an album it is! Hands down his best since ”Ramlösa Kvarn”, – better even! It certainly is much grainier than ”Det hysteriska draget”, and the no frills songs are in-your-face, almost like a documentary in music. The title track is among the best songs he's ever written with an ominous guitar line running through the verses, while ”Dom rätta kretsarna” captures the bleak mood of Sweden in the late 70s. But there's no point in singling out particular songs because they're all great. Easily one of the best Swedish albums of the era, still sounding fresh and vivid no matter how dark the colours of it are. Simply another masterpiece.

The 2CD reissue of ”Komedia” and ”Det hysteriska draget” features bonus tracks collectively named ”Garagesekvenser”. Songs Rönnblom kept on deteriorating cassette tapes but musically good enough to save for posterity, so as with ”Din barndom skall aldrig dö”, he recorded them anew in time for the reissue. Essential stuff, although it would have been great hearing what they would have been like if recorded properly during his Tyfon years.

 

Vem har satt mina änglar i bur? (Volym 1) (Mercury, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

”Vem har satt mina änglar i bur?” initiated a new phase in Rönnblom's career, a five album stretch for Mercury Records. A slicker album than ”Komedia” with the occasional influence from country music and old rock'n'roll. That had been part of his music already before, but it's a bit more obvious here. It's a good album; the title track and the lilting ”I ett snöfall” are fine songs, and there are a few more pleasant moments, but overall it feels a bit like an in-between album, like he's going somewhere but not quite sure where. As I decided to cut off at the end of the 70s, his next album ”Rapport från ett kallt fosterland” (subtitled ”Vem har satt mina änglar i bur, volym 2”) isn't included but it's a punchier and better defined album.

* * * 

I tend to think of Anders F. Rönnblom's discography as book, with his various phases being chapters and each album is a set of pages in each chapter. In that regard, he's a Dylan, or a Peter Hammill –  artists to grow with. Anders F. Rönnblom is indeed one of those. But I also realize that something vital is lost if you don't understand his language. A great songwriter for sure, but the lyrical dimension is a great part of why he's enriched my life so much.

Din barndom skall aldrig dö full album playlis
Ramlösa Kvarn full album playlist
Måsarna lämnar Gotland och hela Sverige tittar på full album playlist
Alternativ rock'n'roll cirkus full album playlist
Vem har satt mina änglar i bur? full album playlist
Det hysteriska draget:
Side A, part 1 
Side A, part 2 
Side B, part 1  
Side B, part 2 
from "Komedia - En tripp nerför Tarschan Boulevard":
Komedia 
bonus:
Marita Mejstam - Glas full album playlist 

BABATUNDE TONY ELLIS – No Place To Run (MNW, 1979)

English vocals, other languages
International relevance: **

Tony Ellis was a member of Peps Blodsband on their ”Spår” album from 1978, and he made his solo album debut the following year. Most of the Blodsband is present here including Peps Persson himself, with the addition of Per Tjernberg (Archimedes Badkar) and Hassan Bah (Kebnekajse). It's an all reggae effort with the occasional African element, pretty much like a lesser Peps Blodsband album with a different singer. Mostly original songs but there's also a good cover of Johnnie Clarke's wonderful ”Roots Natty Roots Natty Congo” (also covered in Swedish by Mikael Ramel) and a version of the dull ”Sitting In The Park” made famous by Georgie Fame. One of the highpoints is the slowed down version of "Punky Reggae", originally on "Spår" but better in this moody take. 

”No Place To Run” has its ups and downs but it's a decent album overall. And it's much better than the pretty terrible 1981 follow-up ”Change Will Come”. Live album ”Red Hot And Live” was released in 1983.

There was also a 12” in 1980 with an 'A' side which isn't any better than the title ”Disco Baby”, but with the great smoky 'B' side ”Ire” not dissimilar to UK band Capital Letters' better moments.

Full album playlist
12": 
Disco Baby   
Ire 

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 6: Pop progg

 MIKAEL RAMEL – Förvånansvärt (Knäppupp, EP 1967)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Mikael Ramel's first proper solo release is an EP with four tracks released while he was still in Steampacket. His melodic style was already there albeit a little but undeveloped at this early stage. The best song is ”Bara ett par dar”, an acoustic version of a Steampacket track released the same year. A very charming EP but not on the level of his later masterpieces.

 

ROWING GAMBLERS
A World Of Roses / My Very Special Dream (Parlophone, 1969)
A Present For Tonight / Taken For A Ride (Toniton, 1970)
English vocals
International relevance: **

A Stockholm band that already had three singles out before ”A World Of Roses”. They were really a commercial pop band covering Neil Sedaka and a bad Yardbirds song but got a wee bit psychedelic on their last two 45s. ”A World Of Roses” is a Göran Lagerberg composition not released by Tages and a rather good track at that with some nice guitar work. Both tracks on their final outing are Rowing Gamblers originals, and especially ”Taken For A Ride” has obvious psychedelic overtones with a drowsy beat and Paul McCartney styled bass. 

SOMMARFILOSOFERNA – På en sommardag / På en sommarnatt (Mercury, 1970)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

”På en sommardag” is a Swedish version of Mungo Jerry's ”In The Summertime”, a song I've tried to escape for my entire life. The slightly jazzy ”På en sommarnatt” is better but still not good. The single is mainly notable for having Björn Töpel and Göran Lagerberg from Tages, along with Björn J:son Lindh. and Jan Bandel on banjo, surprisingly enough. Sommarfilosoferna were a project put together by producer Anders "Henkan" Henriksson.

KENT-MORGANS – Balladen om Kalle / Brother Hood Feeling (Marilla, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

One of the strangest inclusions in the ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music” as Kent-Morgans were nothing but a typical Swedish dance band in the vein of Sven-Ingvars. Tobias Peterson calls ”Brother Hood Feeling” ”basement psychedelia” but I don't know where he got that from. Bengt Dahlberg's fuzz guitar isn't enough. Dahlberg was later in Acke & Gurra.

TOM ZACHARIAS – Josephine / Roller (Green Light, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This was years before his infamous ”Belinda” album, and there are no traces of the pornographic lyrics of that album here. Instead, this is debile folk pop and decrepit rock. Interesting only because of the Green Light label, MNW's early 70s subsidiary. 

XTRA – Vatten / Kaffepannan (CBS, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The first of two Xtra 45s, a band best known for their album ”Oh! 10-15” from which the 'A' side was taken. ”Kaffepannan” is the interesting one here as it's a non-album track. It's not essential though, an instrumental sounding like a theme song to an imaginary drama documentary on royal life in the Middle Ages.

HASSE PERMBO
Soliga minnen / Nu piskar regnet (Playback, 1972)
Balladen om Karl Hubert / Satir i moll (Playback, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: */**

A singer/songwriter of sorts with peculiar lyrics. Something about him reminds of Kjell Höglund but without his talent for exact and well-phrased words. The second single is the better of the two thanks to ”Satir i moll” which is an entirely unexpected heavy track with an strange loop melody contrasting the lighter chorus. 

PERSONS BAND – Miljö-låt / När vi fått det för bra (Euphonic, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Only recording from this Tranås band on local label Euphonic. The vocal credits are split between the two songwriters Lennart Ljungdahl and Peter Ljungkvist. Both sides are rather poppy with apple-cheeked vocals but with OK guitar playing. Ljungdahl's ”Miljö-låt” is a little better. Both songs have a diluted political message. A privately released CDr of rehearsal recordings from 1973-1974 also exists.

JACONNE – Earth / Polisen (TOR, 1977)
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance:

TOR was a commercial pop and dance band label, and Jaconne falls in the first category. ”Earth” reveals a light Beatles and E.L.O. influence. ”Polisen” has an irritating melody and lyrics against police violence. The odd thing about it all is that the trigger happy guitar player who sounds as if he believes he's in a heavy metal band which he clearly isn't.

Mikael Ramel full EP
Sommarfilosoferna full single playlist
Kent-Morgans full single playlist
Persons Band full single playlist
Rowing Gamblers: 
A World Of Roses 
My Very Special Dream
A Present For Tonig
Taken For A Ride
Tom Zacharias:
Josephine
Roller
Xtra:
Vatten
Kaffepannan
Hasse Permbo:
Soliga minnen
Nu piskar regnet
Balladen om Karl Hubert
Satir i moll
Jaconne:
Earth
Polisten