VARIOUS ARTISTS - 2 anti-nuclear compilations

It was an era of engagement and activism. You were expected to stand for something, and what people stood for was sometimes good, sometimes not. Standing up for environmental issues was one of the best things you could do – if more people had done it, perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today, with on one hand a scorched earth and on the other a flooded one. The anti-nuclear movement was particularly strong towards the end of the 70's and early 80's, engaging several artists. Two 'no nukes' various artists albums were released, one in 1975 and one in 1980.

Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft (Silence, 1975)

Featured artists: Bernt Staf / Tore Berger / Elektriska Linden / Turid / Roland von Malmborg / Nynningen / Røde Mor / Thomas Wiehe / Thomas Tidholm

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Silence put out this album in 1975, with both label acts and non-Silence artists. All tracks were recorded specifically for the album. Qualitywise it's a bit hit and miss, but stylistically it's surprisingly coherent despite the disparate contributors. The oddest ones out in this predominantly acoustic lot are Røde Mor, actually a Danish band but here augmented by Nynningen's Totta Näslund on vocals. Roland von Malmborg provides "Stoppa all atomkraft", one of his best songs, and Thomas Tidholm's ”Fortsättning följer” is a great and moody way to end the album. 

Nej till kärnkraft! (MNW/Silence, 1979)

Featured artists: Lill Lindfors / Anders Linder / Monica Dominique / Ola Magnell / Marie Bergman / Robert Broberg / Dag Vag / Monica Törnell / Bernt Staf / Lasse Tennander / Hjördis Petterson

 Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

 

A referendum on the future use of nuclear power was held in March 1980. There were three alternatives to vote for. No. 1 was a definite yes to nuclear power, supported by Moderata Samlingspartiet (The Moderate Party, right-wing). No. 2 stood for a slow phase out of nuclear energy, and was supported by Socialdemokraterna (The Social Democratic Party, left-wing) and Folkpartiet (The People's Party, right-wing liberals). No. 3 represented a definite no and wanted a quick stop to the use of nuclear power, and it was supported by Vänsterpartiet Kommunisterna (The Communist Party, left-wing obviously) and Centerpartiet (The Centre Party, right-wing). Alternative no. 2 won but the phasing out still hasn't happened.

A vast number of artists supported the third alternative, and to raise money for the no nukes campaign, the two most notable progg labels MNW and Silence joined forces for a mutual release in 1979, ”Nej till kärnkraft!”. If ”Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft” has a diverse line-up, it's nothing compared to this release. Bringing together mainstream artists such as Lill Lindfors and Marie Bergman, actress Hjördis Petterson who had her heyday in the 1930's-50's, progg singer/songwriters like Bernt Staf and Ola Magnell, the one-of-a-kind visionary Robert Broberg, and jazz singer Monica Dominique (previously in Solar Plexus) to mention but some of the participants sure makes for a spastic listen. Which is not to say it's without merits. Most notably, it has ”Många gånger om”, one of the best track the excellent progg/rock/reggae band Dag Vag ever did. But the album is certainly subordinated to the cause and I can't think of anyone who would actually enjoy it from start to finish.

From Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft

Roland von Malmborg - Stoppa all atomkraft 

Nynningen - Det löser sig 

Thomas Tidholm - Fortsättning följer

Nej till kärnkraft full album playlist

ROLAND VON MALMBORG – Räck din hand (RCA, 1966) / Vårt klotrunda fosterland (Globalist, 1969)

Swedish vocals, other language

International relevance: */*

Roland von Malmborg has his fans but isn't widely acknowledged by the general progg audience. Maybe because he never really became part of the movement, despite being vocal against nuclear energy and pollution early on, and embracing many concepts that were at the core of the progg movement's realm of ideas. Once the Swedish Green Party (Miljöpartiet) was founded in 1981, Malmborg became a member, happily performing under their banner. Through the years, he's written numerous songs on environmental issues, but without too much blatant proselytizing and sometimes adding a light spiritual (but not necessarily religious) touch to his lyrics.

He debuted in 1965 with a Swedish version of ”Eve of Destruction” that was a hit by Barry McGuire the same year; ”Vår värld ska gå under” too was a minor hit domestically, which delighted major label RCA who released Malmborg's first full length album ”Räck din hand” the following year. The album reflects the artist's interest in folk songs from around the world, and includes Swedish translations of North American tunes such as ”Keep Your Hands on the Plow” (the top track on ”Räck din hand”), ”We Shall Overcome” and ”Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream”, plus songs of German, Indian, Japanese, South African and Jewish origins, sometimes partly sung in their original languages. The renditions are sincere enough, but marred by the Pete Seeger hootenanny feel that runs through the entire album. The choir prevalent on many of the tracks further emphasizes this in a rather off-putting way.

RCA wanted to push Malmborg in a direction he didn't agree to and he in turn had ideas that didn't sit well with the label's commercial formula. In 1969 he re-surfaced with the privately released ”Vårt klotrunda fosterland”, beating even Kjell Höglund to the punch (Höglund's self-produced debut ”Undran” didn't appear until two years later). Although released on von Malmborg's own Globalist imprint, it's a surprisingly lavish affair, properly recorded in Philips' studio during two sessions in November 1969 and housed in a laminated sleeve designed by the artist himself. According to Malmborg, the album was pressed in an edition of 1,700 copies, a staggering number for a self-paid release. He distributed the album himself with little or no support from regular record shops, but actually managed to get his invested money back. Again an achievement as the expenses were in the 40,000 SEK region (almost €4,000) – in today's currency an almost shocking cost for an album released with no involvement from an established label.

”Vårt klotrunda fosterland” has favourably a bit less production sheen than its predecessor, but it still shares several characteristics with ”Räck din hand”. Some tracks are just terrible, like the silly ”Nalles fredsvisa” and the unbearable ”Rapa på, du Välfärdssverige!”, but the best songs here are better than anything on the previous album. Highlights include the catchy opening track ”Vägen är kort” (good enough to even make the interfering ”Räck din hand” styled backing vocals forgivable) and the brooding ”Oförrätter glöms så lätt” and ”Krigets herrar” (the latter being a thinly veiled reworking of Dylan's ”Masters of War” lyrics set to original music). Worthy of note is that Hélène Bohman (later of Stenblomma fame) appears on the track ”Sov mitt bar i ro”.

None of Roland von Malmborg's albums are essential but they may be of passing interest to fans of Swedish vocal trio Jailbird Singers, Pete Seeger or even Witthüser & Westrupp.

”Räck din hand” can sometimes be found with lyric inserts, originally available from von Malmborg himself. (Why, one wonders.as the lyrics are already printed on the back cover). Signed copies of ”Vårt klotrunda fosterland” are common.

Roland von Malmborg only made these two albums but he can be heard with one track on the anti-nuclear power various artists album ”Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft” on Silence in 1975, and on one further 45 from 1980. He still performs live though, sometimes as a street musician, and he also dabbles in comedy.

from Vårt klotrunda fosterland
"Vägen är kort"

"Rapa på, du Välfärdssverige"

"Krigets herrar"

from Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft

"Stoppa all atomkraft"

From V/A: "Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft":
Stoppa all atomkraft