BJÖRN FAMNE – Björn Famne (Rasp, EP 1975)

English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Despite being only a five-track 7” EP, Björn Famne's lone solo outing is a split personality work musically speaking. It features a semi-spacey take on classic trad tune ”Visa från Utanmyra” with soft wah wah, vibraphone and acoustic guitar clearly nspirated by UK folk guitars such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Davey Graham. The acoustic twin guitar work of Renbourn and Jansch is also evident on ”Bach Goes to Town”, while ”Mañha De Carneval” is soft late night bossa nova. ”Njudungssjåttis” is a bluesy rock'n'roll track of little merit.

The track here that really stands out here is the EP's only non-instrumental and also Famne's most famous one, ”Vampire”. Full of wild, screaming electric guitars over a persistent heavy groove it wouldn't have been out of place on Scorpion's ”I Am The Scorpion”. It would also have been the best track on that album. Instead this example of excellent half sloppy hard rock was resurrected for the third volume of the comp series ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils" which turned into a fullblown classic.

Björn Famne is still active and has played with several bands in different genres over the years. His recorded output is relatively meagre though. Apart from this very rare EP (made a bit more obtainable by the Woah Dad! Record Store Day 12" reissue in 2016), there are a couple of tracks by Famne led band Famntag on the local ”Aktiv Ungdom: Alsterett” V/A comp. He also made an album and a couple of singles with Örebro band Lix in the early/mid 80's, and appeared on an EP by Christian youth choir Ingarps Ungdomskör, ”Jag vill leva nära dig” (release date unknown).

Full album playlist

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Aktiv Ungdom: Alsterett (ANT, 1980)

Featured artists: Station / Gain / Cega Hö / Famntag 

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *

Preparations for this album began already in 1978 but it wasn't released until 1980. Privately released through the non-profit organisation Aktiv Ungdom (”Active Youth”), it was locally distributed in the Örebro area in an unknown but probably small edition. The album is mainly of interest to collectors of lesser-known hard rock collectors thanks to contributions from Gain and possibly Station, but it's the three tracks by Famntag that justifies the inclusion here.

Famntag were a five-piece lead by Björn Famne noted for the track ”Vampire” off his rare and eponymous 1975 EP on Rasp Records. While Famnes fuzz guitar has a prominent place also in Famntag but the style is vastly different to what one would expect after hearing ”Vampire”. On ”Can Fight It”, written by bassist Arne Holmberg, Famntag moves into funk rock territory with lots of that dreaded slap bass inseparately associated with the genre. Famne penned ”Open Gate” fares slightly better although it still fails to avoid the B grade funk moves entirely. Most puzzling of Famntag's three tracks is ”Det har mamma sagt”, a short assault on your ears in the shape of a punk parody.

Fleshing out the album is ten-piece recorder orchestra Cega Hö.

All in all, the progg sensibilities are too faint and far between, but measured by other standards, ”Alsterett” is still a neglectable album to anyone but serious collectors.

Includes insert.

Famntag: "Det har mamma sagt"