RÄVJUNK – The Freaky Guitar Album (no label, 2002; rec. 1976-1979) / Jamsession (Bogus, 2022; rec. 1970s) / Live At Rackis 1979 (Bogus, 2002; rec. 1979)

The Freaky Guitar Album (no label, 2002; rec. 1976-1979)
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

There exist several unofficial (or semi official?) Rävjunk releases of indeterminate origin. Three albums appeared in 2002, ”Collage”, ”Never Played” and ”The Freaky Guitar Album”, with material recorded in the late 70s. ”Collage” is a compilation of their singles with previously unreleased bonus tracks (since then largely superseded by ”Uppsala Stadshotellbrinner igen”). ”Never Played” consists of tapes from 1976-1979, and appears to be a sister volume to ”The Freaky Guitar Album” covering the same period. It's quite possible, even likely, that Rävjunk themselves were behind those elusive discs.

Parts of what's on ”The Freaky Guitar Album” sound very similar to what's on ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner”, while some of it is available elsewhere as bonus tracks. Even if Rävjunk's discography originally only extended to one full length album and a handful of singles, it's a total mess of bonus material, archival releases and what-not. There are a couple of things here I don't immediately recognize from elsewhere, but most of it appears to have been released in form or another since ”The Freaky Guitar Album” was sneaked out.

Jamsession (Bogus, 2022; rec. 1970s)
Instrumental, Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

This is only available for streaming on platforms such as Spotify and Youtube, and it's a much more rewarding and coherent outing than ”The Freaky Guitar Album”. It should be mentioned that all of it is also available as bonus material on Transubstans's digital reissue of ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” along with a couple of songs not released on ”Jamsession”. The sound is great with a bearable dip in quality only on the final 20+ minute track ”Naturbarn”. My guess is that most of it was recorded on the same occasion, possibly during the sessions for ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner”. All tracks are instrumental except for a few (improvised?) lines in ”Tro på livet”. For those into Rävjunk's jammy side, this is essential.

Live At Rackis, Uppsala, Sweden 1979 May 26 (Bogus, 2002; rec. 1979)
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **

Another streaming-only release, this time representing Rävjunk's punkier side with four tracks recorded live at Rackarbergspuben (commonly referred to as Rackis) in the band's hometown Uppsala on 26th of May, 1979. The sound is generally good although the vocals sound a bit muffled. It's a short but tight and very inspired set including two songs not available elsewhere, the decent but not excellent ”Redneck” and a great, revved-up cover of Gudibrallan's ”Sprutan”. This is every bit as good as their singles, if not better. If you prefer this side of the band, this is something to check out.

One further track, a so called "raw version" of the track "Delerium" off "Uppsala Stadshotell brinner" was included on the V/A CD "Tänd mörkret", a compilation of experimental postpunk and fringe progg artists released in conjunction with an art exhibition in Gothenburg 2007. 

The Freaky Guitar Album full album
Jamsession full album playlist
Live At Rackis 1979 full EP playlist 
"Delirium (Raw version)" from "Tänd mörkret" 

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

RÄVJUNK – Uppsala Stadshotell brinner (Rävjunk, 1977)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

A widely acknowledged album that due to its popularity and scarcity of original pressings has been reissued multiple times by different labels, some of them unauthorized. I personally find it vastly overrated, and also suffering from a split personality disorder. The tracks getting the most praise are the most solo guitar driven tracks, as usual.

I'm probably in a minority here but I think Rävjunk was a much better punk band than a progg band why I much prefer their 45's (meritoriously compiled by Shadoks on ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner igen”) and the straightforward tracks on ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner”. I think ”Sherry, vermouth, vin & öl”, ”Säg mig Andersson”, ”Jag e så skitig, jag e så paj”, and the speed freak punk of ”Hey Little Girl” are much better than than the guitar driven pothead boogie of ”Inferno” and ”Snöspår”, or  Träd, Gräs & Stenar meanderings of the title track.

Full album playlist

RÄVJUNK – Uppsala Stadshotell brinner igen (Shadoks, 1976-1980)

 

International relevance: ***

Swedish and English vocals, instrumental

Rävjunk's self-released 1977 album ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” has been a collector's classic for ages, thanks to the jam heavy, guitar driven tracks. I personally think the album is overrated because, unlike most apparently, I like the punkier side of Rävjunk a lot better. ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” has its share of high octane hit-and-run tracks of course, including ”Hey Little Girl” and ”Jag e så skitig, jag e så paj” but they just aren't as good as the three seven-inches the band released on their own Sub label in 1979 and 1980. A proper reissue of those was long overdue when Shadoks Music finally compiled them in 2016, adding seven previously unreleased recordings (including Wire cover "40 Versions"), effectively creating a proper follow-up to their legendary first.

Kicking off with ”Bohman, Bohman”, what could possibly go wrong? A raging and hilarious full frontal assault on Gösta Bohman, then leader of right-wing political party Moderaterna, with lyrics unsophisticated enough to get the song banned by the Swedish Radio. (Later, the reincarnated Rävjunk performed an updated version of the song, changing the lyrics to ”Reinfeldt, Reinfeldt” in 'honour' of Moderaterna's new leader and Prime Minister of Sweden 2006-2014, Fredrik Reinfeldt.)

While ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner igen” has its progressive touches, particularly on the previously unreleased tracks of the 'B' side, the album as a whole is a no-nonsense affair further examplified by the punch-in-the-face take on Bob Dylan's ”All Along the Watchtower” and a Swedish version of Stooges chestnut ”I Wanna Be Your Dog” (”Roland Agius se ut över stan!”). There's a different kind of energy at work here which simply blows most of ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” to smithereens. When I talk about Rävjunk, this is what I mean.

Bohman, Bohman 

All Along the Watchtower 

Så skitig så paj 

Roland Agius se ut över stan! 

Skjut jultomten nu 

De utslagnas café 

Storstad 

Ensam på scen 

Maktens torn/La Dominique