A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 12: Various

DEN TRETTIONDE FEBRUARI – Den trettionde februari / Harley Davidson (Ljudspår, 1976)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

I wanted to hear this one-off 45 for a very long time, but it proved elusive. I had no idea what to expect from it but I still had the feeling it might be good.

The lyrics were written by later on awarded radio journalist Olle Hägg while an unidentified Hungarian keyboardist using the pseudonym David Oliver was responsible for the music. The two songs were recorded in Acke & Gurra's studio providing a not too flashy but adequate, slightly spacious underground-ish sound. That comes in particularly handy on the track sharing its name with the band itself. ”Den trettionde februari” is a faintly funky track with a very effective, flanged and nervy guitar. The flanger adds an electric sitar quality to the solos, and a persistent moog adds to the semi-psychedelic quality. It's a really enjoyable piece that somehow seems a bit overlooked. ”Harley Davidson” is more of a singer/songwriter styled half-ballad that fails to make the same impression as the main track, but it's well worth seeking out for the A side!

DOM SMUTSIGA HUNDARNA – För din nakenhets skull / Visa i Molom (MNW, 1977)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Released to generate interest for the then forthcoming debut ”Vårdsjuk blågul fanblues” by this Gothenburg band, but only the A side ”För din nakenhets skull” is on the album. The B side is exclusive to this single, a cover of visa singer Alf Hambe's best known song, the folksy and mystical ”Visa i Molom”. It's vastly different in the hands of Dom Smutsiga Hundarna. Gone is the fragility of the original. It's definitely rock, with a peculiarly pulsating rhythm underlined by a watery organ, an odd drum section and a wailing fuzz guitar taking the lead. ”Visa i Molom” would have been out of place on the album, but as a quirky B side it's really quite great. If you're a fan of ”Vårdsjuk blågul fanblues”, this is an excellent addition to your collection.

RONNY ÅSTRÖM – Maskin nr. 1 / PEPS PERSSON – Maskin nr. 2 (Sonet, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The two friends Ronny Åström and Peps Persson on a split single, with the B side being Peps's wellknown track from the ”Spår” album. The sentiment is the same on both tracks, with lyrics addressing the mindless mass production of superfluous things, two statements against the consumerist society. Åström's side is unique to this 45, and it's one of his very best tracks. Set to the monotonous rhythm of a book packing machine, a monophonic synthesizer fill in with a naive, plastic melody behind Åström's gruff voice singing an almost circular melody that could go on forever, just like the sameness of the boring work in a soul-destroying factory. The minimal synth framework makes the point perfectly – beneath the alluring surface of childlike charm, there's a heartfelt critique against the modern, commercialized Western world. 

RIGHT BAND – Keep On Wailing / Natural Vibes (Liphone, 1978)
English vocals
International relevance: **

A not very sought-after single on the long running and increasingly unpredictable West Coast based Liphone label. The band had Per Giöbel on vocals and guitar, and he also wrote ”Keep On Wailing” for the A side. Giöbel is known from Hausswolff and Claes Ekenstam & Sista Bandet, as well as ”Snacka går ju”, one of Motvind's later albums. Pretty far removed from Right Band's 7” which is more in a funk rock style. ”Keep On Wailing” is the better song, revealing some inspiration from Little Feat and late 70s Zappa. Very competent for a local band that only released one single but still not very interesting
.

STETSON CODY GROUP – Eyes / Det var du (SCG, 1979)
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **

Best known for having guitarist Kjell Lövbom in their line-up years before he became Kee Marcello in multi-million selling hair metal band Europe. Which says nothing about Stetson Cody Group, as everyone who's heard the various artists album ”Jazz & Rock” will know. That particular album featured four Stetson Cody tracks, but this self-financed single was the only outpouring under their own name. The style is similar, a test tube blend of funk rock, jazz fusion and a bit of prog rock. It's competent and tight but not fun to listen to. At all. 

ULF PETTERSSON – Summershores / This Kinda Shit (no label, 1979)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

With a dude looking like the entire Blue Öyster Cult on a bad hair day, one could easily think this would be a hard rock one man band, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is a very rare predominantly electronic DIY effort with hints at sequencer krautrock, Giorgio Moroder and French cosmic disco. ”Summershores” is a relaxed, laidback piece that comes with Pettersson's listening instructions ”Sit down in your favourite armchair and light your pipe”. And as he promises you that ”This Kinda Shit” can help you ”fly away to an alien planet”, you know this is really some guy. The kitsch level is high.

Both tracks were recorded in Mora Träsk's studio in Gävle, and most of the 500 copies were sold at Pettersson's dad's work, a local shipping company! The last remaining copies went in 2024 when there was a sudden outburst of interest in it among DJ's and collectors. Subliminal Sounds reissued it digitally in 2026.

INJECTION – Mountain Side / Mozarts 40:e (Liphone, 1979)

English vocals

International relevance: **

A symphonic band of only one single, released on the aleatoric Liphone label. They try hard but can't live up to their ambitions. The singer sounds strained and flat on ”Mountain Side”, the time changes are underrehearsed and the synth licks have a tremulous glissando that's very irritating. The B side is an adaption of Mozart's Symphony No. 40. With a perky country & western beat and ending with ”I Wanna Be Like You” from ”The Jungle Book”, it's just corny. It might be funny if you think that a drunk Emerson, Lake & Palmer twisting their legs in a serious need of pee is funny. What the hell were Injection thinking?!

MOBILE – Swedish Magazines / Truck (MOB, 1980)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

A rather unusual sounding band (from Kivik in the south) that makes me think of a basement version of British art rockers Cardiacs. Very tight performances which can possibly be explained by the fact that three of the four members were brothers with a tight connection. Dan, Sven and Jörgen Bornemark were sons of Gullan Bornemark who wrote a large number of extremely annoying children's songs in the 60s. I wouldn't say it's a very good single but it's nevertheless interesting as so few Swedish bands actually sounded like this. Worth hearing but perhaps not buying. On the other hand, it's not a very expensive item – it seems to be rather unknown.

LUFTGROUP – Pornografi / Det kostar på... (Musikkällan, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This Värnamo seven-piece had hopes for the future. The short liner notes on the back of the cover read: ”This single is an exclusive amateur release documenting that 1980 musically moved at all air bearings, also on basement level. With the next disc, we'll move into the light.” That never happened – this was the only thing they ever released. Most of the members seem to have disappeared without any further musical traces at all which seems a bit odd as Luftgroup sounded rather good. Especially for being a local underground band. Anti-porn A side ”Pornografi” is rather catchy, a bit like Fiendens Musik although not as hard-edged. ”Det kostar på...” reminds be a bit of ”Knockin' On Heaven's Door” with a rich Hammond organ fleshing out the sound and a fat fuzz guitar in the short solos. It's not a 'lost masterpiece' but I kind of like this 7”. It has some urgency to it, and I'd be interested hearing more of Luftgroup. I suspect they ought to have been a pretty good live band. 

NORRSKENET – Sången om Norrskensflamman / Norrbottenssången (Flame, 1981)
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: -

This is abysmal even for a political record. Northern communist news magazine Norrskensflamman (today known as Flamman) released this in 1981 celebrating themselves with A side ”Sången om Norrskensflamman”, an incredibly cringy track with a long spoken intro so deadly serious that it turns into full-blown parody. It's so embarrassing that it makes Fria Proteatern sound like a really nifty rock'n'roll combo. And when the choir enters with their local patriotism I just want to sink through the floor never to rise again to the realm of the living. The only good thing I have to say about the equally ”Norrbottenssången” on the second side is that it at least lacks the recital. The singing is debile and the backing music is so twee a teddy bear could be mistaken for Charles Manson in comparison. Bloody amazing really how appalling music can actually be!

ROCKVINDAR – Lys upp mitt mörker / Ann-Louie (Metronome, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Last release from actor Thorsten Flinck's band following two years after their only album. The album wasn't too impressive, and the same goes for the two sides here. Energetic performances but still plain standard rock with mild new wave aspirations and Clarence Clemons styled sax on both tracks. No need to bother.

Ulf Pettersson full single playlist (Bandcamp) 
Injection full single playlist (Spotify)
Gog full single
Rockvindar full single
Ronny Åström / Peps Persson
Maskin nr. 1 (poor sound) / Maskin nr. 2
Dom Smutsiga Hundarna
För din nakenhets skull
Luftgroup 
Det kostar på...  
Norrskenet
Sången om Norrskensflamman / Norrbottenssången

Den Trettionde Februari / Right Band / Stetson Cody Group / Mobile no links found

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 4: Late era progg

 BALL
Leaving (For A New Land) / Ballgame (Philips, 1977)
Busker / Frida's Bank (Hi-Hat, 1978)
English vocals
International relevance: *

A Finnish-Swedish band active in Stockholm. They only made two singles, the first one also released in Finland on Hi-Hat with sides reversed and a different cover, the second one only released in Finland. They are mentioned in ”The Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music” but none of them is very proggish at all. Ball was more of a classic rock band who probably thought they were very metal, but only ”Ballgame” could possibly be called hard rock. Bass player Kaj Söderström and drummer Henrik ”Hempo” Hilldén were previously in Splash and later went on to the rhyming Trash, a heavy metal band who made two albums in the 80s. Hilldén also played with Pugh Rogefeldt and Mikael Ramel in the 70s and later had an international career. 

 

SYDKRAFT – Surfway / Så tung, så lång (EMI, 1978)
English vocals, Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Two tracks both on Sydkraft's bad full length album but in different and better versions. ”Surfway” works vastly better as the surf punk number it's here than as the terrible fake reggae track on the LP, If you want great neo-surf pop, please go to UK band The Barracudas debut album instead. Flipside ”Så tung, så lång” has more energy in this early version than on the re-recorded album version. Yes, better, but still not good.

 

 

HETS – Uran / Valutatango (Alternativ, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Peripherally interesting for being on Kjell Höglund's Alternativ label. The 'A' side is an anti-nuclear song and the 'B' side is a cabaret styled song against tax refugees. Not worth the effort. Another single exists plus a full album, both on Alternativ.

STAFFANS LÄRJUNGAR – Tures trumpet / Dresden '45 (Staffan Records, 1979)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

Private 45 from a Gävle band with no further releases. ”Tures trumpet” sounds a bit like an inferior early Dom Smutsiga Hundarna track, with a whacky trumpet solo at the end. ”Dresden '45” is a bit more interesting, an instrumental with a bit of atmosphere with organ and clumsy guitars. Recorded in two days in Mora Träsk's studio. Bassist Bengt-Olof Tedeborg later went to other Gävle bands including new wave band Grenzfall. Trumpeter and organist Jan Lindström later changed his surname to Berglin and became one of Sweden's most brilliant cartoonists.

STEVE ROPER BAND – Freda'n är här / Betonglåten (Opel, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Umeå band with Lars Gillén on drums. Gillén later co-founded Umeå label Garageland Records that did some early reissues of Lea Riders Group and Friends. ”Betonglåten” is the best and most proggish track of the two with some prominent guitar playing. ”Freda'n är här” is more pop oriented, and later Steve Roper Band releases are mediocre power pop. They also have a track on V/A compilation "Vi har rätt till jobb".

 

ALDRIG I LIVET – När Hyland sjunger lalala... / Brända barn (Fest Produktion, 1981)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Yet another act from the north of Sweden, this time from Luleå. The 'A' side is a forgettable ska track but ”Brända barn” is OK, not entirely unlike a slow Nynningen or late Nationalteatern track in style. I suspect Tomas Forssell might have been an inspiration here as he moved to Luleå after Nynningen's demise.
 

 

DOM SMUTSIGA HUNDARNA – Festen är över / Sista dansen (Nacksving, 1982)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Second to last outing from this Gothenburg band, only followed by their final album ”Framtiden rusar emot dig” in 1983. By this time they had lost their early scruffy appeal and become just another Nacksving band, and hadn't it been for the saxophone, this could have been any mediocre band of 1982.

 

GOTLANDS TEATER

Knark (Noon, EP 1982)

Rockpojken / Tonys sång (Noon, 1982)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Gotlands Teater was a theatre ensemble who made its vinyl debut already in 1974 with single-sided LP ”Modell /74”. Eight years later three singles appeared, including five track 33 1/3 EP ”Knark” and ”Rockpojken”. Obviously styled after the edgier side of Nationalteatern, most of it is just unexceptional rock music. Best track is ”Horor och knarkluder” from ”Knark”. 

"Rockpojken" was released with three different covers. 

Worth noting is the theatre's creative director and actor Anders T. Peedú who was in garage band Friends in the 60s. 

 

CRUT

Efter 5 långa år / Tunnan (Ljudbarrikaden Spartacus, 1978)

Jönköping / Balladen om puben Lycka (Skivbolaget Sjöbo, 1980)

Hååvee / Grande Finale (Sjöbo Påpp, 1981)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Crut is already on this blog with their album ”Världspremiär”. ”Jönköping” and ”Grand Finale” are both on the album in very similar versions, while ”Balladen om puben Lycka” is an entirely different recording. The basement hard rock of ”Efter 5 långa år” is the best thing they ever did while ”Hååvee” is absolutely moronic crap. Remaining tracks fall somewhere inbetween, but closer to crap.

GUNNAR EDANDER – Musiken ur ”Kameliadamens kärlek och död” (Skådebanan, 1981)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

Gunnar Edander composed the music for ”Kärleksföreställningen”, ”Jösses flickor”, and ”Sånger om kvinnor" to name but some of his best known work. This seven-inch belongs to his most obscure efforts however. It's two instrumental tracks from a play based on Alexander Dumas' ”The Lady of the Camellias” (also knowns as simply ”Camille”) and performed at Stockholm City Theatre in 1981. ”Kameliavalsen” (with French subtitle ”La Valse aux Camélias”) is almost akin to 20th century modernist piano music. Or perhaps even a spastic unknown recording by a completely psychotic Lars Hollmer. B side is the title track from the play, ”Kameliadamens kärlek och död” (”L'amour et la Mort de la Dame aux Camélias”) and a very different thing. Starting off like a variation on ”Fûr Elise”, it soon expands into a romantic, spacious piece with strong melancholic underpinnings. A very moody composition and quite captivating. This is by and large the most intriguing music I've ever heard from Gunnar Edander and it's a shame it remains virtually unknown.

Sydkraft full single 
Hets full single
Staffans Lärjungar full single 
Aldrig I Livet full single
Dom Smutsiga Hundarna full single
Ball:
Leaving (For A New Land)
Ballgame 
Busker
Frida's Bank
Steve Roper Band:
Freda'n är här
Betonglåten
Gotlands Teater:
Knark full single
Rockpojken full single
Crut:
Efter 5 långa år full single playlist
Jönköping full single playlist
Hååvee full single playlist
Gunnar Edander no links found

DOM SMUTSIGA HUNDARNA – Vårdsjuk blågul fanblues (MNW, 1977) / Hotel Cancer (Nacksving, 1979)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **/**

Dom Smutsiga Hundarna were a Gothenburg band, founded already in 1969 but with a volatile, ever-changing line-up until their demise in 1983 (not counting rare reunions). They performed at the first Gärdet festival in 1970, then augmented by members from Träd, Gräs & Stenar. Their live appearances sometimes turned into exercises in chaos, and they were surrounded by controversy from time to time, as in 1973 when they recorded a session that Swedish Radio for some reason refused to broadcast.

It took Dom Smutsiga Hundarna a further four years before they got their album debut together, released by MNW in the year of punk 1977. Some consider the forceful advent of punk the death blow to progg (a statement that is up for debate for many reasons). But while some bands felt lost in the tsunami of punk's frustrated fury, Dom Smutsiga Hundarna was rather invigorated by the 'new' youthful sounds.

That's not to say that ”Vårdsjuk blågul fanblues” is a punk album – it's firmly rooted in the progg aesthetic and without a doubt that's where it belongs, but it has definite punk shadings, especially in the vocals and sometimes in how they play, as on ”Med förtvivlans mod”. Then again, you could possibly trace that back to bands such as Love Explosion and Gudibrallan anyway.

I don't think ”Vårdsjuk blågul fanblues” is a particularly good album but it's an important one in how it bridges the gap from what came before and what was just beginning to happen.

”Hotel Cancer” followed in 1979 after a switch from MNW to Nacksving, the title and cover art satirizing both Coca Cola and The Eagles' worldwide hit ”Hotel California” in one go. It's a historically less significant album than their debut, but with better production, tighter performances and more realized songs. Some of punkier tracks admittedly come off as a bit contrived, occasionally with a faint Stranglers nimbus thanks to Bert Gren's organ, and sometimes slightly in the Devo vein. But ”Hur ska du någonsin kunna förstå?” and the title track are straight up prog. ”Vilddjurets återkomst” is a great track, the album's highlight. Worth noting is that Arbete & Fritid appears as backing singers on "Att vara eller inte vara"!

A revised line-up released one further Dom Smutsiga Hundarna album on Nacksving in 1983, ”Framtiden rusar emot dig”. A couple of non-album singles also exist. Two further tracks are featured in "Progglådan", one recorded for Tonkraft in 1977 and the other possibly a studio outtake. Loads of unreleased pre-debut recordings can be heard on singer Ingmar "Tomten" Flurén's Soundcloud page, some very interesting stuff there.

Vårdsjuk blågul fanblues full album playlist
Hotel Cancer no links found